Foundation grammar · Unit 103 · A2

at 8 o'clock, on Monday, in April

Prepositions

at for clock times, on for days and dates, in for months, years and seasons. Also at the weekend, at night, at Christmas; in the morning but on Monday morning. No preposition before this, last, next and every. in five minutes means five minutes from now.

Go to the exercises

A at, on, in

preposition used with examples
at clock times at 8 o'clock, at 10.30, at midnight
on days and dates on Sunday(s), on 25 April, on New Year's Day
in months, years, seasons in April, in 1999, in summer
  • I start college at nine o'clock.
  • The bank closes at 4.30.
  • Bye! See you on Thursday.
  • I don't work on Saturdays.
  • The wedding is on 14 August.
  • We're going to Spain in July.
  • My dad left school in 1987.
  • The park looks beautiful in autumn.

B at the weekend, at night ...

We say at the weekend, at night, at Christmas / at Easter, at the end of ..., at the moment.

But on Christmas Day.

  • Are you doing anything at the weekend?
  • Owls hunt at night.
  • Where are you spending Christmas? Will you be at home at Christmas? (but on Christmas Day)
  • We're moving house at the end of May.
  • Is Leo free at the moment?

C in the morning, on Monday morning

in the morning / in the afternoon / in the evening

but on Monday morning / on Tuesday afternoon / on Friday evening / on Saturday night.

  • I can't think clearly in the morning.
  • Do you usually stay in in the evening?
  • I've got a dentist's appointment on Monday morning.
  • Are you busy on Friday evening?

D No preposition: this, last, next, every

Do not use at, on or in before this ... / last ... / next ... / every ....

  • Are you going out this evening?
  • The beach was packed last summer.
  • We're flying to Rome next Tuesday. (not on next Tuesday)
  • I go swimming every week.

E in five minutes

in ten minutes / in a couple of days / in three weeks / in a year = that much time from now.

  • Quick! The bus goes in five minutes. (= five minutes from now)
  • Bye! I'll see you in a couple of days.

Exercises

103.1 Write at, on or in.

atonin

  1. on 9 March

    on 9 March

  2. in the afternoon

    in the afternoon

  3. quarter past six

  4. Tuesday

  5. 2004

  6. November

  7. 30 October

  8. Sunday

  9. 9.15

  10. New Year's Day

  11. Easter

  12. the evening

  13. Wednesday afternoon

  14. Friday night

  15. night

  16. the end of the week

  17. the weekend

  18. spring

103.2 Write at, on or in.

atonin

  1. Bye! See you on Thursday.

    Bye! See you on Thursday.

  2. Where were you 1 March?

  3. I woke up six o'clock this morning.

  4. I like going for a run early the morning.

  5. My brother graduated June.

  6. My parents first met 1991.

  7. Did you go anywhere Wednesday?

  8. Did you go anywhere Wednesday evening?

  9. Do you often watch TV the evening?

  10. Let's meet 8.15 tomorrow morning.

  11. I often visit my parents the weekend.

  12. I'm starting my new course 5 September.

  13. We often have barbecues summer.

  14. Sorry, Amy isn't available the moment.

  15. Josh's birthday is March.

  16. Do you work Sundays?

  17. The football club was founded 1878.

  18. The streets are very quiet night.

  19. I'll pay you back the end of the month.

103.3 Read Maya's diary for next week and complete the sentences. Diary: Monday: nothing. Tuesday: meet Ben 1.30. Wednesday: theatre (evening). Thursday: swimming lesson 5 o'clock. Friday: ring Gran. Saturday: barbecue (evening).

  1. Maya is going to the theatre on Wednesday evening.

    Maya is going to the theatre on Wednesday evening.

  2. She has to ring her gran .

  3. She isn't doing anything special .

  4. She's got a swimming lesson .

  5. She's going to a barbecue .

  6. She's meeting Ben .

103.4 Write sentences with in ... .

  1. It's 10.55 now. The bus goes at 11.00. The bus goes ...

    The bus goes in five minutes.

    The bus goes in five minutes.

  2. It's Tuesday today. I'll email you on Friday. I'll email you ...

  3. Today is 3 May. My driving test is on 17 May. My driving test is ...

  4. It's 6 o'clock now. Ella will be here at 6.30. Ella will be here ...

103.5 Write at, on or in if necessary. Sometimes there is no preposition: then type a dash (-).

atonin-

  1. I'm leaving on Thursday.

    I'm leaving on Thursday.

  2. I'm leaving - next Thursday.

    I'm leaving next Thursday.

  3. I always feel sleepy the afternoon.

  4. Will you be in this afternoon?

  5. We went camping in Wales last August.

  6. My grandmother was born 1948.

  7. What are you up to the weekend?

  8. I visit my aunt every Saturday.

  9. Shall we go to the cinema next Friday?

  10. I can't come to the barbecue Saturday.

  11. I'm popping out. I'll be back twenty minutes.

  12. I don't like driving night.

See also