Prepositions of time (A2) (A2)

In this lesson, you will review in, on, and at, and learn how to use before, after, and ago to talk about time.

1. Quick Revision: In / On / At

Remember the basics from A1:

in for months, years, seasons, and parts of the day.

Example: I was born in July. We go on holiday in summer.
on for days and dates.

Example: The party is on Monday. My birthday is on 12 May.
at for exact times and the fixed expression at night.

Example: We eat dinner at 7 o’clock. I do not go out at night.

1.1 New Uses of In / On / At

At A2, use in for future periods and for decades or centuries: I will see you in two weeks. / Life changed a lot in the 1990s and in the twentieth century.

Use on with a named day plus a part of the day, birthdays, and special days: on Monday morning, on my birthday, on New Year’s Day, on weekdays. Compare in the morning with on Monday morning: when you name the day, use on.

Other common expressions with at are at the weekend (British English), at Christmas, at lunchtime, at midnight, and at the moment.

British English usually says at the weekend, while American English usually says on the weekend.

2. No Preposition with Some Time Words

Do not use in/on/at before last, next, this, every, yesterday, tomorrow, or today: last week, next Monday, this morning, every day, yesterday evening, tomorrow afternoon, today.

3. Before and After

These expressions place an event before or after another time or event.

Before → earlier than another event or time.
Example: They arrived before the meeting started. (Earlier than the meeting.)
After → later than another event or time.
Example: They went for coffee after the meeting ended. (Later than the meeting.)

Compare: Wash your hands before dinner. Call me after dinner.

Use before/after + noun or verb-ing: before dinner, after the meeting, before leaving, after eating. Use a clause when it has its own subject and verb: before I leave, after she arrived.

4. For, Since, and During

For says how long: “I have lived here for five years.” / “We waited for an hour.”
Since gives the starting point. Use it normally with the present perfect when the situation continues now: “I have lived here since 2020.” / “She has known him since school.”
During says that something happened within a period: “Do not talk during the film.” / “It rained during the match.”

Compare for and during: use for + a length of time (for two hours), but during + a period or event (during the film).

Compare during and while: use during + a noun (during the film), but while + subject + verb (while we watched the film).

Compare a situation that continues now with one that finished in the past:

“I have lived here for five years.” (I still live here.)
“I lived there for five years.” (That time is finished.)

5. By and Until / Till

Use by for the latest time something must happen or finish: “Please finish the homework by Friday.”

Use until or till for an action that continues up to a time: “Wait until the bus arrives.” / “The shop is open till 6 pm.”

Till is more informal and is normally avoided in formal written English.

Compare: Finish it by 6 pm means it must be finished no later than 6 pm; Wait until 6 pm means continue waiting up to 6 pm. Do not say Finish it until 6 pm when you mean a deadline.

Use from … to or from … until to give the whole time frame: The library is open from 9 am to 6 pm. / I will be at work from 9 am until 5 pm.

5.1 On Time and In Time

Use on time when something happens at the planned or expected time: The train arrived on time. Use in time when something happens early enough, before it is too late: We got to the station in time for the train.

6. Ago and Before

Use ago after a length of time to count back from now, and use before to compare with another past point. Compare: I moved to Berlin three years ago. / I moved to Berlin in 2023. Before that, I lived in Hamburg. Do not use ago for duration: say I have lived here for five years or since 2020, not I have lived here five years ago.

7. Common Mistakes

Incorrect	Correct
I have a class in Monday.	I have a class on Monday.
I visit my family at weekend.	I visit my family at the weekend. (British English) / on the weekend (American English)
I live here since 2020.	I have lived* here since 2020.*
I have lived here five years ago.	I moved* here five years ago.* / I have lived here for* five years.*
I waited during two hours.	I waited for* two hours.*
Finish it until 6 pm (deadline)	Finish it by 6 pm

Quick check

Try one question now

We're flying to Paris July for our summer vacation.

Check your answer when you are ready.

8. Recap

in → long periods, future intervals, decades and centuries
on → days, dates, parts of a day, birthdays and special days
at → exact times and fixed expressions
before / after → earlier or later than an event or time
for / since / during → duration, starting point, or an event within a period
by / until / till → a deadline or an action that continues up to a time
ago → a period of time before now; before → earlier than another past point

Choose the expression by asking: Is it a month or year, a day or date, an exact time, a time before now, or a time before or after another event?

Prepositions of time (A2)