Explanation + Extra Quiz
Understanding the prepositions at, on, and in when talking about time can be a bit tricky, but once you grasp the basic rules, it becomes much easier. Here’s a simple breakdown with plenty of examples.
1. At
Use: To refer to specific times.
- Examples:
- I will meet you at 3 PM.
- The train arrives at noon.
- Let’s have dinner at 7:30.
- The movie starts at midnight.
- She usually wakes up at dawn.
2. On
Use: To refer to specific days and dates.
- Examples:
- My birthday is on July 15.
- We have a meeting on Monday.
- They went to the beach on the weekend.
- Christmas is celebrated on December 25.
- The concert is on Friday night.
3. In
Use: To refer to longer periods of time, such as months, years, centuries, and seasons.
- Examples:
- I was born in April.
- She graduated in 2020.
- We like to go skiing in the winter.
- He’ll be back in a few days.
- The festival takes place in the summer.
Summary Table
| Preposition | Use | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| At | Specific times | at 3 PM, at midnight, at dawn |
| On | Specific days and dates | on Monday, on Christmas, on my birthday |
| In | Longer periods | in April, in 2020, in the winter |
Extra Practice
Quiz: Prepositions of Time
Instructions: Choose the correct preposition (at, on, or in) for each sentence.
- The meeting is __________ 10 AM.
A) at 10 AM
B) on 10 AM
C) in 10 AM - We always go to the beach __________ the summer.
A) at the summer
B) on the summer
C) in the summer - I have a dentist appointment __________ Tuesday.
A) at Tuesday
B) on Tuesday
C) in Tuesday - She was born __________ 1995.
A) at 1995
B) on 1995
C) in 1995 - The fireworks start __________ midnight.
A) at midnight
B) on midnight
C) in midnight - He likes to go jogging __________ the morning.
A) at the morning
B) on the morning
C) in the morning - My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving, which is __________ the fourth Thursday of November.
A) at the fourth Thursday of November
B) on the fourth Thursday of November
C) in the fourth Thursday of November - The museum is open __________ weekends.
A) at weekends
B) on weekends
C) in weekends - I will finish the project __________ the end of the month.
A) at the end of the month
B) on the end of the month
C) in the end of the month - They usually visit their grandparents __________ Christmas.
A) at Christmas
B) on Christmas
C) in Christmas - The conference takes place __________ March.
A) at March
B) on March
C) in March - She plans to graduate __________ 2024.
A) at 2024
B) on 2024
C) in 2024 - We have to submit our reports __________ Friday.
A) at Friday
B) on Friday
C) in Friday - I usually wake up __________ dawn.
A) at dawn
B) on dawn
C) in dawn - My family goes camping __________ the fall.
A) at the fall
B) on the fall
C) in the fall - The movie starts __________ 7 PM sharp.
A) at 7 PM
B) on 7 PM
C) in 7 PM - I visited Paris __________ the spring of 2019.
A) at the spring of 2019
B) on the spring of 2019
C) in the spring of 2019 - The seminar is scheduled __________ the first week of July.
A) at the first week of July
B) on the first week of July
C) in the first week of July - We are going to the party __________ Saturday night.
A) at Saturday night
B) on Saturday night
C) in Saturday night - The deadline for the assignment is __________ the end of next week.
A) at the end of next week
B) on the end of next week
C) in the end of next week
Answers:
- A) at 10 AM
- C) in the summer
- B) on Tuesday
- C) in 1995
- A) at midnight
- C) in the morning
- B) on the fourth Thursday of November
- B) on weekends
- A) at the end of the month
- B) on Christmas
- C) in March
- C) in 2024
- B) on Friday
- A) at dawn
- C) in the fall
- A) at 7 PM
- C) in the spring of 2019
- C) in the first week of July
- B) on Saturday night
- A) at the end of next week