Use of preposition (Part-2)

Since and for:

To mean point of time since is used

I have been working since 2012.

He had been reading in this college since last year.

They have been playing football since morning.

To mean space of time for is used.

I have been waiting for you for two hours.

They had been waiting for you for one hour.

He has been reading the story for five hours.

Between and among:

To mean two persons or things in one between is used.

I divided the mangos between the two boys.

He ordered to give the fruit between these two girls.

To mean more than two persons or things among is used.

I divided fifty taka among ten boys.

Can you tell who the best among us is?

By and with:

If the work is done by any agent ‘by’ is used.

The work was done by the boy.

He was taught by this teacher.

If the work is done with an instrument ‘with’ is used.

I write with a pen.

He did the work with the help of these tools.

 We killed the snake with this stick.

The Blessing of An Angel ( Story )

 

Long, long ago, there lived three pious men in a country. They were well-known to each other. One of the three was very rich in that country, one was of the middle class and the last one was very poor. The first two were popular with all the people as they helped the poor in their distress. The third man was very poor and very honest. Therefore, the first two persons wanted to help him but he would not wish to grant their help.

 

 

 

He never wished to take anyone's favor. He always depended on Allah. He never told lie and bluffed anyone. He worked hard to run his family. Because of his poverty, he could not give away any money to anyone. The first two were very proud of their piousness and helping hands to others. They would give away money to needy people. So, they talked big. Allah sent an angel to test how kind they were to the people.

 

 

At first, the angel came to the rich man's house in the guise of a needy man. He told, "I have heard, you are a very rich man in this country. You help the poor. I am a very poor man. I have come to get your help."  After hearing his words, he helped a stranger. The man told, "My house is far from here, I can't go back today. So I want to stay tonight at your house." The man was allowed reluctantly to stay but he was not treated so well.

 

The next day, the stranger took leave of the rich man. Then he went to the second man. There he told him the same words as before. He was not pleased with the sudden appearance of the stranger. However, he also helped him and gave him shelter for that night. Here also he did not get as much sympathy from the man as he expected.

 

The next day he left his house and went to the poor and needy man. He told, "I am a poor man. I have come to your area from a far-off place. I will not be able to go back today, so I want to stay in your house."

The poor man described everything about his poverty to the stranger and told, "I am also poor like you. I never forget the almighty, Allah, even in my hardship, and always rely on him. So, don't worry. You can stay here with me."

 

He gave the stranger shelter, gave him food he had, and managed a bed for him to stay comfortably at his house that night. He did enough for him so that he did not become dissatisfied with his behavior. The stranger was pleased with his behavior and hospitality.

 

When the next day, the stranger was going to leave his house, he told, "I am not a man. I am an angel. Allah has sent me to test you three pious men in this country." He told this too that he was pleased with his hospitality. Then he put his hand on the poor man's head, blessed him, and gave him a bag of gold coins so that his poverty could be removed. Thus, an Angel blessed the poor man.

perfect infinitive

Could + perfect infinitive

This form is used for the past ability when the action was not performed;

I could have sent him some money. (But I didn’t send it)

Or when we don’t know whether the action was done or not:

My pen has disappeared. Who could have taken it?

John could have taken it. (He was sitting there.) Doubt

He could have come to see me. But he didn’t come.

He was able to come to see me. That means he came to see me.

She could have sent the book. (She didn’t send that or we don’t know whether she sent or not)

I could have helped him. (But I didn’t do it)

Terrible Nights At Hotel

One day three friends, Manik, Kamal and Rahim went to India for a tour. They got into an old hotel for shelter for a few days. They booked the room no-13  to stay there. As there was no other empty room in that hotel they had to hire it. As they were tired after a long journey, they turned in early. Suddenly in the mid night Manik woke up and went to the balcony. There was a garden behind the hotel. When he looked at that garden he saw a girl sitting on the branch of a tree. She was looking at him strangely. But he became surprised how the girl came there at the dead of night. However he came back to his bed. 

Next day he told everything to his friends. They laughed a lot with this matter and made fun with him with the girl. They travelled many places and enjoyed all-day long, then returned to the hotel. Again in the midnight when everyone was sleeping soundly he woke up and went to that balcony. He heard the sound of anklets nearby. He could not see anything clearly. There were many trees in that garden. All on a sudden he saw something black on one of the trees in the garden and it was grinning. He heard some strange noises  in their room also. Instantly he returned in that room and saw his friends were sleeping and there were no one else. He tried to sleep just then he noticed someone was moving around him in the room.  He became afraid at that sight. He wanted to shout but he could not. After half an hour he fell asleep.

