Time

[Xinfu]

-These things can be closely related to the background of the time Cynthia lived __.

Could I use in? It sounds OK to me, but my friend says in is wrong and only at is possible. Who is correct?

[Rusty]

Both 'in' and 'at' can be used.
Your sentence works well with 'in'.

You can live in a time and you can live at a time. The distinction, in my mind anyway, is that 'in' is more general (within or inside a broad definition of time, like an age or an era) and that 'at' focuses on a more specific instance of time, like a date, an event or a memory).

[Xinfu]

Both 'in' and 'at' can be used.
Your sentence works well with 'in'.

You can live in a time and you can live at a time. The distinction, in my mind anyway, is that 'in' is more general (within or inside a broad definition of time, like an age or an era) and that 'at' focuses on a more specific instance of time, like a date, an event or a memory).

Thanks.

If age/era=a particular period of history, could we use both at and in?

-We are living at the internet age.
-We are living in the internet age.
-We are living at the internet era.
-We are living in the internet era.

[Rusty]

in the internet age
in the internet era

[Xinfu]

Excellent answer. Thank you.