PREPOSITION IN, ON, AND AT

The prepositions in, on, and at can be used to indicate time and place. Notice how they are used in the following situations:

Preposition Time Place
In Year, Month,
In 1999, In December Country, State, City
In Japan, In Utah, InTaipei
On Day, Date
On Saturday, On May 1 Street
On Main Street, On 1st Ave.
At Time
At 8:00, At 7:30 Address
At 815 East Main Street



In many languages, there is only one preposition for the above situations. In English there are three. Just remember that in usually indicates the "largest" time or place, and at usually indicates the "smallest" time or place.

Examples:

A: Where's your office?

B: In Taipei, Taiwan.

A: Really? What part of Taipei?

B: It's on Chung Shan North Road.

A: I know that area. Where exactly is it?

B: It's at 105 Chung Shan North Road, next to the bookstore.


C: When is the wedding?

D: It's in June.

C: What day?

D: It's on Saturday, the 25th.

C: What time?

D: It starts at 6:00.




Prepositions with articles and locations




When talking about locations, use at to indicate the general vicinity or area, and in to
indicate inside the building, enclosed area, etc. For example:

at the swimming pool (on site)
in the swimming pool (in the
pool itself i.e. in the water)

at the post office/bank (general)
in the post office/bank (inside the building)

at the zoo (visitors, general area)
in the zoo (animals in their cages)

at school
in the classroom

Sample sentences:

I met my wife at the theater. (while watching a movie)

I spilled my drink in the theater (on the floor of the building)

She works at the library on Wednesdays.

She found a rare coin in the library (building).

Dr. Jones works at the hospital every day.

John was in the hospital for a week with a broken leg.

For school, prison, and church, the is used to indicate the building. No article indicates
the general situation. Note the following:

"practice"/situation
building

in school (studying, listening to teacher, etc.)
in the school (building)

in jail/prison (staying there as a criminal)
in the jail/prison (temporary)

in church (praying, listening to a sermon, etc.)
in the church (building)

Where's Dad?

in church (attending services)
in the church (fixing the windows)

at church
at the church

in prison (He committed a crime.)
at the prison (visiting his friend)

Vocabulary around house

example dialog :
Here is a conversation between Mrs Smith (Joan) and husband Steve.
It's Saturday and Joan and Steve are decorating.
Joan : Steve, you missed a bit.
Steve : Where?
Joan : Here, on the wall just by the window, you can see a patch of white.
Steve : Oh yes, I see it. It's difficult in this light.
Joan : I know, well at least we have finished this room, only five more to go.
Steve : Are you sure you want to put wallpaper up in the lounge?
Joan : Yes, but don't worry, I'm really good at wallpapering. I just wish that John would decide on what he wants his room doing in.
Steve : I know, it's difficult when you're a boy. At least he's grown out of Star Wars, I keep thinking he'll ask for red and black or something equally gruesome.
Joan : Yes, but it is his room. I'm glad we decided not to move though. Maybe we should think about building an extension to the kitchen instead.
Steve : One thing at a time please! Lets get this decorating over and done with first.
Joan : Ha! Oh by the way you missed a bit by the door too!
Steve : Hmmm, thanks. Here's a brush.
Attic People store things in the attic.
Ballroom A room in stately homes where rich people dance and concerts are held.
Box Room A small room used for storage.
Cellar Underneath the house.
Cloakroom A small room where people put their coats.
Conservatory A greenhouse attached to a house for the display of plants.
Dining Room A room where people eat.
Drawing Room A room in stately homes where rich people entertain.
Games Room A room in large houses where games are played.
Hall The entrance passage to a house.
Larder A small room used for the storage of food.
Library A room where books are kept.
Lounge Another name for living room.
Music Room A room where people play music.
Office A room where people work.
Pantry A small room used to store kitchen and dining items.
Parlour Old fashioned word for living room.
Sitting Room Another name for living room.
Spare Room/
Guest Room A room where guests sleep.
Toilet A room where people go to the toilet (often known as WC)
Utility Room A room where appliances such as washing machines are used.

Things you may find around the house

light bulb(s) plug(s) socket(s) torch(es)

ceiling light(s) lamp(s) curtain(s) shelf (shelves)

(tele)phone(s) box(es) plug(s) battery (batteries)

photo(graph)(s) television table mirror


picture
washtafel
bathtupe lamp

ASKING IF SOMEONE REMEMBERS OR NOT

expression :
* do you remember?
* You haven’t forgotten...., have you?
* I wonder if you remember.....
* You remember...., don’t you?
* I’ll always remember.
* I can remember it clearly.
Respond :

* I’ll always remember.
* I can remember it clearly.

OFFERING

Ways to say it

* Would you like a cup of coffee, Mr Green?
* Should I get you a bottle of water?
* Could I offer you a glass of milk, Mr. kiki?
* Would you care some salad?

Ofering to friends:

* Want some?
* Have some?
* Chocolate?
* Grab some for yourself

Less formal expressions:

* Would you like to have a pancake?
* Why don't you have some lemonade?
* What can I get for you?
* What will you have?

Declining an offering

* No, thanks.
* No, really won't, thanks
* Not for me, thanks.

Accepting an offering:

* Thank you.
* Yes, please
* I'd like it very much
* That would be very nice

Passive Voice

1.Simple present Active

passive We

OB on RCTI watched

is watched OB on RCTI

(by us) everyday.

everyday.
2. Simple past Active

passive Rita



A letter wrote

was written a letter

by Rita yesterday.

yesterday.
3. Simple Future Active

passive My family






A villa will rent

will be rent a villa

by my family for holiday.

for holiday.
When rewriting active sentences in passive voice, note the following:
• the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence
• the finite form of the verb is changed (to be + past participle)
• the subject of the active sentence becomes the object of the passive sentence (or is dropped)
Agent
In a passive clause, we usually use a phrase beginning with by if we want to mention the agent - the person or thing that does the action, or that causes what happens.
Examples:
My mother makes sandwich every morning.
Subject verb1+s/es O C (adv. of time)



Sandwich is made by my mother every morning.
Subject to be+V3 Agent C (adv. of time)
present continuous : [ S + to be + being +V3 (past participle)
present perfect: [ S + has/have + been + V3 (past participle)
present continuous Active
Passive A young boy is catching a butterfly.
A butterfly is being caught by a young boy.
present perfect Active
Passive Yano has returned the book to the library.
The book has been returned to the library by Yano.
If you want to change an active sentence which has two objects into its passive forms, there are two ways:
1. Make its indirect object into the subject of the passive sentence.
2. Make its direct object into the subject of the passive sentence.

Examples:
Active: John is giving his girl-friend a bunch of flower.
indirect object direct object
Passive:
The indirect object as the subject
John’s girl-friend is being given a bunch of flower.

Passive:
The direct object as the subject
A bunch of flower is being given to John’s girl-friend.

ASKING FOR INFORMATION

Some examples of ASKING FOR INFORMATION :
• Do you know?
• I’d like to know
• I’m looking for
• Could you tell me?
• Could you give me a information?

INTRODUCTORY IT

A To sing this song is easy.
B It is easy to sing this song.
In this pattern, it has no meaning. It is used only to fill the subject position in the sentence. Thus, it is called introductory “it”.
A and B mean the same thing, but sentence B is more common and useful than A. A was introduce mainly to make the meaning of B easier to understand.
Introductory “it” can fill the position both of the subject and object.

Introductory “it” as a subject:

To watch musical programs is pleasant.
IT IS PLEASANT TO WATCH MUSICAL PROGRAM.

To play football must be fun.
IT IS FUN TO PLAY FOOTBALL.