Days, months and seasons— A1 Grammar Exercises

You want to make plans. You say "Let's meet on Monday." Not in Monday. Not at Monday. The day takes on. The month ("in January") takes in. The season ("in summer"), also in. The time of year is the same word, but the rules behind it change.

The names of days, months, and seasons are simple to learn. The grammar around them (which preposition to use, when to use a capital letter, when to use the) is what trips A1 learners up. This page covers all three.

The seven days of the week

Days of the week always start with a capital letter, even in the middle of a sentence.

Saturday and Sunday together are the weekend. The other five days (Monday to Friday) are weekdays or working days.

The twelve months of the year

Months also always start with a capital letter. Each has a short form (3 letters) used in dates and calendars.

The four seasons

Seasons describe the four parts of the year. In British English, they usually start with a small letter. In some American writing they appear with a capital, but small letters are standard.

Capital letters: a fixed rule

This rule is simple but learners forget it constantly because many languages (Spanish, French, Russian, Italian, Polish) write days and months with small letters.

Prepositions: on, in, at

This is the part learners get wrong most often. The preposition depends on the type of word, not the meaning.

Examples in full sentences:

• I have a meeting on Tuesday.
• We go to the beach in August.
• It often rains in autumn.
• I was born in 2002.
• I see my parents at the weekend.

For a complete guide to time prepositions, see prepositions of place and time.

No preposition with next, last, this, every

This is the trap that catches almost every A1 learner. When a day or month follows next, last, this, or every, you use no preposition at all.

Articles with days, months and seasons

This is where the rules get less obvious. There are three patterns to remember.

Both in summer and in the summer are correct. In summer is a general statement; in the summer often refers to a specific summer (e.g. this summer or the summer just past). At A1, either is safe. For more on articles, see a, an, the.

Saying and writing dates

There are two main ways to say a date in English.

Days are read as ordinal numbers (first, second, third…), not cardinal (one, two, three). You write 5 but you say "the fifth".

• 1 May → the first of May / May first
• 2 May → the second of May / May second
• 3 May → the third of May / May third
• 21 May → the twenty-first of May

Plurals and patterns

Days, months, and seasons all have regular plurals (just add -s):

• I work five days a week.
• The course lasts six months.
• I have visited Paris in all four seasons.

To talk about something that happens regularly on a certain day, use the plural form with no preposition:

• The shop is closed on Sundays. (every Sunday)
• I work from home on Fridays. (every Friday)

Common mistakes

Frequently asked questions

Do I use in, on, or at with days, months, and seasons?

• on + days: on Monday, on 5 May
• in + months, seasons, years: in July, in summer, in 2026
• at + weekends and holidays: at the weekend, at Christmas

The preposition depends on the type of time word, not the meaning of the sentence.

Why are days and months capitalised in English?

In English, all days of the week and months of the year are written with a capital letter, even in the middle of a sentence. This rule is fixed. Many other languages (Spanish, French, Russian, Polish) use small letters for these words, so it's a common spelling mistake. Seasons are usually written with a small letter in standard British English.

Is it in summer or in the summer?

Both are correct. In summer is a general statement: It's hot in summer. In the summer often refers to a specific summer or this summer: I'll see you in the summer. At A1 level, you can use either; both are natural. The same is true for in winter / in the winter.

How do you write a date in English?

British English usually puts the day first: 10 June 2026 or 10/06/2026. American English usually puts the month first: June 10, 2026 or 06/10/2026. When you say the date, you use ordinal numbers: the tenth of June (UK) or June tenth (US). To avoid confusion in numerical dates, write the month in words.

Do I say next Monday or on next Monday?

Say next Monday, with no preposition. The same is true for last Monday, this Monday, and every Monday. The words next, last, this and every already do the job of placing the day in time, so the preposition is dropped. Use on Monday only when the day stands alone, with no next/last/this/every.

What is the difference between on Monday and on Mondays?

On Monday means one specific Monday, usually the next or last one. On Mondays (plural) means every Monday, regularly. Compare: I have a meeting on Monday (this Monday) vs I have meetings on Mondays (every Monday). The plural -s is what makes it a habit.

Why is it autumn in British English and fall in American English?

Both words are correct, just different. Autumn comes from Latin and is the standard word in the UK, Ireland, Australia, and most other English-speaking countries. Fall comes from the older English phrase fall of the leaf, which used to be used on both sides of the Atlantic before autumn took over in British English. Use whichever fits the variety of English you are learning.

Quick summary

Related topics

• Prepositions of place and time: a full guide to in, on, at, including times of day and parts of the day.
• Articles: a, an, the: when to use the with time expressions.
• Vocabulary: days, months and seasons: practise the words themselves with audio and exercises.