Whilst we are on the subject of time why not take a look at our prepositions of time worksheets.

For a child learning about English grammar the rules can sometimes appear to be rather weird and this is as true for using prepositions as any other part of grammar! An example of this is how we use the prepositions at, on and in with time. (Remember, prepositions are words that indicate location or position, including time.)

There are definite rules about prepositions of time which we learn in our everyday speech, without it ever being made explicit what these rules are. Get them wrong and our sentences appear clumsy or odd.

Rules:

• We use at for a precise time of day.
  e.g. The game starts at 3 o’clock.
  Tom only had crisps to eat at lunchtime.

• We use on for dates and days of the week.
  e.g. Christmas Day is always celebrated on the 25th December.

• We use in for longer periods of time.
  e.g. The school holidays start in July.

A further complication is that we don’t usually use at, on or in with last/next/every/this.

We say on Friday or next Friday, but not on next Friday.

To help with all of this we have a great set of worksheets on prepositions of time which, as well as looking at all of the above, also takes a look at when to use on time and when to use in time and the difference between at the end and in the end. Phew!!