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time (1)
at, in, within, on
Use at with c10cktime andmidday, midnight andnighf. Note: we cannot say at la5t F1iaht.
at5.12am atmidday atmidnight atnight
Use at with Christmas, EasterandNew Year.
What are you doingatChristmas?
Use at with expressions showing definite times.
What are you doingatthe moment:? 1'/1see youatthe end of the week.
Ms Graham is busyatpresent. What were you doingatthe time of the robbery?
Useinwith months, years, seasons,andmoming, afternoon, evening.
in Apri/ in 1906 in spring /summ er/autumn /winter
in the morning in the afternoon in the evening
Useinwit h units of time(week, hour, moment etc) to refer to future points.
1'11be back inaweek. 1'/1see you inamoment.
If we usetime, we usually add an apostrophe.
1'11see you in six months' time.
Within means inside or during a period of time.
The wark must be completed within amonth. Four other cases have been reported within the past week.
Useonwit h dates, days of the week and expressions with day.Note: we don't say 'OFlF1extFFieJav'.
on Apri/18th on Tuesday
on the /ast day of August We're going out onmybirthday.next,last
Usenext for the future, andlastfor the past with week, month, year, summer etc.
1'11see you next week. Last summer was the driest for twenty years.since, for, ago, ages
Usesincewith a point in time andfor with a period of time.
I've been waiting since six o'clock I've been waiting for two hours.
Useago to measure time in the past.
The earthquake took place more than 100 years ago.
For agesmeans for a long time. It follows present perfect simple as it describes a period of time up to
the present egI haven't seen you for ages.
lt's ages since...is folIowed by a past simple verb, assincedescribes a point in time.
It's ages since Ilast went to the theatre.from, to, till, unti!/till
Usefrom and to for the start and finish of a period of time eg1'11be there from 5.00to6.30.
Until means up to a point in time, and then stopping. Tillis an informal form ofuntil.
I waited unti! seven o'clock, and then left.
Same people were trapped under buildings until the following day.
Usenot +until to show when something finally happens.
Helen didn't arrive at the party unti! 77.30. It wasn't unti! much later that the truth finally came out.by, bythe time
Usebyto mean at some point in the period of time before.
The city was rebuilt by the end of the following year.
Useby the time to describe events which will be, or were, too late.
By the time we get to the party, it will be over! (We'lI be too late)
By the time (that) we got to the station, the tra in had left. (We were too late)during
Useduring to mean 'in a period of time', either at one point, or for the who le period.
During the night, people feltasudden shock. (one point)
During winteT, same animals in cold countries sleep for long periods. (whole period)