Information Sheet 2.3-3

Information Sheet 2.3-3: Demonstrating simple social interaction with co-workers

Preposition (in, on, at, etc.)

English learners everywhere are confused about prepositions, and English learners every always say it’s one of their biggest difficulties. But with the right strategies, prepositions DO NOT need to be so complicated. If you take a few minutes to learn a few tricks, and visualize the problem in a new way, your experience learning prepositions will be a lot easier. This is going to be fun! Ready?

Today, we’re going to explore how the prepositions AT, ON, and IN are used with TIME and PLACE, and use a formula that works in around 90% of cases. It’s not perfect, but it gives you a great foundation to learn the exceptions.

Given the fact that most people are visual learners, and most prepositions are best taught in a visual way, we’ll also use graphic organizers and a video lesson to teach this.

The Inverted Pyramid 

Before we explain a bit more, let’s take a good look at the picture one more time below.  Try to get a general idea of the organization and proportion.

The first thing I want you to recognize, and try your best to visualize as you learn these, there is a general flow with both time and location from general to specific. We’re going to explain it in the following way, first with time, then with location:

  1. The TOP, which is BIGGER and more GENERAL (IN)
  2. The MIDDLE, which is SMALLER and MORE SPECIFIC (ON)
  3. The BOTTOM, which is SMALLEST and the MOST SPECIFIC (AT)

Prepositions of Time

IN- The pyramid’s TOP (wider), which is BIGGER and more GENERAL:

  • Description: Bigger periods of time: Centuries, Decades, Years, Months
  • Examples: in the 20th century, in the 1980’s, in March, in the third week of April, in the future
  • Exceptions: in the morning, in the evening, in the afternoon

ON- The pyramid’s MIDDLE part, which is SMALLER and MORE SPECIFIC:

  • Description: Days, or periods of time shorter than three days
  • Examples: on my birthday, on Saturday, on the weekend (United States), on June 8th
  • Exceptions: on my lunch break, on time

AT- The pyramid’s BOTTOM (pointed), the SMALLEST, and the MOST SPECIFIC:

  • Description: Specific times or small time periods.
  • Examples: at 9:00 PM, at lunch, at dinner, at the start of the party, at sunrise, at the start of the movie, at the moment
  • Exceptions: at night, at the weekend (England)

Prepositions of Location

IN – The TOP (wider), which is BIGGER and more GENERAL:

  • Description: In larger areas (countries, states, cities, neighborhoods)
  • Examples: in the United States, in Miami, in my neighborhood
  • Exceptions: in downtown (“I work in downtown”)

ON – The MIDDLE, which is SMALLER and MORE SPECIFIC:

  • Description: a longer area, street, beach, river
  • Examples: on Broadway Street, on the beach, on my street

AT – The pyramid’s BOTTOM (pointed), the SMALLEST, and the MOST SPECIFIC:

  • Description: the address or specific location, specific points.
  • Examples: at 345 Broadway street, at the store, at my house

Prepositions of Placement                    

The mind map pyramid below explains TIME in the same way we did above (only this one is not inverted), but it also introduces prepositions PLACE/PLACEMENT, which we will focus on here.

IN – for enclosed spaces and personal modes of transportation

  • Enclosed Space: in the kitchen, in the house, the water is in the glass
  • Personal Modes of Transportation: get in the car, my friend is in the taxi

ON – for surfaces and public modes of transportation

  • Surfaces: on the floor, on the wall, the book is on the table, on a page, I put on my clothes (my clothes are on my body)
  • Public Modes of Transportation: on the bus, on the plane, on a boat, on a ship,
  • Exceptions: on my motorcycle, on my bike (these are personal modes of transportation, but we use “on”)

AT – for specific point (the same as prepositions of location)

  • at the bus stop, at the cinema, at the corner, at the top of the hill, at the mall

Social Interaction

It is essential for an individual to behave in a socially acceptable way. Etiquette helps an individual to be different and stand apart from the crowd.

One needs to be serious and a little sensible at the workplace. An individual can’t behave the same way at office as he behaves at home. People who lack etiquette are never taken seriously by their fellow workers.

An individual all alone finds it difficult to survive at the workplace. One needs to be a good team player to make his mark at the workplace. He needs to interact with his fellow workers and share ideas to reach to better solutions. Employees must work in unison for faster and effective results. It is essential to maintain healthy relationships with fellow workers as an individual spends his maximum time at the workplace.

Respect your fellow workers.

Misbehaving with colleagues spoils the ambience and leads to negativity all around. Treat all coworkers as one irrespective of their race, caste, nationality, designation etc.

Spreading baseless rumors about fellow workers is something which is not at all expected out of a professional.

Spotting any of your colleagues with his girlfriend has nothing to do with office and thus must not be discussed at the workplace. Avoid playing blame games in organization. An individual should have enough guts to accept his/her mistakes. If you do not like someone, it is better to ignore the other person rather than fighting with him. Remember conflicts lead to no solution.

Be cordial to all.

Greet everyone with a smile. It is bad manners to make faces at others. Learn to be a little more adjusting. Things don’t always go your way. Do not take things to heart.

