At night VERSUS in the night

[Jesus1]

Hello! How do you feel?.
I?ve always used the preposition
"at" with the word night.

For instance, I work at night.



I have heard of some conversations
in which "in the night" is used. Not in
the sentence above. Though maybe, I can
use it here as well. I don?t know.
Could you help me to
distinguish between "at night"
and "in the night" and when they
are used?. Is there any rule?
Give some examples, please.



Thanks a lot!

Jes?s

[Mister Micawber]

.
At night is the common and idiomatic phrase, Jesus. We use in the night occasionally when we wish to communicate clearly that an event occurred within or during the night-- that is, while the night was passing. For instance:

I thought I heard a scream in the night, and awoke to find I had fallen off my bed.
.
_________________
Canadian-American native speaker
who teaches English for a living at Mister Micawber's
ESL cafe: Interview with Mister Micawber

[Tom]

Hello, Jesus

Once I also I asked this question. See below please.

'At night' versus 'In the night'
http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic11832.html#33230

Tom