Lessons

Prepositions at, in, on (time) at is used: with clock times He came here at 10 oclock. The plane leaves at six. with celebrations, feasts & public holidays We usually go there at the weekend. Where will you go at Christmas?

Prepositions at, in, on (time) in is used: with weeks, seasons, months, centuries & years I always get depressed in winter. We were there in June. to say how long it takes to finish something Your meal will be ready in 10 minutes. with parts of a day before the (except at night) I usually sleep a lot in the morning. Do not eat a lot in the evening!

Prepositions at, in, on (time) on is used: with days, dates and expressions such as Monday morning or Friday afternoon. I will be at home on Tuesday. The meeting will be held on June 23. We do not use prepositions with common expressions with this, next, last and every. What are you doing this afternoon? I was there last Tuesday.

Prepositions from... to/until/till, by We use until (till – inf.) to say when an acton or situation ends. We played football until 11 oclock. We can give the beginning and end of an action or situation with from... to/until/till. I worked from 8:00 to 10:00 yesterday. We use by (=not later than) to say that something happens at or before a certain moment. Bring it back to me by 12:00 on Saturday.

Prepositions for, during & while for + period tells you how long I slept for 2 hours last night. during tells you when I did not sleep at all during the night. during is a preposition (during + noun) They got into the house during the day. while is a conjuction (while + subject + verb) They got into the house while I was asleep.

Prepositions in, on (place) We use in with 3-dimensional spaces like boxes, rooms, towns and countries. There is nothing in the fridge. We use on with 2-dimensional surfaces like floors, tables, walls and ceilings. People are in clothes, and jewellery are on people. We say in a book, in a newspaper (but on a page), in a story, in a street. We say in a car, but on a bus/train/ship/plane. There is a poster on the wall.

Prepositions at (place) We often use at to show where something happens (meeting places, points on a journey). Turn left at the next corner. We often use at with words for things people do, or the places they do them. See you at the office. We often use at with the top, the bottom, the side, the beginning and the end. The room is at the top of the building.

Prepositions in, at (place) Sometimes in and at are both possible. We prefer at when we are thinking about the activity – what we do in the place – and in when we think about the place itself. We had lunch at the station restaurant. It was very hot in the big dining room.