preposition in, on and at

Prepositions of Time: at, in, on

We use:

• at for a PRECISE TIME
• in for MONTHS, YEARS, CENTURIES and LONG PERIODS
• on for DAYS and DATES

at	in	on
PRECISE TIME	MONTHS, YEARS, CENTURIES and LONG PERIODS	DAYS and DATES
at 3 o'clock	in May	on Sunday
at 10.30am	in summer	on Tuesdays
at noon	in the summer	on 6 March
at dinnertime	in 1990	on 25 Dec. 2010
at bedtime	in the 1990s	on Christmas Day
at sunrise	in the next century	on Independence Day
at sunset	in the Ice Age	on my birthday
at the moment	in the past/future	on New Year's Eve

Look at these examples:

• I have a meeting at 9am.
• The shop closes at midnight.
• Jane went home at lunchtime.
• In England, it often snows in December.
• Do you think we will go to Jupiter in the future?
• There should be a lot of progress in the next century.
• Do you work on Mondays?
• Her birthday is on 20 November.
• Where will you be on New Year's Day?

Notice the use of the preposition of time at in the following standard expressions:

Expression	Example
at night	The stars shine at night.
at the weekend	I don't usually work at the weekend.
at Christmas/Easter	I stay with my family at Christmas.
at the same time	We finished the test at the same time.
at present	He's not home at present. Try later.

Notice the use of the prepositions of time in and on in these common expressions:

in	on
in the morning	on Tuesday morning
in the mornings	on Saturday mornings
in the afternoon(s)	on Sunday afternoons
in the evening(s)	on Monday evening

When we say last, next, every, this we do not also use at, in, on.

• I went to London last June. (not in last June)
• He's coming back next Tuesday. (not on next Tuesday)
• I go home every Easter. (not at every Easter)
• We'll call you this evening. (not in this evening)

Asking if someone remembers or not

Formal expressions:

Ø I wonder if you remember.....

Ø You remember...., don’t you?

Ø You haven’t forgotten...., have you?

Ø Don’t you remember.....?

Ø Do you happen to remember it now?

Ways to respond:

Ø Let me think, yes, I remember.

Ø I remember especially the scenery.

Ø I’ll never forget that

Ø I’ll always remember.

Ø I can remember it clearly.

Informal expressions:

Ø Remember the old house we used to live in?

Ø Remember that?

Ø I’m sorry I don’t remember.

Ways to respond:

Ø Hold on. Yes, got it!

Ø I know.....

Ø It’s coming back to me now.

Respond if you forget:

Ø Sorry, I’ve completely forgotten.

Ø I’m affraid I forget.

Ø I really can’t remember.

Ø I’m afraid I have no memory of him

Ø Errr, let me think. No, it’s gone.

Ø Sorry, it slipped off my mind.

Example..

It was Sunday morning, wati got dressed and had breakfast quickly. She was ready to leave for school. Her mother was a little puzzled.

Mother             : Hey...hey.... are you going to school?

Wati                 : Yes, Mom. I overslept. I’m in a hurry

Mother             : You remember Sunday, don’t you?

Wati                 : Oh, my goodnes. I thought it’s a school day !

vocabulary around the house

vocabulary around the house

Other Rooms

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

 

 

Simple Future

Simple Future has two different forms in English: "will" and "be going to." Although the two forms can sometimes be used interchangeably, they often express two very different meanings. These different meanings might seem too abstract at first, but with time and practice, the differences will become clear. Both "will" and "be going to" refer to a specific time in the future.


FORM Will

[will + verb]

Examples:
You will help him later.
Will you help him later?
You will not help him later.
FORM Be Going To

[am/is/are + going to + verb]

Examples:
You are going to meet Jane tonight.
Are you going to meet Jane tonight?
You are not going to meet Jane tonight.

Complete List of Simple Future Forms
USE 1 "Will" to Express a Voluntary Action

"Will" often suggests that a speaker will do something voluntarily. A voluntary action is one the speaker offers to do for someone else. Often, we use "will" to respond to someone else's complaint or request for help. We also use "will" when we request that someone help us or volunteer to do something for us. Similarly, we use "will not" or "won't" when we refuse to voluntarily do something.

Examples:
I will send you the information when I get it.
I will translate the email, so Mr. Smith can read it.
Will you help me move this heavy table?
Will you make dinner?
I will not do your homework for you.
I won't do all the housework myself!
A: I'm really hungry.
B: I'll make some sandwiches.
A: I'm so tired. I'm about to fall asleep.
B: I'll get you some coffee.
A: The phone is ringing.
B: I'll get it.
USE 2 "Will" to Express a Promise

"Will" is usually used in promises.

