Prepositions of time

Preposition Use Examples

month in July; in September
year in 1985; in 1999
in season in summer; in the summer of 69
part of the day in the morning; in the afternoon; in the evening
Duration (future) in a minute; in two weeks
part of the day at night
time of day at 6 o'clock; at midnight
at
celebrations at Christmas; at Easter
fixed phrases at the same time
days of the week on Sunday; on Friday
date on the 25th of December*
on
special holidays on Good Friday; on Easter Sunday; on my birthday
a special part of a day on the morning of September the 11th*
after later than sth. after school
ago how far sth. happened (in the past) 6 years ago
before earlier than sth. before Christmas
between time that separates two points between Monday and Friday
by not later than a special time by Thursday
during through the whole of a period of time during the holidays
for period of time for three weeks
from Monday to Wednesday
from ... to
two points form a period from Monday till Wednesday
from... till/until
from Monday until Wednesday
past time of the day 23 minutes past 6 (6:23)
since point of time since Monday
till tomorrow
till/until no later than a special time
until tomorrow
to time of the day 23 minutes to 6 (5:37)
up to not more than a special time up to 6 hours a day
within during a period of time within a day
EXERCISES:
1.Fill the gaps with at, in or on.
1 I hate doing the shopping ___________ Saturdays.
2 She passed her driving test ___________ March.
3 Valencia is too hot for me ___________ summer.
4 ___________ Sunday mornings I have coffee and toast for breakfast and read the newspaper.
5 ___________ Monday and Wednesday evenings I go to English class.
6 We're planning to go skiing ___________ Easter.
7 It's ridiculous. The bank closes ___________ 2:30 pm.
8 Jim had a terrible journey to Wales ___________ Christmas Eve 2003.
9 ___________ 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue.
10 Some people study best ___________ night but I prefer the morning.
11 I love watching the James Bond film ___________ Christmas Day.
12 I normally phone my girlfriend ___________ 10 o'clock every evening.
13 I hate going out ___________ the week.
14 We usually go out for dinner ___________ the weekend.
15 She's always very grumpy first thing ___________ the morning.
2.Choose the best preposition to complete the sentences
1 The course begins 7 January and ends 10 March.
2 I went to bed midnight.
3 We arrived 5 o’ clock the morning.
4 Mozart was born in Salzburg 1756.
5 Are you doing anything special week-ends?
6 Hurry up! We’ve to go five minutes.
7 I met Ann Tuesday.
8 He has lived in India two years.
9 I’ll phone you Tuesday morning about 10.
10 Tom’s grandmother died in 1987 the age of 81.
11 Jack’s brother is out of work the moment.
12 The price of electricity is going up October.
13 I haven’t seen him Christmas.
14 Sunday afternoons I usually get up late.
15 There are usually a lot of parties New Years Eve.
3. Arranging to meet at lunchtime
Carol wants to meet a business colleague for lunch. Cross out eight wrong words after the example in her message.
Hi Alex,
Can we meet today? I’m flying to Mumbai on Friday, and I’d like to talk to you about the trip. Who did you meet when you
went there on in May last year? My trip to Mumbai is quite short. I’ll be back on Thursday in next week. I’m trying to fix some
meetings at in the moment, but I need your help! Anyway, I’m in a meeting on this morning until from ten till eleven, but we
could meet on at lunch, if you like. I’m going to visit our Bristol office in this afternoon, so could we have an early lunch at in
twelve o’clock perhaps? If that’s not possible, may be we could meet on in the evening? I hope to hear from you soon.
Best,
Caroline
4. Choose the correct prepositions.
Hi Sara!
We’re looking forward to seeing you next Sunday (0) at (under/at/above) the campsite. We’re having a good time. Sam and I
run (1) . . . . . (until/at/in) the mornings. Anna swims (2) . . . . . (in/on/under) the pool, and Eve gets croissants for our breakfast
(3) . . . . . (on/at/to) a baker’s in town. Then from about ten o’clock (4) . . . . . (from/till/at) lunch, we do what we want. There’s a
wood (5) . . . . . (above/from/behind) the campsite, so sometimes I go for a walk. We normally have lunch (6) . . . . . (at/to/on)
one o’clock, and then we go (7) . . . . . in/at/on) the car to the seaside. Sometimes we have a picnic (8) . . . . . (above/on/in)
the beach, or we drive to one of the towns or cities nearby. (9) . . . . . (At/ On/From) the moment, I’m emailing you from an
internet café (10) . . . . . (under/on/in) Perpignan. (11) . . . . . (On/In/At) the photo you can see there’s a small fridge (13) . . . . .
(under/behin/above) thetable, and there are lots of pots and pans (14) . . . . . (under/on/above) the cooker! The weather is
beautiful now, but the campsite manager says there was snow a month ago (15) . . . . . (in/on/at) Easter!
See you soon, Leo
5. Choose the correct words from the brackets.
BILL We’re (0) . . . . . (in/on/at/above) the dining room, eveyone! Dinner is (1) . . . . . (in/on/at/above) the table!
Where are the twins?
PEGGY Tom’s (2) . . . . . (behind/at/in/on) town, Bill, and Katie’s working (3) . . . . . (above/until/at/on) eight every day
this week to make some extra money.
SANTIAGO Mia’s (4) . . . . . (at/in/behind/on) home, but I think she’s (5) . . . . . (on/in/at/above) her bedroom.
AMY Where’s my knife, Mummy?
PEGGY It’s on the floor (6) . . . . . (above/in/to/under) your chair, darling. Give it to me. I’ll wash it for you.
BILL Did you get your ticket (7) . . . . . (on/under/at/to) the travel agent’s today?
SANTIAGO No, Bill. I got there at a quarter to six, and it was closed. It’s opem (8) . . . . . (to/at/in/from) nine thirty to five
thirty. I’ll go again tomorrow, or I’ll buy it (9) . . . . . (under/in/on/at) the internet. I hope to fly home (10) . . . . . (in/on/till/at) the
twentieth of June.
PEGGY But you’ll come back again (11) . . . . . (on/at/this/until) September, won’t you, Santiago?
SANTIAGO That’s right. I’m going to study economics (12) . . . . . (on/at/in/to) university.