On the 3rd day in the morning when he woke up he told his friends everything in details. They did not believe it but in the night when everyone was sleeping Kamal woke up and heard the sound of anklets in the bathroom. He went to see but could not see anything. When he was coming back he felt someone touching his shoulder. He looked back and saw a bloody hand on his shoulder. Seeing this scene he screamed. But his friends could not hear and he fell down there being senseless. But he was more surprised by seeing himself sleeping on the bed. He told everything to his friends but Rahim did not believe him because he did not believe in the supernatural things.

On the last day that means 4th day, they wanted to buy something so they went to the market. They bought many things in the market. Rahim felt uneasy so he came back soon leaving them in the market. When he came it was 8 p.m.. After half an hour the electricity went off. Suddenly he heard the sound of anklets in the balcony. He went to see but he could not see anything. He came back in the room. He felt afraid at this time. Then he heard the sound of dropping of water. He went to the bathroom and saw there was no water on the floor. He returned in the room. Then after a few minutes he noticed someone was washing cloth in the bathroom. He felt more afraid and was trembling but he went to see. He saw a young woman washing clothes with blood. He became more frightened than ever and tried to shout. But he could not do it. That woman ran at him. Again he shouted for help but nobody came. The woman with fiery eyes and bloody hand attacked him. The he fell and became senseless on the floor. 

When he got his sense back, he saw himself on the bed in the hospital. He heard from his friends that when they came back from the market they saw him falling on the floor smearing with blood and it was bleeding from his body. Then they brought him to the hospital with the help of the manager of the hotel.
Later on, Manager told them that before many days a young woman was killed in that bathroom. Since then that room was locked up.
This was the first time they got into that room after that occurrence. After two days Rahim being cured they came back home.

Gift of God ( Story )

 

 

Once upon a time, a plate of gold fell from heaven. There was written on it that this plate of gold is for the man whose heart is the purest. It was kept in the church.  The main priest declared to come to the right person and accept that wonderful gift of God.

 

 

 

A great number of people gathered to take it. At first, some pious men gathered in front of the church. They told that they were the nearest and dearest people of God who always worship him. So, they were the right people for the plate of gold fallen from heaven and it was their gift. They all claimed for the plate. The priest called them one by one and told to take it. Whenever they touched the plate it turned into the silver one that is worth nothing and then instantly they returned home with bare hand.

 

 

 

A group of rich people came and claimed to be the owner of the plate. They demanded that they were the richest people in the city and they always gave a lot of money to the poor people. They fed the unfed. They also told that they have established many churches and orphanages, and built many houses for the poor. In addition, the guest houses for the passers-by to take a rest. Therefore, any one of them must be the owner of the gift. When like before one by one approached and touched that plate of gold it turned into iron, silver, or any other normal metal. So, for this reason, they were not given it and they went back with bare hands like the others.

 

  

This news scattered all over the area and many people gathered there. Along with the people, many beggars also came with a view to getting many alms. Some of the beggars were lame, blind, and physically disabled and many more were just like them. Some simple folk also came to see the plate of gold. Some people were enjoying the scenery of the crowd and the condition of the disabled beggars and made fun of them.

 

 

Like others, a simple young and honest man also came to see the gift of God. He found that a lot of people gathered there for gaining that priceless plate of gold. Someone has come to see it like him. He saw the beggars also. The condition of some of the beggars was too horrible. This scene touched the young man’s mind. He felt grief at seeing one of the beggars in such a miserable condition. Tears rolled down his cheek.

  

 

He stroked his hand softly on that beggar’s head with a sympathetic mind and consoled him by telling some soothing words to remove his sorrow. But he could not give him any money because he had no money in his pocket. For such type of his behavior, the beggar being pleased prayed for him to the almighty God. Then the man approached the gift of gold. He begged permission from the chief of the church to see and touch it. He was allowed to do it. Whenever he touched the plate, it started to shine more brightly than before.

 

There some sentences were written on that plate, ‘This plate of gold is only for you, ‘Your heart is the purest, and ‘Your mind is soft and mild that cries for others, and you deserve this invaluable gift’. Everyone near him was astonished seeing the scenery. After this, the chief of the church declared him as the owner of the gift and it was handed over to the honest, deserving, and sympathetic young man. Thus, the gift of God was delivered to the deserving candidate to prove the existence of God.    

 

During and for

Use of During and for

During is used with known periods of time, periods known by name

Example: during the class time

I do not play during class time.

During the summer season

We feel hot during summer season.

During my childhood

During holidays

We go for a walk during holidays.