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ESL forum > Ask for help > on a cold February evening    

on a cold February evening



beaca
Spain

on a cold February evening
 
Hello there, we are revising the use of preposition AT IN ON and one of my students asked me why do we use on a cold February evening while we say in February and in the evening?
 shame on me!!!! I don �t really know!!!  Could you help me clarify? thanks 

20 Jan 2016      





spinney
United Kingdom

It may be an evening but it �s still a day/date. In the evening, in the morning, in the afternoon because it�s a section of the day. However, if you watch British crime dramas, police officers often describe crime scenes or their actions in connection to them thus; "On the morning of Novemeber the 27th, I was proceeding in a westly direction when I happened to see ..." Hope that helps. 

20 Jan 2016     



beaca
Spain

Thank you very much!!

20 Jan 2016     



FrauSue
France

I think it �s because, as soon as the adjective turns up to modify morning/afternoon/evening, it becomes a specific date, as Spinney said.
 
I usually swim in the morning.
I only swim on sunny mornings. 
It happened in the morning. 
It happened on a cold and frosty morning. 
Here is the explanation from English Grammar Today (Cambridge University Press):
 
In or on?
We use in with morning, afternoon, evening and night, but we use on when we talk about a specific morning, afternoon, etc., or when we describe the part of the day.
Compare
I always work best in the morning. I often get tired in the afternoon. The ship left the harbour on the morning of the ninth of November.
In the evening they used to sit outside and watch the sun going down. It happened on a beautiful summer’s evening.
 
 

21 Jan 2016