"Mastering Prepositions of Time: When to Use 'In,' 'At,' and 'On'"

There are not many rules for prepositions, but thankfully there are rules for in, at and on when referring to time. Read the article below, and see if you can understand why each preposition is used. After the article we will go over the rules and at the end there will be an article for you to fill in the blanks.

Story

In the year 2023, on a sunny Saturday morning, Sarah and Mark decided to go on a weekend getaway. They packed their bags in the morning and left home at 10:00 AM.

They drove for hours, passing through picturesque landscapes in the countryside. In the afternoon, they stopped at a charming little café for lunch.

In the evening, they arrived at a cozy cabin in the woods. Surrounded by tall pine trees, they settled in for the night. They spent the evening by the fireplace, sharing stories and roasting marshmallows.

At night, they stepped outside to stargaze. The sky was clear, and they marveled at the countless stars above. It was a serene moment that they would always treasure.

On Sunday, at noon, they reluctantly packed up and headed back home, cherishing the memories of their brief but wonderful escape

Prepositions of Time: In, At, On, and At Night

• In the year 2023

• On a sunny Saturday morning

• At 10:00 AM

• In the afternoon

• In the evening

• At night

• On Sunday

• At noon

Now we will go over the used of: in, at and on.

In

In used for:

• Months

• Years

• Seasons

• Parts of the day

1. Morning

2. Evening

3. Afternoon

• Other time phrases

1. In the past

2. In the future

3. In a few weeks

Months:

1. I have a vacation planned in July.

2. Her birthday is in November.

3. The festival takes place in December.

Months:

1. I have a vacation planned in July.

2. Her birthday is in November.

3. The festival takes place in December.

Years:

1. We moved to a new city in 2020.

2. In 1776, the United States declared independence.

3. The space mission is scheduled for launch in the year 2030.

Seasons:

1. I love skiing in the winter.

2. In the spring, flowers bloom all around.

3. In the summer, we often go to the beach.

Parts of the day:

1. We usually have lunch in the afternoon.

2. I'm most productive in the morning.

3. They love stargazing in the evening.

Other time phrases:

1. In the past, people used to communicate through letters.

2. In the future, we hope to travel the world.

3. We're moving to a new house in a few weeks.

At

At is used for:

• Specific time

• Night

• Midnight

• Noon

• Holiday periods lasting longer than two days

• Mealtimes

Specific Time:

1. The train is scheduled to depart at 3:45 PM.

2. I'll meet you at the park at 11:30 AM.

3. The concert begins at 8:00 PM.

Night:

1. .We went for a walk in the park at night.

2. I like to read books at night before going to sleep.

Midnight:

1. The New Year's Eve fireworks will start at midnight.

2. They decided to have a picnic at midnight under the stars.

Noon:

1. Let's have lunch at noon.

2. The sun is directly overhead at noon.

Holiday Periods Lasting Longer Than Two Days:

1. We'll be at the beach for a week at Christmas.

2. They celebrate with their extended family at their grandparents' house at Christmas for a whole week.

Mealtimes:

1. We enjoy pancakes at breakfast time.

2. Let's meet for a sandwich at lunchtime.

On

On is used for:

• Days

• Days+ morning + afternoon+ evening

• Dates

• The weekend
  

Days:

1. On Monday, I have a doctor's appointment.

2. We'll see you on Saturday at the park.

3. On Thanksgiving, we gather with family.

Days+ morning + afternoon+ evening:

1. On Monday morning, I always start my week with a strong cup of coffee.

2. On Tuesday afternoon, I have a dentist appointment.

3. On Wednesday evening, we're planning to have a barbecue.

Dates:

1. Our anniversary is on May 15th.

2. The conference is scheduled on October 8th.

3. The party will take place on New Year's Eve.

4. On Christmas, we exchange gifts and spend time with family.

5. We always have a big feast on Christmas.

On the Weekend:

1. On the weekend, I like to sleep in and relax.

2. We usually go hiking on the weekend to enjoy nature.

3. She enjoys reading books on the weekend.

Homework! How much did you learn? Let's see. Fill in the blanks below using the correct prepositions. There will also be some prepositions for locations, but do not worry, you can do it.

One day, John woke up ________ the morning feeling refreshed. It was a beautiful day ________ September 15th. He had a busy day ahead. ________ 8:00 AM, he had a meeting ________ work. He needed to prepare his presentation ________ the evening.

After the meeting, he had some free time ________ the afternoon. He decided to go for a walk ________ 2:00 PM to clear his mind. He enjoyed the fresh air ________ the park.

________ 6:30 PM, he returned home and started working on his presentation. He knew he had to finish it ________ September 16th. He worked diligently ________ the evening, making sure everything was perfect.

Finally, ________ 9:30 PM, he completed his presentation and felt relieved. He decided to relax and watch a movie ________ night before going to bed.

Below will be a word document with the answers to the article. Feel free to add notes to it as well.

Mastering Prepositions of Time When to Use 'In,' 'At,' and 'On'.pdf

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