Prepositions play a great role in speaking and writing. Despite the fact that they are widely used in both sections, a few people know their proper usage. For this reason, we are going to see some specific uses of the prepositions ‘At’, ‘In’, and ‘On’ in this lesson. Students must learn them by heart and include them in their frequently used VOCABULARY list.
At/In/On in Reference to ‘Time’
When it comes to the uses of at/in/on in reference to ‘time,’
- ‘At’ is used for a precise time.
- ‘In’ is used for months, years, centuries, and long periods.
- ‘On’ is used for days and dates.
| AT Precise Time |
|---|
| at 4 O’clock |
| at 11:40 am |
| at noon |
| at lunchtime |
| at bedtime |
| at sunrise |
| at sunset |
| at the moment |
| IN Months, Years, Centuries, And Long Periods |
|---|
| in September |
| In summer |
| In the summer |
| in 1820 |
| in the 1820s |
| in the next century |
| in the Ice Age |
| in the past/future |
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| ON Days and Dates |
|---|
| on Friday |
| on Monday |
| on 7th August |
| on 23rd January 2005 |
| on Christmas Day |
| on Independence Day |
| on his birthday |
| on New Year’s Eve |
Look at the following examples:
- They went home at dinnertime.
- I never work on Fridays.
- That supermarket closes at midnight.
- There should be a lot of projects in the next decade.
- I will deliver a speech on the eve of Independence Day.
Note the use of the preposition of time ‘at’ in the following expressions:
| Expressions | Example |
| at night | The moon shines at night. |
| at the weekend | She doesn’t usually work at the weekend. |
| at Christms/Easter | He loves to stay with his family at Christmas. |
| at the same time | We got on the train at the same time. |
| at present | She is not home at present. |
Note the use of the preposition of time ‘in’ and ‘on’ in these common expressions:
| In | On |
| in the morning | on Tuesday morning |
| in the mornings | on Sunday mornings |
| in the afternoon(s) | on Tuesdays afternoons |
| in the evening(s) | on Monday evening |
Important Note:
At/In/On cannot be used with last/next/every.
Examples:
- I went to Saudi Arabia last May. (not in last May)
- He is coming back next Friday. (not on next Friday)
- He goes home every Easter. ( not on every Easter)
- I will call you this evening. (not in this evening)
At/In/On in Reference of ‘Place’
Where to use them?
You can use at/in/on in reference of ‘place’ for the following:
- ‘At’ is used for a POINT.
- ‘In’ is used for an enclosed SPACE.
- ‘On’ is used for a SURFACE.
| AT Point | In Enclosed Space | On Surface |
| at the corner | in the garden | on the wall |
| at the bus stop | in Delhi | on the ceiling |
| at the door | in India | on the door |
| at the top of the page | in a box | on the cover |
| at the end of the road | in my pocket | on the floor |
| at the entrance | in a building | on the menu |
| at the crossroads | in my wallet | on page |
Look at the following examples:
- Please wait for me at the bus stop.
- I will meet you in Delhi.
- That bookstore is at the end of the lane.
- Mars is in the solar system.
- There was a no-smoking sign on the wall.
- Can you see me at the hospital?
- I live on the second floor at Om Vihar Phase 1 in Uttam Nagar.
