In, On and At: Talking About Time

A short grammar lesson for Common Core and First Baccalaureate learners.

1. Choose the right preposition

• IN + months, years, seasons and parts of the day: in September, in 2026, in summer, in the morning.
• ON + days and dates: on Monday, on 30 September, on Friday morning.
• AT + clock times and fixed expressions: at eight o’clock, at noon, at midnight, at night.

Remember: We say “in the morning” but “at night”. We say “on Monday morning” because we name a specific day.

2. Read the examples

I get up at seven o’clock.
We have English on Tuesday.
My birthday is in May.
I revise my lessons in the evening.

3. Complete with in, on or at

1. The lesson starts ___ 9:00.
2. We play football ___ Sunday.
3. It is often hot ___ summer.
4. She studies ___ the afternoon.
5. The meeting is ___ Friday morning.
6. I sleep ___ night.
7. He was born ___ 2010.
8. The test is ___ 12 October.

Show answers

1. at
2. on
3. in
4. in
5. on
6. at
7. in
8. on

4. Correct the mistakes

A. I wake up in six o’clock.
B. We visit our cousins at Saturday.
C. My birthday is on July.

Show corrections

A. I wake up at six o’clock.
B. We visit our cousins on Saturday.
C. My birthday is in July.

5. Make it personal

Write three true sentences about your routine: one with in, one with on and one with at. Read them to a partner.

Extra tip: Do not use a preposition before “every”, “last”, “next” or “this”: every Monday, next week, this morning.