"at the time" vs "at that time"

Question

"at the time" vs "at that time"

Both 'at the time' and 'at that time' are correct and commonly used phrases in English. They are often interchangeable, but 'at the time' is more general and can refer to any specific time, while 'at that time' is more specific and refers to a particular time previously mentioned or understood.

Last Updated: March 22, 2024

This phrase is used to refer to a specific time in the past or present when something happened or was true.

Examples:

I was in school at the time of the incident.
At the time of the meeting, she was out of town.
He was the best player at the time.

Alternatives:

at that time
during that time
when it happened
when it occurred
while it was happening

This phrase is used to refer to a specific time in the past or present that has been previously mentioned or is understood from the context.

Examples:

She was in college at that time.
At that time, we didn't have enough information.
He was working at that time.

Alternatives:

at the time
during that time
when it happened
when it occurred
while it was happening

Answer 1

at the time

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

Answer 2

at that time

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"at the time" vs "at that time"

at the time

at that time

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