Prepositions of Time | Definition, Examples, Usage, and List

All of our communication is incomplete without prepositions of time. But what are these? Today we will learn a type of preposition; prepositions of time, examples, and usage, focussing on how to use in, on, or at.

Table of Contents

What is a Preposition of Time?

A preposition of time represents the timing of an activity that happens or will happen. These indicate activity with reference to the time. In, on, and at are the most common time prepositions.

Time Preposition Examples:

These are used as:

In: It describes the event with reference to the time.
On: It represents an activity with reference to a specific day or date.
At: It describes an event with regard to a specific time.

Examples of Prepositions of Time

Here are examples sentences of preposition of time.

Her birthday falls in May.
Ali was born in 2001.
I’ll go to the Market in the morning.
My meeting is scheduled on Friday.
He is going to Paris on September 3^rd.
Be here at 7:30.

Usage of Preposition of Time:

At	In	On
It represents specific time.	It represents months, years, centuries, and long times.	It represents dates and dates.
At 1.30 am	In winter	On Wednesday
At noon	In the summer	On 6 March
At sunrise	In 1999	On 31 Dec. 1886
At bedtime	In the 1990s	On Valentine’s Day
At sunrise	In the next century	On Independence Day
At sunset	In future	On my Anniversary
At the moment	In the next decade	On New Year’s Eve

Where to use “at”?

With “clock times”	at 8 o’clock at 8.30
To show “mealtimes and breaks”	at breakfast at break time
With “time phrases”	at night at weekends

Where to use “in”?

With “parts of the day”	In the morning
With “months”	In May
With “seasons”	in (the) autumn
With years, centuries, or decades	in 2024
With other time phrases	in the future