Prepositions of time tell us when something happens. The same three words from Lesson 1 — in, on, at — return here with new rules, joined by before, after, and during. Getting these right is vital for IELTS Speaking (talking about routines and the past) and for accurate, natural-sounding answers.

The golden rule: at → on → in

Think of these three as moving from the smallest to the largest unit of time:

Sequence: before, after, during

• before — earlier than: We had lunch before the meeting.
• after — later than: We had coffee after lunch.
• during — throughout a period: He fell asleep during the meeting.

Common mistakes to avoid

• ❌ in Monday → ✅ on Monday
• ❌ on the morning → ✅ in the morning (but on Monday morning)
• ❌ during three hours → ✅ for three hours (during + a named period; for + a length of time)

💡 IELTS tip

IELTS Speaking examiners listen for time prepositions when you talk about your past and future: “I started studying English in 2018, usually in the evening, and I take my test on Saturday at 9am.” Mastering at/on/in for time is one of the fastest ways to sound more accurate.

Related on Simply IELTS

• ➡️ Continue: Lesson 4: Everyday Connectors
• 📚 Part of the Prepositions in English course.
• 🔗 Related: Tense usage in IELTS Writing Task 1.