At/on/in (time)

    A. Compare at, on and in:

  * They arrived at 5 o'clock.

  * They arrived on Friday.

  * They arrived in October./They arrived in 1968.

  We use:

at for the time of day:

  at 5 o'clock, 

  at 11.45, 

  at midnight, 

  at lunchtime, 

  at sunset etc.

on for days and dates:

  on Friday/on Fridays, 

  on 12 March 1991, 

  on Christmas Day, 

  on my birthday

in for longer periods (for example, months/years/seasons):

  in October, 

  in 1968, 

  in the 18th century, 

  in the past, 

  in (the) winter, 

  in the 1970s, 

  in the Middle Ages, 

  in (the) future

  

  B. We use at in these expressions:

  

  at night: I don't like going out at night.

  at the weekend/at weekends: Will you be here at the weekend?

  at Christmas/at Easter(but on Christmas Day): Do you give each other presents at Christmas?

  at the moment/at present: Mr. Benn is busy at the moment/at present.

  at the same time: Liz and I arrived at the same time.

  

Note that we usually ask 'What time ... ?' (not usually 'At what time...?):

  * What time are you going out this evening?

    C. We say:

  in the morning(s), 

  in the afternoon(s), 

  in the evening(s)

  * I'll see you in the morning.

  

  * Do you work in the evenings?

  

but:

  on Friday morning(s), 

  on Sunday afternoon(s), 

  on Monday evening(s) etc.

  * I'll be at home on Friday morning.

  

  * Do you usually go out on Saturday evenings?

  

  D. We do not use at/on/in before last/next/this/every:

  * I'll see you next Friday. (not 'on next Friday')

  

  * They got married last March.

    E. In a few minutes/in six months etc. = a time in the future

  * The train will be leaving in a few minutes. (= a few minutes from now)

  * Jack has gone away. He'll be back in a week. (= a week from now)

  * She'll be here in a moment. (= a moment from now)

   

  You can also say 'in six months' time', 'in a week's time' etc.:

  * They're getting married in six months' time. (or ... in six months.)

  

  We also use in... to say how long it takes to do something:

  * I learned to drive in four weeks.  it took me four weeks to learn)

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 EXERCISES

  1 Complete the sentences. Each time use at, on or in + one of the following.

the evening - the moment - Sundays - about 20 minutes - 21 July 1969 - the Middle Ages - 1492 - the 1920s - 11 seconds - Christmas - the same time - night

  

  1. Columbus made his first voyage from Europe to America _in 1492._

  2. In Britain most people do not work ---.

  3. If the sky is clear, you can see the stars ---.

  4. After working hard during the day, I like to relax ---.

  5. The first man walked on the moon ---.

  6. It's difficult to listen if everyone is speaking ---.

  7. Jazz became popular in the United States ---.

  8. I'm just going out to the shop. I'll be back ---.

  9. (on the phone) 'Can I speak to Clare?' 'I'm afraid she's not here ---.'

  10. In Britain, people send each other cards ---.

  11. Many of Europe's great cathedrals were built ---.

  12. Bob is a very fast runner. He can run 100 meters ---.

 2 Put in at, on or in where necessary. Leave an empty space (-) if no preposition is necessary.

  1. 

  a. I'll see you _on_ Friday.

  b. I'll see you (-) next Friday. (no preposition)

  2.

  a. What are you doing --- Saturday?

  b. What are you doing --- the weekend?

  

  3. 

  a. They often go out --- the evenings.

  b. They often go out --- Sunday evenings

  4. 

  a. Do you work --- Wednesdays?

  b. Do you work--- every Wednesday?

  5. 

  a. We usually have a holiday --- the summer.

  b. We often have a short holiday --- Christmas.

  6. 

  a. Pauline got married --- 1991.

  b. Pauline got married --- 18 May 1991.

  c. Chris is getting married --- this year.

 3 Put in at, on or in.

  1. Mozart was born in Salzburg --- 1756.

  2. I haven't seen Kate for a few days. I last saw her --- Tuesday.

  3. The price of electricity is going up --- October.

  4. I've been invited to a wedding --- 14 February.

  5. Hurry up! We've got to go --- five minutes.

  6. I'm busy just now but I'll be with you --- a moment.

  7. Jenny's brother is an engineer but he's out of work --- the moment.

  8. There are usually a lot of parties --- New Year's Eve.

  9. I hope the weather will be nice --- the weekend.

  

  10. Saturday night I went to bed --- 11 o'clock.

  11. I don't like traveling --- night.

  12. We traveled overnight to Paris and arrived --- 5 o'clock --- the morning.

  13. The course begins --- 7 January and ends sometime --- April.

  14. It was quite a short book and easy to read. I read it --- a day.

  15. I might not be at home --- Tuesday morning but I'll probably be there --- the afternoon.

  16. My car is being repaired at the garage. It will be ready --- two hours.

  17. The telephone and the doorbell rang --- the same time.

  18. Mary and Henry always go out for a meal --- their wedding anniversary.

  19. Henry is 63. He'll be retiring from his job --- two years' time.

Singular and plural

A. Sometimes we use a plural noun for one thing that has two parts. For example:

  trousers (two legs) also jeans/tights/shorts/pants

  pyjamas (top and bottom)

  glasses (or spectacles)

  binoculars

  scissors

  These words are plural, so they take a plural verb:

  * My trousers are too long. (not 'is too long')

  You can also use a pair of + these words:

  * Those are nice jeans. or That's a nice pair of jeans. (not 'a nice jeans')

  * I need some new glasses. or I need a new pair of glasses.

