When talking about your weekly plans, have you ever been unsure whether to use in the week or on the week? Both are right, but they’re used in different situations.
You can use ‘in the week’ when something will occur on any (unspecified) day during a typical workweek.
‘On the week’, even though it’s less frequently used and often seen as incorrect, is used when referring to a specific week.
Let’s explore and explain the differences between these two often-confused phrases below:
In the Week or On the Week: Which is Correct?
The phrase “in the week” is used when talking about events that happen at some point during the seven days of the week but on no specific day.
On the other hand, the use of the phrase, “on the week” is not common. It is used to refer to something occurring within a specific week. For example, “on the week of March 1st.”
Examples:
- “I’ll do my grocery shopping in the week,”
- “I’ll join you’ll at the vacation house on the week of Christmas.”
In The Week: Meaning and Usage
The preposition ‘in’ is used to refer to an unspecified period or timeframe that contains several days.
You use ‘in’ with “week” to talk about something happening during the week, but when the specific day is not mentioned. This could refer to any time from Monday to Friday.
So, ‘in the week’ refers to a less precise time within the span of the week.
For example: If you want to highlight your availability for a meeting, you might say: “I am free for a meeting in the week.”
On the Week: Meaning and Usage
The word ‘on’ with ‘week’ is used when you’re referring to a specific week. It’s crucial when the exact week is relevant, like when scheduling events or planning important activities.
For example, if you’re arranging a conference, you might say, “The conference will take place on the week of August 15th.” This implies that the conference is planned for that specific week.
So, remember to use ‘on’ with ‘week’ when you need to emphasize a particular week in your conversations or your plans.
Examples of Using “In The Week“ in A Sentence
“Sometime in the week I plan to start my new book.“
“Our family will go for a picnic in the week.“
“The new restaurant in town will open in the week.“
“They will be hosting a charity event in the week.“
“We’ll have a team meeting in the week. Please be prepared with your reports.”
“We’ll be organizing a small get-together sometime in the week.“
Examples of Using “On The Week“ in A Sentence
“Schedule your meetings on the week of March 10th.“
“Expect a delivery on the week you requested.“
“Conduct the survey on the week of June 20th.“
“Review your performance on the week ending Friday.“
“Begin the training program on the week starting May 5th.“
“Your subscription will renew on the week of your enrollment anniversary.“
Is ‘during the week’ an appropriate alternative to ‘in the week’?
Yes, ‘during the week’ is an appropriate alternative to ‘in the week.’ If you mean to refer to a period of time between Monday and Friday, you might say, “I visited the museum during the week,” highlighting actions that took place at some point within the weekdays.
Which is correct “in the weekend” or “on the weekend?”
The correct phrase is “on the weekend” when referring to activities or events that happen during the time frame of Saturday and Sunday. The phrase “in the weekend” is not standard in American or British English.
Why is “in the week” considered more acceptable than “on the week?”
In English, the preposition “on” is for specific days/dates (e.g., on Monday), whereas “in” refers to nonspecific times during a day, week, month, season, or year. Therefore, “in the week” aligns more with the standard use of these prepositions in English.
