2018-07-05 Five ways to use ‘in’ with time expressions – English In A Minute

Do you have a minute to spare to learn some English? Here’s Phil to fill you in on five ways to use in with time expressions! Give us 60 seconds and we’ll give you the English!

Phil

Hi, I’m Phil from BBC Learning English. Today, I’m going to tell you five ways to use in with time expressions.

Number one: months. I can say: I’m going on holiday in May.

Number two: seasons. So, we can say: In winter, it’s cold.

Number three: years. So, I can say: I finished school in 2000.

Number four: most times of day. I leave home in the morning. I get home in the evening. But, I go to sleep at night. It’s an exception!

Number five. We use it with in the past, in the present and in the future. In the future, you’ll learn everything from videos.

In with time expressions

In is a preposition of time. It can be used with:

Months

• I’m going on holiday in May.
• I’ll next see you at Christmas in December.
• I think we arrived some time in June.

Seasons

• In winter, it’s cold.
• I think this year I’ll have my holiday in summer.
• Mummy, do the leaves fall off the tree in spring or in autumn?

Years

• I finished school in 2000.
• The Titanic sank in 1912.
• I grew up in the 1930s.

Times of day

• I leave home in the morning.
• I get home in the evening.
• I’ll see you in the afternoon.

Be careful!

• I can’t sleep at night.

The past, present and future

• In the past, people died much younger.
• You need to learn to live in the present.
• In the future, you’ll learn everything from videos.