Prepositions of Time PowerPoint – Teach In, On, and At
This PowerPoint is designed to teach the prepositions of time in, on, and at to beginner ESL students. The slides explain when each preposition is used, give clear example sentences, and end with a review quiz to check understanding.
How to Use This PowerPoint to Teach In, On, and At
Prepositions of time can be difficult for ESL students because they often have multiple meanings in English, and in many languages they are expressed differently. This PowerPoint can help by breaking the rules into clear patterns and examples.
- Begin with the preposition in. Students may already know this word as a preposition of place, so explain that it is also used to mark a location in time. Teach that in is used for months (in June), years (in 1985), and longer periods of time (in the summer). Use the examples in the slides to reinforce the rules.
- Next, move to on. Explain that it is used for days (on Monday), dates (on February 15th), and specific parts of the day (on Monday morning). Again, use the examples in the slides to model usage.
- Then teach at. Show that it is used for specific times of day (at 4 o’clock), meal times (at lunchtime), and some holidays (at Christmas). Work through the examples with students and have them practice saying each sentence aloud.
Finish the lesson with the quiz at the end of the presentation. At this stage, many students may not get every answer correct, so treat it as guided practice rather than a test. Before starting, write the rules and a few examples on the board so students can use them for reference.
As a follow-up activity, put students in pairs or teams and ask them to create as many example sentences as they can using in, on, and at. This gives them additional practice and helps the rules stick.
Additional Prepositions of Time Resources
Here are some more lesson materials you can use when teaching prepositions of time: