Prepositions · Elementary (A2)
Prepositions of time: in, on, at
At 6 o’clock, on Monday, in July — plus for, since, during, by and until.
The rules
At + clock times and specific points: at 7:30, at noon, at night, at the weekend (UK). On + days and dates: on Friday, on 3 May, on my birthday. In + longer periods: in the morning, in June, in 2030, in winter, in the 1990s.
No preposition before this, next, last, every: next week, last Monday, every day.
For + a length of time (for two hours), since + a starting point (since 2019), during + a period (during the film), by = not later than (by Friday), until = up to (until 5 pm).
Examples
- The meeting is at 10 o’clock on Tuesday.
- I was born in 1998, in August.
- See you next week!
- Please send it by Friday.
Common mistakes
✗ in Monday
✓ on Monday
Days take on.
✗ at the morning
✓ in the morning
Parts of the day take in (except at night).
✗ on next week
✓ next week
No preposition before next/last/this/every.
Practice
The shop opens ___ 9 am.
Quiz
1.We have dinner ___ night.
2.Finish the report ___ Friday. (not later than)
3.Complete the sentence.
4.We say “in the weekend” in British English.