Understanding Prepositions of Time

In English grammar, prepositions of time are used to show when an action happens. They help describe specific times, days, months, years, periods, and durations.

What Are Prepositions of Time?

Prepositions of time are words that connect a time expression to the rest of a sentence. The most common prepositions of time are at, on, and in.

Examples:

The meeting starts at 9 o'clock.
We have a class on Monday.
She was born in 2005.

Using "At" for Time

We use at for specific points of time, exact hours, and certain fixed expressions.

Use	Examples
Exact time	at 7:30, at noon, at midnight
Specific moments	at lunchtime, at sunset
Fixed expressions	at night, at the weekend

Examples:

I wake up at 6 a.m.
She studies English at night.
They arrived at noon.

Using "On" for Time

We use on for specific days, dates, and special occasions.

Use	Examples
Days	on Monday, on Friday
Dates	on July 8th, on March 20th
Special days	on my birthday, on New Year's Day

Examples:

We have an exam on Tuesday.
She arrived on January 10th.
They visit their family on holidays.

Using "In" for Time

We use in for longer periods of time, such as months, years, seasons, and centuries.

Use	Examples
Months	in January, in June
Years	in 2026, in 1990
Seasons	in summer, in winter
Long periods	in the past, in the future

Examples:

I was born in 2000.
We travel in summer.
She started learning English in January.

Prepositions of Time Rules

Preposition	Used With	Examples
At	Exact times	at 5 o'clock, at midnight
On	Days and dates	on Monday, on April 5th
In	Months, years, seasons	in May, in 2026, in winter

Other Common Prepositions of Time

Preposition	Meaning	Example
Since	From a starting point until now	I have lived here since 2020.
For	Duration of time	She studied for three hours.
During	Within a period	We stayed home during the storm.
Until	Up to a certain time	I will wait until tomorrow.
Before	Earlier than a time	Wash your hands before dinner.
After	Later than a time	We met after work.

Common Mistakes With Prepositions of Time

Incorrect	Correct
I was born on 2000.	I was born in 2000.
We meet in Monday.	We meet on Monday.
The class starts in 8 o'clock.	The class starts at 8 o'clock.

Prepositions of Time in Everyday English

I usually work in the morning.
The store closes at 10 p.m.
We have a meeting on Friday.
She has lived here for five years.

Exercises and Practice

Choose the correct preposition of time:

I was born _____ 1998. (in / on)
The meeting is _____ Monday. (at / on)
We start work _____ 8 a.m. (at / in)
She has studied English _____ three years. (for / since)
They arrived _____ the evening. (in / on)

Understanding prepositions of time helps learners talk about schedules, dates, routines, and events more accurately in English.