Prepositions of time indicate when an action occurs or the period during which something happens. They establish temporal relationships within sentences. Here’s an overview of common prepositions of time along with five examples for each:
- At:
- Used to indicate specific points in time.
- Examples:
- “The meeting starts at 9 a.m.”
- “We’ll meet you at the restaurant.”
- “She always eats lunch at noon.”
- “The train arrives at midnight.”
- “The store closes at 7 p.m.”
- In:
- Used to indicate a period of time.
- Examples:
- “She will return in an hour.”
- “They’re getting married in May.”
- “We’ll go on vacation in the summer.”
- “The project will be completed in two weeks.”
- “The movie starts in five minutes.”
- On:
- Used to indicate specific days or dates.
- Examples:
- “We’re having a party on Saturday.”
- “The package will arrive on Monday.”
- “His birthday is on December 25th.”
- “The concert is on New Year’s Eve.”
- “We met on a sunny day in June.”
- For:
- Used to indicate the duration of time.
- Examples:
- “He worked for eight hours.”
- “She’s been studying for weeks.”
- “We’ll be away for a month.”
- “The restaurant is closed for renovations.”
- “They’ve known each other for years.”
- Since:
- Used to indicate the starting point of a period of time.
- Examples:
- “He’s lived here since 2010.”
- “She’s been waiting since morning.”
- “They’ve been married since they were teenagers.”
- “I’ve been on a diet since January.”
- “The shop has been closed since yesterday.”
Understanding these common prepositions of time helps clarify temporal relationships in writing and speech, ensuring accurate communication of when events occur.
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