Introduction

English is a rich and full of specificities language, and one of the aspects that often confuses learners are the prepositions of time. In our native language, prepositions serve to establish a relationship between two or more terms in the sentence, and in English, this is no different. Prepositions of time, specifically, help indicate when an action occurred or will occur.

Mastering the use of the prepositions 'in', 'on', and 'at' is essential to express time correctly in English. Each of them is used in a specific way, and understanding these rules can significantly improve your fluency in English.

It is also important to consider that English is a living language, and its use may vary depending on the context and the region where it is spoken. Therefore, it is also essential to learn how native speakers use these prepositions in their daily communication.

Contextualization

In the globalized world, English is the lingua franca, being essential for communication between people from different countries. In the world of work, academia, the internet, travel, English is a tool that opens doors. Mastering complex aspects of English grammar, such as prepositions of time, can make a difference when effectively communicating in English.

Have you ever stopped to think about how many times a day you talk about the weather? Whether to tell something that happened, schedule an appointment, plan the future, the way we use time in our speech is essential for our communication. Thus, understanding the correct application of prepositions of time in English is more than a grammar exercise, it is a skill that will help you in real life.

Practical Activity: Building Time in English

Project Objective

Construction of a timeline for the study of prepositions of time (in, on, at), their use in sentences, and the conjugation of regular and irregular verbs in the past.

Detailed Project Description

Students should form groups of 3 to 5 members and build a physical timeline, divided into periods (years, months, days, hours). In this timeline, students should insert past and future events, using regular and irregular verbs in the past and prepositions of time correctly.

In the second part of the project, each group will make a presentation of their timeline, explaining the events included in it, using prepositions of time and verb conjugation in the past correctly.

Necessary Materials

• Materials for building the timeline (cardboard, paints, colored pens, ruler, scissors, glue).
• English-Portuguese and English-English dictionaries.
• English grammar books.
• Presentation materials (can be digital, using slides, for example).

Detailed Step-by-Step

1. Group Formation: Students should form groups of 3 to 5 members. This formation should promote collaboration and teamwork.

2. Research and Planning: Groups should research and plan the events that will be placed on the timeline, ensuring the use of prepositions of time and verbs in the past. This stage requires the study of regular and irregular verbs, as well as the correct application of the prepositions 'at', 'on', and 'in'.

3. Building the Timeline: With the planned events, groups will build the physical timeline. They should be creative, colorful, and easy to understand.

4. Presentation: Each group will give a presentation of their timeline, explaining the events and the use of prepositions of time and verbs in the past.

5. Report Writing: After the presentations, each group should write a report, including the explanation of regular and irregular verbs, prepositions of time, and a reflection on the experience, learnings, and challenges encountered.

Project Deliverables

The project consists of delivering the physical timeline, the oral presentation, and a written report with the following topics:

1. Introduction: The student must contextualize the theme, its relevance and application in the real world, as well as the objective of this project.

2. Development: The student must explain the theory behind the use of prepositions of time and verbs in the past, explain the activity in detail, indicate the methodology used, and finally present and discuss the results obtained.

3. Conclusion: The student must conclude the work by summarizing its main points, explaining the learnings obtained, and drawing conclusions about the project.

4. Bibliography: The student must indicate the sources they relied on to work on the project such as books, web pages, videos, etc.

These deliveries are focused on the development of technical and socio-emotional skills, offering students the opportunity to work on theoretical concepts, time management, communication, problem-solving, creative thinking, and proactivity.