– HOW TO talk about when and where things happen

Prepositions of time and place

PLACE Keywords Examples –c ountries Football was invented in England. –cities He lives in Tokyo. –neighbourhoods He always goes out in the city centre. –encl osed spaces The party is in my backyard but I will keep the drinks in the kitchen. –s treets There are many shops on Arlon Street. She lives on Tate Avenue.* –av enues There’s a block of flats on the corner. –parts of a s treet –addr ess The party is at 25 Box Street. –specific l ocation I will wait for you at the bus stop.

GENERAL IN ON AT VERY SPECIFIC TIME Keywords Examples –l ong periods rchery was popular in the Middle Ages. –c enturies Football was invented in the 1800s. –dec ades Dance music became popular in the 1980s. I was born in 2002. –y ears My birthday is in July. –months Selma likes to go to parties in the summer. –seasons –days M y party is on Friday. –dat es Haruo’s birthday is on 15 July. –holidays with We have a huge family dinner on Christmas ’day/part of Eve. the day’ Everyone is happy on Christmas day. –hour s J enny’s street party starts at 5 p.m. –specific time They will still be sleeping at noon. noon, (mid) The police broke up the party at midnight. night Keep in mind : three

PLACE • IN + space • ON + surfaces: e.g. on the table, on the floor • No preposition: downtown, e.g. I live downtown. * In British English y ou live in a street or avenue (vs. on a street in TIME IN + parts of the day: e.g. in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening IN + period of time: e.g. in 2 days (= 2 days from now) ON time (= just at the right time) AT + holidays without ’day’: e.g. at Christmas, at Easter AT the weekend • • • • •

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