Prepositions of Time in English: Grammar Rules, Usage & Examples

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English – Intermediate, English Prepositions

Prepositions of Time in English

Prepositions of time are essential in English grammar as they help us understand when an event occurs. They connect nouns or pronouns with time-related elements, clarifying specific moments, durations, or general time frames. In this blog, we will explore the different prepositions of time, their usages, examples, and important points to remember.

List of Prepositions of Time and Their Usage

Below is a list of common prepositions of time along with their specific usage and example sentences.

Preposition	Usage	Example Sentence 1	Example Sentence 2
At	Specific time of the day, festivals, and specific points in time	I wake up at 6 AM.	We will meet at Christmas.
On	Specific days and dates	I was born on Monday.	The party is on 5th June.
In	Months, years, centuries, long periods	I was born in December.	We will visit Japan in 2025.
By	A deadline or before a certain time	You must submit the report by Monday.	She will be home by 7 PM.
Before	An event occurring earlier than a certain time	Finish your work before sunset.	He arrived before me.
After	An event occurring later than a certain time	We will go out after lunch.	She arrived after the meeting started.
Since	A point in time until now	She has been here since morning.	I have lived here since 2010.
For	Duration of time	She stayed here for two weeks.	I have known him for ten years.
During	Within a specific period	He slept during the lecture.	We traveled during the holidays.
From…to	A specific time range	The shop is open from 9 AM to 5 PM.	The movie runs from 6 PM to 8 PM.
Until/till	Up to a certain point in time	Wait here until I return.	The shop is open till midnight.
Within	Before the end of a specific period	The work will be done within an hour.	We will reach there within two days.

More Example Sentences

She will call me at noon.
The meeting is scheduled on Tuesday.
We moved to this city in 2018.
Complete your assignment by tomorrow.
The baby slept before dinner.
We will go out after the rain stops.
She has lived here since 2015.
He was on vacation for a month.
The crowd cheered during the match.
The library is open from 9 AM to 7 PM.

Things to Keep in Mind

At is used for specific points in time, while on is for specific days and dates.
In is used for months, years, centuries, and longer periods.
Since refers to a specific point in time, while for is used for a duration.
By means “no later than,” whereas before means “earlier than.”
Until/till is used when something continues up to a point in time.
From…to marks the beginning and end of a time period.
During is used to indicate something happening within a specific period.
Within suggests a task or event will occur before a given period ends.

Fill in the Blanks

The train will arrive ___ 6 PM.
She was born ___ March.
We will go on a trip ___ summer vacation.
He stayed in London ___ two years.
You should submit the form ___ Monday.
The lights went out ___ the movie.
I have been waiting here ___ morning.
We will complete the project ___ two weeks.
They will be back home ___ midnight.
The concert will be held ___ Friday night.

Answers

at
in
during
for
by
during
since
within
at
on

Conclusion

Understanding and correctly using prepositions of time is crucial for clear and precise communication. These prepositions help in framing accurate sentences, making conversations and writing more effective. By practicing their usage and remembering their specific contexts, you can enhance your command over the English language. Keep practicing, and soon, using prepositions of time will become second nature!

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