Examples:
I will call you when I arrive.
If I am elected President of the United States, I will make sure everyone has access to inexpensive health insurance.
I promise I will not tell him about the surprise party.
Don't worry, I'll be careful.
I won't tell anyone your secret.
USE 3 "Be going to" to Express a Plan

"Be going to" expresses that something is a plan. It expresses the idea that a person intends to do something in the future. It does not matter whether the plan is realistic or not.

Examples:
He is going to spend his vacation in Hawaii.
She is not going to spend her vacation in Hawaii.
A: When are we going to meet each other tonight?
B: We are going to meet at 6 PM.
I'm going to be an actor when I grow up.
Michelle is going to begin medical school next year.
They are going to drive all the way to Alaska.
Who are you going to invite to the party?
A: Who is going to make John's birthday cake?
B: Sue is going to make John's birthday cake.
USE 4 "Will" or "Be Going to" to Express a Prediction

Both "will" and "be going to" can express the idea of a general prediction about the future. Predictions are guesses about what might happen in the future. In "prediction" sentences, the subject usually has little control over the future and therefore USES 1-3 do not apply. In the following examples, there is no difference in meaning.

Examples:
The year 2222 will be a very interesting year.
The year 2222 is going to be a very interesting year.
John Smith will be the next President.
John Smith is going to be the next President.
The movie "Zenith" will win several Academy Awards.
The movie "Zenith" is going to win several Academy Awards.
IMPORTANT

In the Simple Future, it is not always clear which USE the speaker has in mind. Often, there is more than one way to interpret a sentence's meaning.
No Future in Time Clauses

Like all future forms, the Simple Future cannot be used in clauses beginning with time expressions such as: when, while, before, after, by the time, as soon as, if, unless, etc. Instead of Simple Future, Simple Present is used.

Examples:
When you will arrive tonight, we will go out for dinner. Not Correct
When you arrive tonight, we will go out for dinner. Correct
ADVERB PLACEMENT

The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.

Examples:
You will never help him.
Will you ever help him?
You are never going to meet Jane.
Are you ever going to meet Jane?
ACTIVE / PASSIVE

Examples:
John will finish the work by 5:00 PM. Active
The work will be finished by 5:00 PM. Passive
Sally is going to make a beautiful dinner tonight. Active
A beautiful dinner is going to be made by Sally tonight. Passive

noun phrase

A noun phrase is other a single noun or any group of words containing noun or a pronoun that function together as a noun or pronoun, as the subject or object of adverb.

For example, ‘they’ , ‘books’, and ‘the books’, are noun phrases, but ‘book’ is just a noun, as you can see in these sentences (in which the noun phrases are all in bold)

> Structure of Noun Phrases:
> A beautiful old painting on the wall

When you use a noun in front of another noun, you never put adjectives between them, you put adjectives in front of the first noun.
Example : We just spoke with a young American boy

Noun phrase can be in form of gerund (base + ing) or gerund and other nouns compounding.

direct and indirect speech

Direct Speech refers to reproducing another person’s exact words or saying exactly what someone has said (sometimes called quoted speech).
We use quotation marks (“______________”) and it should be word for word.
For example:
Nicky said, “It’s hot”.
Or
“It’s hot,” Nicky said.
Indirect speech refers to reproducing the idea of another person’s words that doesn’t use quotation marks to enclose what the person said and it doesn’t have to be word for word.
Indirect speech is sometimes called reported speech.
The tense usually changes when reporting speech. This is because we are usually talking about a time in the past and obviously the person who spoke originally spoke in the past.
The verbs therefore usually have to be in the past too.

▪ Note: The reporting verbs that are usually used to report imperative sentences are: Tell, order, command, ask, warn, remind

▪ Don’t forget to mention the indirect object. Father warned me not to drive fast.

