A. When a statement is valid for all/ most people we use an Indefinite or a
Personal Pronoun,
e.g.: One likes to see one's friends happy.
One should think less about oneself and more about the others.
As a matter of fact one never knows what's better to do.
It tires one much to work under such conditions.
One must learn from experience.
It's hard to make one's way in life nowadays.
You must write your application form without spelling mistakes.
Fresh air does you good.
When you travel much you prefer to travel light.
You never can tell (what will happen).
You must think hard before making a decision.
When you take initiative you must know you run some risks.
He who lies will lie again.
He who wishes to object must do so now.
He who try hard will succeed.
Those who criticize everything don't have a positive attitude.
Those who are always late claim a raise of/in the wages.
Those who claim the right to decide should be better informed.
They say (that) a camel can work a week without drinking.
They say the Commercial Bank offers a higher interest.
Even in Europe they discriminate against women.
They run trains to London every hour.
and ask for it back when it rains." (Robert Frost)
It says that the weather will be dreadful in the mountains.
It says the crisis will affect this area as well.
It's said to be a best seller.
B. In expressions of Time, Weather, Temperature, Distance and Weight we
use it (see EXISTENCE and QUALITY).
C. When introducing a noun clause we use it is + (adverb) + adjectiv,
e.g.: It is a pity to waste one's life like that.
It's easy to understand that they lost their way.
It's (obviously) better to avoid coming in touch with such people.
It's (merely) unusual for him to make such mistakes.
D. When a statement has a vague or unknown Subject, we usually use The Passive
Voice; people, everybody, nobody may also be used, but less frequently (see the
PASSIVE VOICE),
e.g.: English is a spoken all over the world nowadays.
Traffic offences must be punished.
The working conditions have been improved in this branch.
This record won't be beaten soon.
A tower was raised here to celebrate the conquest.
These household appliances are now being manufactured in our country.
THE PASSIVE VOICE
Since the agent corresponds to the Active Voice Subject, which is vague/ unknown it is not needed, as a rule,
e.g.: It's well known that Lord Nelson defeated Napoleon. instead of
Everyone knows that lord Nelson defeated Napoleon.
An agreement has been reached, finally.
They reached an agreement, finally.
There are cases, however, in which the agent (the Active Voice Subject) has some importance and is necessary for complete sense,
e.g.: This type of car is being manufactured by our competitors.
You will be accompanied by a student who speaks German fluently.
What questions were set by the interviewer?
The candle was blown out by the wind.
The verbs that take two objects ( see annex no. ) have two Passive forms,
e.g.: They've prepared the room for the principal's guests. becomes
The principal's guests have been prepared a room.
A room has been prepared for the principal's guests.
We shall send you a letter containing more details as soon as possible. becomes
You will be sent a letter containing more details as soon as possible.
A letter containing more details will be sent as soon as possible.
The form with Active Voice personal object turned into the Subject of the
Passive Voice is more usual.
The Reflexive Pronoun is used when the Subject and the Object of a verb are the same,
it is used with few verbs like: to burn oneself, to cut oneself, to hurt oneself, to help oneself to something ( = to take something for oneself),
to identify oneself with, to provide oneself with something, to protect oneself against
something, to reconcile oneself
to something, to support oneself, to enjoy oneself ( = to have a good
time, = to enjoy something = to like), to
reconcile / resign oneself to something ( = to put up with something),
etc.,
e.g.: I burnt myself when I lit the gas stove.
Lucy cut herself opening the tin.
Did you hurt yourself when you fell down?
If you want some more tea, help yourself.
He refused to identify himself with the dissidents.
We'll provide ourselves with safety belts.
They'll have to reconcile themselves to it.
How could he support a family if he can't support
himself ?
They enjoyed
themselves at the party/on the trip.( = They enjoy
the party/ the trip.)
it is also used after prepositions,
e.g.: He looked at himself in the mirror and was surprised how thin he was.
I am angry with myself for having lost sight of them.
it is not used with verbs that express usual actions people do to themselves, like: to wash, to shave, to dress, to feed on, to rest, to indulge in, etc.,
e.g.: I wake up at seven, wash and listen to the news.
