When do you use 'at' for time?

Use 'at' for specific times and fixed expressions: 'at 3 o'clock', 'at noon', 'at night', 'at the weekend', 'at Christmas'.

When do you use 'in' for time?

Use 'in' for longer periods: months (in January), years (in 2024), seasons (in summer), parts of the day (in the morning/afternoon/evening), and centuries (in the 21st century).

When do you use 'on' for time?

Use 'on' for specific days and dates: 'on Monday', 'on 15th July', 'on my birthday', 'on Christmas Day', 'on weekdays'.

What is the rule for 'at night' but 'in the morning'?

It's a fixed expression. We say 'at night'. For other parts of the day, use 'in': 'in the morning', 'in the afternoon', 'in the evening'. The exception is 'at night'.

Do we say 'on the weekend' or 'at the weekend'?

In British English, they say 'at the weekend'. In American English, they say 'on the weekend'. Both are correct, but 'at' is more common in UK English.

How do I use these prepositions with 'last', 'next', and 'this'?

Do NOT use a preposition with 'last', 'next', or 'this'. Correct: 'last Monday', 'next year', 'this summer'. Wrong: 'on last Monday', 'in next year'.

When do we say 'in time' and 'on time'?

'On time' means punctual, at the planned time. 'The train arrived on time.' 'In time' means early enough, before a deadline. 'I arrived in time for the meeting.'

What preposition do I use with 'the moment'?

Use 'at' for the specific present moment. 'I am busy at the moment.' This means 'right now'. It is similar to 'now' but more formal.

CEFR A1

Prepositions of Time: At, In, On

Learn when to use 'at', 'in', and 'on' with time expressions. Master the rules for specific times, days, months, and seasons.

What You Will Learn

Learn when to use 'at', 'in', and 'on' with time. These small words are very important in English!

Use 'at' for specific times: at 3 o'clock, at noon

Use 'in' for months, seasons, years: in January, in summer, in 2024

Use 'on' for days and dates: on Monday, on July 15th

Talk about your daily routine and schedule in English

What Are Prepositions of Time?

Use IN for enclosed spaces, areas, cities, countries, and longer time periods.

in the boxin Vietnamin the morningin Januaryin 2024

Time rule

in + month, year, season, century: 'in March', 'in 2024', 'in summer'. Also: in the morning / afternoon / evening (but 'at night').

Prepositions of time tell us when something happens. The three most important ones are:

AT

For specific times

Examples: at 3 o'clock, at noon, at midnight

IN

For months, seasons, years, and parts of day

Examples: in January, in summer, in 2024, in the morning

ON

For days and dates

Examples: on Monday, on July 15th, on Christmas Day

Easy to Remember!

Think of time like this: AT a point, IN a space, ON a surface

✓ AT 3 o'clock (a specific point in time)

✓ IN July (inside a month)

✓ ON Monday (on a day)

📖 A Typical Day

Let me tell you about Sarah's Monday:

She wakes up at 7 o'clock in the morning.

She has a meeting on Monday at 9 AM.

In the afternoon, she studies English at the library.

On Friday evening, she relaxes at home.

Notice how Sarah uses 'at' for clock times, 'in' for parts of the day, and 'on' for specific days. These three prepositions help us talk about when things happen!

When to Use AT, IN, ON

Here are simple rules and examples for each preposition.

Use AT for Specific Times

at 3 o'clock

The class starts at 3 o'clock.

at noon

We eat lunch at noon.

at midnight

I go to bed at midnight.

at night

I read books at night.

at the weekend

I relax at the weekend.

at Christmas

We visit family at Christmas.

Remember:

Use AT for exact clock times
Use AT for noon, midnight, night
Use AT for holidays: at Christmas, at Easter
Use AT for weekend (British English)

Use IN for Longer Periods

in the morning

I drink coffee in the morning.

in the afternoon

We play football in the afternoon.

in the evening

I watch TV in the evening.

in January

It's cold in January.

in summer

We go to the beach in summer.

in 2024

I started school in 2024.

Remember:

Use IN for months: in January, in February
Use IN for seasons: in summer, in winter
Use IN for years: in 2024, in 2025
Use IN for parts of day: in the morning, in the afternoon

Use ON for Days and Dates

on Monday

I have English class on Monday.

on Tuesday morning

We exercise on Tuesday morning.

on July 15th

My birthday is on July 15th.

on Christmas Day

We open presents on Christmas Day.

on the weekend

I clean my house on the weekend.

on my birthday

I eat cake on my birthday.

