Missing Preposition 'ON' (USAGE)

Question

As many as 3,000 people took part in a silent march Saturday morning, speaking out against the rioting and its root causes.

Would you please explain why the preposition 'on' is missing before 'Saturday'?

Philip · Accepted Answer

RishonlyAs many as 3,000 people took part in a silent march Saturday morning, speaking out against the rioting and its root causes.

Would you please explain why the preposition 'on' is missing before 'Saturday'?

No big deal, Rishonly....it's optional.

Rishonly · Answer

Thanks, Philip. What such prepositions are optional?

Paco2004 · Answer

Hello Krish

Are you ready to get mad? The use of the preposition of time is very messy in English.

[Use AT] We have to use AT with :
(1) clock times (EX) at six o'clock
(2) religious festivals (EX) at Christmas, at Easter
(3) mealtimes (EX) at breakfast, at lunch, at dinner, at dinner time
(4) other specific time (EX) at night, at the weekend , at weekends, at half-term

[Use IN] We have to use IN with
(1) seasons (EX) in (the) summer, in (the) winter
(2) years and centuries (EX) in 2005, in the 21st century, in the next century
(3) periods in history (EX) in the Middle Ages
(4) months (EX) in February, in November
(5) parts of the day (EX) in the morning(s), in the afternoon(s), in the evening(s)
(6) certain expressions of future time.(EX) in the near future, in the next few days, in the coming months, in two weeks' time, in a year from now, in a few minutes

[Use ON] Formally we have to use ON with
(1) days, dates (EX) on Sunday, on Thursday, on March 19th 1986, on January 1st.
(2) special days (EX) on Christmas Day, on New Year's Eve, on my birthday.
(3) any time phrase which contains the word "day" (EX) on Monday morning, on Friday night.
But these ONs in day expressions are quite often omitted, especially in spoken English and newspapers' articles.

[Use no preposition] We do not use a preposition with the following time expressions
(1) this evening, that day, this week, this Sunday, this year
(2) last night, last week, last March, next Friday
(3) every evening, all weekend, any Sunday, every August, each year
(4) today, tomorrow, tomorrow night, yesterday, yesterday evening
(5) the day after tomorrow, the day before yesterday, the week before last, the week after next

paco

Rishonly · Answer

Hi Paco2004,

As usual, you have given an excellent explanation about the usage of prepositions. Thanks much and now I understand the function of preposition 'on'. Just one quick question. We say 'in the morning/afternoon/evening', but not 'in the night'? Would you please explain why do we say 'at night' instead of 'in night'? I am really curious to understand why there is such a difference?

Paco2004 · Answer

You can use "in the night" also. The sense is like "during the night". (EX) They awoke three times in the night. "At night" is used like (EX) We got home at 7 o'clock at night. (EX) My mother used to sew at night.

Why do they say "at night"? I have no idea. But my guess is the original sense of the phrase "at night" might be "at nightfall" (point-time).

paco

Anonymous · Answer

This entire information on preposition is such a great help..

Paco2004You can use "in the night" also. The sense is like "during the night". (EX) They awoke three times in the night. "At night" is used like (EX) We got home at 7 o'clock at night. (EX) My mother used to sew at night.

Why do they say "at night"? I have no idea. But my guess is the original sense of the phrase "at night" might be "at nightfall" (point-time).

paco

Philip · Answer

Paco2004

(2) religious festivals (EX) at Christmas, at Easter
Thanks, Paco. I'm going to copy your post for future reference. In addition to 'at' in the above cases, which probably mean at Christmas time and Easter time, we also use 'on' for the exact day: At Christmas, we spend a lot of money on gifts. We look for eggs in the yard on Easter. [This ties in with your examples of specific times.]

Anonymous · Answer

And what about:

appeal the sentence rather than - against the sentence

which I am sure was Americanism but is widespread in journalism now

I saw another one this morning bur I can't recall it.

Nick.

Missing Preposition 'ON' (USAGE)

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