Knowing how to use prepositions correctly shows your mastery of the language. This post is about the common errors in the use of prepositions.

Since and For

Since means ‘from a point of time in the past’. It should be used with the present perfect tense.

He has been ill since last week. (He fell ill two weeks ago and has been ill ever since. He is still ill.)

It has been raining continuously since yesterday morning. (It is still raining.)

Don’t use the simple present or present continuous tense with since. It is wrong to say ‘He is ill since last week’ or ‘It is raining since yesterday morning’.

For is used to refer to a period of time. It shows duration.

He has been ill for two weeks.

It has been raining for two days.

She has been sleeping for 10 hours.

Many ESL students commit the mistake of using since when referring to a period of time.

He has been working for two hours. OR He has been working since 11 am. (NOT He has been working since two hours.)

We have been living here for ten years. OR we have been living here since 1999. (NOT We have been living here since ten years.)

Beside and Besides

ESL students often get confused about the meaning and use of these two words. Note that beside means ‘by the side of’ and besides means ‘in addition to’.

She sat beside him. (= She sat by his side.)

Besides being a good writer, he is an excellent orator. (In addition to being a good writer, he is an excellent orator.)

Between and Among

Between is used when the reference is to two people or things.

She stood between Alice and Peter.

You have to choose between these two options.

Among is used when the reference is to more than two people or things.

The British were able to conquer India because Indian princes quarreled among themselves.

She sat among the children.

By and With

Use by when you want to refer to the doer of an action. Use with when you want to refer to the instrument with which the action was performed.

The spider was killed by John. (John is the doer. He killed the spider.)

The spider was killed with a stone. (Stone is the instrument with which the spider was killed.)

The spider was killed by John with a stone.

On, In and At

Use At with clock times.

I will meet you at 4 pm.

We had a party at 11 am.

Use on with days of the week and dates.

We met on a Monday.

The meeting is on the 21st of this month.

Use in with morning, evening, afternoon, years, months and seasons.

She was born in October.

The postman brought this letter in the morning.

We visited Kashmir in the summer.

We bought this house in 2002.

Note that we use at with night.

Credit goes to : ervaughn
Source : Indogamers English World

Present continuous and present perfect continuous

Incorrect: I am working for the last two hours.

Correct: I have been working for the last two hours.

Incorrect: He is working in this office for three years now.

Correct: He has been working in this office for three years now.

Incorrect: She is working since morning.

Correct: She has been working since morning.

Here the error lies in using the present continuous instead of present perfect continuous. The present continuous tense is used to talk about an action that is going on at the time of speaking. Here the emphasis is simply on the continuity of the action. The present perfect continuous is used to talk about an action which started in the past, has gone on till the present and is still continuing. In the sentence I have been working for two hours, I started working two hours ago, worked without stopping for two hours and am still working. The present perfect continuous tense is used to show emphasis on the duration and continuity. The adverbs since and for are very common in these sentences.

Present perfect and simple past

Incorrect: I have written to him yesterday.

Correct: I wrote to him yesterday.

Incorrect: We have visited them last week.

Correct: We visited them last week.

Incorrect: He has died two years ago.

Correct: He died two years ago.

Here the error lies in using the present perfect instead of simple past.

The present perfect tense is a present tense. You cannot use an adverb of past time with a present tense. If you have to mention a point of past time, use the simple past.

I saw him last week. (NOT I have seen him last week.)

Present tense and future tense

Incorrect: I shall call you when the dinner will be ready.

Correct: I shall call you when the dinner is ready.

Incorrect: They will come if you will invite them.

Correct: They will come if you invite them.

When the verb in the main clause is in the future tense, the verb in the subordinate clause should be in the present and not in the future.

Simple past and past perfect

Incorrect: I had been to Bombay recently.

Correct: I went to Bombay recently.

Incorrect: I had spoken to him last night.

Correct: I spoke to him last night.

Here the error lies in using the past perfect tense instead of simple past tense. The past perfect tense indicates that an action completed at some point in the past before another past action commenced.