    B. Some nouns end in -ice but are not usually plural. 

For example .. 

athletics

gymnastics  

mathematics (or maths)  

physics  

electronics   

economics  

politics

  * Gymnastics is my favourite sport.

  News is not plural

  * What time is the news on television? (not 'are the news')

  

Some words ending in -s can be singular or plural. For example:

  means - a means of transport - many means of transport

  series - a television series - two television series

  species - a species of bird - 200 species of bird

    C. Some singular nouns are often used with a plural verb. 

For example:

government  

staff  

team  

family  

audience  

committee  

company  

firm

  These nouns are all groups of people. 

  We often think of them as a number of people (= 'they'), not as one thing (= 'it'). 

  So we often use a plural verb:

  

  * The government (= they) want to increase taxes.

  

  * The staff at the school (= they) are not happy with their new working conditions.

  

  In the same way, we often use a plural verb after the name of a sports team or a company:

  

  * Scotland are playing France next week (in a football match).

  

  * Shell have increased the price of petrol.

  

A singular verb (The government wants.../Shell has... etc.) is also possible.

  We always use a plural verb with police:

  * The police have arrested a friend of mine. (not 'The police has')

  * Do you think the police are well-paid?

  Note that a person in the police is 'a policeman/a policewoman/a police officer' (not 'a police').

    D. We do not often use the plural of person ('persons'). 

 We normally use people (a plural word):

  * He's a nice person. but They are nice people.

  * Many people don't have enough to eat. (not 'doesn't have')

    

   E. We think of a sum of money, a period of time, a distance etc. as one thing. So we use a singular verb:

  

  * Twenty thousand pounds (= it) was stolen in the robbery. (not 'were stolen')

   

  * Three years (= it) is a long time to be without a job. (not 'Three years are ...')

  

  * Six miles is a long way to walk every day.

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    EXERCISES

  1 Complete the sentences using a word from Sections A or B. Sometimes you need a or some.

  

 1. My eyes aren't very good. I need _glasses._

 2. This plant is _a_ very rare _species._

 3. Footballers don't wear trousers when they play. They wear ---.

 4. The bicycle is --- of transport.

  

 5. The bicycle and the car are --- of transport.

  6. I want to cut this piece of material. I need ---.

  7. Ann is going to write --- of articles for her local newspaper.

  8. There are a lot of American TV --- shown on British television.

  9. While we were out walking, we saw 25 different --- of bird.

 2 In each example the words on the left are connected with an activity (for example, a sport or an academic subject). 

Write the name of the activity. Each time the beginning of the word is given.

  

  1. calculate algebra equation: mathematics.

  

  2. government election minister: p---

  

  3. finance trade industry: e---

  

  4. running lumping throwing: a---

  

  5. light heat gravity: ph---

  

  6. exercises  somersault  parallel bars: gy---

  

  7. computer silicon chip video games: el---

  

3 Choose the correct form of the verb, singular or plural. In one sentence either the singular or plural verb is possible.

  1. Gymnastics _is/are_ my favourite sport. ('is' is correct)

  2. The trousers you bought for me _doesn't/don't_ fit me.

  3. The police _want/wants_ to interview two men about the robbery last week.

  4. Physics _was/were_ my best subject at school.

  5. Can I borrow your scissors? Mine _isn't/aren't_ sharp enough.

  6. Fortunately the news _wasn't/weren't_ as bad as we expected.

  7. Where _does/do_ your family live?

  8. Three days _isn't/aren't_ long enough for a good holiday.

  9. I can't find my binoculars. Do you know where _it is/they are?_

  10. Do you think the people _is/are_ happy with the government?

  11. _Does/Do_ the police know how the accident happened?

  12. I don't like very hot weather. Thirty degrees _is/are_ too warm for me.

4 Most of these sentences are wrong. Correct them where necessary; Put 'RIGHT' if the sentence is already correct.

  1. The government want to increase taxes. _RIGHT (wants' is also correct)_

  2. Susan was wearing a black jeans.

  3. Brazil are playing Italy in a football match next Wednesday.

  4. I like Martin and Jill. They're very nice persons.

  5. I need more money than that. Ten pounds are not enough.

  6. I'm going to buy a new pyjama.

  7. The committee haven't made a decision yet.

  8. Many people has given up smoking.

  9. There was a police standing at the corner of the street.

  10. Has the police arrived yet?

  11. This scissors is not very sharp.

A/an and the

A. Study this example:

  JOHN: I had a sandwich and an apple for lunch. The sandwich wasn't very good but the apple was nice.

