ON TIME or IN TIME: Learn the difference

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Hello and welcome to LetThemTalk

and this is Just a quick video to explain the difference between IN TIME and ON TIME.

They look similar but there is a slight difference in meaning so I thought I'd explain that today.

OK So ON TIME just means NOT LATE - not late, that's all it means.

We arrived on time for our flight we were not late for our flight

He's always on time - it means he's a punctual person. not late

You should hand in your homework ON TIME - ok so not after the deadline - not late

I won't be at the meeting ON TIME - ok so that means I'll be late for the meeting.

So what about IN TIME. We use IN TIME to talk about BEFORE THE TIME or WITH SUFFICIENT TIME

Sufficient time before something happens. so For example, .

We have to take the train and if we arrive IN TIME we'll get a cup of coffee

I left work late but I arrived IN TIME to see my children before they went to bed or

so with sufficient time.

Ok and you can use IN TIME (and not "on time") to talk about something WITHOUT A FIXED APPOINTMENT

or schedule or timetable. so for example, I managed to reach Jim IN

TIME, before he left. So there is no schedule when Jim is leaving. He just leaves when he

leaves. So we got there before so I say I reached him IN TIME

We got him to the hospital IN TIME. We didn't have a hospital appointment we urgently needed

to get there so we got to the hospital (no appointment) IN TIME

We missed lunch but we arrived IN TIME for dinner. We arrived in time for dinner there

is no scheduled appointment or starting time for dinner but got there in time or with sufficient time

That's it I hope that's clear now. thank you for watching more English language videos

coming soon.