Prepositions

Place and Time Words for Class 3 English

Prepositions in English are inevitable to the structure of a sentence with respect to relationships between persons, locations and objects. This concept focusses on words for place and time. Place words used when you want to be specific while mentioning where action takes place in the text. Time words indicate to the readers when things are taking place.

You will learn the following from this concept:

• Prepositions of place examples with usage in sentences
• Usage of prepositions of time examples with usage in sentences
• Common mistakes made while using these words

Each concept has been explained with precision and in an interesting manner using examples, illustrations and mind maps. Students can evaluate their learning by trying to solve the two printable preposition worksheet for class 3 given at the end of the page. Check their solutions too which are available in PDF format.

Definition:

• Prepositions like in, on, and at are used while speaking or writing about place and time.
• Words for place and time are used to denote a relationship between the two parts of speech in a sentence.

Prepositions of Place

Words for place show the relationship of a noun with another part of a sentence. Words like on, in, at are the prepositions that can be used for place.

1. In: The word ‘in’ is used to denote something located inside a large area or a closed space.

Examples:

1. Priyanka was waiting in the reception area.
2. Bengaluru is located in Karnataka.
3. The best food can be found in the central part of Kolkata.
2. On: The word ‘on’ denote the position of the person or an object over a surface of a thing.It usually indicates anything placed on top of something else.

Examples:

1. She stamped on my foot.
2. The money was kept on the table.
3. There are no paintings now on that wall.
3. At: The word ‘at’ denotes a particular point.
• It is the most exact of the three prepositions to denote a specific place.

Examples:

1. The flower vase is kept at the corner of the room.
2. I told her to wait at the bus stop.
3. Check who is at the door.

Prepositions of Time

• Some preposition can give details of when the event takes place at the given time. Words of time like on, in and at show how they are related to each other in terms of time.

‘In’ Used to Show Time:

• The word ‘in’ is used to specify seasons, months, centuries, years, and the general time of a day.
• This word could also be used to indicate the duration of an event and not the exact time.

Examples:

1. Sheetal will talk to you in the evening.


In the above example, there is no specific time given as to when Sheetal will call , she may call at any time during in the evening.

2. My brother was born in 2019.
3. She is in the garden.

‘On’ Used to Show Time:

The word ‘on’ is used while mentioning certain days of the week or special days or exact dates.

Examples:

1. Let’s go out for a dinner on New Year’s eve.(specific day)
2. Dad’s birthday is on the 1st of May.

‘At’ Used to Show Time:

The word ‘at’ is used to describe the exact time of any event. You can use ‘at’ when you specify the exact time.

Examples:

1. Meet me in the newly opened restaurant at 4pm.(specific time)

2. The last train is at 9pm.

Common Mistakes

1. When we speak about reaching a place like a country or a city, we should use ‘arrive at’ or ‘arrived at’ in place of ‘to’.

Examples:

As soon as we arrived at the airport, it started raining.

As soon as we arrived to the airport , it started raining.

2. For specific days and dates use the preposition ‘on’ along with the phrase ‘the (date) of Month’.

Examples:

Her school will reopen on the 10th of June.

It’s my birthday on January 2nd.

3. However, if you want to highlight the month of your birthday use the preposition ‘in’ instead of ‘on’ or ‘at’.

Examples:

My birthday is in December.

My birthday is on December.

4. Use ‘in’ when you mean ‘to stay in a country or city’. However, use ‘to’ after the words ‘come’ or ‘go’.

I’m going to Mumbai soon.

I live in Noida.

I’m in Delhi now.

When are you coming to Mumbai?

They went to Pune last week.

I’m going in Mumbai soon.

I live to Noida.

Exceptions

1. Usually ‘at’ is used to show a specific time.

Exception is only for the word ‘night’, as only ‘at’ is used with it.

Examples:

1. Our dog stays out at night.
2. The narrow lanes are well lit at night.
2. Usually ‘on’ is used for days and dates. The exception here is for duration of the day like the morning, evening or afternoon the preposition ‘in’ is used.

Examples:

1. I am enthusiastic in the morning.

2. I will see you in the evening.
3. Usually, the word ‘in’ is used when describing a longer period of time like months, years centuries, or decades. An exception to this rule is with the word ‘weekend’. Although weekends are long periods of time, ‘on’ is written with ‘weekend’.

Examples:

1. She always cooks special dishes on weekends.

2. We are closed on the weekend.
4. Usually we use on for days and in when to indicate months. However, this rule is not applicable while using the words ‘last’ or ‘next’.

Examples:

Let’s meet next Saturday.

I got a laptop last April.

Let’s meet on next Saturday.

I got a laptop in last April.

Check the mind map below to understand words of place and time better.