My father shaves every morning.
She'll dress quickly, don't worry.
Apes feed on bananas.
Alice has been feeding on illusions.
John won't rest until he finds the truth.
He's resting on his laurels.
They've been indulging in drinking to excess these days.
to dry oneself is used, though,
e.g.: I came out of the sea shivering with cold, so I dried myself and took a
mouthful of hot tea.
it is not used with verbs expressing physical/ mental/ moral states or psychological acts, like: to feel good/as if/etc., to concentrate, to relax, to beware of, to guard against, to recover, etc.,
e.g.: You'll feel all the better for a rest.
My brother felt touched by your remarks.
I feel sure that he'll succeed.
Don't you feel up to doing it?
How does it feel like to be a star?
She says she doesn't feel ready to see him again.
I feel like going away.
We felt as if we were not wanted.
I just can't concentrate.
You'd better concentrate on getting yourself a job.
You should try to relax.
She has completely recovered after the shock.
to feel quite oneself is used, idiomatically,
e.g.: Alan doesn't feel quite himself today.
it is not used with the Reflexive verbs that have a Transitive pair:
REFLEXIVE TRANSITIVE
to wonder, ed, ed to ask, ed, ed
to expect, ed, ed to wait, ed, ed (for)
to remember, ed, ed to remind, ed, ed
to recollect, ed, ed
to wake, woke, waken to wake, ed, ed
to rise, rose, risen to raise, ed, ed
to stand, stood, stood to lift, ed, ed
to sit, sat, sat to set, set, set
to lie, lay, lain to lay, laid, laid
to fall, fell, fallen to fell, ed, ed
to learn, ed, ed to teach, taught, taught
to ask oneself is used, rather emphatically,
e.g.: I'm asking myself : "Will they ever able to make good the damages?"
HOME TO GO HOME
TO BE AT
SCHOOL TO GO TO SCHOOL
IN THE street OUT INTO THE street
TO BE IN THE field TO GO OUT INTO THE field
IN THE sky OUT INTO THE sky
mountains mountains
TO BE IN THE TO GO INTO
THE
country(-side) coutry(-side)
seaside seaside
TO BE AT THE TO
GO TO THE
dentist, doctor, etc. dentist, doctor, etc.
TO BE AT SEA (a ship) TO GO ON A voiyage (at sea)
ON
A tripON duty A journey
TO BE ABROAD TO GO ABROAD
IN + (year, season,month, part of the day, etc.)
TO BE AT + (noon, midnight, hour)
ON + day (= holidays)
TO STAY TO LIVE IN .street
AT A hotel ON THE ..th floor
IN A shop, factory, school, restaurant,hospital, etc.
TO WORK ON A site, farm,
AN airport
A bus, ship
AT sea
The neutral expression of doing something makes use of the usual word order:
Subject, Predicate, Dr. Object, (to) Indr. Object, Adv. Modifiers in the Affirmative.
Predicate, Subject, Dr. Object, (to) Indr. Object, etc. in the Interrogative
e.g.: Ann has washed the dishes and now is cleaning the carpets.
Will you send this parcel for me ?
If we want to emphasize that the Subject performed the action alone/without help we use by + the Reflexive Pronoun after the Direct Object (or Verb),
e.g.: You won't be able to do it by yourself.
I'm afraid it's too heavy and I can't lift it by myself.
She lives by herself in a tiny flat near the University.
If we want to express the idea that the Subject did not perform the action
himself, but someone else/a service establishment did it for him, we use:
to have + Object + Past Participle,
e.g.: Tomorrow I'll have the laundry washed. (i.e. at the laundry)
We're having the car fixed. (i.e. by a mechanic)
Mother will be having the house cleaned tomorrow morning.(by
the au-pair girl)
Mary makes her own clothes while I have them made. (i.e. made
to order)
"I see you've cut your hair!" "In fact I've had it cut." (at the
hairdresser's)
Brian had a cake baked for his fiance's birthday party.
Alice was having the grass mowed.
We're going to have the roof repaired.
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