Just home from class and I have a burning question....IN ON AT

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ESL forum > Grammar and Linguistics > Just home from class and I have a burning question....IN ON AT

Just home from class and I have a burning question....IN ON AT

cheezels

Just home from class and I have a burning question....IN ON AT

I am looking this up in "George" Wink

my grammar bible.... but I know that you will know the right answer....
ok
Its to do with IN ON AT

I use them interchangeably when I talk about weekends...
Ex:
Are you working at the weekend?
I �m working in the weekend so I can �t come, sorry!
I will be working on the weekend, maybe we can go out next weekend.....
What are you doing on the weekend?....etc etc etc etc
At the weekend I....
On the weekend I,....
In the weekend I....
Confused

and variations along this line... I know that it probably is going to be a rule saying it should be AT but as a native I have "used" all three interchangeably without really thinking for years .... until someone asked me tonight. AAARGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH and I think I told them the wrong answer. sigh.

I am reading "George" now.

19 Feb 2009

Zora

- "In" is not used that often - at least I have never heard it before but if George says it exist then it must!

And "at" and "on" are interchangeable in the "at/on the weekend" example it �s just that:

AT - is more British
ON - is more American

And that is basically the difference!

19 Feb 2009

cheezels

Still checking IN (edit :I originally wrote ON GOOD GRIEF MY BRAIN HAS EXPLODED!!!!) George...
The examples are all things that I might say in conversation informally....
For example I might say to a friend.. Hey, what are we doing in the weekend?... I never realised it wasn �t "proper english".... hmmmm

At least I can say next week that it is a Americal British thing.... eeeeek!!!!!!! mwhahaha...

19 Feb 2009

Zora

Checking Georgette... bb soon

19 Feb 2009

Zora

Okay dokey... in the Prepositions of time part page 72 - in my book, (part 81) "in the weekend" doesn �t seem to exist. Although, you can say "in time" "in good time"... but not "in the weekend"...

19 Feb 2009

Amanda W

Well Cheezel, as a native from Britain I can only say we use at the weekend. I think the Americans say on but I �ve never heard of in... sorry.

19 Feb 2009

cheezels

BAH. I read through the section as well.... Wow have I been speaking my own special dialect for 35 years????? Embarrassed

I really have used all three when talking casually... sigh... I will make a special note in my book! (The post its are coming out!!!!!!)

Thanks Linda!!!!!

edit: Thanks Amanda!!!!!! Maybe it´s a special Kiwi version of the American and British combined..... LOL

19 Feb 2009

libertybelle

Why don �t you just say
What are you doing this weekend and be done with it!!! Tongue

19 Feb 2009

magherinis

At the weekend . That �s what grammar books say

19 Feb 2009

Zora

Don �t feel bad Cheezels - for years I used to say "I seen a cat... " stills sounds quite good to me too... almost better than "saw"... Saws are things for cutting anyways... and who wants to saw a cat?? Shocked

19 Feb 2009

libertybelle

I seen a cat?
Sheesssssssh Zora - you are such an oakie!!!
You also say " Them thar hills?" LOL

19 Feb 2009

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