ENGLISH 4U
English Language Learning

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Prepositions of Time

AT

We use at with times: at 5 o'clock - at 11.45 - at midnight - at lunchtime

Example: Tom usually gets up at 7 o'clock.

We use at in these expressions: at night - at Christmas - at the moment / at present - at the same time - at weekends - at the age of...

ON

We use on with dates and days: on 12 March - on Friday(s) - on Friday morning(s) - on Sunday afternoon(s) - on Saturday night(s) - on Christmas Day (but at Christmas)

IN

We use in for longer periods of time: in April - in 1986 - in winter - in the 19th century - in the 1970s - in the morning(s) / in the afternoon(s) / in the evening(s)

In + period of time = a time in the future:

Examples: Jack will be back in a week. The train will leave in a few minutes.

In + how long it takes to do something

Example: I learned to drive in four weeks.

DURING

We use during + noun to say when something happens: during the film - during our holiday - during the night

Examples: We met a lot of interesting people during our holiday. I fell asleep during the film.

FOR

We use for + a period of time expressing duration: for six years - for two hours - for a week

Examples: I've lived in this house for six years. They have been watching TV for two hours.

SINCE

We use since + a starting point, a specific time: since April - since 1992 - since 8 o' clock

Examples: It has been raining since one o' clock. They've known each other since they were at school.

UNTIL

We use until/till to say how long a situation continues:

Examples: Let's wait until it stops raining. I stayed in bed until half past nine.

FROM - TO

We use from - to + beginning and end of a period

Examples: Last evening we watched TV from 5 to 8 o' clock.

 


EXERCISES

Prepositions of time - Exercise 1 - at, on, in, for, since

Prepositions of time - Exercise 2 - on, in, for, until, from - to, during

Prepositions of time - Exercise 3 - at, on, in, for or during

Prepositions of time - Exercise 4 - at, on, in, for, from, to or until

Prepositions of time - Exercise 5 - on, at, in, until

Prepositions of time - Exercise 6 - on, at, in, for, since, during or until

Prepositions of time - multiple choice exercise

Prepositions of time - grammar test

Prepositions of time and place - multiple choice exercise