Credit goes to : ervaughn
Source : Indogamers English World

I never intended to hurt you in first place
that sentence was never meant to hurt you
it's just my commitment
because I don't want to be like my father
which is very dependant to his sisters

I know this thing would be hard for you
I don't blame you though
this kind of thing is
not what everyone could accept easily

I enjoyed doing things with you
I really do
if I don't enjoying things with you
the "Epica" name was the proof of it

well, recently I've read a sentence
"expect the unexpected"
I guess this is the right time for it
for a change of our point of view

I'm not good at writing
but I hope this short note
could open your heart
and accept my forgiveness

please don't let all of our efforts vanished in vain....

I just want to let you know that
I want to be a better person
but, in order to do so
I need you help

my dear friend...
my sister...
Epica...

Recently, I was browsing for killing time as I am jobless so there's nothing much to do. I was on Youtube and watching two video clips of A Skylit Drive titled "I'm Not A Thief, I'm A Treasure Hunter" & "Knights Of The Round".

Here's the videos btw:
A Skylit Drive "I'm Not A Thief, I'm A Treasure Hunter" HQ Official Music Video


A Skylit Drive "Knights Of The Round" Official Music Video HQ


At the end of A Skylit Drive "Knights Of The Round" Official Music Video HQ, I saw related videos of it, and there's a band named Black Veil Brides which I've never saw before. So I click on it and begin to watching it. The song named "Knives and Pens". Whoa, they stunned me @_@ because there's only three of 'em! (later on I found that there are five of 'em, dunno why there's only three of 'em on the vid). I could only tell one thing "'DEY RAWKS D00D!".

Here's the video for you:
Black Veil Brides "Knives and Pens"


I couldn't write much here as I write this things online and not by paper first, so enjoy it :)

Previously, when I studied in Junior High School and Senior High School . I was very hated with English lesson. As a resulted I got a bad point of each my English exam. I Never thought for took course English but I always thought about “Why I must bothering to learn other language whereas my Indonesia language still bad” /sigh

Finally, I passed an exam and I became a University of Indonesia Student because of luckiness. Hahaha.. Even though it didn’t change my hatefulness of English. Moreover, when I attended in English class, I had got an English teacher who never understood about soul and physique condition of me. Whooaaa.. It’s too horrible to me..
Because of my hatefulness with English I got point “D” in final exam. And it wasn’t surprising me, I just cried and blamed my self. (are you laughing right now?? don’t mock me Ran..!!!) /crying…
But you know.. Recently, overall had changed. I have mentioned that my day full of English.. yaaa.. Every day just for English English and English. Moreover, every I attended in my class, all of my class became English class..yaa only for me…hahaha.. I sometimes do exercise from Fika, sometimes play crossword puzzle to increase my vocabulary English, sometimes ask to my friend’s (Martha and Via) about anything in English, sometimes talk in English with Putra and many more. Hahahaa.. FULL OF ENGLISH MAN..
Well, I have got spirit’s to learn English and I have a dream to can speak English better.. and it’s because of a few factor’s. The first, because I awared that an English is very important to my future better and my carrier later and on the other hand, my awareness also because of failed at the past time.
The second because I have a lot of kind people around me that they have been giving me motivation and giving me help if I need them. Fika is one of them. She is my kind friend and my best friend exactly. She has been teaching English to me regularly. We are study English every Sunday and Wednesday in SDL Centre. She always be honestly when she teach me.. slowly and with smooth sound. Ohh.. big thanks for you Fika,,..
The second of them is Aran..that’s right you are… Aran: Anak RagunaN..(hahahahaa).. just kidding my friend ^^. Thank you so much because of you I have a friend to improved my English skill through short message and this blog exactly. And I also say big thanks because you always remind me that the success never come as suddenly.. Overall need a process and you said that never give up because of failures and mistakes.The last I want to thanks because you always laugh out loud on SMS.. ROFLMAOTIDNHGDABDJAGFN…..your mocked make me always effort to prove that I can!!! Yaaa.. I CAAAAAAN!!!!! /scream

