TIME PREPOSITION

TIME PREPOSITION

BEFORE
AFTER

—previous to a time Ten o`clock is before eleven o`clock.
—subsequent to a time Three o`clock is after two o`clock.

DURING
THROUGH, THROUGHOUT

—for part of a period He slept during the day. (He slept from two P.M. until four P.M.)
—for an entire period, and after He slept through the day. (He slept from 9 A.M. until 9 P.M.

—at the same time as another event She slept during the football game.
He slept throughout the day.

AT AROUND, AT ABOUT
BY

—at an approximate time We will leave at around six. We will get there at about seven.
—no later than a time We have to be there by seven-fifteen.

 
by the time—when By the time you get here, we will have left.

TO, OF
TOWARDS

—minutes before the hour It`s ten to four. It`s ten of four.
—nearing a period of time It was towards evening when she called.

BETWEEN
WITHIN

—after a time, and before another time They will arrive between five and six.
—between now and a length of time They will be here within ten minutes.

BEYOND, PAST
UNTIL

—after a time Our guests stayed beyond midnight. Our guests stayed past midnight.
—up to, but not after a time The party will last until ten.

FOR
SINCE

—during a length of time They have been here for a week.
—between a past time and now They have been here since last Thursday.

IN
ON

in time—not too late for an event Try to get here in time to help me.
on time—at the required time He is punctual; he always arrives on time.

 
on the dot—at the exact minute Be here at ten o`clock on the dot.

—a century, decade, year, season, month He lived in the sixteenth century. That singer was popular in the eighties. We came here in the fall.
—a day, days, a date, dates She is coming on Monday. She doesn`t work on Tuesdays. I heard that singer on my birthday.



We came here in October. We came here in 1997.
We came here on October sixth. We came here on October 6, 1997.

—after a length of time She will be here in two weeks.
AT

in the morning, afternoon, evening
at night He works at night.

They work in the morning.
—a specific time He comes home at ten o`clock.

He comes home in the afternoon.
at present—now We are studying at present.

We are going to go out in the evening.
at the moment—now I am not working at the moment.

WITH
 

—at the same time as She wakes up with the sun.
 

OUT OF
AHEAD OF

to be out of time—to have no time left We didn`t finish, and now we are out of time.
to be ahead of time—to be early I`m glad you got here ahead of time; you can help me get ready for the party.

to run out of time—use up remaining time. We didn`t eat because we ran out of time.
 

UP
 

time is up—there is no official time remaining for a specific activity. I sat down when the bell rang because my time was up.
 





Exercise 1— Write the Correct Preposition in Each Blank:












1. Their daughter was born _____ 1998 _____ October _____ the 18th _____ four-thirty _____ the afternoon.













2. I haven`t seen my friend __________ August.













3. He was here _____ two weeks.













4. The play starts _____ seven o`clock _____ the dot, so be sure to be here _____ six-fifty.













5. Her mother is going to be here _____ the tenth _____ July. She will be here _____ two weeks.













6. Our neighbors always have a