Prepositions of time in sentences

1. What are prepositions of time?

Prepositions of time are words that link a noun, pronoun, or phrase to another part of a sentence to indicate a specific period when an action takes place.

2. List of prepositions of time

Below is a list of common prepositions of time in English.

1. at
2. in
3. on
4. during
5. for
6. since
7. until
8. before
9. after
10. by

3. Usage

3.1. Points in time

We use at, on, and in to specify exact moments. They are used to answer "When questions".

1. She will meet us at noon.
2. The store opens on Monday.
3. They graduated in 2020.

3.1.1. 'At' in a sentence

We use at to indicate a precise time or to refer to a specific point in time. In addition, we use at before the words the weekend.

Precise time

Specific points in time

Before the weekend

3.2.2 'In' in a sentence

We use in for durations, parts of the day, months, seasons, years, decades, centuries, and some points in time.

Time duration

Different parts of the days

Months

Seasons

Years

Specific decades

Centuries

Points in time

3.2.2 'On' in a sentence

Use on with days, days + parts of days, dates, and special days.

Days of the week

Days + parts of days

Dates

Use in for month + year (e.g., “in October 2023”) and on for a specific day/date.

Special days

A poppy is a bright red flower worn to honour those who died in military service.

3.2. Duration

We use for, since, throughout, and during to indicate how long something continues.

1. The project ran for three months.
2. He has been living here since 2018.
3. The construction will continue throughout the summer.
4. He was sleeping during the entire movie.

3.2.1. During

During can cover an entire period or part of it; it doesn’t specify exact length.

Covering the entire duration of a specific period

Although we say from October to December, it is the words renovation period that dictate the use of the preposition during.

Covering a portion of time between the beginning and end of a specific period

Sometimes it’s unclear whether the event covers the whole period or only part of it.

3.2.2. For

We use the preposition for to indicate the duration of an action or event.

1. We have been waiting for you for two hours.
2. They have been dating for five years.
3. We will be away for a week.
4. She has been sick for two weeks.
5. They have been working on the project for months.
6. He has been working in the company for over a year.
7. The UK has been a constitutional monarchy for many years.
8. Queen Elizabeth II was in the throne for several years.

3.2.3. Since

The preposition since refers to a period of time starting at a specific point in the past and continuing up to a later point, which may be the present.

1. They have been married since 2010.
2. They have been friends since childhood.
3. He has been playing the guitar since he was 10 years old.
4. I have been working here since last year.
5. We have been waiting for him since 8:00 am.
6. She has been studying English since high school.
7. Sarah has not been working since she had an accident.
8. Sarah had an accident last year. Since then, she has not been working.
9. It had been years since she had left school.
10. She has been living alone since the death of her husband.

3.3 Frequency

We use every, once, and on to specify how often something occurs. They indicate habits. Let's study the examples below.

1. They meet every Friday.
2. The train arrives once a day.
3. We see them on weekends.

3.4. Sequence and order

We use after, before, between, and by to help place events in order relative to each other.

1. Let's eat after the meeting.
2. The group went for coffee before class.
3. They came between 5 and 6 PM.

3.4.1. Examples of 'before' in a sentence

We use the preposition before to introduce an action happening later than another action. For example, in the sentence “Before you go out, make sure to close the window.”, the action of going out is happening later than the action of closing the window. First, you close the window, then you go out. We also use the preposition before to introduce a time reference before which an action or event happens.

1. We need to get ready before noon.
2. The coffee shop closes at 8 PM, so we need to get there before then.
3. Before the invention of the internet, people used books to find information.
4. Please close the door before you leave.
5. Please arrive at the airport at least two hours before your flight.
6. Before you go to bed, make sure to brush your teeth and wash your face.

3.4.2. Using the preposition 'after' in a sentence

We use 'after' to introduce an action happening earlier than another action. For example, in the sentence “I took a long nap after running a marathon yesterday.”, the action “running a marathon” happens earlier than “taking a nap”. First, you run a marathon, then you take a long nap. We also use the preposition after to introduce a time reference after which an action or event happens.

1. The coffee shop closes after 8 PM on weekdays.
2. I’ll call you back after the meeting.
3. I like to take a nap after lunch.
4. My eyes feel tired after watching a movie.
5. We went out for a drink after the game.
6. I cried after reading the book.
7. After a long thought, I finally made a decision.

3.4.3. Using 'by' in a sentence

The preposition "by" means not later than. For example, the sentence “I need to send a report by July 22nd.” means that the report must be sent before July 22nd or on July 22nd at the latest.

1. We need to be at the airport by 7 PM.
2. Can you let me know by Friday if you want to come to the party or not?
3. Please return the book by the due date.
4. The package should arrive by> the end of the week.
5. Please be at the office by 9 AM tomorrow.
6. By the time I got to the station the bus had already left. (=The bus left before I got to the station.)
7. You need to finish your homework by lunchtime.

3.5. Approximate time

We use around, about, and by to suggest an approximate period.

1. He called around midnight.
2. The package arrived about noon.
3. We finished by early evening.

3.6. Boundaries in time

To specify a time frame with starting and/or ending points, we use until, since, and from.

1. I can work until 5 PM.
2. She has lived here since last year.
3. He was out from 9 to 11 AM.

3.6.1. Examples of 'until' in a sentence

Until can function as a preposition and a conjunction. It’s a preposition when it marks the time a situation continues to (e.g., We will wait until noon). It’s a conjunction when it links clauses (e.g., I will stay here until you return). In informal writing it’s often shortened to till or ’til.

Until as a preposition of time (up to)

We often use from … until to show when something starts and when it ends.

3.6.2 Using “from … until”

“From 8 AM until 11 AM” is equivalent to “from 8 AM to 11 AM.”

3.7. Occasions or events

To link actions to specific occasions (cultural, traditional, or life events), we use on, during.

1. They get together on Christmas.
2. We celebrate during the festival.
3. She called on her birthday.

3.8. Continuous time

To express an event that spans a continuous time period, we use through, throughout, and until.

1. He worked through the night.
2. The lights are on throughout the evening.
3. She stayed up until sunrise.

3.9. Deadline

We use by, and before to specify when something is due.

1. The report is due by Monday.
2. Submit your application before noon.
3. They hoped to arrive by sunset.

3.10. Life periods

We use in, and during to describe events that took place during specific life periods.

1. My grandparents lived in the 1950s.
2. She was born during the winter.
3. He travelled in his early twenties.