Time, Dates & Everyday Plans: correct answers
Jump to answers ↓The Rule of In, On, and At
English uses three main prepositions to talk about time, and they move from general (long periods) to specific (exact moments).
In is used for longer periods of time, like months, years, seasons, and general parts of the day.
- in October
- in 2024
- in the morning / in the evening
On is used for specific days and dates.
- on Monday
- on October 12th
- on New Year's Day
At is used for precise, exact times on the clock, as well as specific points in the day like noon and midnight.
- at 6:00 PM
- at noon
- at midnight
A very common mistake happens when learners combine a day and a part of the day. If you specify the day, on always wins.
✅ Let's meet for coffee on Saturday morning. ❌ Let's meet for coffee in Saturday morning.
When to Drop the Preposition
While in, on, and at are essential for most time expressions, they disappear completely when you use words like next, last, this, or every.
If you want to talk about the upcoming week, you simply say "next week." Adding a preposition before these words is a classic error.
✅ He is playing tennis with Sarah next Tuesday. ❌ He is playing tennis with Sarah on next Tuesday.
✅ I am flying back to Earth next weekend. ❌ I am flying back to Earth in next weekend.
Using Present Continuous for Future Plans
When you have a fixed arrangement—a plan you have already organized or booked with someone else—you should use the present continuous (am/is/are + -ing verb), not the future will or the present simple.
Using the present simple for a future plan sounds like a permanent, repeating schedule (like a train timetable) rather than a personal plan.
✅ I can't come tonight because I am visiting my grandparents for dinner. ❌ I can't come tonight because I visit my grandparents for dinner.
✅ We are having a surprise party on Saturday evening. ❌ We will having a surprise party on Saturday evening.
Other Useful Time Words: For and Until
When talking about your plans, you often need to explain how long they will last.
Use for to talk about a duration or an amount of time (how long). Use until to talk about the end point of an action (when it stops).
Learners frequently confuse for with since. Remember: since is used with a specific starting point in the past (like since 2015 or since Monday), while for is used with a length of time.
✅ I plan to stay on the planet for three days. ❌ I plan to stay on the planet since three days.
✅ I won't return to the space station until Friday. ❌ I won't return to the space station for Friday.
Correct answers
Question 1
The correct answers are visiting, on, at, and next.
visiting: The present continuous ("am visiting") is often used for fixed everyday plans and future arrangements.
on: When a day of the week is combined with a part of the day (Wednesday + afternoon), we use the preposition "on".
at: We use "at" for specific clock times (9:00 AM).
next: Time expressions starting with "next" (next week, next month) do not take a preposition like "in" or "on".
Question 2
The correct answers are We are having the surprise party on Saturday evening, The guests are arriving at 6:00 PM on October 12th, and We will quietly decorate the living room in the afternoon.
Use on for days of the week and specific dates (e.g., on Saturday, on October 12th).
Use at for specific clock times (e.g., at 6:00 PM).
Use in for parts of the day, months, and years (e.g., in the afternoon, in October). However, if you add a specific day to a part of the day, you use on (e.g., on Saturday evening).
Question 3
Help Sam choose the right word for his text message to Emma.
Hey Emma! Let's meet for coffee ___ Saturday morning.
The correct answer is on.
Even though we normally say "in the morning," when we specify a day of the week (like Saturday), we must use the preposition "on".
Question 4
Help the chaotic event planner organize her notes by dragging the correct prepositions to the schedule.
The secret meeting is scheduled for next week. We need to finalize the decorations on Monday. The caterer will deliver the giant cheese wheel exactly at noon. Finally, we will reveal the surprise in the evening, right before dinner!
The secret meeting is scheduled for next week. We need to finalize the decorations on Monday.
Use "on" for specific days of the week (on Monday, on Tuesday).
The caterer will deliver the giant cheese wheel exactly at noon.
Use "at" for specific clock times and exact moments (at noon, at 3:00 PM, at midnight).
Finally, we will reveal the surprise in the evening, right before dinner!
Use "in" for parts of the day (in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening).
Question 5
Complete the tour guide's announcement about the bus departure.
Please don't be late! The bus leaves exactly ___.
The correct answer is at 9:00 on Monday.
We use the preposition "at" for exact clock times (at 9:00) and "on" for days of the week (on Monday).
Question 6
The correct answers are I always wake up at midnight, I usually go to sleep in the morning, and I hunt for fresh groceries at night.
In English, we use in for most parts of the day (in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening).
However, we use at for at night and at midnight. Vlad's schedule might be weird, but his grammar is perfect!
Question 7
Complete the astronaut's casual travel log by dragging the correct time expressions into the gaps.
I am flying back to Earth next weekend to visit my pet robot. I plan to stay on the planet for three days. I won't return to the space station until Tuesday, so please water my space-plants!
I am flying back to Earth next weekend to visit my pet robot.
"Next" is used to talk about the future weekend that is coming. "Last" and "ago" are used for the past!
I plan to stay on the planet for three days.
Use "for" to show the duration or length of time an action lasts (for three days, for two hours).
I won't return to the space station until Tuesday, so please water my space-plants!
Use "until" to describe a continuous state (not returning) that stops at a specific point in time (Tuesday).
Question 8
The correct answers are He is playing tennis with Sarah next Tuesday, He is meeting his study group on Wednesday afternoon, and He is going to the dentist this Friday.
We do not use prepositions (in, on, at) before the words next, this, last, or every (e.g., next Tuesday, not in next Tuesday).
For a specific day plus a part of the day, we use on (e.g., on Wednesday afternoon).
Using the present continuous (is playing, is meeting) is a very natural way to talk about fixed future plans!
Question 9
The correct answers are on, in, at, and in.
Use on for specific days of the week (on Saturday).
Use in for general parts of the day (in the evening).
Use at for precise clock times (at 6 o'clock).
Use in for months of the year (in November).
Question 10
Complete the student's excuse for missing the party with the most natural verb form.
I'm sorry, I can't come tonight because I ___ my grandparents for dinner. We already booked the restaurant!
The correct answer is am visiting.
We use the present continuous tense (am/is/are + -ing) to talk about fixed plans and arrangements in the near future. Because the restaurant is already booked, this is a firm plan!