Grammar › Prepositions › Prepositions of Time: at/on/in
Prepositions of Time: at/on/in
For time, the three main prepositions go from smallest to largest:
- at — clock times and points (at 7, at midnight, at the weekend).
- on — days and dates (on Friday, on 1 January).
- in — months, seasons, years, parts of the day (in April, in winter, in the evening).
No preposition with today, tomorrow, yesterday, next/last, every: I'll call you tomorrow (not 'on tomorrow').
at, on, in for time
Think smallest to largest: a point → a day → a longer period.
| Preposition | Use | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| at | clock times, points | at 6 o’clock, at noon, at night, at the weekend |
| on | days and dates | on Monday, on 5 May, on my birthday |
| in | months, seasons, years, parts of day | in July, in summer, in 2025, in the morning |
When to use each
1. at — a precise time or point
- The train leaves at 9:15. I don’t work at night.
2. on — a specific day or date
- We met on Friday. Her party is on 3 June.
3. in — a longer period
- It’s hot in August. I’ll finish in the afternoon.
⚠️ No preposition with today, tomorrow, yesterday, next, last, every: See you tomorrow (not
on tomorrow); I saw her last week.
Common mistakes
1. ‘in’ instead of ‘on’ for days. in Monday → on Monday.
2. ‘on’ instead of ‘in’ for months/years. on July → in July.
3. Adding a preposition to ‘tomorrow’. on tomorrow → tomorrow. Pro tip: at = a point, on = a day/date, in = a longer period.
✏️ Practice: Prepositions of Time: at/on/in
1. The film starts ___ 8 o'clock.
2. We have a meeting ___ Monday.
3. It often snows ___ January.
4. I'll see you ___ tomorrow.
5. She was born ___ 2001.
6. I don't like driving ___ night.
7. We usually go out ___ the evening.
8. Her birthday is ___ 14 February.
9. Correct this: 'I'll call you in Monday morning.'
10. Which preposition goes with a clock time?
Frequently asked questions
When do I use at, on or in for time?
at for clock times and points (at 5, at night), on for days and dates (on Monday, on 3 May), in for longer periods (in July, in 2025, in the morning).
Why is it 'at night' but 'in the morning'?
'At night' is a fixed expression treated as a point; mornings, afternoons and evenings take 'in': in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening.
Do I use a preposition with 'tomorrow' or 'next week'?
No. Say 'tomorrow', 'next week', 'last year', 'every day' — with no preposition.
At the weekend or on the weekend?
British English usually says 'at the weekend'; American English says 'on the weekend'. Both are correct in their variety.
👩🏫 For teachers
CEFR objectives for “Prepositions of Time: at/on/in”:
- Can use at/on/in for clock times, days/dates and longer periods (CEFR A2).
- Can use fixed expressions like at night and in the morning.
- Can drop the preposition before today, tomorrow, next/last and every.
⬇︎ Download the Lesson Pack (PDF)
Printable worksheet + answer key + one-page summary. Free to use and print in class with attribution. Join the newsletter for new packs and cheat sheets.