Is there any difference
between arriving at a place "on time" and "in time"? Yes,
there is. But most English users, especially second learners of the
language, often use the former (on time) regardless of the time they
arrive. Therefore, this article is written to ensure an appropriate use of
these phrases by English users, particularly the loyal users of "on
time" or those who use these phrases interchangeably.
As regards arrival, on
time means at the appointed or expected time, on
schedule, neither early nor late etc. If someone arrived at a place on time, it
means they got there at the specified or stated time. For example, if we had a
meeting at 10:00 am and Tammy arrived at 10:00 am, it means Tammy arrived on
time.
On the other hand, in
time means sufficiently or a little early, before the specified time
etc. If someone arrived at a place in time, it means they got there before the
exact time; thus, having enough or a little time to spare. For example, if an
interview was scheduled for 8:00 am but Tammy arrived at 7:45 am, it means
Tammy arrived in time.
Some sentence examples
i. Despite the traffic
jam, I arrived at the meeting on time.
ii. Tammy always arrives
on time.
iii. In order to be among
the first five persons to see the doctor, the girl decided to arrive at the
hospital in time.
iv. The woman who always
arrives on time surprises everyone by arriving in time.
From the foregoing, the
semantic distinction between these phrases is quite obvious; therefore, English
users should always use them appropriately in order not to alter the actual
meaning(s) of their statements.