They built a house near the river.

Meaning: They created a place for people to live in close to the river.

Choice of Words: Built means to make something by putting things together, like a house. Near means to be close to something. The sentence means they created a house close to the river.

Alternative Expressions

The house was built by the river.

Meaning: This means that a particular place to live was created next to a river.

Choice of Words: The is used to refer to a specific thing. House is a building where people live. Was is a verb that means to be or to exist. Built means to create or construct something. By means next to or close to. River is a large body of water that flows. When you put these words together, "The house was built by the river" means that a specific building to live in was created next to a large body of water.

A house was built near the river.

Meaning: This means that one place to live was created close to a river.

Choice of Words: A is used to refer to one of something. House is a building where people live. Was is a verb that means to be or to exist. Built means to create or construct something. Near means close to something. River is a large body of water that flows. When you put these words together, "A house was built near the river" means that one building to live in was created close to a large body of water.

Related Expressions