Prepositions of Time

Prepositions are one of the parts of speech, and they show the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence. They help to express time, place, direction, manner, or cause. Prepositions of time are used to talk about when something happens. They help us indicate specific times, days, dates, months, years, and longer periods. In this guide, you will learn about prepositions of time, their usage, and examples.

Table of Contents

• What Are Prepositions of Time
• Why Do We Use Prepositions of Time
• Common Prepositions of Time in English
• Usage of At, In, and On
• Prepositions of Time Examples

What Are Prepositions of Time

A preposition of time is a word that tells us when something happens. It helps us understand the relationship between an action and a specific point, date, day, period, or duration of time. In other words, prepositions of time answer the question “when?” The commonly used prepositions of time are at, on, in, during, since, for, by, from, to, and until.

Why Do We Use Prepositions of Time

Prepositions of time are used to explain when something happens, how long it continues, or by when it must be completed. Here are some situations when prepositions of time are used with examples: 

• To talk about specific moments, such as at sunrise, at lunchtime, or at the moment.

• To refer to particular days or occasions, such as on Friday, on my birthday, or on Independence Day.

• To mention longer time periods, like in the evening, in winter, in the 21st century. 

• To show the duration of an action, such as for three days, for a year, or for a month. 

• To show the starting point of time, such as since 2019, or since childhood.

• To indicate a deadline, such as by tomorrow or by next week.

• To show a time limit, such as within an hour or within two days.

• To describe a period between two points, such as from Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  
  

Common Prepositions of Time in English 

Prepositions of time help us clearly express when an action happens, how long it continues, or the time frame within which it occurs. Below is a detailed list of commonly used prepositions of time, along with their usage and examples to help you understand them better.

Usage of At, In, and On

The prepositions at, on, and in often create confusion as they are all used to talk about time. However, they are not interchangeable, so it is important to understand their correct usage. This understanding helps you avoid common grammatical errors.

Usage of ‘At’: ‘At’ is used to refer to a precise time or a common expression.

• Examples of Specific Time

• The train leaves at 6:30 a.m.

• The meeting begins at 2 p.m.

• The lights went off at midnight.

• Birds start chirping at dawn.

• Examples of Common Expressions

• She is busy at present.

• I realised the truth at that moment.

• We will travel at the weekend.

• The streets look beautiful at night.

• Let’s discuss this at lunchtime. 

Usage of ‘On’: ‘On’ is used to describe specific days, dates, or particular days with parts of the day.

• Examples of Days and Dates

• We have a test on Tuesday.

• The event is scheduled on 3rd March.

• Schools organise programmes on Children’s Day.

• Examples of Repeated Days

• She attends yoga classes on Fridays.

• Examples of Day + Part of the Day

• I met him on Wednesday morning.

• We watched a movie on Saturday evening.

• They arrived on Monday night.

• Examples of Common Expressions

• The bus arrived on time.

• The project was completed on schedule.

Usage of ‘In’: ‘In’ is used to describe months, years, seasons, centuries, and longer durations of time.

• Examples of Months, Years, and Seasons

• Flowers bloom in April.

• He graduated in 2022.

• It gets very cold in winter.

• Examples of Centuries and Long Periods

• This monument was built in the 18th century.
  People travelled differently in ancient times.

• Examples of Future Time

• The results will be announced in two weeks.

• I will move to a new house in a month.

• Examples of Parts of the Day

• She studies in the morning.

• He takes a nap in the afternoon.

• We go for a walk in the evening.

Prepositions of Time Examples 

Here are some additional examples to help you understand the usage of prepositions of time clearly:

• The train arrives at 4:45 p.m.

• We will leave at sunrise.

• My sister’s wedding is on 22nd January.

• The workshop is scheduled on Thursday.

• He completed his degree in 2021.

• Flowers bloom beautifully in spring.

• She has lived here since 2016.

• They have been playing for two hours.

• Please send the documents by Monday evening.

• The children were silent during the assembly.

• Wait here until I call you.

• The store remains open till 9 p.m.

• The seminar will be conducted from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

• I will finish the report within a week.

• He usually goes jogging in the morning.

• We met each other on New Year’s Day.

• She felt nervous at the beginning of the speech.

• The museum was built in the 17th century.

• The guests arrived at lunchtime.

• He will return home in a few minutes.