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yogi2005
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101792
Sat, 21 May 05 08:22 PM
Hello,
I'm confused with some prepositions and google doesn't help so I would be grateful if someone could help me.
Please help me with the below, i'm interested in prepositions in bolid, which are possible? are there more than one possibility? if so, than which are more common?
1. the Christmas tree is on/in/at Trafalgar Square.
2. it stands on/in the apex of a rectangle.
3. try the booth at/in/on Trafalgar Square
4. throw it to/on the roof
5. you see sth in the tree but apples are on the tree?
6 10 o'clock on/in my watch
thank you
Joined on
Thu, Mar 31 2005
Full Member
197
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paco2004
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101809
Sat, 21 May 05 11:43 PM
I would go like this way;
1. There is a Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square.
2. It stands at a vertex of the rectangle.
3. I have a booth in Trafalgar Square
4. I threw it to the roof
5. You can see a squirrel in this tree and some apples on that tree.
6 Now it's 10 o'clock by my watch
paco
Joined on
Wed, Nov 17 2004
Senior Member
4,095
In Japan today even dogs are learning how to bow-wow in English.
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CalifJim
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101843
Sun, 22 May 05 05:21 AM
1. (There's a) Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square.
2. It stands at the vertex of a rectangle.
3. Try the booth in Trafalgar Square
4. Throw it [on / onto] the roof
5. You see sth in the tree but apples are on the tree? Yes.
6 10 o'clock [by / according to] my watch
I'm not sure about BrE for 1 and 3. Follow the local custom there.
CJ
Joined on
Mon, Aug 2 2004
California
Veteran Member
22,458
"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche
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paco2004,
4 yr 188 days ago
Huurm...I still am not good at choice of prepositions. I made a mistake in #4.
paco
yogi2005,
4 yr 187 days ago
thanks for help
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nona the brit
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102117
Mon, 23 May 05 12:54 PM
3. Could be in or at depending on context.
I want to buy some theatre tickets. I will go to the booth in Trafalgar Square.
I went to the booth at Leicester Square, they had sold out, but they said 'you could try our other booth in/at Trafalgar Square.
Joined on
Wed, Sep 22 2004
England
Veteran Member
11,713
The name says it all.
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Skater
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102184
Mon, 23 May 05 04:33 PM
You can throw something to the roof or onto the roof, but if you throw it on the roof, it means you're standing on the roof when you throw it. (Likewise, jumping into the shower is often a good idea; jumping in the shower can be dangerous -- and looks silly.)
Skater
Joined on
Thu, Mar 31 2005
New Member
18
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CalifJim
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102629
Wed, 25 May 05 07:29 AM
Au contraire! "on" is frequently used to mean "onto"; "in" is frequently used to mean "into" (even though the ambiguity you mention may exist in specific contexts). In fact "on" and "in" may actually be more frequently used than their equivalents "onto" and "into".
He threw the postcard on/onto the table.
They set the dishes on/?onto the table.
The cat jumped on/onto/upon/up onto the table.
He tacked the map on/?onto the wall.
He jumped in/into the shower.
He walked in/into the kitchen.
The reason is that we often add more explanatory words to indicate the "in place" meaning:
He jumped up and down in the shower.
He walked around in the kitchen.
Without these modifiers, the usual interpretation of "in" or "on" with a verb of motion is the idea of motion "*to in" something or "*to on" something.
CJ
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paco2004
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102630
Wed, 25 May 05 07:48 AM
Hello CJ
Frankly speaking, I don't think "throw a thing to the roof" is completely incorrect. If one says "He threw a stone on/onto the roof", I think the sentence would inevitably connote the stone reached the roof. If one wants to avoid such an implication, I think, they might say "He threw (up) a stone to the roof".
paco
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