Remember:

Use ON for days: on Monday, on Tuesday
Use ON for dates: on July 15th, on December 25th
Use ON for specific days: on Christmas Day, on my birthday
Use ON for weekend (American English)

Important Notes for Beginners

✓ We say "in the morning", "in the afternoon", "in the evening"

✓ But we say "at night" (not "in the night")

✓ We say "on Monday morning", "on Tuesday afternoon"

✓ No preposition with "today", "tomorrow", "yesterday"

✓ No preposition with "this", "next", "last": this week, next month, last year

Quick Practice

Choose AT, IN, or ON:

1. I have class __________ 9 o'clock.

2. We go swimming __________ summer.

3. My birthday is __________ Friday.

4. I study __________ the evening.

💡 Check your answers

1. I have class at 9 o'clock.

2. We go swimming in summer.

3. My birthday is on Friday.

4. I study in the evening.

Daily Routine with Prepositions

See how we use prepositions of time in everyday life.

Morning Routine

7:00 AM

I wake up at 7 o'clock.

Morning

I drink coffee in the morning.

8:30 AM

Work starts at 8:30.

Monday

We have meetings on Monday.

"Every day, I wake up at 7 o'clock in the morning. On Monday, I start work at 8:30."

Day Activities

"I have lunch at noon every day."

"In the afternoon, I study English."

"On Wednesday, I go to the gym."

"The shop closes at 6 PM."

Evening & Special Days

Evening Routine

"I cook dinner in the evening."

"I watch TV at night."

"I go to bed at 11 PM."

Special Days

"My birthday is on June 10th."

"We celebrate at Christmas."

"I visit family on Sunday."

"In the evening, I cook dinner. At night, I watch TV. On my birthday, we have a party."

Want to try a Prepositions of Time: At, In, On quiz?

Practice with multiple choice questions

Common Time Expressions

Here are the most useful time expressions for beginners.

Clock Times (AT)

at 7 o'clock

at 9:30

at noon / midday

at midnight

at night

at the moment

Longer Periods (IN)

in the morning

in the afternoon

in the evening

in January

in summer

in 2024

Days and Dates (ON)

on Monday

on Tuesday morning

on July 15th

on Christmas Day

on my birthday

on the weekend

No Preposition Needed!

Some time words don't need a preposition:

today

tomorrow

yesterday

now

this week

next month

last year

every day

Example: "I study English every day." (NOT "on every day")

Ready to test your Prepositions of Time: At, In, On knowledge?

Challenge yourself with fill-in-the-blank exercises

Common Mistakes

❌ I get up in 7 o'clock.

✓ I get up at 7 o'clock.

Use AT for specific clock times

❌ We meet on the morning.

✓ We meet in the morning.

Use IN for parts of day (morning, afternoon, evening)

❌ My birthday is at July.

✓ My birthday is in July.

Use IN for months

❌ I study English at the evening.

✓ I study English in the evening.

Use IN for evening (but AT for night)

❌ The class starts in 3 PM.

✓ The class starts at 3 PM.

Use AT for specific times with AM/PM

❌ We have party on Christmas.

✓ We have a party at Christmas.

Use AT for holidays (Christmas, Easter, New Year)

Master Prepositions of Time: At, In, On sentence building!

Drag and drop words to form correct sentences

Practicing with Prepositions

Easy ways to practice and remember prepositions of time.

Simple Practice Ideas

Talk about your day

✓ What time do you wake up? (AT)

✓ When do you study? (IN the morning/evening)

✓ What do you do on Saturday? (ON)

✓ When is your birthday? (IN month, ON date)

Make sentences

✓ Write 5 sentences about your routine

✓ Use AT, IN, and ON in each sentence

✓ Practice saying them aloud

✓ Ask a friend about their routine

Memory Tips

Remember the rules

✓ AT = point in time (clock times)

✓ IN = space/period (months, years, seasons)

✓ ON = surface (days, dates)

✓ No preposition: today, tomorrow, this week

Create flashcards

✓ Write time expressions on cards

✓ Practice choosing AT, IN, or ON

✓ Test yourself every day

✓ Start with 5 cards, add more each day

Practice Exercise

Complete with AT, IN, or ON:

1. I go to work __________ 8:30 AM.

2. We have English class __________ Monday.

3. It's cold __________ winter.

4. I watch TV __________ the evening.

5. My birthday is __________ March.

6. The shop opens __________ 9 o'clock.

💡 Check your answers

1. I go to work at 8:30 AM.

2. We have English class on Monday.

3. It's cold in winter.

4. I watch TV in the evening.

5. My birthday is in March.

6. The shop opens at 9 o'clock.

Practice Tips

Start with 5 time expressions each day and practice them

Remember: AT for clock times, IN for months/seasons, ON for days/dates

Practice with your daily routine – it's easier to remember

Don't try to learn everything at once – learn a little every day

Listen for prepositions when people speak English – notice the patterns

Speaking Practice

To practice your pronunciation, listen to the native speaker audio first. Then 'Record' yourself repeating what you heard, then use the 'Playback' button to compare your pronunciation with the native speaker. If you want to record yourself again, simply click 'Delete'!

I wake up at 7 o'clock.

We have lunch at noon.

She works in the morning.

They go swimming in summer.

We meet on Monday.

My birthday is on July 15th.

The shop closes at 6 PM.

We have class in the afternoon.

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