Help your colleagues in whatever way you can.

Never give them any wrong suggestions. You will like your job more if you have a friend at the workplace.

Be polite to your fellow workers.

If someone shouts on you, never shout back on him. Don’t do what others do. You will not become small if you say “sorry”.

Too much of friendship at the workplace is bad.

Being emotional at work is harmful. The other person might take undue advantage of your generous attitude.

Never overreact.

It pays to be calm and composed at the workplace.

Avoid taking sides at the workplace.

Don’t ask for personal favors from any of your fellow workers. Never ask anyone to do grocery shopping on your behalf or pick your son from school. It is unprofessional.

Avoid being rude to anyone.

You never know when you might need any of your fellow workers. Never lash out at others under pressure.

Never interfere in your colleague’s work. It is bad manners to open anyone else’s envelopes or check fellow worker’s emails. Respect your colleague’s privacy. Do not peep into anyone else’s cubicles. Knock before entering your boss’s cabin.

Never make fun of any one at the workplace.

It is bad manners to overhear anyone else’s conversation.

Avoid criticizing others.

One needs to be flexible at the workplace. Being rigid spoils relationships.

Whether you are in a government job or the private sector, a time eventually comes when you are transferred to a new place or have to join a new location or change your job. Now, whether you are a complete introvert or an out-and-out gregarious person, there is a certain way you should talk to your colleagues in a new job. You can’t come across as too friendly or for that matter assume a too demure demeanor because it can make your colleagues either suspicious or dismiss you as a recluse and a difficult person. In order to maintain propriety and also be genial in your interactions, here is how an initial conversation should go on your first day at the job:

You: Hi there, it is Mayank, right?

Colleague: Hi, yes. You must be Shikhar. You have recently joined the company, right?

You: Yes indeed. The group manager Mukul told me that you would be my mentor for the first four months of the training.

Colleague: Oh right. I will be training you on the digital marketing module. Do you have any prior experience with the same?

You: I have a basic knowledge of how SEO work and have done content writing for several firms. Now keen to expand into a role of digital marketing specialist.

Colleague: Awesome. I have been working for six years in this domain so should be able to guide you well.

You: Thanks a lot, Mayank. This is my first day only. Are there any formalities I have to complete, apart from those told by the HR?

Colleague: I think you should be fine. I hope you know where the cafeteria is? And have you got your transport stuff all sorted out? They don’t allow anyone to sit in the shuttle unless the name is in the roster.

You: Oh no, I haven’t. Thanks for informing. I will do it during recess.

Colleague: Yes, do that. Where do you put up at?

You: I stay in Noida, sector 137.

Colleague: Gosh! That’s quite far from Gurgaon!

You: I agree

Colleague: It must be quite tiring for you to commute all the way from Noida daily?

You: Indeed it is, but there were no job opportunities in Noida. All job offers I received were from Gurgaon only.

Colleague: Okay. Let’s see! If commuting becomes too much of a hassle then I can set you up with one of my friends. He is looking for a PG partner.

You: That’s cool. Let’s see how this travelling bit goes.

Colleague: Yes. Do you have any queries? Ask away!

You: I haven’t received my employee ID yet. When will that be?

Colleague: It takes a few days. You see Shalini sitting over there? She joined a couple of days back and still hasn’t received her. You can talk to her and both can get it done from the facilities department.

You: Sounds good. Also, what is the working atmosphere here like? I just want a heads-up before I know how to approach people!

Colleague: Well, our supervisor Priyanka is all cool as long as the work is going well. But if a client feedback is not so flattering then she can lose it. Rest, all other members of the team are chilled out. You won’t have any problem gelling with them.

You: Ah, that is great. Okay, do we also have to come on Saturdays?

Colleague: That happens rarely. I can’t quite remember the last time we came on a Saturday. We do stretch on some days when there are urgent client deliverables.

You: Can you just brief me about the modules I would be covering?

Colleague: Sure, there will be seven modules during the training- SEO, SEM, Web Analytics, Email marketing, SMM, Content Marketing and Mobile Marketing.

You: Great! I hope to learn a lot.

Colleague: You will also be given access to online courses at Lynda so that you can learn additional stuff at your own pace.

You: Wow! That is amazing. By the way, how is the food at the cafeteria?

Colleague: It is quite okay, but we get bored of it after some time. We have the option of ordering from nearby outlets and there is a tie-up with Swiggy so that all deliveries are free.

You: Perfect. Food should be good, don’t you agree?

Colleague: Haha! It is, don’t worry.

You: Will I be formally introduced to other team members?

Colleague: There will be a grand party at Hyatt for all the new joinees in this quarter. You will get to introduce yourself there. It will be loads of fun! Chillax!

You: Thank you!

Colleague: You’re welcome. Should we get started with the training?

You: Absolutely. Let’s begin!

Watch the video below about social interaction with co-workers.

Reference:
https://reallifeglobal.com/prepositions-made-easy-in-on-and-at/
https://www.managementstudyguide.com/interacting-with-co-workers.htm
https://www.peptalkindia.com/english-conversation-how-to-talk-to-your-colleagues-in-a-new-job/