Instructions
We use many different prepositions for talking about time. Here we are looking at: in, on, at, during and for.
We use in, on and at for lots of different times. Here’s a table comparing the uses:
| in | on | at |
|
Months: in January / in April |
Days of the week: on Monday
|
Clock times: at 7.30 a.m. / at 5 o’clock |
Wow! That’s a lot of uses! So I have to learn all those?
Yes, but you probably know most of them, don’t you?
Yes, maybe … Is that all of them? I mean, are there any exceptions?
Well, sometimes we don’t use a preposition of time, for example after next/this/last/every.
We go skateboarding every Saturday afternoon.
I’ll see you next Friday.
Mm, but I could also say: “I’ll see you on Friday.”
Oh yes, that's fine too. But we often leave out on with days of the week when we’re speaking.
I’ll see you Friday.
OK. Now, about dates ... You write “on 8th July” but how do you say that?
Good question! We say “on the eighth of July”.
OK, so I have to remember to say “on THE eighth OF July”.
Exactly.
One last question about in. Can I use it for the future, as in “I’ll do it in a minute”?
Yes, that’s very common. We use in for talking about something in the future a certain length of time from now.
She’ll be back in a moment.
We’re going away in two weeks.
And can I say, “We’re going away for two weeks”?
Yes, but the meaning is completely different.
We’re going away in two weeks. (= we leave two weeks from now)
We’re going away for two weeks. (= our holiday will be two weeks long)
Ah, and what about “We’re going away during two weeks”?
No, you can’t say that. We use for + a length of time, to say how long something goes on for, and during + a noun / noun phrase, to say when something happens.
It snowed for three hours.
It snowed during the night.
OK, that’s a useful rule. But, hang on, I can also say “It snowed in the night”.
Yes, absolutely.
And: “I did a lot of work in the holidays” or “I did a lot of work during the holidays”?
Yes, you’ve got the hang of this.
Good, so now I’m going to study for a few hours. I’ll see you on Tuesday, in the morning, at about 10 o’clock.
See you at some time during the morning!
Worksheets and downloads
Transcript
Discussion
Tell us about your favourite day of the week. What time do you get up? What do you do, and when? What is the best part of the day for you?
Comments
Maybe my favorit day is Saturday, because thats when I can sleep until I can't no more, relaxing all the trubles of the week. On Saturday is also the day that usually I watch films with my family, so that's realy nice. And also it is the weekend, so just freedom.
My favorite day of the week is Sunday. I get up at 10 a.m. The best time of the day for me is in the afternoon, because I normally have barbecue with my family for dinner.
My favourite day of the week is Monday, because it is the first day of studying week. I like studying very much and during the weekend I miss the school subjects, teachers and my classmates. That is my story. See you around! By!
My favorite day is friday. I wake up at 9 am and the best part of the day for me is the afternoon
My faviorte days are saturday and at the weekend but I don't go to school and can get up lately .
My favourite day is Friday and Saturday, the weekends. These are my holidays. I wake up lately at this time. I eat special foods. Sometimes I have party. I really love parties. I often go to visit seabeach. Seabeach is my favourite place.
Hi there. Question, in the sentence "she managed without water for six days", can the preposition 'for' be omitted? In case it is not possible, why not?
Hi Painting,
You can say She managed without water for six days or She managed (for) six days without water.
Best wishes,
Rachael
LearnEnglish Teens team
my favourite day is friday, because is the last day in the week, and i finish all the activities, and i can rest the weekend.
My favorite day is wednesday. Firs,t because it cuts the week and second because in my mind I think that there are only two days left before the weekend arrives. My day begins at 7 o'clock, I get up, I dress up, and then i have breakfast. Then I will practice dance until 12 o'clock. When I go out to dance, my dad wakes me up to school and gives me lunch, in school I am usually until 6:30, and when I leave school I go to hockey until 9 o'clock. And finally I go back to my house, I take a shower, I have dinner and finally I do homework or study and go to sleep.
my favorite day of the week is Saturday.
I usually get up at 10 and have breakfast, after I play with the play station. In the afternoon I have a football game, then I have dinner and then I go out with my friends.
My favourite day of the week is Saturday. I don't have a fixed schedule, I get up when I wake up; sometimes I get up at eight, other times I wake up at eleven, it depends. I usually relax on Saturdays: drawing, listening to music, watching movies, reading, painting, chatting with my friends, etc. but the part of the day that I prefer most is the night. I call myself a night girl, I really like doing thing at night while everyone is sleeping!
