CACH DUNG GIOI TU AT

At can indicate location

Pattern 1: at + the + place within a city or town

The women are at the supermarket.

Nouns commonly  used with this pattern:

apartment, bus stop, factory, hospital, hotel, house, mall, office, park, parking lot, restaurant, station, store, theater, university

Pattern 2: at + an address

She lives at 3757 North 52nd Street, apartment 1.

You can contact him by e-mail@ xyz.com.

(The symbol@ is pronounced //at:')

Pattern 3: at+ the+ place within another  place

He was waiting in the room at the door.

He likes to sit in her apartment at the window  facing the park.

Nouns commonly  used with this pattern:

counter, desk, table, window

f) At indicates a place of attendance.

Pattern 1: be + at +  place or meal of regular attendance

The children are at school.

We aren't allowed to watch television when we are at dinner.

Nouns used with this pattern:

church, class, home, practice, school, work breakfast, lunch, dinner

Pattern 2: be + at + noun of event

They are at the movies.

She is at a meeting.

Nouns commonly  used with this pattern:

breakfast, brunch, celebration, concert, conference, dance, debate, dinner, forum, function, funeral, game, lecture, luncheon, meeting, movies, parade,

party, play, program,  reading, reunion, show, wedding

E) At can indicate in the direction of;toward.

Pattern 1: verb + at + noun

The teacher smiled at the new girl.

Verbs commonly  used with this pattern:

aim, frown, glare, grab, grin, growl, hit, howl, laugh, leer, look, rush, shoot, shout, slap, smile, snatch, stare, swear, swing, wink, yell

Pattern 2: verb + noun + at + noun

The small boy threw a rock at the window.

Typical verbs:

swing, throw, toss

Expression with this meaning:

make a pass at-indicate romantic interest toward

The young man made a pass at the beautiful woman  he met at the party.

At is used to express time.

Pattern: at + specific time

We are leaving at four thirty. They went home at midnight. We always eat lunch at noon.

Expressions with this meaning:

at first-when something started

At first we thought this hike would  be easy.

at last-finally

After that long drive, we are home at last.

at length-for a long time, thoroughly

We discussed that topic at length at our meeting.

at night-when it is night

I always read or study at night.

at once-immediately (see also number at a time, below)

We must pack up and leave at once.

at present-now

At present they are sleeping.

at the beginning-at first, when something started

At the beginning we tried to go too fast.

at the end-when something ended

At the end of the story, everybody  was happy.

at the moment-at present, now

I am very busy at the moment.

at the sound,thought,or prospect of-when one experiences

She gets nervous at the sound of his voice. We shudder at the thought of moving again.

He is excited at the prospect of going to South America.

tnumber)  at a time-ratio per instance or unit

The tall boy liked to go up the steps two or three at a time.

at once-several things together

Try to learn one step at a time, rather than three or four at once.

At can mean busy using something; working.

Pattern 1: at + the + noun

I have been at the computer  all day.

Nouns often used after at the:

cash register, computer, fax machine, ironing board, sewing machine, stove, (steering) wheel

Pattern 2: be +at+ work

be +at+ it

You must not bother him; he is at work.

He has been at it for four hours.

Expression:

keep at it-not stop working

He wanted  to go home, but he kept at it until  the work was finished.

At can indicate a condition.

Pattern:  be +at+  noun

Those two countries have been at peace for ten years.

Nouns used after at:

attention, ease, peace, rest, risk, war

Expression:

sick at heart-sad

We were sick at heart when the dog died.

8At can indicate reaction.

Pattern 1: adjective of state + at + noun

We were shocked at the condition of the classrooms.

Typical adjectives used before at:

aghast, amazed, astonished, astounded, indignant, shocked, speechless, surprised, thrilled, upset

Pattern 2: verb+ at+ noun

The crowd rejoiced at the good news.

Verbs commonly  used before at:

cheer, grumble, guess, hint, hoot, laugh, rebel, rejoice, snort, tremble

E) At indicates a degree of skill.

Pattern 1: adjective + at + noun

Your son is good at tennis, but not very good at hockey.

Pattern 2: adjective + at + verb in gerund form

That couple is really great at dancing  the tango.

Typical adjectives used before at:

bad, excellent, good, great, lou  sy, skilled, terrible

Expression:

be an old hand at-be very experienced with

Our professor is an old hand at government operations.

At can indicate a rate or level

Pattern 1: at + noun indicating price

At the market  they are selling apples at sixty-nine cents a pound.

I wish we could buy mangoes at that price.

Her husband tries to buy everything at a discount.

Pattern 2: @* + number + a + noun indicating a unit of measurement

They are selling apples @ 69(  a lb.

Pattern 3: at+ noun indicating level of age or distance

You shouldn't work so hard at your age. He was still singing at (the age of) eighty. We can't see very well at this distance.

The plane was flying at three thousand feet.

Expressions:

at a distance-from far away

I saw the new baby at a distance, and he looked beautiful.

at arm's length-not close

I try to stay at arm's length  from him to avoid an argument.

Pattern 4: at + noun indicating level of speed

She shouldn't drive at that speed.

At twenty-five miles an hour on the freeway, she should get a ticket.

Exception: When speed is expressed in numbers after a verb,at is omitted.

That driver is going eighty miles an hour.

He drove sixty miles an hour the whole way home.

G) At can indicate the highest possible degree in value.

Pattern: at+ superlative adjective used as noun

At best she is an adequate typist.

At least she comes to work every day.

You should be here by five o'clock at the latest.

Superlatives commonly used with this pattern:

best, least, most, worst the earliest, the latest

4D Expressions

be at an advantage-be in a better-than-average position

He is at an advantage because his family  has influence.

be at a disadvantage-be in a less-than-average position

When you are a newcomer at work, you are at a disadvantage.

*@ is pronounced " at:' This meaning and the one for an e-mail address (section 11.1) are the only acceptable uses of this symbol.

PART ONE: THE PREPOSITIONS                                                             27

down at the heels-shabby

His brother looked down at the heels when he was without work.

at one's mercy-in someone else's power

I  was at the intruder's mercy because he had a gun in my back.

at one's discretion-someone's own decision

We can go home when we are ready, at our own discretion.

at that-

1. at that point, not any more or further

You did a good job; leave it at that.

2. illogically

We got lost, and in our hometown at that!

be getting at-meaning, but not saying

The manager didn't exactly say his employer had been dishonest, but we all knew what he was getting at.

Phrasal verb

pick at something (nonseparable)-agitate with one's fingernails

The child picked at the scab on his knee.