on yesterday afternoon

USAGE SUMMARY

The part of the sentence "on yesterday afternoon" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to an afternoon that has already occurred in the past. For example: I went for a walk on yesterday afternoon.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Police officers in central London have allegedly called a transgendered woman "not normal" as they arrested her for a public order offence in Soho on yesterday afternoon.

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Comments will be switched on later this morning.

The Guardian - Opinion

Comments will be turned on later this morning.

The Guardian - Opinion

Comments on this article will be turned on later this morning, UK time.

The Guardian - Opinion

Families began arriving late on Christmas afternoon, during one of the worst blizzards of the winter.

The New Yorker

Remember this, dear reader, on Christmas afternoon.

Independent

24 Giants versus Jets at MetLife Stadium on Christmas Eve afternoon.

The New York Times

Lena & Corrado came to visit on Christmas afternoon.

The New Yorker

On Christmas afternoon, the crew made their fifth television broadcast.

Wikipedia

Maybe you could try sledding on Christmas afternoon or staying up until midnight on Christmas eve.

WikiHow

The brothers will play against one another on Thanksgiving night when the 49ers travel to Baltimore.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "on yesterday afternoon", ensure the context is clear that you are referring to a specific afternoon in the past. While grammatically correct, consider using simpler alternatives like "yesterday afternoon" for better readability.

Common error

Avoid using "on yesterday afternoon" when "yesterday afternoon" suffices. The preposition "on" is often unnecessary and can make the phrase sound slightly awkward.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "on yesterday afternoon" functions as a temporal adverbial phrase, specifying when an action occurred. Ludwig confirms its usability in English, although it is not the most common phrasing.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "on yesterday afternoon" is grammatically correct but considered somewhat redundant; the simpler form, "yesterday afternoon", is typically preferred. Ludwig AI confirms its usability. The phrase functions as a temporal adverbial, providing context for when an event occurred. While not incorrect, writers should be mindful of conciseness and clarity, opting for the shorter version unless a more formal tone is specifically desired. The phrase appears primarily in News & Media sources.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

yesterday afternoon

Omits the preposition "on".

yesterday in the afternoon

Adds the article "the" and inverts preposition.

on the afternoon of yesterday

Adds the article "the" and uses a more formal structure.

during yesterday afternoon

Replaces "on" with "during".

in yesterday's afternoon

Uses possessive form and preposition "in".

the previous afternoon

Replaces "yesterday" with "the previous".

the afternoon before today

Replaces "yesterday" with "the day before today".

afternoon of the previous day

Rephrases using "previous day".

early yesterday evening

Changes the time of day slightly.

late yesterday morning

Shifts the time frame from afternoon to morning.

FAQs

Is it better to say "on yesterday afternoon" or just "yesterday afternoon"?

While "on yesterday afternoon" is grammatically correct, "yesterday afternoon" is generally preferred for its conciseness and clarity. The preposition "on" is often redundant in this context.

What does "on yesterday afternoon" mean?

The phrase "on yesterday afternoon" refers to the afternoon of the day before today. It's a way of specifying a particular time in the recent past.

Can I use "in yesterday afternoon" instead of "on yesterday afternoon"?

No, "in yesterday afternoon" is not grammatically correct. The correct preposition to use in this context is "on", although it's often omitted for brevity. You can rephrase to something like "during yesterday afternoon" if you want to avoid the redundancy.

What are some alternatives to "on yesterday afternoon"?

Some alternatives include "yesterday afternoon", "the previous afternoon", or "the afternoon before today". The best choice depends on the specific context and desired level of formality.