Test it, Fix it. English grammar - Kenna Bourke 2003
Prepositions of time: at, on, in
Test it 
1 Complete the sentences. Use in, on or at.
a I'm seeing the doctor ... Friday morning.
b Jack woke up ... the night. He had a bad dream.
c Fenelon Castle was built ... the fourteenth century.
d What are you doing ... lunchtime?
e It's very nice here ... the autumn.
f Come and see me ... half-past two.
g Let's meet up ... Easter.
h Nick often works ... night.
i Where will you be ... New Year's Eve?
j I'm going on holiday ... the first week of July.
2 Correct the mistakes in the instant message conversation.
Test it again 
1 Choose the best option, A or В
a My appointment is ..... 10.20 tomorrow.
A at
В on
b Do you go to church ... Easter?
A at
В in
c We're having a party ... New Year's Eve.
A at
В on
d Are you free ... 11 June?
A -
В on
e Paddy was born ... 1970.
A on
В in
f I woke up three times ... the night.
A in
В at
g Let's go shopping ... the morning.
A on В in
h She has her hair cut ... every month.
A -
В in
i Montaigne lived ... the sixteenth century.
A -
В in
j I often have good ideas ... night.
A in
В at
2 Put in a preposition where necessary.
a Quite a lot of people get depressed ... the winter.
b Jo's seeing his boss ... this afternoon.
c We’re going to a nightclub ... Saturday evening.
d Will you come for lunch ... Christmas Eve?
e I always get up ... 5.30 a.m.
f It's very quiet here ... night.
g Let's meet up ... the second week of September.
h No one saw Mike ... last week.
i They test the fire alarm ... Monday mornings.
j I met a very nice man ... the weekend.
Fix it
Answers to Test it
Check your answers. Wrong answer?
Read the right Fix it note to find out why.F
1 a on → D f at → A
b in → F g at → B
c in → E h at → A
d at → A i on → C
e in → E j in → E
Now go to page 67. Test yourself again.
Answers to Test it again
1 a A b A c B d B e B
f A g B h A i B j B
2 a in f at
b - g in
c on h —
d on i on
e at j at
Fix it notes
A
Use at with clock times, times of the day and with the expression at night.
В
Use at with the weekend and festivals when you're talking about the whole period of time.
C
Use on when you're talking about one particular day in a festival, e.g. on New Year's Eve, on Easter Sunday.
D
Use on with days of the week, dates and expressions like Friday morning, Saturday afternoon.
E
Use in with months, years, centuries, seasons and with the expression the first/second/third/last week.
F
Use in with expressions like in the morning/afternoon/evening. Also use in with the expression in the night when you're talking about a particular night, usually the night before.
G
Don't use a preposition before expressions like last year, next year, next week, tomorrow.
Review
Prepositions of time: at, on, in
At
• You use at with all clock times, times of the day and with the expression at night.
The appointment is at 10.20.
I'll see you at lunchtime.
Tony works best at night.
• You use at with weekends and festivals when you're talking about the holiday as a whole period of time.
Did you have fun at the weekend? (All weekend.)
What are you doing at Christmas? (The whole of the Christmas period.)
On
• You use on when you're talking about one particular day during a festival.
There's a great film on TV on Christmas Day.
Do you eat chocolate eggs on Easter Sunday?
• You use on with days of the week, dates, and with expressions like on Monday morning, on Sunday evening, etc.
Kate's baby was born on Friday.
His birthday is on 4 October.
Are you doing anything on Tuesday evening?
In
• You use in with months, years, centuries, seasons and with the expression the first/second/third/last week.
The weather's great in August.
I bought the house in 2002.
Columbus went to America in the fifteenth century.
We have our main holiday in the summer.
The meeting's in the third week of April.
• You use in with expressions like in the moming/afternoon/evening, and with the expression in the night when you're talking about a particular night (usually the night before).
See you in the morning!
I had a horrible dream in the night.
No preposition
• You don't use a preposition with expressions of time like every year, last night next month, this week, today, tomorrow, yesterday, etc
Wo see each other every week.
Where did you go last night?