Prepositions of time

When we use "AT" "ON" "IN"?

Prepositions of Time: AT

English speakers use the preposition AT for the most specific times.

1. Hours:

At 7 am

At 12 o’clock

At 5 pm

2. Parts of the day:

At night

At noon/ midday

At midnight

3. Holidays without “day”

At Easter

At Christmas

At New Year

4. Time

At present

At breakfast

At the moment

Prepositions of Time: ON

Moving to more specific periods of time, the preposition ON is used.

1. Days:

On Monday

On Thursday

On Sunday

2. Dates:

On the 10th

On the first day

On the last day

3. Holidays with “day”

On New Year’s day

On Christmas day

On Easter day

4. Specific days:

On my birthday

On holiday

On my wedding day

5. Day + Part of day

On Sunday morning(s)

On Friday afternoon(s)

On Monday evening(s)

Prepositions of Time: IN

Native speakers use the preposition IN to refer to a general, longer period of time.

1. Parts of the day:

In the morning

In the afternoon

In the evening

2. Months:

In January

In February

In December

3. Seasons:

n (the) spring

In (the) summer

In (the) fall/autumn

In (the) winter

4. Years:

In 1923

In 1654

5. Decades:

In the 1960s

In the seventies

prepositioins of time (useful information)