English grammar: Prepositions of time

What this grammar point covers

Prepositions of time are short words we use in English to show when something happens, like 'in', 'on', and 'at'. They help us talk about dates, days, and times.

When to use it

Use these prepositions to talk about when something happens: the time of day, the day, the month, the year, or a special event.

Key forms

• in + months/years/periods (in July, in 2020, in the morning)
• on + days/dates (on Monday, on July 4th, on my birthday)
• at + specific times (at 6 o’clock, at noon, at night)

Examples

Tips

• Remember: 'at' is for exact times, 'on' is for days and dates, and 'in' is for months, years, and longer periods.
• Do not use a preposition before 'next', 'last', 'this', or 'every' (say 'I’ll see you next week', not 'in next week').

Exceptions and edge cases

• We say 'at night', not 'in the night'.
• For weekends: American English uses 'on the weekend', British English uses 'at the weekend'.