Sunday morning, Christmas day, Friday afternoon

Предлоги времени (Prepositions of Time)

Ряд предлогов совмещает временное значение с другими, что является причиной их ошибочного употребления.

Предлог at употребляется при указании на точное время, а

также с названиями праздников.

At 5 o’clock, at 3.30, at this moment, at Christmas, at noon, at midnight, at sunrise, at sunset.

Предлог in употребляется при указании периода времени, по окончании которого произойдет действие, а также с названием времен года, обозначением лет, месяцев и частей суток:

in three weeks, in 1945, in May, in the evening But: last year, this week, this year, next month. Remember the following word combinations:

in spring, in summer, in autumn, in winter, in the morning, in the

afternoon, in the evening, but at night.

Предлог on употребляется с более общим обозначением времени (по сравнению с предлогом at), с названиями дней недели, с обозначением дат.

on Monday, on the 8th of March, on his birthday, on a Saturday

afternoon

AT

+clock time / weekend / public holiday (at Christmas, at Easter).

I’ll see you at 5 o’clock.

He called me at lunch time, at the weekend, at night (but: in the night, when you talk about one particular night – I was bitten by mosquitoes in the night)

IN

+ part of day / longer period (we say in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening, but we say at night)

We use in with weeks, months, seasons, years and centuries. I’m going to Australia in the first week of July).

I’m going to Australia in

April/ in spring/in

2013/in a year (через

год).

ON

+ particular day

We use on with days,

dates or expressions like

Sunday morning, Christmas day, Friday afternoon.

Exercise 1. Fill in the gaps with prepositions of time and give the Russian translation.

1. I shall meet you … 3 o’clock sharp.

2. The lesson will be over … 20 minutes.

3. Last Sunday I slept very long and got up only … noon.

4. They have English … Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

5. My birthday is … the 25th of December.

6. Many English families gather … Christmas.

7. Many birds fly to the South … autumn.

8. I can’t answer this question … the moment but if you wait I’ll do it

… a few minutes.

9. I’m sorry I can’t meet you … Tuesday as I have an appointment … 2.30.

10. I met her … 1998.

11. My grandmother likes to get up …sunrise.

12. The school year in our country begins … 1st of September.

13. I get up … 7 o’clock … the morning.

14. Can you meet me … Friday afternoon?

15. She got many nice presents … her birthday.

16. They returned from the wood … sunset.

17. He will be here … a few minutes.

18. She always visits me … Sundays.

19. … two years’ time she will be 20.

20. It’s very cool here … evening.

21. I began reading the book … seven o’clock and finished only …

midnight.

Предлог from употребляется для обозначения момента начала действия в прошлом или будущем и почти всегда сочетается с предлогами to или till. (Ср. с предлогом since, который употребляется только для обозначения момента в прошлом, в который началось действие, длящееся до момента речи).

She lived in London from 1970 till 1980. I shall be at home from 2 till 5 p.m.

Предлог since употребляется при обозначении момента в

прошлом, с которого началось действие, продолжающееся до момента речи, часто встречается с группой перфектных времен.

I have lived here since childhood. We have known her since 1980.

I’ve been working in the garden since morning.

Предлог by употребляется для обозначения самого позднего момента, к которому произойдет действие; by часто употребляется с группой Future Tenses.

She will come by 8 o’clock. Dan is in Moscow, he will come back by

the end of the week. The work will be finished by tomorrow.

Предлог for употребляется при обозначении периода времени, в течение которого длится действие; for часто встречается с группой перфектных времен.

I haven’t seen her for three months.

Exercise 2. Fill in the prepositions and give the Russian translation.

1. We have been friends … childhood. 2. She will be at the Institute

… 10 a.p. … 3 p.m. 3. She has lived in St. Peterburg … 1970. 4. I shall read this book … the end of the week. 5. You must finish this work … the end of the month. 6. I haven’t spoken to him … 2 months. 7. We have had no rain … three months. 8. He still comes to see me … some time. 9. He has been ill … the last Monday. 10. You must give the answer … December 31st. 11. They have been living here … 2010. 12. He has been ill … the day he was born. 13.… January 1st there has been no work done

in this factory. 14. Do you think he is going to stay … ever? 15. We are going to start... daybreak. 16. She’ll live in a town … September … May.

17. They come to visit us … time … time. 18. She has been in hospital …

June.