A1 Beginner Questions, comparison, future, prepositions
Prepositions of time
Lesson goal. After this lesson you can choose between in, on and at for time, instead of translating one Vietnamese word for all of them.
When to use it
- Saying when something happens
- Making an appointment: See you on Monday at seven.
- Talking about a past moment: I was born in 2010.
Form
| Preposition | Used for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| in | years · months · seasons · parts of the day | in 2026 · in May · in summer · in the morning |
| on | specific dates · days · holidays | on Monday · on 5 May · on my birthday |
| at | clock times · exact moments | at 7 o'clock · at noon · at night |
Step by step
- Ask: is this a long or short stretch of time?
- Long — a year, month, season, part of the day → in.
- Medium — one particular day or weekday → on.
- Short — one moment, one clock time → at.
Exceptions to memorise
| Phrase | Note |
|---|---|
| at night | night is a part of the day, but we still say at — not in |
| at noon · at midnight | it is an exact moment |
| at the weekend | British English; American English says on the weekend |
| on Monday morning | with a specific day use on, not in |
| no preposition | today · tomorrow · yesterday · next week · last year |
Examples
I was born in 2010.
My birthday is in May.
It is very cold in winter.
We have English on Monday.
The test is on 15 October.
The class starts at eight o'clock.
I can't sleep at night.
See you next week.
Common mistakes
I get up in six o'clock. → I get up at six o'clock.
Clock times take at. Vietnamese uses one word for all of these, so there is nothing to distinguish them.
See you in Monday. → See you on Monday.
Weekdays take on.
I will call you in next week. → I will call you next week.
With next, last, this you use no preposition at all.
Memory tip
Picture three nested boxes: IN is the biggest (year, month, season), ON is medium (one day), AT is the smallest (one moment). The shorter the time, the smaller the preposition.
Summary
- in years, months, seasons, parts of the day · on days · at clock times.
- Memorise: at night, at noon, at the weekend.
- next week, last year, tomorrow — no preposition.
Practise this lesson
Do exercises with an explanation for every question, take mini tests and track your progress on GrammUp.