At/on weekends vs. at/on the weekend

Question

Hi everybody,There is this link:http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/weekend?q=weekendIs there any other difference between these two forms? First I guessed it is only the matter of certainty. I mean 'at the weekend / on the weekend' indicates that we talk about one particular weekend. 'at weekends / on (the) weekends' indicates that we talk about weekends in general.But this sentence show something else:I never work at the weekend.Quoted from:http://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/weekend_1I would like to grasp the meaning but I don't understand it.Thanks for your answer in advance.

Tamguatlay · Accepted Answer

To me, at/on the weekend/weekends mean the same thing.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

In American English, use "on the weekend" or "on weekends."

What are you doing on the weekend?
On weekends in the summer, we used to visit grandmother.
What are you doing this weekend?

Apparently in British English, "at the weekend" is commonly used.
There are many subtle differences between British and American English.

Fivejedjon · Answer

AlpheccaStarsApparently in British English, "at the weekend" is commonly used.

It is indeed.

Hole One a New See · Answer

Thanks for the answers

My main problem is this sentence:

I never work at the weekend.

I could imagine it as:

' I never work at weekends'

I thought that 'at the weekend' points to a particular (forthcoming) weekend and 'at weekends' refer to weekends in general. But the quoted sentence shows me something else (or I simply can't understand it). It seems that the quoted sentence also points to weekends in general. The difference between 'at' and 'on' is the only thing that seems clear. The other differences are (i.e. the differences between the versions with 'at' and the differences between the versions with 'on').

Could you make me understand it somehow? I'm interested both in the American and the British things. I don't know how I should find a solution for it.

Thanks for your answers in advance.

Fivejedjon · Answer

In a sentence such as yours. there is no real difference in Br E between 'at the weekend' and 'at the weekend'. The 'never' makes it clear that we are not talking of one weekend. Although, in other contexts, 'at the weekend' can refer to one specific weekend, we tend to prefer 'last/this/next/this/that weekend' for just one.

Tamguatlay · Answer

It is the same as 'Closed on Sunday' OR 'Closed on Sundays.' There is no difference in meaning.

Hole One a New See · Answer

Thanks for the answer

It is clearer now. I would use 'last/this/next/this/that weekend' in such cases. I just would like to prepare for every case that can be given in an exam.

Tamguatlay · Answer

Hole One a New SeeThanks for the answer It is clearer now. I would use 'last/this/next/this/that weekend' in such cases. I just would like to prepare for every case that can be given in an exam.

Best of luck to you. Hope you do well.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

Hole One a New See' I never work at weekends'

The solution is: I never work weekends.

Hole One a New See · Answer

Are these completely bad?

I never work on weekends.
I never work on the weekend.

I hoped that it is the same in the US version (i.e. these are good in such sentences like this where there is an adverb of frequency).

It would be good if these were written down completely somewhere. I didn't find it even in Advanced Grammar in Use book (UK English).

At/on weekends vs. at/on the weekend

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