English Grammar Exercises – Prepositions: On time and in time, At the end and in the end

Exercise 1   

Complete the sentences with on time or in time.

1   The bus was late this morning, but it’s usually …………………….

2   The film was supposed to start at 8.30, but it didn’t begin …………………….

3   I like to get up ……………………. to have a big breakfast before going to work.

4   We want to start the meeting ……………………. , so please don’t be late.

5   I’ve just washed this shirt. I want to wear it this evening, so I hope it will be dry …………………….

6   The train service isn’t very good. The trains are rarely …………………….

7   I nearly missed my flight this morning. I got to the airport just …………………….

8   I almost forgot that it was Joe’s birthday. Fortunately I remembered …………………….

9   Why are you never ……………………. ? You always keep everybody waiting.

Exercise 2   

Read the situations and make sentences using just in time.

1   A child ran into the road in front of your car. You saw the child at the last moment.

     (manage / stop) …………………….

2   You were walking home. Just after you got home, it started to rain very heavily.

     (get / home) I …………………….

3   Tim was going to sit on the chair you had just painted. You said, ‘Don’t sit on that chair!’, so he didn’t. (stop / him) I …………………….

4   You and a friend went to the cinema. You were late, and you thought you would miss the beginning of the film. But the film began just as you sat down in the cinema.

     (get / cinema / beginning / film)

     We …………………….

Exercise 3   

Complete the sentences using at the end+ the following:

the course    the game    the interview    the month    the race

1   The players shook hands …………………….

2   I usually get paid …………………….

3   The students had a party …………………….

4   Two of the runners collapsed …………………….

5   To my surprise, I was offered the job …………………….

Exercise 4   

Write sentences with In the end. Use the verb in brackets.

1   We had a lot of problems with our car. (sell) …………………….

2   Anna got more and more fed up with her job. (resign) …………………….

3   I tried to learn German, but I found it too difficult. (give up) …………………….

4   We couldn’t decide whether to go to the party or not. (not / go) …………………….

Exercise 5 

Put in at or in.

1   I’m going away ……………………. at the end of the month.

2   It took me a long time to find a job. ……………………. the end I got a job in a hotel.

3   Are you going away ……………………. the beginning of August or ……………………. the end?

4   I couldn’t decide what to buy Laura for her birthday. I didn’t buy her anything ……………………. the end.

5   We waited ages for a taxi. We gave up ……………………. the end and walked home.

6   I’ll be moving to a new address ……………………. the end of September.

7   We had a few problems at first, but ……………………. the end everything was OK.

8   I’m going away ……………………. the end of this week.

9   A: I didn’t know what to do.

     B: Yes, you were in a difficult position. What did you do ……………………. the end?