The third is Allen. Allen just my friend on cyberspace and didn’t real. I knew about him from omegle and sometimes chatting in English on YM. He is chinese people who I have told on my private blog.. if you want to know about him..check it out soon www.maudiahdwioktari.blogspot.com
Afterwards are my teacher’s in LBI whose beautiful and smart certainly. And do you know? one of my teacher’s is a friend of Bimo.. :D
Thanks to Mrs. Beffy and Mrs. Isty, you were changing my thinking about English teacher which always dreadful and scary. And I want to thanks to my friend’s in LBI. You are my friend’s whose very funny and satisfying. Nice to met you all….
Beside that, I have classmate’s other whose always available to me if I need help to improve my English skill such as there are Martha, Via, Putra and many more. Martha and Via are my smart friend’s. I always ask to them if I find difficulty in English lesson’s. One days I have made a trouble while we attended in class of Enviroment Administration as a result we have got a warning from our lecture.. Hahaha.. sorry Vi ^^.. The last is Putra. Putra is my funny friend, he has a nose as big as my shoes size..hehehe.. peace put!! Putra is my friend who help me to speak english with confidence. We speak English and talk about everything. Include about size of shoes and argue about “HOW DO YOU DO” wakakkaakkk..
And more precious because support of my parent’s. Without them, maybe I never have got facilities which endorse my learning English process. And thank’s to prayer and support which never end to me.
I love you mah… pah…

And now, I never shout out “I HATE ENGLISH” again but I always scream “I LOVE ENGLISH” continuously and put it in my mind..

Thanks a lot to all.

Oyaa.. before forget, I want to give advice to you Aran.. Never give up because of guile you got. Go ahead to get your successfulness. You always tell me around.. RISE UP!! And never give up!! Fighting and spirit!!! And you must do it also… ^_^


Don’t forget to correct my mistake’s in this post on comment box. (I’m waiting for it) TYVM...

fuck!

I got a call from PT Millenium Penata Futures

but it's all the same with PT Megatama Informatika!

OMG WTF are those futures company?!

On February 8th 2010 I went to a mall with Epica, the real intentions is I want to meet her to discuss about our blog, this blog. I want to add a BGM (Background Music) so this blog wouldn't be so "silent" and I decided to use "Chrono Cross OST - Reminiscence" as our BGM.

When we are at a food court, my cellphone is vibrating (I use Vibrate Mode to conserve battery use, as my battery is "leaked" so I couldn't make a call for a long duration) and when I answer it, the voice on the otherside were informing me that I had a job interview from PT Megatama Informatika on February 9th 2010 (a.k.a the next day) located at Sampoerna Strategic Square, Tower 8, 21th Floor and appointed to meet Mrs. PB (or Phoebe, who cares?). Well, at that time I surely excited because of a job interview (well, who don't?).

Later on, when I've already home, I told my parents about the call and they were ordered me to make things ready. So I went to a cybercafe nearby to print things that are needed for the interview on the next day. But there's one thing that bothers me, did I ever send an application to PT. Megatama Informatika? I've sent lots of applications to many companies, but there are not a single place named PT Megatama Informatika. So I checked it on www.Google.com. To my surprise, there are lots of negative voice about that company, some of them also never sent an application to that company (same as me). Reading all those testimonials, makes me feels that if I went there it'll be the third time I got tricked. First, PT Mitra Utama Global that forced me to sell some of their electronic stuffs, all of them were imitations. The second one is PT Gama Prima Karya, this one forced me to pay some cash for some training then I will be placed on some company, when I refused to pay, they were mad at me saying that I wasn't thankful that they are giving me a job (WTF?) and then they say that if I could recruit 3 people. to work for them then I will got free training (like MLM, woot?)

Then a friend of mine come online, then we chat via Yahoo! Messenger. I'm asking her opinions about this kind of thing. She told me that her brother had tricked also, but on a different company. After that discussion, I made up my mind, I won't go there. Well, it means I got excited for nothing. /sad

At home, I decided to go to PT ASCO - DAIHATSU at Jl. Raya Pasar Minggu (Sunday Market huh?) on the next day instead of going to PT Megatama Informatika.

Next day in the morning, my mom yelled at me telling me that I should wake up because it's 8:00 am but my eyes still tight shut so I decided to sleep a little longer (lazybum eh?). After taking a bath, I went to a cybercafe nearby to print an application letter. When I checked www.Youtube.com I found this video



and I was really amazed on how they play it (don't forget to saw John Travolta is playing drums there, woot!) even though it's not the first time I saw that video.

