Prepositions are words that show the relationship between nouns or pronouns and other elements in a sentence (I come from Croatia). Here are common prepositions used with time:
Prepositions with days of the week: on
We use on before days of the week to indicate a specific day.
- I have a meeting on Monday.
Prepositions with months: in/during
We use in before months to indicate a specific month:
- My birthday is in January.
and during before months to specify a period within the month or to say how long something lasts.
- We went on holiday during July.
- We have a lot of deadlines during September.
Prepositions with specific times:
We use at before specific times of day (e.g., hours and exact times):
- The conference starts at 7 pm.
- We meet at 9 am in front of the hotel.
We also use at with festivals, holidays, and with phrases such as at night, at the weekend:
- At Christmas, we like to spend time with our family.
- He runs at the weekend.
- They work at night and sleep during the day.
We use on before days and dates when referring to specific days.
- We’re having a picnic on July 4th.
- They arrive on Monday, February 1st.
- He is coming on my birthday.
Prepositions with general time:
We use in before general time expressions to indicate a span or length of time:
- She will return in a few days.
- We hope we will find a new apartment in a couple of weeks.
- I’ll do it in a moment.
We also use in with seasons, years and decades:
- Days are longer in spring.
- He was born in 1956.
- She started working in the 90s.
and for before a duration of time to indicate how long something lasts.
- They traveled to Europe for two weeks.
- We worked in Spain for six months.
We use during to say when something happens:
- They studied during the night.
- They working during their adulthood.
Prepositions with time of day:
We use in before morning, afternoon, evening, or night to indicate a general time of day:
- We usually have breakfast in the morning.
- They like to take a walk in the evening.
and at before specific times of the day.
- He called me at midnight.
- We usually take a break at noon.
No prepositions:
We don’t use prepositions in front of next/last/every/this:
- He called me last Monday.
- We usually take a break every five hours.
- We are meeting them next Friday.
- I am buying a new car this week.
Prepositions can significantly affect the meaning of a sentence, so it’s important to choose the right one to convey the intended time reference accurately.
