PREPOSITION IN, ON, AND AT

Prepositions: In, On, and At (with specific times and places)

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 school?

B: In SMAN2 PALANGKARAYA.

A: Really? what exactly the address where?

B: It's on K.S tubun street.

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VOCABULARY AROUND THE HOUSE

Definition of house :

as Nouns

• a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
• the members of a business organization that owns or operates one or more establishments

• the members of a religious community living together
• the audience gathered together in a theatre or cinema
• an official assembly having legislative powers
• aristocratic family line

• play in which children take the roles of father or mother or children and pretend to interact like adults

          (astrology) one of 12 equal areas into which the zodiac is divided

• the management of a gambling house or casino
• a social unit living together
• a building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented
• a building in which something is sheltered or located

as Verbs

• contain or cover
• provide housing for 

  Useful Vocabulary

  
  attic | bathroom | bedroom | kitchen | living room

  

  Build Up

  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 (see eating at home).
  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.

  

  

  Dialogue

  Dialogue : 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.

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PASSIVE VOICE

Passive voice is used when the focus is on the action. It is not important or not known, however, who or what is performing the action.

Example: My bike was stolen.

In the example above, the focus is on the fact that my bike was stolen. I do not know, however, who did it.
Sometimes a statement in passive is more polite than active voice, as the following example shows:

Example: A mistake was made.

In this case, I focus on the fact that a mistake was made, but I do not blame anyone (e.g. You have made a mistake.).

Form of Passive

Subject + finite form of to be + Past Participle (3rd column of irregular verbs)

Example: A letter was written.

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) 

 

Examples of Passive Level: lower intermediate

Tense		Subject	Verb	Object
Simple Present	Active:	Rita	writes	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	is written	by Rita.
Simple Past	Active:	Rita	wrote	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	was written	by Rita.
Present Perfect	Active:	Rita	has written	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	has been written	by Rita.
Future I	Active:	Rita	will write	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	will be written	by Rita.
Hilfsverben	Active:	Rita	can write	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	can be written	by Rita.

 

Examples of Passive Level: upper intermediate

Tense		Subject	Verb	Object
Present Progressive	Active:	Rita	is writing	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	is being written	by Rita.
Past Progressive	Active:	Rita	was writing	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	was being written	by Rita.
Past Perfect	Active:	Rita	had written	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	had been written	by Rita.
Future II	Active:	Rita	will have written	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	will have been written	by Rita.
Conditional I	Active:	Rita	would write	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	would be written	by Rita.
Conditional II	Active:	Rita	would have written	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	would have been written	by Rita.

 

Passive Sentences with Two Objects Level: intermediate

Rewriting an active sentence with two objects in passive voice means that one of the two objects becomes the subject, the other one remains an object. Which object to transform into a subject depends on what you want to put the focus on.

	Subject	Verb	Object 1	Object 2
Active:	Rita	wrote	a letter	to me.
Passive:	A letter	was written	to me	by Rita.
Passive:	I	was written	a letter	by Rita.

. As you can see in the examples, adding by Rita does not sound very elegant. That’s why it is usually dropped.

 

Personal and Impersonal Passive

Personal Passive simply means that the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence. So every verb that needs an object (transitive verb) can form a personal passive.

Example: They build houses. – Houses are built.

Verbs without an object (intransitive verb) normally cannot form a personal passive sentence (as there is no object that can become the subject of the passive sentence). If you want to use an intransitive verb in passive voice, you need an impersonal construction – therefore this passive is calledImpersonal Passive.

Example: he says – it is said

Impersonal Passive is not as common in English as in some other languages (e.g. German, Latin). In English, Impersonal Passive is only possible with verbs of perception (e. g. say, think, know).

Example: They say that women live longer than men. – It is said that women live longer than men.

Although Impersonal Passive is possible here, Personal Passive is more common.

Example: They say that women live longer than men. – Women are said to live longer than men.

The subject of the subordinate clause (women) goes to the beginning of the sentence; the verb of perception is put into passive voice. The rest of the sentence is added using an infinitive construction with 'to' (certain auxiliary verbs and that are dropped).


Sometimes the term Personal Passive is used in English lessons if the indirect object of an active sentence is to become the subject of the passive sentence.

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