Prep ON AT IN (Time)

Prepositions
ON, AT, and IN

(time)
A.
Compare at, on, and in:
 They arrived at 5:00.
 They arrived on Friday.
 They arrived in October. / They arrived in 1968.
We use:
At for the time of the day: at 5:00 at 11:45 at midnight
at lunchtime at sunset, etc.
On for days and dates: on Friday /on Fridays on May 16,1999

on Christmas day on my birthday
also on the weekend, on weekends
In for longer periods (for example, months/years/seasons):

in October in 1988 in the 18th century in the past
in (the) winter in the 1900s in the Middle Ages in the future
B.
We use at in these expressions:
At night I don’t like going out at night.
At Christmas Do you give each other presents at Christmas?
At this time/at the moment Mr. Brown is busy at this time/at the moment.
At the same time Mr. Lee and I came at the same time.
C.
We say:
In the morning(s) but on Friday morning(s)
In the afternoon(s) on Sunday afternoon(s)
In the evening(s) on Monday evening(s), etc.
I’ll see you in the morning. I’ll see you on Friday morning.
Do you work in the evenings? Do you work on Saturday evenings?
D.
We do not use at/on/in before last/next/this/every:
 I’ll see you next Friday. (not on next Friday)
 They got married last March.
In spoken English, we often leave out on before days (Sunday) and dates (March 12, etc). So
you can say:
 I’ll see you on Friday. or I’ll see you Friday.
 She works on Saturday mornings. or She works Saturday mornings.
 They got married on March 12. or They got married March 12.
E.
In a few minutes / in six months, etc.
 The train will be leaving in a few minutes. (= a few minutes from now)
 Andy has left town. He’ll be back in a week. (= a week from now)
 She’ll be here in a moment. (= a moment from now)
You can also say “in six months’ time,” “in a week’s time,” etc.
 They’re getting married in six months’ time. or …in six months
We also use in… to say how long it takes to do something:

 I learned to drive in four weeks. (= it took me four weeks to learn)
Exercises
A. Complete the sentences. Use at, on, in + the following:
the evening about 20 minutes 1492 the same time
the moment July 21, 1969 the 1920s night
Saturdays the Middle Ages 11 seconds
1. Columbus made his first voyage from Europe to America __________.

2. If the sky is clear, you can see the stars _________________.
3. After working hard during the day, I like to relax ___________________.
4. Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon _____________.
5. It’s difficult to listen if everyone is speaking ____________________.
6. Jazz became popular in the United States _________________.
7. I’m just going out to the store. I’ll be back ______________.
8. (on the phone) “Can I speak to Dan?” “I’m sorry, but he’s not here
___________.
9. Many of Europe’s great cathedrals were built ________________.
10. Bob is a very fast runner. He can run 100 meters _________________.
11. Liz works from Monday to Friday. Sometimes she also works _______.
Exercises
B. Put in at, on, in:
1. Mozart was born in Salzburg _____ 1756.

2. “Have you seen Kate recently?” “Yes, I saw her ____ Tuesday.”
3. The price of electricity is going up ____ October.
4. ____ weekends, we often go for long walks in the country.
5. I’ve been invited to a wedding ___ February 14.
6. Henry is 63. he’ll be retiring from his job ____ two years.
7. I’m busy right now, but I’ll be with you ____ a moment.
8. Jenny’s brother is an engineer, but he doesn’t have a job ____ the moment.
9. There are usually a lot of parties ____ New Year’s Eve.
10. I don’t like driving ____ night.
11. My car is being repaired. It will be ready ____ two hours.
12. The doorbell and the telephone rang ____ the same time.
13. Mary and David always go out for dinner ____ their wedding anniversary.
Exercises
B. Put in at, on, in:
14. It was a short book and easy to read. I read it ____ a day.
15. ____ Saturday night I went to bed ____ midnight.
16. We traveled overnight to Paris and arrived ____ 5:00 ____ the morning.
17. The course begins ____ January 7 and ends sometime ____ April.
18. I might not be at home ____ Tuesday morning, but I’ll be there ____ the
afternoon.
Exercises
C. Which is correct: (a), (b), or both of them?
1. a) I’ll see you on Friday. 1. b) I’ll see you Friday.

2. a) I’ll see you on next Friday. 2. b) I’ll see you next Friday.
3. a) Paul got married in April. 3. b) Paul got married April.
4. a) They never go out on Sunday 4. b) They never go out Sunday evenings.
evenings. 5. b) We usually take a short vacation at
5. a) We usually take a short vacation on Christmas.
Christmas. 6. b) What are you doing on the weekend?
6. a) What are you doing the weekend? 7. b) Will you be here Tuesday?
7. a) Will you be here on Tuesday? 8. b) We were sick in the same time.
8. a) We were sick at the same time. 9. b) Sue got married on May 18, 2002.
9. a) Sue got married at May 18, 2002. 10. b) He finished school in last June.
10. a) He finished school last June.

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Prepositions

ON, AT, and IN

On for days and dates: on Friday /on Fridays on May 16,1999

In for longer periods (for example, months/years/seasons):

We also use in… to say how long it takes to do something:

1. Columbus made his first voyage from Europe to America __________.

1. Mozart was born in Salzburg _____ 1756.

1. a) I’ll see you on Friday. 1. b) I’ll see you Friday.

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