For example:
Direct speech Indirect speech
Present simple Past simple
Vita said, “I eat fried rice. Vita said that she ate fried rice.
Past simple Past Perfect
Mother said, “I went to market yesterday”. Mother said (that) she had gone to market the day before.
Future simple Past Future
Lea said, “I am going to wash my clothes”. Lea said (that) she was going to wash her clothes.
Dave said, “I will buy an I-Pod next week”. Dave said (that) he would buy an I-Pod the week after.
Present continuous Past continuous
Gama said, “I am playing football”. Gama said he was playing football.
Past continuous Past perfect continuous
She said, “I was teaching earlier.” She said she had been teaching earlier.
▪ When we want to report what someone said, we do not usually repeat their exact words, we use our words. We can use reporting verbs, such as tell, say, ask followed by ‘that-clause’.
Example: My mother said that she got up at 4 o’clock.
▪ When reporting verbs is in the Present, Present Perfect, or Future, there is no change of tense in the words reported.
Example: She will tell you
She says (that) she doesn’t know.
She has just said
In time expressions and pronouns

Direct speech	Indirect speech
Now Today/tonight Yesterday Tomorrow Last week Next week Ago	Then That day/that night The day before/the previous day The next/following day The previous week The following week/the week after Before
This/these Here Pronouns	That/those There They change according to the context

Sometimes we need to report someone’s questions. The reported question are introduced with the verb ask, inquire, wonder, want to know, etc.

Type	Form	Examples
Yes-No questions	Ask + if/whether + subject + verb Wonder etc.	“Do you speak English?” - He wondered if I spoke English.
Wh-questions	Ask + question word + subject + verb Wonder etc.	“What are you watching?” - She asked what I am watching

finite verbs

A finite verbs is a verb that is inflected for tense according to the rules and categories of the languages in which it occurs. Finite verbs can form independent clauses, which can stand by their own as complete sentences.

Every grammatically correct sentence or clouse must contain a finite verb; sentence fragments not containing finite verb are described as phrases.

Some interjections can play the same role. Even in English, a sentence like thanks for you help! Has an interjection where it could have a subject and a fibite verb form compare I appreciate your help!

A verb is a world that expression an occurrence, act, or made, of being, finite verbs, sometimes called main verbs, are limited by time (see tense), person, and number.

Verb forms that are not finite include the infinite
Participles (e.g, the broken window..!, The wheezing gentleman…”)

Gerunds and gerundives
English has three kinds of verbals : participles, which function as adjectives, which have noun-like, adjective –like, and adverb-like functions each of these is also used in various common constructs; for example, the past participle is used in farming the perfect aspect (to have done).

Other kinds of verbals, such as gerunds and gerundives, exist in other languages.
Example :
The Finite verbs are the under lived work

                                         
THE CROWN AND THE FOX

One day a crow finds a tasty piece of cheese she picks it up, flaps her wings, and flies to a high branch of a tree to eat it. (…)
Source : International Story

introductory it

When the subjective is an infinitive phrase

We begin a sentence with it when the real subject is an infinitive phrase. So instead of saying, ‘To accept your advice is difficult’, we say, ‘It is difficult to accept your advice’.

Structure: It + verb + subject complement + infinitive phrase (real subject)

- It is easy to learn English. (= To learn English is easy.)

- It is easy to find fault with others. (= To find fault with others is easy.)

- It is difficult to know his motive. (= To know his motive is difficult.)

- It is difficult to find a good job during these troubled times.

- It is dangerous to play with fire.

- It could be dangerous to drive so fast.

Note that when we wish to emphasize the infinitive phrase, it may be put at the beginning, especially when it is short.

- To err is human. (OR It is human to err.)

- To become a well known writer was his life-long ambition. (OR It was his lifelong ambition to become a well known writer.)

- To invest all your money in shares is foolish. (OR It is foolish to invest all your money in shares.)

When the subject is a gerund phrase

When the real subject is a phrase that includes a gerund, it is used as a provisional subject to begin the sentence. So instead of saying ‘Your trying to fool us is no good’, we say, ‘It is no good your trying to fool us.’

-  It won’t be any good complaining to the manager. (Complaining to the anager won’t be any good.)

- It is silly throwing away this opportunity. (Throwing away this opportunity is silly.)

- Will it be any good my talking to him about it? (Will my talking to him about it be any good)

- It is no fun having so many children to look after. (Having so many children to look after is no fun.)

Note that it is possible to change the gerund into an infinitive.

- It won’t be any good for me to complain to the manager.

- It is silly (for you) to throw away this opportunity.

- Will it be any good for me to talk to him about it?

offering

The expression of “ Would you like....”is normally used for offering something to someone.

Woni               : Would you like a cup of tea, Mr,gema?

Mr. Gema      : Yes, please. Thank you. Hmmm...this tea tastes good....and smells fragrant too.......

Woni              : thank you. I’m glad you like it.

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