Prepositions of Time: at, in, on

We use:

at for a PRECISE TIME in for MONTHS, YEARS, CENTURIES and LONG PERIODS on for DAYS and DATES in MONTHS, YEARS, CENTURIES and LONG PERIODS in May in summer in the summer in 1990 in the 1990s in the next century in the Ice Age in the past/future on DAYS and DATES on Sunday on Tuesdays on 6 March on 25 Dec. 2010 on Christmas Day on Independence Day on my birthday on New Year's Eve

at PRECISE TIME at 3 o'clock at 10.30am at noon at dinnertime at bedtime at sunrise at sunset at the moment

Look at these examples:

I have a meeting at 9am. The shop closes at midnight. Jane 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 20 November. Where will you be on New Year's Day?

Notice the use of the preposition of time at in the following standard expressions:

Expression at night at the weekend* at Christmas*/Easter at the same time at present

Example The stars shine at night. I don't usually work at the weekend. I stay with my family at Christmas. We finished the test at the same time. He's not home at present. Try later.

Notice the use of the prepositions of time in and on in these common expressions: in in the morning in the mornings in the afternoon(s) in the evening(s) on on Tuesday morning on Saturday mornings on Sunday afternoons on Monday evening

When we say last, next, every, this we do not also use at, in, on.

I went to London last June. (not in last June) 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)

*Note that in some varieties of English people say "on the weekend" and "on Christmas".

Prepositions of Place: At, In or On?

At
The word "at" shows us WHERE something is. It doesn't tell us whether it is beside, inside, below or above. It simply shows WHERE. We use "at" when talking about positions or locations.

In
We use "in" when talking about a position INSIDE something else.

On
We use "on" when one thing is ATTACHED to or TOUCHING another. at POINT at the corner in ENCLOSED SPACE in the garden on SURFACE on the wall

Examples of Usage
At at home at work at school at the airport at the office at the party at the restaurant at the university at the theater In in bed in the box in the closet in a basket in his pocket in the car in the kitchen in the water in an armchair On on the table on the shelf on the wall on the second floor on Columbus street on page 10

at the hotel at the wedding at the bus stop at the corner at 12 Colombus Street at Bob's (= at his house) at the center at the top at the back of the house at the door (= next to the door) at the table (= next to the table)

in the street in the garden in prison in Times Square in New York in Texas in the USA in the sky in the mirror in a traffic jam in the book