Practice
On Friday or in Friday: which is correct?
The interview is on Friday. You may spend the whole day preparing for it, but you do not say the interview is in Friday. English normally uses on with the name of a day.
Use on before Friday when you mean the day, and use in only when Friday is part of a longer time phrase or a possessive noun phrase.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
on Friday /ɑn ˈfraɪdeɪ/
The short answer
Say on Friday when something happens that day. Use in for longer periods such as in May, in 2026, or in the afternoon. If you see in Friday's, the phrase needs a following noun, such as in Friday's email or in Friday's class.
We are meeting on Friday after lunch.
Why it works: Friday names the day of the meeting, so on is the usual preposition.
5 more examples
-
The office closes early on Friday.
On introduces the day when the office closes early.
Not this:The office closes early
in May. What changes: In works with the month, which is a longer period than a day. -
I will send the report on Friday morning.
The phrase identifies a particular morning on a named day.
Not this:I usually write reports
in the morning. What changes: In the morning describes the general part of the day, not one named day. -
We practiced the presentation on Friday.
Friday stands alone as the day of the practice session.
Not this:We practiced the presentation
in the afternoon. What changes: In is used with the part of the day in this general time phrase. -
The manager discussed the budget in Friday's meeting.
Friday's describes meeting. The preposition in belongs with the meeting, not with Friday alone.
Not this:The manager discussed the budget
on Friday. What changes: Here Friday is the complete time expression, so on is needed. -
The train leaves on Friday, not on Thursday.
Both Friday and Thursday are named days, so both use on.
Not this:The train service changes
in the summer. What changes: Summer is a season, which is treated as a longer period.
Read the full guide
Choose the preposition by the kind of time expression that follows it. A named day takes on. A month, year, season, or part of the day usually takes in. This pattern helps with Friday and with other days of the week.
Use on for a named day
Use on before the name of a day. This includes Friday, Saturday, and the other days of the week. The preposition tells the reader which day the action happens.
Our class starts on Friday.
Friday is a named day, so the sentence uses on.
Complete the sentence: The store is closed ___ Friday.
Use on: The store is closed on Friday.
Use in for longer periods
In often goes with a month, year, season, or general part of the day. These expressions contain more time than one named day. Compare in April, in 2026, in winter, and in the evening.
The course begins in October.
October is a month. Use on if you name one date inside that month: on October 4.
Choose the preposition: We travel ___ August.
Use in: We travel in August.
Add a time after Friday
You can make the time more precise without changing on. Say on Friday morning, on Friday afternoon, or on Friday at 6 p.m. The main time expression is still the named day.
Please call me on Friday afternoon.
The phrase names one Friday afternoon, not afternoons in general.
Complete the plan: We will talk ___ Friday at noon.
Use on: We will talk on Friday at noon.
Notice Friday's before a noun
Friday's can describe something connected with Friday. In Friday's schedule, Friday's is part of the noun phrase schedule. Here in does not mean during Friday by itself. It means inside the schedule.
There is a reminder in Friday's schedule.
The reminder appears inside the schedule. To say when it appears, use on Friday.
Choose the phrase for an item inside a schedule: on Friday's schedule or in Friday's schedule?
Use in Friday's schedule. The schedule is the noun introduced by in.
Check the time expression
Before you choose a preposition, look at the whole phrase. If Friday is the day when an event happens, use on Friday. If Friday's is followed by a noun, decide whether the sentence means inside that noun, as in Friday's report, or at the time of the day, on Friday.
I found the note in Friday's report, then I replied on Friday.
In Friday's report names where the note was found. On Friday names when the reply was sent.
Which phrase answers the question When did you reply?
Use on Friday because it names the day of the reply.
Before you go
Remember this
Use on Friday for the day. Use in with longer periods, such as in May or in the afternoon. If Friday's has a noun after it, in can introduce that noun phrase: in Friday's meeting.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "On Friday or in Friday: which is correct?"
Is in Friday ever correct?
Not when Friday stands alone as the day when something happens. Use on Friday for that meaning. In can appear before Friday's when Friday's is followed by a noun, such as in Friday's email. In that phrase, email is the noun introduced by in.
The office closes early on Friday.
Why do we say in the morning but on Friday morning?
In the morning refers to mornings as a general part of the day. On Friday morning identifies one particular morning because it includes a named day. The named day controls the choice of on in the longer phrase.
The office closes early in May.
Do dates use on in the same way as days?
Yes. Use on for a specific date, such as on June 12, just as you use on Friday. Use in for a month or year when you do not name one particular date, such as in June or in 2026.
I will send the report on Friday morning.
Can I say on this Friday?
Yes, when this Friday helps identify the particular Friday you mean. In ordinary conversation, people also often say this Friday without a preposition. The surrounding context usually shows whether it means the coming Friday or another Friday already discussed.
I usually write reports in the morning.
How can I choose between on and in quickly?
Look at the word or phrase after the preposition. Choose on for a named day or a specific date. Choose in for a month, year, season, or general part of the day. Then check whether Friday's is describing a noun instead of naming the time.
We practiced the presentation on Friday.