When talking about time, specifying dates, days, or longer periods of time, we need a part of speech called the preposition. Prepositions are connecting words which introduce one thing’s relationship with another. In this case, we will be talking mostly about the speaker’s relationship with a certain period of, or point in, time.
We use three prepositions to talk about time. They are in, at, and on. We use each one to talk about different demarcations of time. Memorizing the rules of how to use each one will make conversation much easier:
In
We use in to talk about:
Months
In four months, I will be on tour in Iraq.
Years
I haven’t been home in about 3 years.
Centuries
The Normans invaded Ireland in the 12th century.
Seasons
In the winter, we will head south to Florida to stay warm.
At
We use at to talk about:
Precise time
At 3 o’clock we will go to the school to get ready for the show.
On
We use on to talk about:
Days
On Thursday, we will go to the gym to lift weights.
Dates
On the 20th of January we will celebrate the birthday of activist Martin Luther King, Jr.
While these rules may seem strange and even arbitrary, they have developed over hundreds of years of the evolution of colloquial speech. When it comes to more confusing concepts (such as prepositions), the only way to become familiar with their disparate uses and their usage in conversation is to memorize the rules and attempt to use them in conversation as often as possible. Listening to native speakers often is always a good thing as well, whether or the radio, internet or television, when actual conversation is not feasible or difficult to find.
1 view
359
91
2 months ago 00:01:37 1
In Front Of, Behind, Between | Prepositions Song for Kids
2 months ago 00:01:33 1
In, On, Under, Next To | Where is it? | Song | Prepositions Of Place | English For Kids
2 months ago 00:26:47 1
PREPOSITIONS OF PLACE - in, on, at, by, above, over, behind, among, opposite, across, between...
2 months ago 00:03:21 1
Prepositions of Place: in, at, on | Basic English Grammar
2 months ago 00:03:48 1
Prepositions of Place for kids | Test
2 months ago 00:03:24 1
Prepositions of place | Quiz for kids | Grammar Test
2 months ago 00:02:52 1
Where’s the Monkey?
2 months ago 00:09:58 1
Is Doner Kebab Turkish or German? - Learn English with News
2 months ago 00:10:28 1
Top 40 Phrasal Verbs for the NEW iPhone!
2 months ago 00:02:10 1
Learn A to Z Alphabets Reading | A-B-C-D | English Alphabet Letter | ABCD | A for Apple
2 months ago 00:15:37 1
CORRECT YOUR ENGLISH: Top 10 Mistakes with Gerunds & Infinitives
2 months ago 00:02:47 1
Предлоги места и движения | Английский для детей и начинающих
2 months ago 00:03:14 1
Colloquial Russian: ДНИ НЕДЕЛИ | The Accusative Case with the Names Of the Days Of the Week
2 months ago 00:13:01 1
Russia Slows Down YouTube: Learn English Vocabulary with News
2 months ago 00:08:38 1
English Pronunciation | Vowel Sounds | Improve Your Accent & Speak Clearly
2 months ago 00:02:01 1
Where is it? #2
2 months ago 00:14:29 1
“I USED TO”, “I GOT USED TO”, “I’M USED TO”: What’s the difference?!
2 months ago 01:07:32 1
The Drydock - Episode 313
2 months ago 00:13:57 2
IN / ON / AT - Prepositions of PLACE AND TIME | English Grammar Lesson (+ Free PDF & Quiz)
2 months ago 00:08:07 1
Basic English – How and when to use LOOK, SEE, and WATCH
2 months ago 00:10:06 1
How to use the word THINK in English
2 months ago 00:10:00 1
Learn English: Using AT, IN THE, AGO, and more words to talk about time