prepositions at- on

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ESL forum > Grammar and Linguistics > prepositions at- on

prepositions at- on

lynetteaav

prepositions at- on

Hello everyone,
Even though I am a native speaker, I have doubts how to teach �on � and �at � in regards to holidays. For example, I have already read that at can be used with all holidays such as �at Christmas � but that on must be used with the word day at the end of the holiday such as �on Christmas day �. Is this correct?
Thanks for the help!

6 Nov 2012

Dr. Ahmad El-Maghraby

Hello!
Your background is really right. Festive periods always go along with the preposition "at" e.g. at Christmas, Eid, Easter etc. If the word day is added to the period, you are to use the preposition "on" e.g. on Christmas day and on holiday. However, the use of prepositions is still perplexing even for specialists. That is why you can read a text including the use of "on" before festive periods.

6 Nov 2012

dennismychina

Hi Lynette,

I�d say on is for a specific period in time, such as on Christmas eve / morning / day � On Easter Sunday. Whereas at is for a more general, non specific time.

Enjoy.

6 Nov 2012

yanogator

You can also use "on" without actually saying "day", to indicate that you are talking about the day.

We visited my parents on Christmas. (This means on Christmas Day).

We visited my parents at Christmas. (This means during the Christmas season).

Bruce

6 Nov 2012

ldthemagicman

Dear Lynetteaav, and Members

Here is a part of my Worksheet.

You may use it in your Classes but you may NOT publish it.

I hope that it helps.

LES DOUGLAS

� Prepositions of time �

�+� = PLUS

For Example:

at + time on the clock

(So the student reads: �at plus time on the clock�)

+ noon/midday/night/ midnight/

+ the weekend

+ all of a public holiday � Christmas/Easter/New Year

+ the end of

1. I go to bed at 9 o�clock at night.

2. The office closes at half-past-six.

3. The train arrives at 5.45 p.m.

4. My examination is at 1300 hours.

5. He goes to work at noon.

6. I get out of bed at midday.

7. My mother works at night.

8. The radio programme starts at midnight.

9. Ali plays football at the weekend.

10. At New Year we visit my parents.

11. Maria goes skiing at Christmas.

12. At Easter she goes home.

13. We have a holiday at half-term.

14. Easter is at the end of April.

15. Christmas is at the end of December.

16. The holidays are at the end of June.

+ a particular day � Monday/Tuesday/New Year�s Day/Christmas Day/ birthday/Easter Monday/Good Friday/

Whit Sunday/the 1^st of August/the 16^th of July

+ every particular day

+ parts of a day � Friday night/Tuesday morning/

Wednesday afternoon

17. I go to college on Monday.

18. My examination is on Friday.

19. Her birthday will be on Thursday.

20. On Easter Monday we go to church.

21. On Sunday the TV. programme starts.

22. We�re having a party on Christmas Day.

23. We�re going on holiday on March the 21^st.

24. The office closes on Saturdays.

25. On Monday morning I�m always tired.

26. We always watch TV. on Saturday night.

27. My father works on Sunday afternoons.

+ months of the year � January/February/March/

April/May/June/July/

August/September/
October/November/
December

+ years �1950/2008

+ seasons of the year � spring/summer/autumn/

winter

+ the morning/the afternoon/the evening

+ 5 minutes/2 days/6 years

28. She starts college in September.

29. The office closes for holiday in July.

30. The cruise ship arrives in December.

31. Ann�s examination is in June.

32. Her birthday will be in February.

33. In January it often snows a lot.

34. In June the summer weather begins.

35. He will go to Iran in 2009.

36. In winter it often rains and snows.

37. Mohamad likes the weather in summer.

38. It is usually very cold in autumn.

39. He goes to work early in the morning.

40. His mother visits him in the evening.

41. She will have her tea in 10 minutes� time.

42. In 2 days I will go to Afghanistan.

43. They will finish university in 4 years.

6 Nov 2012

rpellicano

Thanks so much!

6 Nov 2012

lynetteaav

Thank you all for you help. I truly appreciate it!

7 Nov 2012