At midnight VERSUS on midnight

[Ewita]

English Language Tests, Intermediate level

ESL/EFL Test #206 "Prepositions of Time and Date (4)", question 9

......... midnight, the tradition is to sing a traditional song to ring in the New Year.

(a) On
(b) At
(c) In

English Language Tests, Intermediate level

ESL/EFL Test #206 "Prepositions of Time and Date (4)", answer 9

At midnight, the tradition is to sing a traditional song to ring in the New Year.

Correct answer: (b) At
_________________________

may I use "on midnight"?

Ewita

[Yankee]

Hi Ewita

The word midnight means the same thing as twelve o'clock a.m. In other words, it is a very specific time. When you talk about a clock time, you must use the preposition at.

- at twelve o'clock
- at noon/at midnight
- at 8:30 in the morning
- at four o'clock
- at 7:15

You use on to talk about a specific day or date.
- on Tuesday
- on Wednesday morning
- on December 25th
- on Christmas Day

But, weekend is special:
- at the weekend (British English)
- on the weekend (American English)

Amy