Prepositions of Time: "In, At, and On"

Your Guide to Talking Time

Prepositions are like spices – they add flavor to your language. These little troublemakers ("in," "at," and "on") can confuse even the best of us, but fear not! By the end of this article, you'll be using them like a pro.

When to Use Prepositions of Time: In, At, and On

We use:

1. "In" when we're talking about an unspecified point in that period of time like part of day, month, year, and season.

   Part of day - “He was born in the afternoon.”
   Month - “I'll see you in September.”
   “ His birthday is in July.”
   Year - “She was born in 1981.”
   “I moved to this city in 2021.”
   Season - “I will go on vacation in winter.”
   “She was born in the fall.”
   

2. "At" is used when we're talking about a specific time, like hours or exact moments.

   “Let's meet at 8 o'clock in the morning.”
   “She was born at night.”
   “I exercise at noon.”
   

3. "On" is used when discussing specific days or dates.
   

   Days of the week - "We'll have a party on Friday."

   Specific dates - “She was born on July 24th .”

Practice Exercises: Let’s refresh your memory on what you’ve read.

1. Choose the correct preposition for each sentence:
   
   a) I'll see you (in / at / on) Saturday.
   
   b) The movie starts (in / at / on) 7:30 PM.
   
   c) We're going to Paris (in / at / on) May.
   

2. Fill in the blanks with the right preposition:
   
   a) The concert is ____________ September 15th.
   
   b) I have a meeting ____________ 2 o'clock.
   
   c) She was born ____________ 1995.
   

Well done! You've mastered the trio of "in," "at," and "on," in regards to time. Share your answers to the practice exercise in the comment section.

Keep practicing, and soon you'll be using them without even thinking. Until next time, stay curious and keep improving!