【明報專訊】Bill is meeting Dr Panda at the bank to open a new account to save his red packet money.

Bill: Excuse me, may I know which window I should go to for setting up a new account?

MoMo: (1) Window number 9 over there.

Bill: Thank you. Hi! Dr Panda! (2) Here you are! I hope you haven't waited for long.

Dr Panda: Not at all. I have filled out the application form for us. Let's wait for the teller to call us.

Pat: Good morning, your application forms are fine and we will process the application. (3) Can you please sign your names here, at the bottom of the page?

Bill: Certainly. When and where can we collect our bank cards?

Pat: There will be an SMS notification sent to your registered mobile number when they are ready. (4) You can collect them at any window here and activate the cards at the ATM machines around the corner there.

We use adverbs "here" and "there" to indicate something exists in a certain place near and far away from the speakers. Pay attention that no prepositions are needed before the adverbs.

e.g. The event will take place here in the stadium.

e.g. Can you go there and collect the parcel for me?

Inversion is sometimes used to emphasize the action. (Example 2 in the conversation)

e.g. Here comes the elephant! (= The elephant comes here.)

e.g. There goes the last bus! (= The last bus is gone.)

For sentences with "there + be", we usually include the exact place of the event / existence because the location indicated by the word "there" is usually unclear and far away.

e.g. There were many children in the library.

■Now you try

Circle the correct answer.

1. Have you ever been to Paris? No, I haven't been ( here / there ) before.

2. This party is boring. Let's get out of ( here / there ).

3. Can you come over ( here / there ) please? I need some help.

4. ( There / Here ) was a massive breakout of malaria(瘧疾) in Africa.

(Answers on next text)

■Glossary

account (n) 戶口

application (n) 申請

teller (n) 銀行櫃員

process (v) 處理

[Smarties' Power English 第239期]