Later, I went to PT. ASCO - DAIHATSU. Whoa, there's some applicants too (well, it looks like they were just graduates from high school). After applying there (actually just leave it on the desk of the security post then wait for the call) I went home via Pasar Minggu (Sunday Market ftw! haha). I took a city transport labeled S15A. When we were caught on a railroad intersection nearby, there's a funny-but-pity scene. A vegetable seller who just buy it from the market put on the roof a huge load of vegetables (looks like spinach) and went to get another one at the side of the road. But it looks like the driver doesn't see him coming, so the driver took a turn then take the throttle and leave the vegetable seller behind. After about 100m ahead, the driver were warned by his friend that there's a man who haven't hop into the car. So he decided to take a turn for it, but unfortunately is a one-way road! So we must wait until next U-Turn ahead. When we were turned back and reached the railroad intersection, that veggie man were gone. So the attempt was in vain...

Then the car reached Pasar Rebo (Wednesday Market LoL) so I hop off the car because I must take another one to get home.

-feel free to comment :)

I want to tell history's of this blog.. How can created this blog? and why? and when? and so on..

once upon a time.. (look like an old story).. well, i will be exchange it..

The history of this blog began from conversation via message between me and my friend last night. His name is Aran (hmm.. I thought this name too much good for you).hahahaa….
When I woke up of sleep soundly, suddenly, I got some message’s from my friends, one of all from Aran. Aran is my freak friend. Hahahaa.. but he is nice and kind (I hope I’m not lie. :P). Well, let’s check it out our conversation…

Aran : Man. Im dead bored (you was make me confused about my gender)
Me : hahahaha.. me too, sorry baru bls
Aran : lol, busy eh? (hmmm.. English mixed with alay language)
Me : No.. I have just woke up.. one of my ways to rid feel of bored
Aran : “to get rid of boredom”. Whoa, not forgot to pray rite? (and he corrected my fault)
Me :Yah.. sorry, I made a mistake again and again.. hahahaa… Alright.. I think so.. Lets pray
Aran : well, catch you later (I thought, word of catch just for fish.. hahahaa… )

---15 minute later---

Aran :Look at the sky as the night descends rain is crashing down, I’ve hit another dead end (I should have opened a dictionary to found what the mean this sentence)hehehee
Me :Did u walked in the rain?
Aran : Yea.. a little bit
Me :Where did u go? Did u go to cybercafé? Apa c gw..hahahaha.. (felt weird of my question)
Aran : No. I don’t have enough cash to go there. I just went to mosque to do a dawn prayer (ohh.. you look so sad at the moment, I thought..)
Me :Oh..no matter boy.. U still do another at your home.. Dawn pray? I guess, the meaning of dawn pray is sholat subuh..
Aran : tbh, there’s nothing to do at home, except sleep. Bukannya dawn:senja, dusk: subuh (he wrote with an abbreviation again.. ohhh.. it was make me confused)
Me :Tbh? I thought, you made a little mistake.. I’ve just opened dictionary and I found the means of both.. Dusk is menjelang malam and dawn is fajar
Aran : Tbh= to be honest. Ahhh, tyvm for the correction (finally, I better good than him.hahaha)
Me :Hahaha.. your welcome.. But it’s just a little mistake. Don’t worry so far you are smarter than me. But one day.. I’ll be as smart as you. I’ll be prove it.. (don’t be as smart as him, but I’ll be smarter than him..hahahhaaa.. I hope..)
Aran : I’ll be waiting  but if then, I’m gonna lose someone to mock around :P (I thought, Aran looked so afraid when he wrote this message)
Me :Hahhaa.. that’s my big mission. U can’t mock me again. Yeyeyeyee… :P
Aran : “That was my big mission”. Well, let’s pray.. (and he had corrected me again)
Me :Hehehe.. slh agin slh again. Tyvm, because you always make me shy of my foolish (TYVM: Thank you very much, I knew that mean from Aran exactly)

