What are prepositions of time?

All prepositions show the relationship between two parts of a phrase or sentence. Prepositions of time express when something happens.

The three most common prepositions of time are in, on, and at. They are used with specific units of time, as shown in the following table.

Prepositions of time
Preposition Used with Examples
On Days The test is on Tuesday.

I leave for Paris on the 15th.

At Specific times of day and the general “night” The show starts at 7:30 p.m.

I went to bed at midnight.

You shouldn’t drink coffee at night.

In Months, years, seasons, general times of day (besides night) Easter is in March this year.

She graduated in 2022.

I plan to travel in the summer.

Do you wake up early in the morning?

Other examples of prepositions of time include “since” (e.g., “since last week”), “for,” (e.g., “for a year”), and “until” (e.g., “until midnight”).

QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help you ensure you’re using prepositions correctly in your writing.