‘In time’ or ‘on time’?

Both 'in time' and 'on time' are sometimes correct. They have different meanings.
'On time' means 'at the right time' or 'at the time that we decided'. It's for things where there is a right moment to arrive or to do something. If you arrive or do the thing afterwards, you're late.

For example:

• If you are meeting your friend at 9am and you arrive at 9am, then you are on time.
• If the plane is scheduled to leave at 19:15 and it leave at 19:15, then the plane is on time.
• If a meeting is planned for 2pm and it starts at 2pm, then the meeting starts on time. (If the meeting starts at 1;30, then it's early.)
'In time' means 'not late' or 'before it's too late'. Usually, there's some thing or event that's going to happen, and you need to arrive or send your work, etc, before that time. After that time, it's often not possible to do the thing.

For example:

• If the teacher can only check your essay if you email it before 5pm on Tuesday, then if you email it at 3pm, that's in time.
• If your son is singing at school and you arrive before he starts, then you arrive in time to hear him sing.
• If your friend is leaving and you want to say goodbye at the airport and you arrive before her plane leaves, then you got to the airport in time. (If you arrive after her plane leaves, you're too late. You can't see her.)

Here are some more examples:

• The train arrived on time (= it arrived at the time on the timetable).
• His grandmother was very ill. He flew across the world to visit her before she died. He got there in time (= he got there before she died).

When you're talking about someone arriving for something like a meeting, you can use 'on time' = the person arrives at the time on the schedule, or 'in time' = the person arrives before the meeting starts.

Let's review! Put in 'in' or 'on'.

1. The plane left __________ time.
2. She arrived __________ for the dinner party, at 7pm exactly.
3. I thought I was going to be too late but I was __________ time - I saw the professor before she left for the weekend.
4. Did the class start __________ time?
5. Were you __________ time? Did you get to the shop before it closed?
6. I arranged to meet my friend at 10 am and she arrived __________ time at 10 exactly.
7. The trains never arrive __________ time in this country!
8. She was __________ time to see her daughter perform at the show. She arrived before her daughter's part started.
9. The meeting started __________ time, at 2pm precisely.
10. I didn't get to the shops __________ time to buy the new iPhone. It was already sold out.