My favourite day of the week is Saturday. I get up at 10 o’clock, I have breakfast and I do my homework. I have lunch with my parents and then I meet my friends in the afternoon and we go shopping. I have dinner with my friends and then sometimes we go to the disco. If I don’t go to the disco, I watch TV series and I go to bed.
My favourite day is Saturday, I get up at 10am, I have breakfast, I do my homework and I have lunch.
In the afteroon I have football match, Finally in the evening i meet with friends.
My favourite day is Friday. On this day I wake up at 6 o’clock because I have to go at school. I get dressed at half past six and I have breakfast at a quarter to seven. After that I go to school and I study here from 8 o’clock a.m. to 1 o’clock p.m.. After that there is the best part of the day: I go whit some friends at home and we stay all together. We study, speak and watch a film together. Finally I go to the bed.
For me the best day of the week is Friday. I wake up at 7 to go to school and I go home at 13:30. In the afternoon I do my homework or relax watching a good movie. The best part of the day is when I have training, where I have fun with my companions.
I don't have a favorite day of the Week, but usually i always get up at the same Times every day
Saturday, because I can do everything calmly.
When I wake up I have breakfast, make my bed, read a book or listen to some music, then my family and I have lunch, we usually spend the afternoon together. In the evening we often eat pizza and then watch a movie. The afternoon is my favorite part of the day
My favourite day of the week is Saturday. I usually get up around 9:30 am and have breakfast. Then until lunchtime I do my homework and after having lunch I prepare to go out with my friends. I usually go home for 6:30 pm and spend the evening eating pizza and watching movie with my family. Finally I remove make-up and watch TV series until I fall asleep. I like evrything on Saturdays, but in particular I spend time with my family because my mom works late during the week and I can't be with her so much.
My favourite day of the week is Saturday because I can organise slumber parties with my best friends and we can also shop and have fun outdoors. I don’t have a moment of the day that I prefer, I like everyone.
My favourite day of the week is Saturday because we don't go to school on Saturday so i can relax, i can go out with my friend all day. My favourite part of the day is the evening
My favorite day of the week is Saturday because I don't go to school. I always wake up late to sleep more. I have lunch at one o'clock and after I do my homework until 4. After I take a walk in the park with my dog until 5. I have dinner at 8. Later dinner I watch a film then I go to sleep. My favorite part of the day is in the morning, because I love sleeping.
My favorite day of the week is Saturday. Usually on Saturday I wake up at 10 am,I have breakfast and do some homework. Then I have lunch and after I continue to do some homework, or play with my brother or my family and I meet with my parents' friends. For me the best part of Saturday is the evening, because we meet with friends or we stay at home and watch good movies!
my favorite day of the week is saturday because is my lazy day.
My favorite day of the week is Saturday because I don't go to school. I Always wake up late to sleep more. I had lunch at 1 p.m. and after I do my homework until 4 p.m. After I take a Walk in the park with my dog until 5 p.m. I have dinner at 8 p.m. Later dinner I watch a film then I go to sleep. My fvorite part of the day is the morning because I LOVE sleeping.
My favorite day of week is Saturday because this means I've got two days free ! For me , the best part of day is early morning , because everyone is asleep and I'm alone ( I love being alone ) and I can listen to music and read books . I also like afternoons , because I learn English and German at this hours .
My favourite day of week is friday. I get up at 6.00am and i go to school. I start the lesson at 8.00 am and i finish ti at 1.00 pm. When i arrive at home i have lunch and i after my grandfather take me to my dance gym. I do 3houres of dance and at 8pm i finish it. I come back at home and I have dinner after i chat with my friend and i got to bed at 00.30am
My favourite day of the week is a Friday .I usually get up early morning to preparing for class .My school is so far from my house.I get up 6 am on weekday.I spend 90 minutes on public bus I do reading or gaming on smartphone.It is boring for me . My favourite time is 4 pm .That is end of time for high school .I come back home as soon as possible to do video game .
My favorite day of the week is friday because it's the last day at school and in my mind the next day will be a break. I get up earlier at 07 o'clook. I take my breackfast for 10 minutes, and after that i take my bath. I change my cloths and i go out to school
My favority day of the week is Friday. I like it because it's finish work-week. On friday i get up at 7.30 a.m. I go to school. Students don't want learn. I go to home at 7 p.m. In the evening i walk. At 11 o'clock i go to the bed and sleep.
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