Prepositions of time
The correct usage of prepositions of time depends on the time expressions used. The table below shows the most common prepositions in English along with explanations and examples.
| Explanations | Examples | |
|---|---|---|
| at | hours | at 9 o'clock |
| daytime | at noon at night at midnight at lunchtime at sunset |
|
| holidays | at Christmas at Easter |
|
| fixed expressions | at the same time at the weekend at weekends at the moment at present at the end of the month at the end of January |
|
| on | days of the week | on Monday on Friday |
| dates | on the 23rd of December* | |
| special celebrations/holidays | on Christmas Day on Good Friday on Easter Sunday on my birthday |
|
| parts of the day | on the evening of the 23rd* on Sunday morning(s) on Monday afternoon(s) on Tuesday evening(s) |
|
| expression: on time | The train left on time. 'Don't be late. Please, be on time. |
|
| in | parts of day | in the morning(s) in the afternoon(s) in the evening(s) |
| months | in January in June |
|
| year | in 1986 | |
| years | in the 1990s | |
| centuries | in the 18 century in the Middle Ages |
|
| expressions | in the past in (the) future |
|
| seasons | in (the) summer in (the) winter |
|
| period of time | in a minute in two weeks | |
| expression: in a few minutes | We're leaving in a few minutes. | |
| expression: in a moment | He'll be here in a moment. | |
| expression: in time | Will you be home in time for dinner? | |
| after | 'after' | after school |
| before | 'before' | before Christmas |
| ago | 'ago' | 2 years ago |
| between | 'between' | between Monday and Thursday |
| by | 'by' | by Tuesday |
| during | 'during' | during the holidays |
| for | 'for' | for two weeks |
| from ... to ... from ... till/until |
'from ... to ...' | from Monday to Friday from Monday till Friday from Monday until Friday |
| past | 'past' | 7.27 - 27 minutes past seven |
| since | 'since' | since Monday |
| till/until | 'until' | till Wednesday |
| to | 'to' | 8.42 - 18 minutes to nine |
| up to | 'up to' | up to 4 hours a day |
| within | 'within' | within a day |
| WITHOUT PREPOSITION | before 'last/next/this/every' | I'll see you next Monday. We bought a car last May. |
| in colloquial language | I'll see you Friday I don't go out Monday mornings. |