Prepositions of time are words that help us understand when something happens in relation to other events. The most common time prepositions are “at,” “on,” and “in,” but there are others, like “before,” “after,” “during,” and “since.” Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to use them correctly.
1. Preposition “At”
•Specific Time:
° Used to indicate a precise time.
° Examples:“The meeting starts at 3:00 PM.”
“She wakes up at 6:30 every morning.”
•Specific Points in Time:
° Refers to moments like “at night,” “at the weekend,” and “at noon.”
° Examples:“We’ll meet at noon.”“He prefers to study at night.”
2. Preposition “On“
•Days and Dates:
° Used for days of the week and specific dates.
° Examples:
“The conference is on Monday.”
“Her birthday is on April 5th.”
•Specific Days:
Refers to certain days, such as “on Christmas Day” or “on my birthday.”
Examples:
“We have a family gathering on Christmas Day.”
“I received a gift on my birthday.”
3. Preposition “In”
•Months, Years, Centuries, and Long Periods:
° Used for longer periods like months, years, seasons, and centuries.
° Examples:
“They moved to New York in January.”
“The company was founded in 1998.”
“We’re planning a trip in the summer.”
•Parts of the Day:
° Refers to specific parts of the day like “in the morning,” “in the afternoon,” and “in the evening.”
° Examples:
“I exercise in the morning.”
“We’ll meet in the evening.”
4. Preposition “Before” and “After”
“Before”:
•Indicates a time earlier than a specific point.
Examples:
° “Finish your homework before dinner.”
° “I usually go for a run before work.”
•”After“:
° Refers to a time later than a specific point.
° Examples:
“Let’s have coffee after the meeting.”
“She took a nap after lunch.”
5. Preposition “During”
•Within a Specific Time Frame:
° Used to indicate something that happens within a particular time period or event.
° Example:
“It rained during the night.”
“No one spoke during the presentation.”
6. Preposition “Since”
•From a Specific Point in Time Until Now:
° Indicates the starting point of an action or event that continues to the present.
° Examples:
“They’ve lived here since 2010.”
“She’s been waiting since 3:00 PM.”
7. Preposition “Until” or “Till”
•Up to a Specific Point in Time:
° Shows that an action or situation continues up to a particular time.
° Examples:
“I’ll wait until you’re ready.”
“The store is open till midnight.”
En
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