Use prepositions of time to say when events happen, how long they last and when they begin or end.
1. In, on and at: time
| Preposition | Use | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| at | Exact times and certain fixed expressions | at six o’clock; at noon; at midnight; at night; at the weekend (common in British English) |
| on | Days and dates | on Monday; on Friday evening; on 14 October; on my birthday |
| in | Months, years, seasons and longer periods | in October; in 2026; in winter; in the morning; in the 1990s |
Remember: We usually leave out the preposition before last, next, this and every: last week, next Friday, this morning, every day.
2. Other useful prepositions of time
| Preposition | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| before | Earlier than | Please arrive before nine. |
| after | Later than | We went for a walk after lunch. |
| during | At some time within a period or event | It rained during the match. |
| from … to | Beginning and ending points | The shop is open from nine to five. |
| until / till | Up to a time | I'll wait until six. |
| by | Not later than a deadline | Please finish it by Friday. |
| for | How long something lasts | We stayed for two weeks. |
| since | The starting point of a period continuing to now or another reference time | I've lived here since 2020. |
3. Common contrasts
- for + a period: for three hours.
- since + a starting point: since Monday.
- by Friday means Friday is the deadline; until Friday means something continues up to Friday.
- during the lesson but for an hour.