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Unit 122 · Prepositions

on time and in time at the end and in the end

Study

A

on time = punctual, not late

If something happens on time, it happens at the time that was planned:

›

The 11.45 train left on time. (= it left at 11.45)

›

Please be on time. Don't be late.

›

The conference was well-organised. Everything began and finished on time.

in time (for something / to do something) = soon enough

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Will you be home in time for dinner? (= soon enough for dinner)

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I sent Amy a birthday present. I hope it arrives in time. (= on or before her birthday)

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I'm in a hurry. I want to get home in time to watch the game on TV. (= soon enough to see the game)

The opposite of in time is too late:

›

I got home too late to watch the game on TV.

You can say just in time (= almost too late):

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We got to the station just in time for our train.

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A child ran into the road in front of the car, but I managed to stop just in time.

B

at the end (of something) = at the time when something ends

For example:

at the end of the month at the end of January at the end of the game
at the end of the film at the end of the course at the end of the concert
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I'm going away at the end of January / at the end of the month.

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At the end of the concert, everyone applauded.

›

The players shook hands at the end of the game.

We do not say 'in the end of …'. For example, we do not say 'in the end of January'.

The opposite of at the end is at the beginning:

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I'm going away at the beginning of January. (not in the beginning)

in the end = finally

We use in the end when we say what the final result of a situation was:

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We had a lot of problems with our car. We sold it in the end. (= finally we sold it)

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He got more and more angry. In the end he just walked out of the room.

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Alan couldn't decide where to go for his holidays. He didn't go anywhere in the end. (not at the end)

The opposite of in the end is at first:

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At first we didn't get on very well, but in the end we became good friends.

Exercises (5)

0/5 exercises checked
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122.1

Complete the sentences with on time or in time.

on timein time
  1. 1
    The bus is usually , but it was late this morning.example
  2. 2
    The film was supposed to start at 8.30, but it didn't begin .
  3. 3
    The train service isn't very good. The trains are rarely .
  4. 4
    We nearly missed our train. We got to the station just .
  5. 5
    We want to start the meeting , so please don't be late.
  6. 6
    I've just washed this shirt. I want to wear it this evening, so I hope it will be dry .
  7. 7
    I almost forgot that it was Joe's birthday. Fortunately I remembered .
  8. 8
    Why are you never ? You always keep everybody waiting.
  9. 9
    It is hoped that the new stadium will be ready for the tournament later this year.
122.2

Read the situations and make sentences using just in time.

  1. 1
    A child ran into the road in front of your car. You saw the child at the last moment. (manage / stop)
    I managed to stop .example
  2. 2
    You were walking home. Just after you got home, it started to rain very heavily. (get / home)
    I got home .
  3. 3
    Your friend was going to sit on the chair you had just painted. You said, 'Don't sit on that chair!', so he didn't. (stop / him)
    I stopped him .
  4. 4
    You and a friend went to the cinema. You were late, and you thought you would miss the beginning of the film. But the film began just as you sat down in the cinema. (get / cinema / beginning / film)
122.3

Complete the sentences using at the end + the following:

the coursethe gamethe interviewthe monththe race
  1. 1
    The players shook hands .example
  2. 2
    I get paid .
  3. 3
    The students had a party .
  4. 4
    Two of the runners collapsed .
  5. 5
    I was surprised when I was offered the job .
122.4

Write sentences with in the end. Use the verb in brackets.

  1. 1
    We had a lot of problems with our car. (sell)
    example
  2. 2
    Anna got more and more fed up with her job. (resign)
  3. 3
    I tried to learn Japanese, but I found it too difficult. (give up)
  4. 4
    We couldn't decide whether to go to the party or not. (not / go)
122.5

Put in at or in.

atin
  1. 1
    I'm going away the end of the month.example
  2. 2
    It took Gary a long time to find work. the end he got a job as a bus driver.
  3. 3
    I couldn't decide what to buy Amy for her birthday. I didn't buy her anything the end.
  4. 4
    I'm going away the end of this week.
  5. 5
    We waited ages for a bus. the end we had to get a taxi.
  6. 6
    the end of the lesson, all the students left the classroom.
  7. 7
    We had a few problems at first, but the end everything was OK.
  8. 8
    You were in a difficult position. What did you do the end?
  9. 9
    The journey took a very long time, but we got there the end.
  10. 10
    Are you going away the beginning of August or the end?