Prepositions of Time
Prepositions of time are small words that tell us when something happens. The three main ones are in, on, and at.
What You'll Learn
- How to use in with months and parts of the day
- How to use on with days and dates
- How to use at with clock times
When to Use
- To say which month: "My birthday is in June."
- To say which day: "We have art class on Wednesday."
- To say what time: "School starts at 7:30 AM."
How to Form
Use the preposition before the time word.
| Preposition | Use it with | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| in | months | in January, in March, in December |
| in | parts of the day | in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening |
| on | days of the week | on Monday, on Friday, on Sunday |
| on | dates | on 1st May, on my birthday |
| at | clock times | at 3 o'clock, at 7:30 AM, at noon |
| at | special word: night | at night |
Key Rules
- "In" is for big time words: Use "in" for months and parts of the day. "I eat breakfast in the morning." "We go swimming in July."
- "On" is for days: Use "on" for days of the week and dates. "I go to school on Monday." "Sports Day is on 5th March."
- "At" is for clock times: Use "at" when you say the exact time. "Recess is at 10 o'clock." "I sleep at 9 PM."
- "At night" is special: We say "at night", not "in night". But we say "in the morning", "in the afternoon", and "in the evening".
Common Mistakes
| Wrong | Right | Why |
|---|---|---|
| I wake up on the morning. | I wake up in the morning. | Parts of the day use "in" |
| She has ballet in Saturday. | She has ballet on Saturday. | Days of the week use "on" |
| We eat dinner in 7 o'clock. | We eat dinner at 7 o'clock. | Clock times use "at" |
| He was born on March. | He was born in March. | Months use "in" |
Clue Words
Use "in" when you see:
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, the morning, the afternoon, the evening
Use "on" when you see:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, my birthday, New Year's Day, Christmas Day
Use "at" when you see:
o'clock, noon, midnight, night, a number with AM or PM (like 3 PM)
Tip: Think of it this way -- in is for the biggest time (months), on is for medium time (days), and at is for the smallest time (exact clock time). Big to small: in, on, at.
Practice Tips
- Say your daily routine: Try saying what you do each day using "in", "on", and "at". "I brush my teeth at 7 AM. I have Science on Thursday. I go to the library in June."
- Sort the time words: Write time words on small cards. Sort them into three piles -- "in" words, "on" words, and "at" words. Check with the table above.
Quick Reference
| I want to say... | Preposition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Which month | in | School starts in January. |
| Morning, afternoon, or evening | in | I read books in the evening. |
| Which day of the week | on | I visit Grandma on Sunday. |
| A special date | on | The party is on 10th May. |
| What time (clock) | at | I eat lunch at 12 o'clock. |
| Noon or midnight | at | We rest at noon. |
| Night time | at | The stars come out at night. |