Prepositions of Time

Prepositions of Time: The following table contains rules for some of the most frequently used prepositions in English:

Preposition in English

Usage

Example

• On

Days of the week

On monday

• In

Months / seasons/

Time of day

Year

After a certain period of time (when?)

In august / in winter

In the morning

In 2006

In an hour

• At

For night

For weekend

A certain point of time (when?)

At night

At the weekend

At half past nine

• Since

From a certain point of time (past till now)

Since 1980

• For

Over a certain period of time (past till now)

For 2 years

• Ago

A certain time in the past

2 years ago

• Before

Earlier than a certain point of time

Before 2004

• To

Telling the time

Ten to six (5:50)

• Past

Telling the time

Ten past six (6:10)

• To / Till / Until

Marking the beginning and end of a period of time

From monday to/till Friday

• Till / Until

In the sense of how long something is going to last

He is on holiday until friday.

• By

In the sense of at the latest

Up to a certain time

I will be back by 6 o'clock.

By 11 o'clock, Ihad read five pages.

• By, next to, beside

Left or right of somebody or something

Jane is standing by / next to / beside the car.

• Under

On the ground, lower than (or covered by) something else

The bag is under the table

• Below

Lower than something else but above ground

The fish are below the surface

• Over

Covered by something else

Meaning more than

Getting to the other side (also across)

• Put a jacket over your shirt

• Over 16 years of age

• Walkover the bridge

• Above

Higher than something else, but not directly over it

A path above the lake

• Across

Getting to the other side (also over)

Getting to the other side

• Walk across the bridge

• Swim across the lake

• Through

Something with limits on top, bottom and the sides

• Drive through the tunnel

• To

Movement to person or building

Movement to a place or country For bed

• Go to the cinema

• Go to London / Ireland

• Go to bed

• Into

Enter a room / a building

•Go into the kitchen / the house

• Towards

Movement in the direction of something (but not directly to it)

•Go 5 steps towards the house

• Onto

Movement to the top of something

• Jump onto the table

• From

In the sense of where from

• A flower from the garden