Lesson 256--house vs. home

a traditional house

 

 

Many students have asked me about this, so it seems like a good topic for today's lesson.

a very modern house

house:  a building where people live.  Not an apartment or condominium.

home:  a place where people live, and where they belong.  This includes a house, an apartment, a condominium, a city, a town, a country, a favourite restaurant or bar.

As you can see, home is more of a feeling.  This affects the grammar as well.

Using "to"

I am going to my house.

I am going to Mary's house.

I am going home. (no preposition)

I am going to my home. (This definitely means where I live and requires a preposition)

Welcome home!

Welcome to my house.

 

Using "at"

I will meet you at my house.

I will meet you at home.

Lesson 54--house and home collocations

 

 

This is a small list of interesting house and home collocations.  There are many more of them.  If you are interested, please check a dictionary for more of them.

 

• homework:  the work the teacher gives the students to do at home (even if they are too busy to do it).
• homebody:  someone who prefers to spend time at home, rather than go out.
• home-made:  something that is made at home and not bought at a store, like cakes or bread.
• home loan:  also called a mortgage, the money borrowed from the bank to buy a house.

• housework:  the chores and jobs done around the house, like washing the dishes.
• houseboat:  a house that floats on the water and is mobile.
• house-broken:  trained, like a dog not to go to the bathroom in the house.
• housecoat:  like a robe, usually only warn at home.