We use:
- at for a PRECISE TIME
- in for MONTHS, YEARS, CENTURIES and LONG PERIODS
- on for DAYS and DATES
at PRECISE TIME | in MONTHS, YEARS, CENTURIES and LONG PERIODS | on DAYS and DATES |
---|---|---|
at 3 o'clock | in May | on Sunday |
at 10.30am | in summer | on Tuesdays |
at noon | in the summer | on 6 March |
at dinnertime | in 1990 | on 25 Dec. 2010 |
at bedtime | in the 1990s | on Christmas Day |
at sunrise | in the next century | on Independence Day |
at sunset | in the Ice Age | on my birthday |
at the moment | in the past/future | on New Year's Eve |
Look at these examples:
- I have a meeting at 9am.
- The shop closes at midnight.
- Jane went home at lunchtime.
- In England, it often snows in December.
- Do you think we will go to Jupiter in the future?
- There should be a lot of progress in the next century.
- Do you work on Mondays?
- Her birthday is on 20 November.
- Where will you be on New Year's Day?
Notice the use of the preposition of time at in the following standard expressions:
Expression | Example |
---|---|
at night | The stars shine at night. |
at the weekend* | I don't usually work at the weekend. |
at Christmas*/Easter | I stay with my family at Christmas. |
at the same time | We finished the test at the same time. |
at present | He's not home at present. Try later. |