  John says 'a sandwich', 'an apple' because this is the first time he talks about them.

  John now says 'the sandwich', 'the apple because Karen knows which sandwich and which apple he means - the sandwich and the apple he had for lunch.

  Compare a and the in these examples:

  * A man and a woman were sitting opposite me. The man was American but I think the woman was British.

  * When we were on holiday, we stayed at a hotel. Sometimes we had our evening meal at the hotel and sometimes we went to a restaurant.

   

 B. We use (the) when we are thinking of one particular thing. 

Compare a/an and the:

 * Tom sat down on a chair. (perhaps one of many chairs in the room)

  but Tom sat down on the chair nearest the door. (a particular chair)

  * Ann is looking for a job. (not a particular job)

  but Did Ann get the job she applied for? (a particular job)

  * Have you got a car? (not a particular car)

  but I cleaned the car yesterday. (= my car)

    C. We use (the) when it is clear in the situation which thing or person we mean.

 For example, in a room we talk about 'the light/the floor/the ceiling/the door/the carpet' etc.:

  * Can you turn off the light, please? (= the light in this room)

  * I took a taxi to the station. (= the station in that town)

  * I'd like to speak to the manager, please. (= the manager of this shop etc.)

  In the same way, we say (go to) the bank, the post office:

  * I must go to the bank to get some money and then I'm going to the post office to get some stamps. (The speaker is usually thinking of a particular bank or post office.

  Also: the doctor, the dentist:

  * Carol isn't very well. She's gone to the doctor. (= her usual doctor)

  * I hate going to the dentist.

  Compare a:

 * Is there a bank near here?

  * My sister is a dentist.

  Don't forget the:

  

* Susan works in the city centre. (not 'in city centre')

  * My brother is in the army. (not 'in army')

    D. We say 'once a week/three times a day/-'1.20 a kilo' etc.:

 * 'How often do you go to the cinema?' 'About once a month.'

  * 'How much are those potatoes?' 'Ll.20 a kilo.'

  * She works eight hours a day, six days a week.

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    EXERCISES

1 Put in a/an or the.

  1. This morning I bought _a_ newspaper and --- magazine ---newspaper is in my bag but I don't know where I put --- magazine.

  2. I saw --- accident this morning --- car crashed into --- tree. --- driver of --- car wasn't hurt but --- car was badly damaged.

  3. There are two cars parked outside: --- blue one and --- grey one. --- blue one belongs to my neighbours; I don't know who --- owner of --- grey one is.

  4. My friends live in --- old house in --- small village. There is --- beautiful garden behind --- house. I would like to have ---garden like that.

  2 Put in a/an or the.

 1. a. This house is very nice. Has it got --- garden?

  b. It's a beautiful day. Let's sit in --- garden.

  c. I like living in this house but it's a pity that --- garden is so small.

  2. a. Can you recommend --- good restaurant?

  b. We had dinner in --- very nice restaurant.

  c. We had dinner in --- most expensive restaurant in town.

  3. a. She has --- French name but in fact she's English, not French.

  b. What's --- name of that man we met yesterday?

  c. We stayed at a very nice hotel - I can't remember --- name now.

  4. a. There isn't --- airport near where I live --- nearest airport is 70 miles away.

  b. Our plane was delayed. We had to wait at --- airport for three hours.

  c. Excuse me, please. Can you tell me how to get to --- airport?

  5. a. 'Are you going away next week?' 'No, --- week after next.'

  b. I'm going away for --- week in September.

  c. George has a part-time job. He works three mornings --- week.

  3 Put in a/an or the in these sentences where necessary.

  1. Would you like apple? _an apple._

  2. How often do you go to dentist? ---

  3. Could you close door, please? ---

  4. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that. It was mistake ---

  5. Excuse me, where is bus station, please? ---

  6. I've got problem. Can you help me? ---

  7. I'm just going to post office. I won't be long ---

  8. There were no chairs, so we had to sit on floor. ---

  9. Have you finished with book I lent you? ---

  10. My sister has just got job in bank in Manchester. ---

  11. We live in small flat near city centre. ---

  12. There's small supermarket at end of street I live in ---

  4 Answer these questions about yourself. Where possible, use the structure in Section D (once a week/three times a day etc.).

  1. How often do you go to the cinema? _Three or four times a year._

  2. How much does it cost to hire a car in your country? _About L30 a day._

  3. How often do you go away on holiday? ---

  4. What's the speed limit in towns in your country? ---

  5. How much sleep do you need? ---

  6. How often do you go out in the evening? ---

  7. How much television do you watch (on average)? ---