Prepositions of time


We use


at with clock times.

I’ll see you at 4.15. The plane leaves at six. Call me at lunch time.


on with days, dates and expressions like Monday morning and Friday afternoon.

I’ll be at home on Tuesday. We get up late on Sundays. The meeting’s on June 23^rd. I had to work
on Christmas Day.


But we say What time ….?

What time is the film?


We use


in with weeks, seasons, months, years and centuries.

My birthday’s in March. Shakespeare died in 1616. I always get unhappy in the winter.


!! We say in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening, but at night. !!

She was born at 6.16 in the morning. I work best in the evening. This street is very quiet at
night.


!! We say at the weekend, at Christmas, at Easter. !!

What are you doing at the weekend? Did you go away at Christmas?


!! We don’t use prepositions before common expressions with this, next, last and every.

What are you doing this afternoon? Bill was here last Sunday. See you next week. We go on holiday
to the same place every year.


To say how long it takes to finish something, we use in.

They built house in three months. Your soup will be ready in ten minutes.


Practice

Put in in, at or on.

1. We all went to Wales ………. the weekend.

2. I usually go skiing ………. February.

3. She finished school ………. 1996.

4. My mother usually comes to stay ………. Christmas.

5. I don’t like driving ………. night.

6 Our garden looks wonderful ………. the spring.

7. I always stop work ………. 5.00 ………. the afternoon.

8. I’ll finish university ………. June.

9. I last saw her ………. 1998.

10. Carola was born ………. 8.25 ………. the evening ………. Thursday 17^th April 2000.

11. I’m never hungry early ………. the morning.

12. It gets very hot here ………. the summer.