Home â™” PREPOSITIONS OF TIME

key_smallIn English, we use many different prepositions for talking about time. Here are some tables comparing the uses.

 

Try to remember the lists of the time words that need 'on', 'in', 'at' and some that don't need any prépositions at all.

 

But before try to remember that in general, we use:

 
AT for a PRECISE TIME
 
IN for MONTHS, YEARS, CENTURIES, SEASONS  and LONG PERIODS
 
ON for DAYS and DATES

 

[ultimatetables 54 /]

 

Look at these examples:
 
I go to bed at midnight.
 
The library closes at 5.50.
 
Jane goes home at lunchtime everyday.
 
In the North of England, it often snows in December.
 
Do you think my students will speak English fluently in the future?  Yes, by all means!
 
There should be a lot of progress in the next century.
 
Do you work on Saturdays?
 
David's birthday is on 20th November.
 
Where will you be on New Year's Day?
 
 
Notice the use of the preposition of time AT in the following standard expressions:
 

[ultimatetables 55 /]

 

 

Notice the use of the preposition of time IN and ON in the following standard expressions:

 

[ultimatetables 56 /]

 

VERY IMPORTANT: When we say LAST, NEXT, EVERY, THIS we do not also use at, in, on.

I went to London last June. (in last June)

He's coming back next Tuesday. (on next Tuesday)

I go home every Easter. (at every Easter)

We'll call you this evening. (in this evening)

 

Now you may want to learn more about the prepositions of place: just click HERE.

Now you may want to learn more about the prepositions of movement: then click HERE.