Teaching Tips & Ideas

TIME ADVERBIALS - Part Three

FOR

For indicates duration of time. It answers the question "For How Long"
e.g. She's been studying French for more than five years.
e.g. It hasn't stopped raining for three hours.
e.g. He's been putting on weight for the past three months.

IN

In indicates:
1 - a period of time
e.g. in (the) summer, in the afternoon; in 1937; in the meantime;
in the 19th century; in the good old days.

2 - the total lenght of time taken to complete an activity
e.g. lunch will be ready in half an hour.
e.g. the cab will get you there in 15 minutes.

3 - that something will happen within a time limit
e.g. I'll be there in a couple of hours.
e.g. tidbits will be served in the intervals.
e.g. Mrs Green has gone to the bank but she'll be back in an hour.

ON

On is used for a particular day or date, or part of a day.
e.g. on Monday; on the 4th of July; on New Year'ds Day.
e.g. on the morning of 14th May

Note: on the morning of - date follows
in the morning - no date follows