Grammar · From lesson 12
TOEIC Grammar: Prepositions of Time (in, on, at, by, until, since, for)
Free extract from the Noto Tracks TOEIC course
| Preposition | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| at | clock times, specific moments | at 9:30, at noon, at the end of the month |
| on | days and dates | on Thursday, on June 12, on the morning of the launch |
| in | months, years, seasons, parts of the day; "after a period from now" | in October, in 2028, in the afternoon; The results will be ready in two days. |
| by | deadline: no later than | Submit the form by Friday. |
| until / till | a situation continues up to a point | The store is open until 9 P.M. |
| within | inside a period, not later than its end | Refunds are issued within 14 business days. |
| for | length of time | for three weeks |
| since | starting point up to now (present perfect) | since last spring |
| during | within the time of an event (+ noun) | during the renovation |
| throughout | for the whole of a period | throughout the year |
| from … to / from … until | start and end | from May 3 to May 9 |
| prior to / ahead of | before (formal) | prior to departure, ahead of schedule |
| following / upon | after / immediately after | following the merger, upon arrival |
Customers who are not satisfied may return the product ------- 30 days of purchase.
(A) until (B) within (C) since (D) during
Answer: (B) — within + period + of = inside the limit. (A) until 30 days needs an end point, not a length; (D) during needs an event (during the sale); (C) since needs a starting point and the present perfect.
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Lesson 12, "Grammar course 3: Prepositions, conjunctions and clauses", is in the Noto Tracks TOEIC course. The rest of it covers:
- 4. Fixed combinations with prepositions
- 8. Noun clauses
- 9. Adverb clauses
- 10. Inversion after negative and restrictive adverbs
- 11. Connectors for Part 6
Also in the full lesson
- Practice questions
- Answer key with explanations
- One-page summary
50 questions, free, with an estimated score.
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