09 Prepositions of time

Question 1

See you at one o’clock.
They arrived on Friday.
We met in 1985.

Answer 1

We use these prepositions in phrases saying when.

Question 2

at half past five
at breakfast (time)
at that time
at the moment

Answer 2

We use “at” with a particular time such as a clock time or meal time.

Question 3

at Christmas
at Thanksgiving
at the weekend

Answer 3

We also use “at” with holiday periods of two or three days.

USA: on the weekend

Question 4

A sporting career can be over at thirty.

Answer 4

We use “at” with someone’s age.

Question 5

on Tuesday
on 7th August
on that day
on Easter Sunday

Answer 5

We use “on” with a single day.

Question 6

On his arrival, the President held a press conference.

Answer 6

“On” can also mean ‘immediately after’.

Question 7

in the next few days
in the summer holidays
in spring
in July
in 1992
in the 19th century

Answer 7

We use “in” with longer periods.

Question 8

in the afternoon

in the mornings

Answer 8

We also use “in” with a part of the day.

Question 9

on Tuesday afternoon
on Friday mornings
on the evening of the 12th

Answer 9

But we use “on” if we say which day.

Question 10

I heard a noise in the night.

The windows are shut at night.

Answer 10

(= in the middle of the night)
(= when it is night)

Question 11

I received the letter last Tuesday.
We've been really busy this week.
You can take the exam again next year.
The same thing happens every time.
A week later I got a reply.
I'll see you tomorrow morning.

Answer 11

We do not normally use “at”, “on” or “in” in phrases of time with “last, this, next, every, later, yesterday and tomorrow”.

NOT on last Tuesday
NOT in this week
NOT in the next year
NOT at every time
NOT in a week later
NOT in tomorrow morning

Question 12

It’s all done by computers these days.

Answer 12

We do not use a preposition with these days (= nowadays).

Question 13

Something else a bit unusual happened (on) that day.
I’d been ill (in) the previous week.
They agreed to meet (on) the following Sunday.

Answer 13

Sometimes we can use the preposition, or leave it out.

Question 14

Columbus crossed the Atlantic in seventy days.

Surely you can change a wheel in fifteen minutes.

Answer 14

We can use “in” to say how long something takes.

Question 15

Ella takes her exam in three weeks/in three weeks’ time.

Answer 15

We can also use “in” for a time in the future measured from the present.

Question 16

You can walk there in half an hour.

I’m going out in half an hour.

Answer 16

(= you need half an hour)
(= half an hour from now)

Question 17

I’ll be back within/inside an hour.

Answer 17

(= in an hour or less)

Question 18

Nobody does any work during the festival

Nobody does any work during that week.

Answer 18

We use “during” with an event (e.g. the festival) or a period which is a definite time (e.g. that week). It means the whole period.

Question 19

The festival went on for a week.

Answer 19

NOT It went on during a week.

We cannot use “during” + length of time.

Question 20

The population grew rapidly during/throughout the 19th century.
Jeremy kept staring at Naomi during/all through lunch.

Answer 20

When something happens for the whole period, we can use “throughout” or “all through”.

Question 21

The letter arrived during the festival.
I suddenly felt ill during the show.
I have to make several trips abroad during the next few weeks.

Answer 21

We can also use “during” when something happens one or more times in the period.

Question 22

Someone told me the news during the tea break.

Someone told me the news when/while we were having a cup of tea.

Answer 22

“During” is a preposition; “while” is a conjunction.

Question 23

Over the next few days, Simon and Kay saw a lot of each other.
Over a period of two months there were a hundred sightings of UFOs.

Answer 23

We can also use “over” for a whole period of time.

Question 24

This programme will soon be over.

Answer 24

The adverb over means ‘finished’.

Question 25

Rachel plays computer games for hours on end.
I once stayed at that hotel for a week.
I just want to sit down for five minutes.

Answer 25

NOT during hours.

We use for with a period of time to say how long something continues.

Question 26

It rained all day/the whole day.

Answer 26

We do not normally use for before a phrase with all or whole.

Question 27

Giles has worked here for ten years now.
We haven't been to the theatre for months.
We've been waiting for twenty minutes.
The Parkers have lived here since 1985.
I haven't seen you since September.
We've been waiting since twelve o'clock.

Answer 27

We often use for and since with the perfect to say how long something has continued or when it started.

Question 28

for two years
for a week
for two days
for a few minutes
since 1990
since last week
since Monday
since half past two (2:30)

Answer 28

We use for + length of time and since + time when.

Question 29

We’ve been waiting here twenty minutes.

Answer 29

We can sometimes leave out “for” in informal English.

Question 30

During the last ten years, Giles has been promoted at least three times.

Answer 30

We use “during” for a period which is a definite time.

Question 31

I’ve been here (for) ten minutes.

I’ll stay (for) ten minutes.

Answer 31

Compare

Question 32

I’ve been here since twenty to four.

I’ll wait until four o’clock.

Answer 32

Compare

Question 33

I arrived ten minutes ago.

I’m leaving in ten minutes.

Answer 33

Compare

Question 34

Giles joined the company ten years ago.

We last went to the theatre months ago.

Answer 34

We use the adverb “ago” for a past action at a time measured from the present.
“Ago” comes after the length of time.

Question 35

Giles left the company last year. He’d started work there ten years before.

Answer 35

(= ten years before last year)

We use the adverb before for a past action measured from the more recent past.

Question 36

Jim will be working in Germany till/until next April.

We sat in the pub till/until closing-time.

Answer 36

We use till/until to say when something finishes.

Question 37

He’ll be working there up to next April.

Answer 37

We can use “up to” in a positive sentence.

Él estará trabajando allí hasta el próximo abril.

Question 38

We walked to the bridge.

We walked as far as the bridge.

Answer 38

Till/until does not express place.

NOT till/until the bridge.

Question 39

We walked on until we got to the bridge.

Answer 39

But it can be a conjunction.

Question 40

Sue didn’t get up until half-past ten.

Answer 40

We can use not… till/until when something is later than expected.

Question 41

I’m always up by eight o’clock.
Can you pay me back by Friday?
They should have replied to my letter by now.

Answer 41

“By” means ‘not later than’.

Question 42

Can you pay me back before Friday?

Answer 42

(= earlier than Friday)

Question 43

Tickets will be on sale from next Wednesday.

From seven in the morning, there’s constant traffic noise.

Answer 43

We use “from” for the time when something starts.

Question 44

Tickets have been on sale since last Wednesday.

Answer 44

Compare “since” with the perfect.

Question 45

The cricket season lasts from April to September.

Answer 45

After the phrase with “from” we can use “to” or “till/until” for the time when something finishes.

Question 46

The road will be closed from Friday evening until Monday morning.

Answer 46

After the phrase with “from” we can use “to” or “till/until” for the time when something finishes.

Question 47

The cricket season lasts from April through September.

Answer 47

Americans can use through.

“From Friday through Monday”

Question 48

Not many people work between Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Answer 48

We can use “between” for a period after one time and before another.