Search from various English teachers...
Andrea
Are correct these prepositions?
At five o'clock
on 14th February
at midnight
on Mother's Day
on September
in Spring
At the holidays
At the weekend
on the 21st century
Thanks!!
Mar 29, 2016 9:35 PM
Answers · 5
2
Are these prepositions correct? Almost.
At five o'clock = fine
on 14th February = fine (but 'on February 14th' is more common in US English)
at midnight = fine
on Mother's Day = fine
on September : NO. It should be 'in September'
in Spring = fine
At the holidays = NO. I should be 'in the holidays' or 'during the holidays'
At the weekend = fine in British English ('on the weekend' in US English)
on the 21st century = NO. It should be 'in the 21st century'
This really isn't as complicated as it looks. Just remember this:
Use 'at' for times on the clock - at 5 'clock, at midnight, at lunchtime
Use 'on' for single days - on Monday, on 14th February, on Mother's Day, on my birthday, and so on.
Use 'in' for all longer periods - in September, in Spring, in the holidays, in 2005, in the 1990s, in the twentieth century, and so on.
The only odd one is 'weekend', which is 'at the weekend' in British English, but 'on' in American English.
Not so difficult, is it?
March 29, 2016
Your prepositions are perfect British English. Keep in mind that the use of prepositions is slightly different in American English. Keep in mind that people will still understand you even if you get the prepositions wrong. What is far more important is the proper formation of questions – we need to use inversion unless the question word is the subject, which is not the case here. Your question should be "Are these prepositions correct?"
March 29, 2016
Hi Andrea,
I agree with Mary's points but I would add that use of prepositions can vary depending on the English speaking country. What is standard in American English is not necessarily standard in British English. In The U.S. we say "on the weekend" while they say "at the weekend " in England. We say "on a team" and in England they say "in a team" For the most part we use the same prepositions and of course we understand each other.
Good work and keep learning. Prepositions are difficult to master so good luck, Dave
March 29, 2016
At five o'clock - correct
on 14th February - correct, or on February 14th also correct
at midnight - correct
on Mother's Day - correct
on September - only use ON if you specify the day/date. Otherwise, IN September
in Spring - correct
At the holidays - understandable, but DURING the holidays is more common
At the weekend - understandable, but ON the weekend is more common
on the 21st century - IN or DURING the 21st century
Well-done, and best of luck to you!
March 29, 2016
Still haven’t found your answers?
Write down your questions and let the native speakers help you!
Andrea
Language Skills
Catalan, English, German, Spanish
Learning Language
English, German
Articles You May Also Like

🎃 October Traditions: Halloween, Holidays, and Learning Portuguese
21 likes · 7 Comments

The Curious World of Silent Letters in English
22 likes · 11 Comments

5 Polite Ways to Say “No” at Work
27 likes · 7 Comments
More articles