What are Prepositions of Time?

Prepositions of time are small but important words. They tell us when something happens.

In English, the most common prepositions for time are at, in, y on. Each one has specific uses.

When Do We Use 'At' for Time?

Utilizamos at for very specific points in time.

• Exact Times: Uso at for clock times. For example, The meeting starts at 9 AM.
• Parts of the Day (Specific): Uso at para night, midnight, y noon. Por ejemplo, I often read at night.
• Holiday Periods: Uso at for general holiday periods, but not specific days. For example, We visit family at Christmas.
• Meal Times: Uso at for meal times. For example, Let's meet at lunchtime.

When Do We Use 'On' for Time?

Utilizamos on for specific days and dates.

• Days of the Week: Uso on for any day of the week. For example, I have a class on Tuesday.
• Specific Dates: Uso on for full dates, including the day. For example, Her birthday is on May 17th.
• Special Days: Uso on for specific named days. For example, We celebrate on New Year's Day.
• Weekends (UK English): In UK English, people often say at the weekend, pero on the weekend is also common, especially in US English. Both are acceptable.

When Do We Use 'In' for Time?

Utilizamos in for longer periods of time.

• Months: Uso in for months of the year. For example, My vacation is in August.
• Seasons: Uso in for seasons. For example, It often snows in winter.
• Years: Uso in for years. For example, I was born in 2000.
• Decades and Centuries: Uso in for longer historical periods. For example, Life was different in the 1980s.
• Parts of the Day (General): Uso in para the morning, the afternoon, y the evening. Por ejemplo, I like to exercise in the morning.

Ejemplos

• The train leaves at 6:30 PM.
• I usually wake up at dawn.
• They have a party on Saturday.
• The festival starts on June 21st.
• We often go to the beach in summer.
• She will finish her studies in 2025.
• I'll call you in the afternoon.

Práctica

Errores habituales de los hispanohablantes

Spanish speakers sometimes make mistakes with prepositions of time because the Spanish word 'en' can cover many situations where English uses at, in, o on.

• Uso de in for days: A common error is saying in Monday en lugar de on Monday. Remember, for days, always use on.
• Uso de on for months/years: Another mistake is on July o on 2020. For months, seasons, and years, you must use in.
• Confuso at night y in the morning: Remember the specific phrases: at night, at midnight, at noon, pero in the morning, in the afternoon, y in the evening.

Preguntas más frecuentes

What is the main difference between 'at', 'in', and 'on' for time?

The main difference is specificity. Use at for precise times (e.g., at 3 PM). Use on for specific days and dates (e.g., on Friday, on July 4th). Use in for longer, less specific periods (e.g., in August, in 2024).

Can I say 'on the weekend' or 'at the weekend'?

Both are correct! At the weekend is more common in British English, while on the weekend is more common in American English. You can use either.

How are prepositions of time tested in the B1 Preliminary exam?

In the B1 Preliminary exam, prepositions of time like at, in, y on are often tested in the Reading and Writing parts, especially in 'Multiple-choice cloze' tasks (Part 5) or 'Open cloze' tasks (Part 6), where you need to choose or provide the correct word to complete a sentence.

Why do we say 'at night' but 'in the morning'?

These are fixed expressions in English. There isn't a simple grammatical rule, but it's important to learn them as they are. So, it's always at night, at midnight, at noon, pero in the morning, in the afternoon, y in the evening.