Prepositions of Time Grammar Quiz
12 multiple-choice questions on prepositions of time — in, on, at, during, for, since, by, until — for talking about when things happen. A2–B1 level.
Keep practising prepositions of time.
Prepositions of Time — FAQ
Prepositions of time are little words that show when something happens or how it relates to a point or period in time. The most common ones in English are 'in', 'on' and 'at', along with 'during', 'for', 'since', 'by', 'until', 'before' and 'after'. For example: 'in July', 'on Monday', 'at 8 o'clock', 'since 2015', 'for ten years'. They connect a verb or noun to a time expression and answer the question 'when?'.
As a general rule, we use 'in' for longer periods such as months, years, seasons and parts of the day: 'in July', 'in 2024', 'in winter', 'in the morning'. We use 'on' for specific days and dates: 'on Monday', 'on 5 June', 'on my birthday'. We use 'at' for precise clock times and certain fixed expressions: 'at 8 o'clock', 'at midnight', 'at the weekend'. A handy way to picture it is 'in' for big time, 'on' for days, and 'at' for exact points.
We use 'at' for precise clock times, such as 'at 7.30' or 'at noon', and for short, fixed points in the day like 'at midnight' and 'at sunrise'. In British English we also use 'at' for some holiday periods and weekends: 'at Christmas', 'at Easter' and 'at the weekend'. So 'at' tends to point to an exact moment or a fixed expression that the language treats as a single point in time.
We use 'since' with a starting point in the past — the moment something began: 'since 2015', 'since Monday', 'since I was a child'. We use 'for' with a length or duration of time: 'for ten years', 'for two hours', 'for a long time'. Both are common with the present perfect tense. Compare: 'I have lived here since 2015' (the start point) and 'I have lived here for nine years' (the duration).
We use 'by' to mean 'no later than' a deadline, when something happens at or before that point: 'Please finish the report by Friday' means Friday is the latest acceptable time. We use 'until' (or informally 'till') for a situation that continues up to a certain point and then stops: 'We waited until the rain stopped' means the waiting carried on right up to that moment. In short, 'by' marks a deadline, while 'until' marks how long something lasts.
'During' means 'within' or 'at some point in' a period of time, and it is followed by a noun: 'during the summer', 'during the meeting', 'during the holidays'. 'For' is followed by a length of time and answers 'how long?': 'for three weeks', 'for the whole summer'. Compare: 'I fell asleep during the film' (at some point within it) and 'I slept for two hours' (the duration of the sleep).
In British English, the usual phrase is 'at the weekend': 'What did you do at the weekend?' In American English, speakers normally say 'on the weekend'. Both are correct in their own variety of English, so for British exams and writing you should prefer 'at the weekend'. You may also hear 'on weekends' or 'at weekends' when talking about a regular habit.
'Before' means 'earlier than' a time or event, and 'after' means 'later than' it. They can be followed by a noun, a time expression or a verb in the -ing form: 'before the lesson', 'after lunch', 'before leaving', 'after finishing work'. For example, 'Please arrive before the start of the lesson' means earlier than the start, while 'We can talk after the meeting' means later than it.
Prepositions of time are tricky because they rarely translate one-to-one from a learner's first language, and several of them overlap in meaning. 'Since' and 'for' both relate to duration but work differently, and 'by' and 'until' both involve a future point but mean different things. There are also fixed expressions that simply have to be learned, such as 'at the weekend' and 'at night'. Plenty of reading, listening and practice with example sentences is the best way to make the correct choice feel natural.
Basic prepositions of time such as 'in', 'on' and 'at' are introduced at A1–A2 level (elementary). More nuanced contrasts — 'since' versus 'for', 'by' versus 'until', and the correct use of 'during', 'before' and 'after' — are usually mastered at A2–B1 level (pre-intermediate to intermediate). This quiz sits at A2–B1, so it is ideal once you know the basics and want to sharpen the trickier distinctions.