Common Mistake: Prepositions of Time (At, In, On)

Prepositions of time are one of the most common sources of mistakes for English learners, since the rules don't always follow a clear pattern. This lesson clears up the confusion between at, in, and on when talking about time. Years use in, so I was born in 2000 is correct, not at 2000. Specific days use on, making we'll meet on Monday correct instead of in Monday. Parts of the day, however, follow different rules: at is used for night, as in let's go out at night, while in is used for morning, as in she's coming in the morning. Specific clock times always use at, so I'll call you at 7 o'clock is correct, never on 7 o'clock. These small preposition choices are easy to get wrong but quick to fix once you see the pattern: at for precise times and night, on for specific days, and in for months, years, and parts of the day like morning. Practicing these examples will help these prepositions become automatic in your everyday English.