Virtuous English AcademyPrepositions of Time and Place (B1)
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Prepositions are small words that cause big mistakes. This lesson organises the prepositions of time and place into clear patterns so you can use in, on, at and others with confidence.
By B1 the basic in, on and at split should be secure, and the difficulty shifts to the wider system: prepositions that mark duration, deadlines, boundaries and relative position. During, for, while, by, until, within, throughout — these are where intermediate learners lose accuracy, because several of them translate to a single word in other languages.
The commonest confusion is between for and during. For answers how long and takes a quantity of time: for three hours. During answers when and takes a named period: during the meeting. You can say for the summer and during the summer, but they mean different things — one measures, the other locates.
The second major pair is by and until. By marks a deadline: the action must happen at or before that point. Until marks continuation: the situation continues up to that point and then stops. Finish it by Friday and Work on it until Friday give genuinely different instructions.
How to form Prepositions of Time and Place
| Preposition | Answers | Takes | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| for | how long? | a quantity of time | for two weeks, for an hour |
| during | when? | a named period or event | during the film, during winter |
| while | when? | a clause with a verb | while I was cooking |
| by | deadline | a point in time | by Friday, by six o'clock |
| until / till | continuation | a point in time | until Friday, until it stops |
| from … to / until | a span | two points | from nine to five |
| within | inside a limit | a quantity of time | within three days |
| throughout | the whole of | a period | throughout the year |
Prepositions of Time and Place: the key rules
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The core grid still rules: in (periods, enclosed spaces), on (days, surfaces), at (times, points) — B1 adds precision and exceptions.
at dawn, in the 1990s, on the outskirts
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Transport splits: in for cars and taxis, on for buses, trains, planes and bikes.
She was on the train when I called; I was in a taxi.
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During + noun answers 'when'; for + duration answers 'how long'; while + clause.
It rained during the night — for six hours — while we were sleeping.
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By = no later than; until = up to that moment.
Send it by Friday. I'll be here until Friday.
When to use Prepositions of Time and Place
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Setting deadlines at work
By is the standard preposition for anything that must be completed at or before a point.
Please send the figures by Wednesday at the latest.
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Describing how long something lasted
For with a duration, and throughout when you mean the entire period.
The strike lasted for three weeks and continued throughout August.
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Locating an event inside a period
During places something inside a named stretch of time without measuring it.
She called during the presentation.
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Describing relative position
Place prepositions beyond in, on and at — between, among, opposite, beside, beneath.
The café is opposite the station, between the bank and the chemist.
by vs. until
Both point at a future moment, but they give opposite instructions about what happens before it.
by — a deadline
The action happens once, at some point at or before this moment. Used with single completed actions.
I'll finish it by six. Submit the form by Friday.
until — continuation
The situation continues up to this moment and then stops. Used with ongoing states and actions.
I'll work on it until six. The office stays open until Friday.
Prepositions of Time and Place in example sentences
- We stayed in Lisbon for five days.for + a quantity of time.
- Nobody spoke during the meeting.during + a named event.
- While I was waiting, I read the report.while introduces a clause, not a noun.
- The report must be ready by Monday.by marks a deadline.
- The shop is closed until Monday.until marks continuation up to a point.
- We'll reply within 48 hours.within sets an outer limit.
- It rained throughout the weekend.throughout means the entire period.
- The bank is between the library and the park.between with two named things.
Prepositions of Time and Place in a real conversation
Watch the by and until pair — each one gives a different instruction.
Client:Can you have the draft ready by Thursday?
Designer:By Thursday is tight. I'm away during the conference.
Client:How long will you be gone?
Designer:For two days. I'll be back on Wednesday evening.
Client:Then work on it until Friday and send it that afternoon.
Designer:That works. I'll confirm within an hour.
Common mistakes (and how to fix them)
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I'll finish the report until Thursday.
I'll finish the report by Thursday.
A deadline takes by; until describes a state continuing to a point, not a completed action.
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We slept during eight hours.
We slept for eight hours.
During refuses numbers — durations take for.
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He got in the bus at the corner.
He got on the bus at the corner.
Public transport you can stand in takes on; private cars take in.
Practise Prepositions of Time and Place today
Test each preposition by asking whether it measures, locates or sets a limit.
- Write four sentences with for and four with during, using the same time periods.
- Write three deadline sentences with by and three continuation sentences with until.
- Rewrite three during sentences using while plus a clause.
- Describe the layout of a street near you using six place prepositions.
Prepositions of Time and Place: frequently asked questions
What is the difference between for and during?
For measures how long and is followed by a quantity: for two hours, for a week. During locates when and is followed by a named period or event: during the lesson, during the war. So I slept for eight hours states the duration, while I slept during the flight states when. Many languages use one word for both, which is why this pair causes persistent errors.
When do I use while instead of during?
Grammar, not meaning, decides. During is a preposition and takes a noun: during the meeting. While is a conjunction and takes a clause with a subject and verb: while we were meeting. So during I was waiting is wrong, and while the meeting is wrong. If a full clause follows, use while; if a noun follows, use during.
Why is until wrong in Finish it until Friday?
Because finish is a single completed action, and until describes continuation over a period. You need by: Finish it by Friday. Until works with verbs that describe ongoing situations — wait, stay, work, remain, keep. The error is very common among speakers of German, Polish and Turkish, whose languages use one preposition for both meanings.
Is it until or till?
They mean exactly the same thing and both are correct. Till is slightly more informal and is genuinely older than until, despite looking like an abbreviation of it. The spelling 'til with an apostrophe is a hypercorrection and is best avoided. In formal writing, until is the safer choice; in speech either is entirely natural.