IN ON AT - Important Prepositions of TIME and PLACE in English

Understanding prepositions in the English language can be tricky, but we often come across the common trio: IN ON AT. These words help us describe time and place with more precision, and mastering their use can significantly improve our communication skills.

Table of Contents

Basics of Prepositions

Definition and Usage

Prepositions are words that link nouns, pronouns, or phrases to other words within a sentence. They typically express relationships of time, place, direction, and other abstract connections. Let’s focus on “in,” “on,” and “at”:

In is used for more general, larger time frames or places.

Time: years, months, seasons (e.g., in 2024, in July, in winter)
Place: enclosed spaces (e.g., in a room, in a building)

On is usually for specific days, dates, and surfaces.

Time: specific days and dates (e.g., on Monday, on the 5th of May)
Place: surfaces (e.g., on the table, on the floor)

At points to more precise times or locations.

Time: clock times, festival periods (e.g., at 3 PM, at Christmas)
Place: specific points or locations (e.g., at the door, at the station)

Common Mistakes

It’s easy to get tripped up with these prepositions. Here are a few mistakes we often make:

In vs. On: Mixing up “in” with smaller, defined surfaces.

Incorrect: The book is in the table.
Correct: The book is on the table.

On vs. At: Confusing “on” when referring to specific times.

Incorrect: I’ll meet you on 5 PM.
Correct: I’ll meet you at 5 PM.

At vs. In: Using “at” when referring to enclosed locations.

Incorrect: She is waiting at the room.
Correct: She is waiting in the room.

Remembering the context in which these prepositions are correctly applied can significantly improve our grasp of English basics.

IN ON AT – Prepositions of TIME

How to Use prepositions of Time IN – ON – AT Correctly!

Hours:

at 9 am
at 8 o’clock
at 6 pm

Parts of the day:

at night
at noon/ midday
at midnight
at bedtime
at lunch time
at dinner time
at dinner
at lunch
at sunrise/ sunset
at dawn

Holidays without “day”:

at Easter
at Christmas
at New Years

At + time:

at present
at the weekend (U.K)
at breakfast
at the moment
at that moment
at the same time
at that time

Parts of the day:

in the morning
in the afternoon
in the evening

Months:

in October
in June
in December

Seasons:

in (the) spring
in (the) summer
in (the) fall/ autumn
in (the) winter

Years:

in 1980
in 1968

Decades:

in the 1900s
in the seventies

Centuries:

in the 17th century
in the 20st century

Weeks:

in a week
in 2 weeks

Holidays:

in the Easter holiday
in the Christmas holiday

Period of time:

in the past
in the next century
in the future
in the 10 years time
in the middle ages
in a few minutes
in a moment
in an hour
in 3 hours
in six months
in a year

Days:

On Monday
On Tuesday
On Saturday

Dates:

on June 3rd
on 1st October 2013
on the 10th
on the first day
on the last day

Holidays with ‘day’:

on New Year’s day
on Christmas day
on Easter day

Specific days:

on my birthday
on holiday
on my wedding day
on that day

Days + Parts of day:

on Saturday morning(s)
on Sunday afternoon(s)
on Tuesday evening(s)

On + time:

on the weekend (U.S.)
on weekdays
on time
on a winter evening
on a warm day
on my break

IN ON AT – Prepositions of PLACE

How to Use prepositions of PLACE IN – ON – AT Correctly!

Countries:

in England

Cities:

in London
in Neighborhood
in Manhattan
in Chinatown

Enclosed space:

in a traffic jam
in Time Square
in a building
in a car
in a taxi
in a boat
in a helicopter
in a lift (elevator)
in the living – room
in the article

Means of transport:

on a bicycle/ motorcycle
on a bus
on a train
on a plane
on a ship
on a horse

Communications:

on the radio
on the phone
on the Internet
on the television

Surfaces:

on a table
on a wall
on the floor
on the roof
on the menu
on the page
on the door
on the shelf
on the first floor

Avenue:

on The Seventh Avenue

Street:

on Oxford street
on Columbus street

Addresses:

at 675 State Street
at 292 Oxford Street

Specific Locations/ Point:

at The Empire State Building
at the corner
at the bus stop
at the door
at the top of page
at the end of the road
at the entrance
at the crossroads
at the front desk
at a conference
at a party
at a concert
at someone’s house
at the doctor’s/ hairdresser’s
at the bus stop
at the end of road
at the crossroads
at the front
at the back

Interactive Exercises

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks with ‘in’, ‘on’, or ‘at’

We will meet you ___ the library at 3 PM.
My birthday is ___ June.
The meeting is scheduled ___ Monday morning.
She was standing right there ___ the corner of the street.
They arrived ___ New York last night.
I have an appointment ___ 9 o’clock.
The kids are playing ___ the park.
The conference starts ___ the 15th of March.
I saw a beautiful painting ___ the museum.
He is ___ the doctor’s office.

Answers:

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice – Select the Correct Preposition

1.The workshop takes place ___ the weekend.

A) in
B) on
C) at

2. She always has lunch ___ noon.

A) in
B) on
C) at

3. The stars shine brightly ___ night.

A) in
B) on
C) at

4. I read the newspaper ___ the morning.

A) in
B) on
C) at

5. They are planning to go on vacation ___ July.

A) in
B) on
C) at

6. The train is due ___ 6 PM.

A) in
B) on
C) at

7. You will find the information you need ___ page 5.

A) in
B) on
C) at

8. We had a great time ___ the party last night.

A) in
B) on
C) at

9. There is a stain ___ your shirt.

A) in
B) on
C) at

10. I will see you ___ the entrance of the building.

A) in
B) on
C) at

Answers:

B) on
C) at
C) at
A) in
A) in
C) at
B) on
C) at
B) on
C) at

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you use ‘in’, ‘on’, and ‘at’ in a sentence to indicate place?

We use ‘in’ for enclosed spaces, ‘on’ for surfaces, and ‘at’ for specific points. For instance:

In: We live in New York.
On: The book is on the table.
At: I’ll meet you at the entrance.

What are the rules for applying ‘in’, ‘on’, and ‘at’ when specifying times?

For times, ‘in’ is used for months, years, centuries, and long periods. ‘On’ is for days and dates, while ‘at’ is for precise times. Examples:

In: We will travel in July.
On: My birthday is on Monday.
At: Let’s meet at 3 PM.

Can you give exercises to practice the use of ‘in’, ‘on’, and ‘at’ as prepositions?

Sure, we can fill in the blanks with the correct prepositions:

I have a meeting ___ Monday.
She was born ___ 1990.
The stars shine bright ___ night.

Could you list examples of sentences that correctly use ‘in’, ‘on’, or ‘at’ for indicating dates?

Certainly, using ‘in’ for years and months, ‘on’ for specific days. For example:

In: She graduated in 2012.
On: I have an appointment on April 21st.

In what contexts should we place ‘at’ in a sentence?

We place ‘at’ to specify a precise location or time. For example:

Location: He’s waiting at the bus stop.
Time: The show starts at 6 PM.

What are some common prepositions of time similar to ‘in’, ‘on’, and ‘at’?

Other time prepositions include ‘before’, ‘after’, ‘during’, and ‘throughout’. They help us describe relations in time more precisely. For example:

Before: Finish your chores before dinner.
After: We will discuss this after the meeting.

Expedito Lucas da Silva

Friday 26th of January 2024

Thank you for those excellent explanations and good exercises about prepositions ON IN AT. I'd like to have conversation with native person online. Is it possible? Regards!

soohyun

Friday 22nd of December 2023

It is very helpful.Thank you.

Thibaut

Saturday 1st of April 2023

I'm so glad to find it

abbas alwsaibee

Wednesday 30th of March 2022

good

Elie

Monday 19th of April 2021

very detailed and useful, thanks a lot