Page 53 - Basic English Usage
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Expressions without preposition
Prepositions are not used in expressions of time before next, /ast, this,
one, any, each, every, some, ail.
See you next week. = Are you free this morning ?
Let's meetoneday. Come any time.
I'm at home every evening. We stayed all day.
Prepositions are not used before yesterday, the day before yesterday,
tomorrow, the day after tomorrow.
What are you doing the day after tomorrow ?
Note that afis usually pronounced /at/, not /eet / (see 358).
56 at all
We often use at a//to emphasize a negative.
(don’t like her at all. ( = | don't like her even a little.)
This restaurant is not at all expensive.
We also use at all with hardly ; in questions; and after if
She hardly eats anything at all.
Do you sing at all? (=... evena little?)
I'll come in the morning if | come at all. ( = Perhaps | won't come.)
We can say Not at all as a polite answer to Thank you. (See 249.4.)
57 be with auxiliary do
do + be + adjective/noun
don't+ be + adjective/noun
Don't be ... is used to give people advice or orders.
Don’t be afraid. Don’t bea fool!
In affirmative sentences, we usually just use Be ...
Be careful!
But Do be ... is used for emphasis.
Do be careful, please!!!
Do be quiet. for God's sake!
In other cases, we do not use do with be.
| am not often lonely. (NOT +¢e-netefter-betonely-)