Prepositions of Time
At, On, In
Prepositions of time can be confusing for English learners, especially when to use at, on, and in. These little words have big jobs! Let’s learn the rules with simple explanations, clear charts, and real-life examples.
🔹 AT – Specific Times & Holidays Without “Day”
Use “at” for:
Clock times
Specific points of the day
Certain holidays (without “day”)
📌 Examples:
The class starts at 9:00 a.m.
I usually eat lunch at noon.
We open presents at Christmas.
She studies best at night.
✅ Use at for:
Clock times - at 5 p.m., at 7:30
Holidays (no “day”) - at Christmas, at Easter
Specific times of day - at midnight, at sunrise, at lunch
🔹 ON – Days & Specific Dates
Use “on” for:
Days of the week
Specific dates
“Day” + part of the day
Holidays with “day”
📌 Examples:
I have class on Monday.
We’re meeting on April 6th.
She was born on New Year’s Day.
I’ll call you on Monday morning.
✅ Use on for:
Days - on Friday, on Sunday
Dates - on July 4th, on May 1st
Holiday + “day” - on Christmas Day, on Independence Day
Day + time of day - on Monday morning, on Friday night
🔹 IN – Longer Periods of Time
Use “in” for:
Months
Years
Decades/Centuries
Seasons
Periods of time in the future or past
📌 Examples:
My birthday is in May.
He was born in 1990.
We travel a lot in summer.
I’ll finish the project in two weeks.
✅ Use in for:
Months - in January, in September
Years - in 2025, in 1984
Seasons - in winter, in spring
Periods of time - in a week, in two days
Centuries - in the 21st century
❗ Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ I was born at Monday.
✅ I was born on Monday.
❌ We’ll go on June.
✅ We’ll go in June.
❌ She arrived in 5 p.m.
✅ She arrived at 5 p.m.
🧠 Practice Time!
Fill in the blanks with at, on, or in:
My appointment is ___ 3 p.m.
We’re having a barbecue ___ Saturday.
I love going to the beach ___ summer.
He graduated ___ 2020.
They got married ___ Christmas Day.
(Answers: 1. at, 2. on, 3. in, 4. in, 5. on)
🎯 Final Tip:
Think of it like this:
AT = a point in time (🎯)
ON = a specific day or date (📅)
IN = a longer time period (📆)
