By Vahid Alaghehband
For time: at with clock times (at 7:30), on with days and dates (on Monday), in with months, years and parts of the day (in October, in the morning). For place: at for a point (at the bus stop), on for a surface (on the table), in for inside something or a city (in the box, in Quito).
In, on, at for time
Use at for clock times and exact moments, on for days and dates, and in for longer periods: months, years, seasons and parts of the day. Don't use a preposition with next, last, this or every: next Monday, last year.
| Preposition | When to use it | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| at | Clock times and exact moments | at 7:30, at noon, at night, at the moment |
| on | Days and dates | on Monday, on 12 October, on my birthday, on the weekend (US) |
| in | Months, years, seasons and parts of the day | in October, in 2026, in summer, in the morning |
Watch out: in the morning, but on Monday morning. And at night for night in general. British English says at the weekend.
In, on, at for place
| Preposition | When to use it | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| at | A point, or a place as the site of an activity | at the bus stop, at school, at home, at the door |
| on | A surface, or public transport | on the table, on the wall, on the bus, on the plane |
| in | Inside a space, or cities and countries | in the box, in the car, in Quito, in Ecuador |
Transport: in the car, in a taxi (small vehicles you can't stand up in), but on the bus, on the train, on the plane.
Common mistakes
- in Monday ✗ → on Monday ✓.
- on October ✗ → in October ✓.
- in 8 o'clock ✗ → at 8 o'clock ✓.
- on next week ✗ → next week ✓.
- I'm in the bus ✗ → I'm on the bus ✓.
Exercises with answers
- The class starts ___ 8 o'clock.
- My birthday is ___ March.
- We have English ___ Monday.
- I'll meet you ___ the bus stop.
- The keys are ___ the table.
- She lives ___ Guayaquil.
Answers: 1. at · 2. in · 3. on · 4. at · 5. on · 6. in.
Practice prepositions by speaking
With Vozi Grammar you practice grammar by level, with explanations, examples and conversation by voice or text, and you get corrections of your grammar mistakes at the end.
Explore Vozi Grammar →Read next: the English verb tenses chart and English grammar by level.
With months and dates: months in English and how to write the date.
Next step: if you don't know your level, take the English level test (about 15 minutes, with instant results). To keep working on this topic, see Vozi Grammar's English grammar exercises by level.
Frequently asked questions
When do you use in, on and at?
For time: at with clock times, on with days and dates, in with months, years and parts of the day. For place: at for a point, on for a surface, in for inside something or a city.
Is it in the morning or on the morning?
In the morning. But when you name the day, use on: on Monday morning.
Is it in the bus or on the bus?
On the bus, on the train and on the plane. With a car or taxi, use in: in the car, in a taxi.
Is it at home or in home?
At home, with no article, when you mean the place where you are.
When don't you use a preposition of time?
With next, last, this and every: next week, last year, this morning, every day.