----20 minutes later----

Aran : No need to shy about it. Aarrrgghh! Wanna online after boring day but I can’t (soo pity.. )
Me :Don’t sad my friend. Let’s dance together. Hahahaaa (disconnected..zzzzzzttt)
Aran : I bet you look at the dance floor –Arctic Monkeys- (very disconnected) :D
Me :I want to ask you. My i?
Aran : OFC! Go ahead
Me :What the meaning of good gracious??
Aran : IDK. I never heard it
- Now I know whether mean of good gracious… yeyeyee.. hahhaa.. the mean of the word is similar with OMG.. yaa like that..
Me :Ok ok. No matter. So, what are you doing at the moment?
Aran : Just laying on the bed watching my little sister that was so hyperactive. How about you?
Me :Oh.. That was sound nice. I want to have a little sister ^^. I’m learning English to prepare my quiz tomorrow. Did u have dinner?
Aran : “That sounds nice”. About dinner, luckily my aunt gave me a fried chicken while I was preparing to fry onions for my dinner as there’s nothing left but rice (and again. Huhuhuuu)
Me :I’m not understand at last sentence. Please tell me in Indonesia!
Aran : Wutlulz. Bibi gw ngasi ayam goreng pas gw lagi mau goreng bawang merah buat makan soalnya tinggal nasi doank (I still don’t know, what the meaning of “wutlulz”.. zzzz.. always made me confused with alay language)
Me :Oh. But I thought that your sentence structure janggal dah… hehehe.. there’s nothing left but rice?. That’s sound janggal. Why you put “but” in sentence? (I was look fool when I wrote janggal.. hahaha)
Aran : LOL. “but” In this case means “kecuali” you’ll find lots of this pattern on a novel (I thought when you wrote this message you laugh of loud at the same time you roll on the floor..)
Me :And you mock me again.. :’( (soo sad.hahhahaa)
Aran : Naa.. I don’t mock you in way of another. Btw have you checked mmo-champ?
Me :Yes I’ve. I checked it out last night. But just looked around. I didn’t read detail. Maybe, I’ll be check again and I’ll learn tomorrow. Now, I have a problem with my connection modem :(
Aran : I thought you were slept already. Whoa, why is it so?
Me :IDK. Maybe because the weather too bad right now
Aran : Well it suxx. Then how about your preparation for the quiz tomorrow?
Me :I’ve done. For this time I thought I haven’t problem for quiz tomorrow. Still too easy for me.hahaha (I was so arrogant)
Aran : Don’t get ahead of yourself, or else it will be your downfall
Me :Hohohooo.. I’m just kidding, why you so seriously? But I agree with your quote. Good point. Oh ya.. I have a plan. I’ll be create a new post on my blog, about we conversation tonight. In English ofc. Is it sound nice?
Aran : “About our conversation”. Well, do as you please. (corrected me again)
Me :Oh ya, our.. OMG. Hahahaa (/shy)
Aran : Well, I have an idea. You create an email with the name epica_epic@yahoo.com, then make a blog with the name “Aran & Epica’s World” or something like that. Then I’ll aran_epica@yahoo.com rhen you invite me as the writer for that blog so both of us could make a post with our own id
Me :Wow. It’s a great idea. Ok I’ll. May I know, what do u mean with the name of Aran and Epica?
Aran : I just want to became a perfect stranger coz “vrixxz” is well-known nowadays and “epica” is you, coz you are so epic. Hahahaa (epica in Indonesia is hebat sekali, canggih, keren, and so on.. hahahaa.. you over honest my friend :P)
Me :Hahahaa.. Ok kk Aran. I’ve get you. “Aran & Epic’s world blog” coming soon! Hmm.. Ok. I thought enough for this night, I want to go sleep right now. I must get up early tomorrow. Thanks a lot. Good night. Have a nice dream. I’ll give a confirmation about our blog tomorrow. Bye bye..
Aran : It’s “epica” & choose whether use “world” or “blog”. “Aran & Epica’s world” or “Aran & Epica’s Blog”. Well, good night Epica, sweet dream, sleep tight. GL tomorrow (GL: Good Luck)
Me :Yes. I mean is Epica. Hahahaa.. okelaklobegitu. Thanks. GL for you too.. (warteg boys wanna be.. hahaha)

Finally i finished to type my post... yeyeyeyee..

yeah.. the post above is history's of this blog. Maybe, look a something simple, but for me this blog is very important. Because with this blog i can be improve my English skill, and i hope Aran and someone else can help me to correction of my mistake. Aran is my fool&freak friend, but on the other hand, he can become something important and he can make me happy around but sometimes he make me annoyed.. like a title a Korean movie..."miracle of giving fool".. wkakakakaakkkk...


regards, luv and hug...

"EPICA"

well, this is my first post here

me and Epica decided to create this blog to publish our everyday English conversation

maybe this first post not much of a greetings

but, I'll make sure there will be lots of post here

while I was offline, I will wrote down on a paper so if I online I could post it here

well, to everyone who view this blog, I hope you enjoyed it

-Aran