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ESL forum >
Ask for help > In a relaxing morning.
In a relaxing morning.
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spinney
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In a relaxing morning.
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OK, native speaker in trouble here! I �m marking a composition and there is a line that I know is not correct but I don �t know what to say to her about this. The sentence is:
I
recommend you buy it in a bookshop and read
it in a relaxing afternoon ...
I �m going to correct it and put:
I
recommend you buy it in a bookshop and read
it on a relaxing afternoon
I always tell my students to say "in the morning/afternoon/evening" but why is "on a relaxing afternoon," right? Is it because it in someway indicates a seperate day rather than a section of the day? Or is it because of the adjective preceding it? I �ve been looking in the grammar books and came up with nothing. I confess that I �m completely flummoxed!  |
18 Mar 2014
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Litaylito
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I think it is On because you want to mean a special ocassion |
18 Mar 2014
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sarlac
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To me, "on" is also awkward. I would say "during" because it would be an ongoing activity?
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18 Mar 2014
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Mariethe House
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In themorning, in the afternoon, in the evening : to specify a part of the day.
On wednesday, on a relaxing afternoon : to specify a special day or part of the day with a special characteristic: wednesday as opposed to tuesday and a relaxing afternoon as opposed to any afternoon.
Don �t know if that will unflomox you!
edit: simple explanation:
in for an idea of limited duration ( from 12 to 5/6pm)
on for a date, a specific time : a relaxing afternoon
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18 Mar 2014
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a.antonides
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Once upon a time, on a lovely morning, there were .... etc. I do exercises in the afternoon. On one afternoon / One afternoon, while I was doing my exercises....
On seems to be used to emphasize a certain moment. |
18 Mar 2014
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almaz
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I reckon it �s more of a usage issue than a grammar one. There �s a difference between using the definite and the indefinite article. If you read something in an afternoon, that �s it, completed. If you read something in the afternoon, who knows (or cares) if you �ve finished it or not. Likewise, if you �re advising someone to read something, you might suggest they read it in the afternoon (best time of the day - no mosquitos, perhaps) or on a specific afternoon (kids have gone to curling classes, perhaps).
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18 Mar 2014
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Tere-arg
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I think on is the right preposition as "a relaxing afternoon" is referring to the day and not to the part of the day.
I�ll read it in the afternoon (part of the day)
I�ll read this on a relaxing afternoon (a day with a relaxing afternoon))
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18 Mar 2014
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yanogator
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To put it more simply, Use "in" with "the afternoon" and "on" with "an afternoon", with or without an adjective. On a morning like this, I like to go for a walk. Call me on a day that you �re not so busy. I can go bowling on a weeknight, but not on Saturdays. Bruce |
18 Mar 2014
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spinney
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Wow! Thank you so much, people. I think I can safely say that now I can give her a nice, logical reason for the correction. |
19 Mar 2014
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