Prepositions of Time

Structure and Usage

 My Job + Preposition Of Time
Preposition of Time: at, in, on
We use:
at for a Precise Time.
in for Months, Years, Centuries and Long Periods.
on for Days and Dates.
at in on

at 3 oclock in May on Sunday

at 10:30 a.m in summer on Tuesday

at noon in the summer on 6th March

at dinnertime in 1990 on 25th Dec. 2010

at bedtime in the 1990s on Christmas Day

at sunrise in the next century on Independence Day

at sunset in the Ice Age on my birthday

2 at the moment in the past/future on New Years Evewheresjenny.com

2011
in
months in July
year in 2004
season in summer
part of the day in the evening
duration
in a minute
in two weeks
 In
1. In a specific month:
in January
in March
2. In a season:
in spring
in summer
3. In a period of time:
in the morning
in the afternoon
in the evening
at
part of the day at night
time of day
at 6 oclock
celebrations at midnight
at Christmas
fixed phrases at Easter
at the same time
 At
1. At a specific time:
at five oclock
at half past three
2. At a period of time:
at noon
at night
at midnight
at the weekend
3. At a festival:
at Christmas / Mid-Autumn Festival / Easter
on
days of the week on Friday
date
on the 25th of
special holidays December
a special part of the on Easter Sunday
day on my birthday
on the morning of
September the 11th
 On
1. On a specific day
on Sunday
on Sunday morning
on Christmas Eve
on New Years Day

2. On a date:
on 2nd May
on the twentieth of June
after
later than something
after school
after lunch
after movie
after exam
ago
how far something happened
6 years ago
2 moths ago
4 centuries ago
before
earlier than something
before Christmas
before supper
before meeting
before the end of
before lessons
between
time that separates two points
between Monday and Friday
between nine and ten
by
not later than special time

by Thursday
by 2 oclock
by April
during
through the whole of period of a time
during the holidays
during spring
during warm summer months
during the day
during his life
during the Middle Ages
during
During is followed by a noun. It is used to explain what
happened throughout the period or in the course of an action
or event.
We use during + noun:

Examples with during:

We always like to travel during the summer.
The results of the test were given to us during the lesson.
The accident occurred during the night.
Robert suddenly began to feel ill during the exam.
My grandfather was killed during the war.
while
While is followed by a subject and a verb.
While is used to explain an action that occurs during the time another action
was taking place.
We use while + subject + verb:

Examples of while:
They ate popcorns while they were watching the film.
The journalists took notes while the President was speaking.
We will pick some flowers while were walking along the lake.
Robert suddenly began to feel ill while he was doing the exam.
 for
For is a time expression followed by a length of
time for an hour.
Examples with for:
I have been waiting for an hour.
Sarah is going to Spain for ten days.
Henry lived in France for five years.
from to/till/until
two points form a period

from Monday to Wednesday

from Monday till Wednesday
from Monday until Wednesday
past
time of the day

23 minutes past six

a quarter past eight
half past five
Since: when we want to show points to the beginning of a period of time:
He has been living in London since 1997.
We've known about it since June.
It is normally used with the Present Perfect:
He has been here since his childhood.
It can also be used in the structure:
It is a year since I saw her.
till/until
no later than a special time
till tomorrow
until tomorrow
till Eid
until it is over
until next Thursday
until the day
to
time of the day

23 minutes to six
up to
not more than a special time

up to six hours a day

up to the present day
within
during a period of time
within a day
within a day or two
within a period
within a time limit
within a year
within a short time
within the first few days
 My Job + Preposition Of Time
Fill up the space with in, on, or at

1. ___ March 9. ___ morning

2. ___ Wednesday 10. ___ the morning
3. ___ 1778 11. ___ Christmas
4. ___ next week 12. ___ day of recovery
5. ___ autumn 13. ___ the moment
6. ___ last year 14. ___ weekend
15. ___ next weekend
7. ___ Monday morning
16. ___ the past
8. ___ 13:15

25 2011 wheresjenny.com
 My Job + Preposition Of Time
Fill up the space with correct preposition of time.
1. I have a meeting ___ 9 a.m.
2. The shop closes ___ midnight.
3. Do you work ___ Monday?
4. ___ England, it often rains ___ December.
5. Where will you be ___ New Years Day?
6. In 1666, a great fire broke ___ London.
7. Her birthday is ___ 18th November.
8. Jane went home ___ lunchtime.

26 2011 wheresjenny.com