35 Prepositions of Time
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Introduction
Prepositions are small words that connect elements in a sentence. They are essential because they provide additional details about the sentence.
We use prepositions of time to locate an event in a time frame {see Common Prepositions of Time and Place, A1 level}.
Form
Prepositions of time don’t stand alone but act with other elements of the sentence to create what we can call prepositional phrases: at, on, in and by.
Example
- At
- Everyday at 7.00 clock I can see the stars.
- He is going to the forest at Easter.
- At weekends we take the dogs for a walk.
- On
- On Sundays, I usually relax with my friends by going to the coast.
- She was born on the 1st of September in 1997.
- The island sank on Sunday morning.
- In
- I always travel to famous forests in Finland in November.
- In autumn it always rains.
- In the evening the horses started to run.
- By
- Please, send me those tickets by Monday.
- She has to finish her world map by next week.
- Is Maria still in the garden? Yes, she will be back by evening.
Use
Prepositions of time make it possible to locate an event in a specific moment or period.
- At
- Exact times (the moment, sunrise, noon, night, midnight, hours);
- Special holiday periods (Christmas*, Easter…);
- Weekend*.
- On
- Days of the week (Monday, Saturday, Wednesday…);
- Dates;
- Specific part of the day (on Sunday morning).
- In
- Months, years, centuries;
- Seasons;
- The morning, the afternoon, the evening.
- By
- Time-limited actions;
- Projects with deadline;
- Time of someone´s return.
*In American English you can find on instead of at.
Summary
Prepositions of time are used to locate the event in a time context.
The main prepositions of time are:
- At: for exact times, special holiday periods and weekend.
- On: days of the week, dates and specific part of the day.
- In: months, years, seasons, centuries, the morning, the afternoon and the evening.
- By: time-limited actions, projects with deadline and time of someone´s return.
For example:
— “I will go to my grandparents’ house at Christmas.”
— “I will go to my grandparents’ house on 25th of December.”
— “I will go to my grandparents’ house in December.”
— “I will return from my grandparent´s house by December.”
NOTE: In American English you can find Christmas and weekend with on instead of at.
Let’s revise this content within the {Form} section. Take a look at the {Example} section that shows its use within a context.
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