在表示时间或地点的介词的选用时,很多人对介词 in,on 和 at 是爱恨交加,爱的是它们的简约而不简单,恨的是它们之间模糊的界限,今天我们尝试划清它们之间的界限。
一、跟其他介词一样,介词 in,on 和 at 后面都是跟名词和动名词,常见的名词如下:
They arrived late at the airport.1、in 用于月,年,四季、世纪或很长的时间段,包括一天中的特定时间段、例如:in the nineteenth century 在十九世纪in the afternoon(s) 在(每个)下午in the evening(s) 在(每个)晚上
2、on 用于天(日)或日期,包括一周中的某一天及该天特定的时间段、每周中重复的一天和特殊的日期或每月的某一天,例如:
on Monday 在星期一
on Mondays 在每个星期一
解析:在非正式场合中,我们可以省略 on,例如:
Do you work Saturdays?
你星期六上班吗?
on Monday morning 在星期一早上
on Sunday mornings 在(每个)星期天早上
on Sunday afternoons 在(每个)星期天下午
on Friday evenings 在(每个)星期五晚上
on 6 March 在3月6日
on 22 Dec.2012 在2012年12月22日
on Christmas Day 在圣诞节那天
on your birthday 在你生日那天
on New Year's Eve 除夕夜
3、at 用于准确的时间,包括时钟上的时间点、一天中或一星期中特定的时候和特定的庆祝活动,例如:
解析:midday 跟 noon 一样,都指中午的12点。at the Spring Festival 在春节at 用于公共假日和周末,而 on 用于特殊的某一天或周末,例如:We never go away at the New Year because the traffic is awful.On New Year’s Day, the whole family gets together.I’ll go and see my mother at/on the weekend if the weather’s okay.解析:在美式英语中常用 on the weekend.in 与一天的特定时间段 morning,afternoon,evening 和 night 连用,而 on 用于具体的某一天的特定时间段 morning 或 afternoon 等连用,例如:I always work best in the morning. I often get tired in the afternoon.In the evening they used to sit outside and watch the sun going down.The ship left the harbour on the morning of the ninth of November.It happened on a beautiful summer’s evening.at night 通常指任何一个晚上,而 in the night 通常指一个特殊的晚上,例如:
I was awake in the night, thinking about all the things that have happened.‘It’s not safe to travel at night,’ the officer said.at the end (of) 用来谈论某件事完成的时间点,而 in the end 用来谈论经过很长时间或一系列其他事件之后发生的事情,例如:At the end of the film, everyone was crying.
I looked everywhere for the book but couldn’t find it, so in the end I bought a new copy.我到处找那本书,但找不到,所以最后我买了一本新的。at the beginning (of) 用来谈论某事开始的点,而 in the beginning 用来在时间上比较两种情况,例如:At the beginning of every lesson, the teacher told the children a little story.In the beginning, nobody understood what was happening, but after she explained everything very carefully, things were much clearer.一开始,没人知道发生了什么事,但在她非常仔细地解释了一切之后,事情就清楚多了。7、当表示时间的短语中出现 next,last,this 或 every 时,前面不再用 in,on 或 at,例如:She is coming back next Monday.I went to New York last June.We'll call you this afternoon.8、in 与时间连用还用来表示做某事需要多长时间,例如:He was such a clever musician. He could learn a song in about five minutes.他真是个聪明的音乐家。他大约五分钟就能学会一首歌。与 time 构成”‘s“的结构(例如:in a year's time,in two months's time),用来表示某事将在什么时间发生,但不用来表示做某事需要多长时间,例如:
I won’t say goodbye because we’ll be seeing each other again in three days’ time.He ran the marathon in six hours and 20 minutes.不能译成:He ran the marathon in six hours and 20 minutes' time.1、in 用于密闭的空间,通常指一个大空间里面,例如:
He found it difficult to concentrate in class.2、on 用于表面,通常指比较大的一个平面,例如:当描述沿路、河边、海边或湖边的位置时,用 on,例如:Dublin is on the east coast of Ireland.
New York is on the Hudson River.
纽约在哈德逊河畔。
He lives in a house on the river.
他住在河边的一所房子里。
当描述在第几楼层时,用 on,例如:
They live on the 15th floor!当描述在公共交通工具上身体的物理状态时,用 on,例如:I was on the train when she phoned.Ivor dreamed that he was on a bus.I saw him while I was riding on a bike.解析:bike 虽小,但不是一个密闭的空间,所以不用 in.3、at 用于一个位置或地点,通常把它看作一个点,例如:at the top of the page 在页面顶部当我们把公司或工作场所当作一个点的时候,用 at,例如:How many people are working at Microsoft?Were you at Lisa’s party?They decided to spend an evening at the cinema.
I met a friend at the theatre.当与 school,college 或 university 连用时,用 at,例如:
She always did well at school.He was in my year at college.I'd like to do maths at university.They once lived at number 12 South George’s Street.Look what I bought at the butcher’s today.
当涉及到理发店或门诊处时,用 at,例如:
I’ll be at the hairdresser’s until five.
我会在理发店待到五点。
4、at 与 in
商店、机关或学校等,若看作一个地点(poing)用 at,若看作一个场所用(place)用 in,例如:
I met him at the post-office.
我在邮局遇见他。
I'm now working in the post-office.
我现在在邮局工作。
四、使用三者的其他情形
The two couples were married in two different cities at the same day, 25 years ago.25年前的同一天,这两对夫妇在两个不同的城市结婚。The General was killed at 26 August.What do you usually do in the weekend? Do you go away?They’re going to Australia on September for a conference.at the same day → on the same dayat 26 August → on 26 Augustin the weekend → at the weekendon September → in September2、请大家思考一下 in a boat 和 on a boat 的区别?