In time/On time

[Barman]

Please consider the following sentences:

1) He came in time.

2) He came on time.

3) The train is running on time.

4) The train is running in time.

Are all the above sentences correct in the sense of 'at the appointed time'?

 

[Barman]

No. Only 'on time' means 'at the appointed time'.

Which denotes 'punctuality'?

 

[GoesStation]

Which denotes 'punctually'?

See above.

 

[Barman]

Given what I said in post #2, which do you think?

Based on what you said, it seems to me that it should be 'on time'.

 

[TheParser]

NOT A TEACHER



Barman, I have made up these sentences.


1. Trains in Japan reportedly almost always arrive exactly on time.
2. Mona was dismissed from her job for consistently failing to arrive at work on time.
3. I ignore the bus schedule, for it almost never comes on time.

4. Because of car trouble, I arrived at their wedding late, but I did arrive in time to hear them say, "I do."
5. I fear that this terrible pandemic won't end in time for me to take my annual vacation next month.
6. I was so busy at work that I didn't get home in time for dinner. When I walked in, my wife and children were already enjoying dessert.

 

[GoesStation]

3. I ignore the bus schedule, for it almost never comes on time.

This one is hopelessly old fashioned in American English. I'd drop "for" and split it into two sentences.

 

[emsr2d2]

I'd use "because" in place of "for". However, The Parser, are you sure it's the bus schedule that doesn't come on time? ;-)

 

[Rover_KE]

I was pretty sure that 'Are the trains running to time in this unprecedented situation?' was a common collocation but could only find one example from Fraze.It.com:

If there'd been any delays or if trains hadn't run to time for whatever reason then obviously the route could have been thrown out of kilter.

• 
  [*=left](Guardian.com)

 

[TheParser]

I'd use "because" in place of "for". However, The Parser, are you sure it's the bus schedule that doesn't come on time? ;-)

NOT A TEACHER

I assumed (wrongly) that people would know that "it" referred to my bus.

 

[TheParser]

This one is hopelessly old fashioned in American English.

NOT A TEACHER

Well, I am 83 years old. So ...

 

[tzfujimino]

NOT A TEACHER

Well, I am 83 years old. So ...

So ... I'd like to learn a lot from you, as I always have.

 

[Rover_KE]

I was pretty sure that 'Are the trains running to time in this unprecedented situation?' was a common collocation but could only find one example from Fraze.It.com:

As a mere stripling of 82 compared to The Parser, I notice that I got no responses to the above from native speakers one way or the other.

Have I dreamt it?

 

[GoesStation]

As a mere stripling of 82 compared to The Parser, I notice that I got no responses to the above from native speakers one way or the other.

Have I dreamt it?

"Are the trains running to time" doesn't look natural to me.

 

[emsr2d2]

It looks natural but very old-fashioned to me. I wouldn't recommend using it in modern, everyday English.

 

[Tarheel]

I'm starting to feel like a young person. (I am "only" 70.)
;-)

 

[Rover_KE]

That's when I was in my prime.