Temporal Prepositions

This lesson focuses on the core meanings for prepositions relating to TIME. You should start with the SPATIAL meanings and move on to this lesson after you have experience with spatial prepositions.

Core Meanings of in, on, at – for Time

The prepositions in, on, and at are particularly confusing because there is no logical reason for their use. One strategy to learn prepositions is to learn core meanings.  Core meanings are abstract ways to understand preposition use.  This means that they are not as easy to use as rules, but once you understand and learn the core meanings, you will be much more successful in using prepositions correctly.

In addition to the spatial meanings, the prepositions at, on and in are used to relate time.

Preposition Time Examples Explanation Units of Time
at Specific points in time We met at 1 o’clock. One o’clock is a specific time, a point, exact moment. Hours
minutes
seconds
measures of time
on Restricted periods of time We met on November 2. We met on Sunday. November 2 and Sunday are periods of time but are relatively short in duration. days
dates
holidays
in Longer spans of time We met in 2016. Refers to a longer span of time months
years
centuries

 

Here are some examples to clarify the meanings in the chart:

  • They went to the museum in
  • Let’s meet at 6 o’clock.
  • I studied on

Exercise for Temporal core meanings of at, on, and in

Fill in the blank with at, on, or in. Give a reason for your choice.

  1. We walked to the Writing Center ___ 8:15 in the morning.
  2. The Writing Center is closed ___ Sunday.
  3. I haven’t been to the Writing Center ___ months.
  4. Will go home for the first time in a year ___ November 7, 2017.
  5. He corrected all of the grammar in his paper ___ 10 minutes.

Resources
http://www.englishpage.com/prepositions/time_prepositions_1.htm
http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/structures/prepositions_at_in_on_time.htm
http://www.english-4u.de/prepositionoftime.htm