Prepositions

Prepositions of Time: at, in, on


We use:

• at for a PRECISE TIME

• in for MONTHS, YEARS, CENTURIES and LONG PERIODS

• on for DAYS and DATES

at in on

PRECISE TIME MONTHS, YEARS, CENTURIES and LONG PERIODS DAYS and DATES

at 3 o'clock in May on Sunday

at 10.30am in summer on Tuesdays

at noon in the summer on 6 March

at dinnertime in 1990 on 25 Dec. 2010

at bedtime in the 1990s on Christmas Day

at sunrise in the next century on Independence Day

at sunset in the Ice Age on my birthday

at the moment in the past/future on New Year's Eve

Look at these examples:

• I have a meeting at 9am.

• The shop closes at midnight.

• Jane went home at lunchtime.

• In England, it often snows in December.

• Do you think we will go to Jupiter in the future?

• There should be a lot of progress in the next century.

• Do you work on Mondays?

• Her birthday is on 20 November.

• Where will you be on New Year's Day?

Notice the use of the preposition of time at in the following standard expressions:

Expression Example

at night The stars shine at night.

at the weekend I don't usually work at the weekend.

at Christmas/Easter I stay with my family at Christmas.

at the same time We finished the test at the same time.

at present He's not home at present. Try later.

Notice the use of the prepositions of time in and on in these common expressions:

in on

in the morning on Tuesday morning

in the mornings on Saturday mornings

in the afternoon(s) on Sunday afternoons

in the evening(s) on Monday evening

When we say last, next, every, this we do not also use at, in, on.

• I went to London last June. (not in last June)

• He's coming back next Tuesday. (not on next Tuesday)

• I go home every Easter. (not at every Easter)

• We'll call you this evening. (not in this evening)
Prepositions of Place: at, in, on


In general, we use:

• at for a POINT

• in for an ENCLOSED SPACE

• on for a SURFACE

at in on

POINT ENCLOSED SPACE SURFACE

at the corner in the garden on the wall

at the bus stop in London on the ceiling

at the door in France on the door

at the top of the page in a box on the cover

at the end of the road in my pocket on the floor

at the entrance in my wallet on the carpet

at the crossroads in a building on the menu

at the front desk in a car on a page

Look at these examples:

• Jane is waiting for you at the bus stop.

• The shop is at the end of the street.

• My plane stopped at Dubai and Hanoi and arrived in Bangkok two hours late.

• When will you arrive at the office?

• Do you work in an office?

• I have a meeting in New York.

• Do you live in Japan?

• Jupiter is in the Solar System.

• The author's name is on the cover of the book.

• There are no prices on this menu.

• You are standing on my foot.

• There was a "no smoking" sign on the wall.

• I live on the 7th floor at 21 Oxford Street in London.

Notice the use of the prepositions of place at, in and on in these standard expressions:

at in on

at home in a car on a bus

at work in a taxi on a train

at school in a helicopter on a plane

at university in a boat on a ship

at college in a lift (elevator) on a bicycle, on a motorbike

at the top in the newspaper on a horse, on an elephant

at the bottom in the sky on the radio, on television

at the side in a row on the left, on the right

at reception in Oxford Street on the way


                                   I HOPE THAT HELPS. BY FABIO

American Holidays

Official information and services from the U.S. government

Americans celebrate a variety of holidays throughout the year. American holidays can be secular, religious, international or uniquely American. With the wide variety of holidays and the many levels of American government it can be confusing to determine what public and private facilities are open on a given holiday. You can usually find out in the daily newspaper or by calling the office you wish to visit.

New Year's Day is January 1st. The celebration of this holiday begins the night before, when Americans gather to wish each other a happy and prosperous coming year. Many Americans make New Year's Resolutions.

Martin Luther King Day is the third Monday in January. The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. was an African-American clergyman who is recognized for his tireless efforts to win civil rights for all people through nonviolent means.

Presidents' Day is the common name for the U.S. federal holiday officially designated as Washington's Birthday. It is celebrated on the third Monday of February. The Washington’s Birthday holiday was originally established to honor the contributions of the first president of the U.S., but it has become commonplace for Americans to celebrate the legacies of all past presidents on this day.

Valentine's Day, is celebrated on February 14th. The day was named after an early Christian martyr, and on Valentine’s Day, Americans give presents like candy or flowers to the ones they love.

Easter falls on a spring Sunday that varies from year to year. Easter is a Christian holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. For Christians, Easter is a day of religious services and the gathering of family. Many Americans follow old traditions of coloring hard-boiled eggs and giving children baskets of candy.

Memorial Day is observed the last Monday of May. It originally honored the people killed in the American Civil War, but has become a day on which the dead of all wars, and the dead generally, are remembered in special programs held in cemeteries, churches, and other public meeting places. The flying of the American flag is widespread.

Independence Day is July 4th. This holiday honors the nation's birthday – the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It is a day of picnics and patriotic parades, a night of concerts and fireworks. The flying of the American flag is widespread.

Labor Day is the first Monday of September. This holiday honors the nation's working people, typically with parades. For most Americans it marks the end of the summer vacation season and the start of the school year.

Columbus Day is celebrated on the second Monday in October. The day commemorates October 12, 1492, when Italian navigator Christopher Columbus landed in the New World.

Halloween is celebrated on October 31th. On Halloween, American children dress up in funny or scary costumes and go "trick or treating" by knocking on doors in their neighborhood. The neighbors are expected to respond by giving them small gifts of candy or money.

Veterans Day is celebrated on November 11th. Originally called Armistice Day, this holiday was established to honor Americans who had served in World War I, but it now honors veterans of all wars in which the U.S. has fought. Veterans' organizations hold parades, and the president places a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery.

Thanksgiving Day is the fourth Thursday in November. The holiday dates back to 1621, when Puritans, who had just enjoyed a bountiful harvest, showed their gratitude to the Native Americans for their help by hosting a feast to give thanks. The Thanksgiving feast became a national tradition and almost always includes some of the foods served at the first feast: roast turkey, cranberry sauce, potatoes, and pumpkin pie.

Christmas Day is celebrated on December 25. Christmas is a Christian holiday marking the birth of the Christ Child. Decorating houses and yards with lights, putting up Christmas trees, giving gifts, and sending greeting cards have become traditions even for many non-Christian Americans.


Other Celebrations
Various ethnic and religious groups in America celebrate days with special meaning to them even though these are not national holidays. Jews, for example, observe their high holy days in September, Muslims celebrate Ramadan, African Americans celebrate Kwanzaa, Irish Americans celebrate the old country's patron saint, St. Patrick, on March 17, and Mardi Gras is the day before the Christian season of Lent begins and is a big occasion in New Orleans, Louisiana, where huge parades and wild revels take place. There are many other such religious and ethnic celebrations in the U.S.


                                                                                             By Fábio