at pm

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "at pm" is not correct in written English as it is incomplete.
It can be used when specifying a time, but it should be preceded by a specific hour. Example: "The meeting is scheduled for 3 pm."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

51 human-written examples

Plant height was maximum (234.3 cm) at PM + ZnS followed by FM + ZnF (230 cm), PM + ZnF (227 cm), and FYM + ZnS (226 cm), respectively, and all other treatments showed higher plant height than control (172.60 cm) (Table 3).

International Journal of Recycling of Organic Waste in Agriculture

As of 2000, institutional guidelines from the working party on hereditary tumors recommended to perform clinical breast examination (CBE) and imaging examination within 3 months prior to PM, to minimize the risk of finding unexpected malignant changes at PM.

Annals of Surgical Oncology

"At PM, he did some of his best work.

The New York Times

"It's nice to find something on Sunday, especially off hours," Ms. Corcoran said in an examining room at PM Pediatrics.

The New York Times

A statement about the gathering of corps commanders said: "Participants expressed their serious concern over feeding of false and fabricated story of an important security meeting held at PM house and viewed it as breach of national security".

The Guardian

Within moments of arriving at PM Pediatrics, which calls itself "an urgent care center for children and young adults," Dr. Jeffrey Schor, a pediatric emergency room specialist, examined Amanda's ear.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

8 human-written examples

The documents show Brian Cookson did not benefit from similar "direct support at PM-level" for his bid to be elected president of cycling's governing body, the UCI, in 2013.

The Guardian - Sport

A classic rock artist, Jim began playing at PM-jamnites two years ago.

Huffington Post

Supernatants were collected and diluted in endotoxin-free water at PM-equivalent concentrations of 1, 0.1, and 0.01 mg/mL.

Environmental Health Perspectives

Low-latitude boundary is at ({pm } 60^circ ) Fig. 5 Scalar residuals of model SIFMplus in dependence on QD latitude and magnetic local time (MLT, in hours) in Northern (left) and Southern (right) polar cap, for various directions of the IMF components (B_y) and (B_z).

Earth, Planets and Space

"This election really is different because it is not just about who wins, but whether as a whole there is enough credibility, legitimacy and institutional integrity to challenge the very different values held by Boko Haram and everyone else that has no time for constitutional rule," said Antony Goldman, a Nigeria specialist at PM Consulting.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always specify the hour when using "pm" to denote time. For example, "The meeting is at 2 pm".

Common error

Avoid using "pm" without a specific hour. Saying "The event is at pm" is incomplete and grammatically incorrect.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "at pm" functions as an incomplete prepositional phrase intended to specify a time occurring after midday. However, it is grammatically incomplete without a preceding hour. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is not correct in written English because it requires a specific hour.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "at pm" intends to denote a time in the afternoon or evening, it is grammatically incomplete without specifying the hour. Ludwig AI confirms that it's not considered correct in written English unless a specific hour precedes "pm". The phrase appears across various contexts like Science and News & Media, but its low frequency and grammatical incorrectness suggest avoiding it in formal writing. To ensure clarity and correctness, always include the hour (e.g., "at 3 pm") or use alternative phrases such as "in the afternoon" or "in the evening".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

at 3 pm

Adding a specific hour makes the phrase grammatically correct and complete.

in the afternoon

This is a general time of day, lacking the precision of a specific time.

in the evening

Similar to "in the afternoon", but refers to a later time of day.

during the afternoon

This emphasizes an action happening continuously within the afternoon period.

during the evening

Emphasizes continuous action within the evening.

late in the day

Indicates an event occurring towards the end of the afternoon or evening, less specific.

this afternoon

Refers to the current afternoon, adding a sense of immediacy.

this evening

Refers to the current evening, implying an event planned for today.

after midday

A more formal way of saying after noon, indicating the afternoon.

between noon and sunset

Provides a broad timeframe encompassing the afternoon and early evening.

FAQs

How to use "at pm" correctly in a sentence?

Always include a specific hour before "pm", such as "The concert starts "at 8 pm"".

What can I say instead of "at pm" to indicate afternoon or evening?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases like "in the afternoon", "in the evening", or specify a time with am/pm (e.g., "at 3 pm").

Which is correct, "at pm" or "at 3 pm"?

"At 3 pm" is correct because it specifies the hour. "At pm" is incomplete and grammatically incorrect.

Is "pm" capitalized?

While some style guides might prefer "P.M.", it's commonly written in lowercase as "pm".