Confusable Pairs
The trickiest prepositional phrase pairs: on time vs in time, for sale vs on sale, at the end vs in the end. Mixed exercises combining all five subtopics.
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We arrived ___ to catch the early train.
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in time
'In time (to do something)' means early enough — with enough time before it starts.
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___, after months of arguing, they finally sold the house.
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In the end
'In the end' means 'finally, after a long process'. 'At the end' needs 'of something'.
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I didn't break the vase ___ — it just slipped out of my hand.
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on purpose
'On purpose' means 'intentionally'. The vase slipping shows it was an accident, so 'on purpose' is what the speaker denies.
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The trains here are very reliable; they almost always run ___.
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on time
'On time' means 'punctual' — exactly at the scheduled moment.
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A bad Monday morning
Last Monday started badly. I woke up late and left home {1}, without even having breakfast. The lift in my building was {2}, so I had to walk down all six floors. Then I missed my usual bus, so I decided to go to work {3}. {4} I was sure I would be late, but {5} I arrived almost {6}. Things got better at lunchtime: I met an old school friend completely {7} — we hadn't seen each other for years! The only funny problem was that I had picked up her umbrella {8} instead of my own.
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1. in a hurry — 'In a hurry' means rushing, with very little time.
2. out of order — 'Out of order' means not working — used for machines like lifts.
3. on foot — 'On foot' means walking.
4. At first — 'At first' means in the beginning.
5. in the end — 'In the end' means finally, after everything.
6. on time — 'On time' means punctual — at the scheduled moment.
7. by chance — 'By chance' means accidentally, not planned.
8. by mistake — 'By mistake' means accidentally, in error.
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At the bookshop
A: Hi! I'm looking for a guidebook for Italy. Do you have one?
B: Let me check... I'm afraid that one is {1} — we sold our last copy yesterday.
A: Oh no, and I'm {2} today!
B: There's an older edition, but honestly it's a bit {3} — some prices and maps have changed.
A: Then I'll order the new one. If I order it {4}, when will it arrive?
B: Usually within three days. {5}, this travel series is the most popular one we sell.
A: Good to know. Let's do that.
B: You're also lucky — this week all our travel books are {6}, twenty percent off.
A: Wonderful. ... {7}, the payment has gone through!Show answer
1. out of stock — 'Out of stock' means a shop has none of an item left.
2. in a hurry — 'In a hurry' means rushing, with little time.
3. out of date — 'Out of date' means old and no longer correct.
4. in advance — 'In advance' means before the event, ahead of time.
5. In fact — 'In fact' introduces real or surprising extra information.
6. on sale — 'On sale' means available at a reduced price.
7. At last — 'At last' means finally, after a wait.
Confusable Prepositional Phrase Pairs
Even learners who have memorised individual prepositional phrases often struggle when two similar phrases must be distinguished in context. The English Profile Programme identifies 'on time' vs 'in time' and 'for sale' vs 'on sale' as two of the ten most error-prone lexical pairs at A2–B1 level. The confusion arises not from ignorance of the phrases but from misreading contextual clues — the ability to distinguish them is a genuine B2 reading and writing skill.
On Time vs In Time
'On time' = punctual, at the exact scheduled moment. No suggestion of a close call.
'In time' = not too late — arrived before a deadline or opportunity closed, often implying it was nearly missed.
We arrived just in time to catch the last train. (= barely made it; one minute later and we'd have missed it)
Context test: if 'exactly', 'punctually', or a specific scheduled time appears, use 'on time'. If 'just', 'barely', 'almost missed', or 'before it was too late' appears, use 'in time'.
For Sale vs On Sale
'For sale' = listed as available to buy, at the asking price. No implication of discount.
'On sale' = available at a reduced, discounted price.
Winter coats are on sale — 40% off. (= discounted price)
At the End vs In the End
'At the end of' = the final point of a specific, identifiable thing. Always followed by 'of'.
'In the end' = eventually, after deliberation or a long process. Never followed by 'of'.
In the end, we decided to stay home. (= eventually, after considering options)
Common Mistakes
✗ These jackets are for sale — 50% off! → ✓ These jackets are on sale.
✗ At the end, after thinking all night, she accepted the offer. → ✓ In the end, she accepted the offer.
✗ In the end of the film, everyone cried. → ✓ At the end of the film, everyone cried.
Last updated: · Satori Editorial