Time Morning Afternoon Evening Night

The meaning of
afternoon
may seem simple. After all, the definition is in the name. However, the overlap between afternoon and evening can often lead to confusion. Clear up the confusion about when to use
afternoon
and
evening
in writing and your daily life.
Time Difference Between Afternoon and Evening
There is no exact time frame for the transition from afternoon to evening to night. Rather, evening begins around the time the sun sets in most places or when the typical business day ends, which is approximately 5:00-6:00 p.m. Additionally, time and the rising and setting of the sun vary depending on time zones and whether you live north or south of the equator. Because of this,
afternoon
and
evening
are loose measurements of time that can vary in their meaning and usage.
-
afternoon
– the time between 12:00 p.m. and 5:00-6:00 p.m. -
evening
– roughly the time between 5:00 or 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 or 9:00 p.m.
Meaning and Usage of Afternoon
Afternoon begins immediately after 12:00 p.m., which is often called noon. The end of the afternoon time period coincides with the time the sun typically sets or the business day ends. It can be used as either a noun or an adjective to describe when something is taking place.
-
This meeting is at 2:00 in the
afternoon. (noun) -
I’m just drinking my
afternoon
tea. (adjective) -
It rained all
afternoon. (noun)
When and How to Use Evening
Evening typically lasts from the time the sun sets until around 8:00-9:00 p.m. It is marked by twilight or dusk when daylight decreases. Like
afternoon, it can be used as a noun or an adjective to describe the time of day you do a certain activity.
-
We have dinner at around 6:30 p.m. every
evening. (noun) -
I watch the
evening
news from 7:00-8:00 p.m. every day. (adjective) -
She takes her
evening
walk every day from 5:30-6:00 p.m. (adjective)
What About Dusk and Twilight?
The term
dusk
describes the process of becoming dark. Therefore, it can sometimes be used interchangeably with
evening
or
twilight. In contrast,
twilight
refers to the time between daylight and dark, such as the time between night and morning and sunset and night. More generally, it can be used to describe an intermediate period of time.
Times of Day Chart

Afternoon and evening are times of day that have a rough time frame. While some times of day are straightforward, others are more vague.
Time of Day |
Time Frame |
morning |
12:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. |
noon/midday |
12:00 p.m. |
afternoon |
12:00-5:00 p.m. |
evening |
approximately 5:00-9:00 p.m |
twilight |
approximately 5:00-7:00 a.m. and p.m. |
dusk |
approximately 5:00-7:00 p.m. |
night |
8:00 p.m.-12:00 a.m. |
Take Time to Learn the Difference
The difference between
afternoon
and
evening
can come down to daylight, but make sure you know the difference between lite and light. After that, check out when to eat dinner vs. supper.
Source: https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/vs/afternoon-vs-evening-its-time-differentiate
Posted by: gamadelic.com