Example:
- I live in Medan.
- We will meet the principal on Tuesday.
- My sister and I always study at afternoon.
The bold-typed words are prepositions. A preposition is a word or groups of words used before a noun or a pronoun to show place, position, time or method.
| Preposition | Usage |
| in | You use ‘in’ with periods of times and places.
Example:
Exception: at noon, at night |
| on | You use ‘on’ with specific days.
Examples: on Friday, on New Year’s Day, on August 7th Note: American English ” ‘on the weekend’ or ‘on weekends’ |
| at | You use ‘at’ with specific times and specific places.
Examples: at 7 o’clock, at 7.30, at night, at school Note: British English ” ‘at the weekend’ or ‘at weekends’ |
Look at these examples:
>> I have a meeting at 9am.
>> The shop closes at midnight.
>> Mitchie 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 7 August.
> Where will you beon 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 French last August. (not in last August)
- 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)
SD ALIF INAYAH 