Prepositions of Time: on, in and at

Here are some prepositions of time which we use in our daily conversations and which often create problem especially when one is not sure of which one of them to use.

'At', 'On' and 'In'

Usage: These prepositions are used to show the time and date of events, activities and situations: e.g.

> at three o'clock

> in June

> on Monday.

Structure:

At:

> at + particular time: dawn, midday, noon, night, midnight, nine o'clock, etc.. e.g. at dawn.

> at + the + a particular time in a week/ month/year: start/end of the week/ month/year, weekend. e.g. at the start of  July.

> at + calendar festival season: Christmas, New Year, Easter etc. E.g. at Easter.

> at + meal: breakfast, lunch, mid-morning, tea, dinner, supper etc. E.g. at breakfast.

On:

> on + day of the week: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday etc. E.g. on Thursday.

> on + particular part of a day: Friday morning, Saturday afternoon. e.g. on Sunday evening.

>on + particular date: 25th July, 2001, 4th January. e.g. on 19 March.

N.B. On the nineteenth of March is how this date is read aloud or said in

conversation.

> on + calendar festival day: Christmas Day, Palm Sunday. e.g. on Easter Sunday.

 In:

> in + the + a part of a day: the morning, the afternoon, evening. E.g. in the afternoon.

> in + month: January, February, March, April, May etc. E.g. in June.

> in + season of the year: Spring, Summer, Autumn. e.g. in Winter.

> in + specific year: 1988, 1989, 1990, etc. E.g. in 1999.

> in + the + a specific century: nineteenth century. e. g. in the twentieth century.

> in + historical period of time: the Dark Ages, Pre-historic Times. e.g. in the  Middle Ages.

N.B. No preposition is used if the day/ year has 'each', 'every', 'last', 'next', and 'this' before it: e.g. I go to England every Christmas ( not at every Christmas ). I'll see you next Monday afternoon. ( not on Monday afternoon ) Martin left home last evening. ( not in the evening )