Right choice of words ?

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Hela

#423711 Wed, 26 Sep 07 08:19 AM

Dear teachers,

Would you please tell me if my sentences are correct?

1) Some students live on University campus.

Do we need to put a capital “U” to “university” here? If yes, why?

2) a) We had a really good time at your place...

b) We really had a good time... (?) (where should I put the adverb ?)

c) We had a real good time... (correct ?)

d) We enjoyed ourselves immensely at your place / house (are they the same ?) last weekend.

3) We spent a week in / on (?) Corfu. (what shall I say, and why ?)

4) The company has a plant / factory in Ireland. (are they the same ?)

5) I had to change train in / at (?) Birmingham. (what shall I say, and why ?)

6) We used to live in a small area / place (?) called Eastwood. (are they the same ?)

Thank you in advance for your explanations.

Hela

Hela

Joined on Mon, Nov 15 2004

Tunisia

Regular Member (831)

Verbs, Adverbs, Universities

Mister Micawber

#423745 Wed, 26 Sep 07 09:13 AM

1) Some students live on the university campus.

2) a) We had a really good time at your place... -- OK

b) We really had a good time... -- OK

c) We had a real good time... -- Casual but OK

d) We enjoyed ourselves immensely at your place / house last weekend. -- In this situation we expect that place = house

3) We spent a week on Corfu.-- It's an island

4) The company has a plant / factory in Ireland. -- the same

5) I had to change trains at Birmingham. -- it is a point on the train line. However, 'in' occurs with regularity because the speaker may be picturing him/herself within the city.

6) We used to live in a small area / place called Eastwood.-- Synonymity depends on what 'Eastwood' is.

Mister Micawber

Joined on Wed, Aug 4 2004

Yokohama

Veteran Member (22,680)

'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master-- that's all.'

Universities

Cool Breeze

#423771 Wed, 26 Sep 07 10:33 AM

Mister Micawber wrote:

3) We spent a week on Corfu.-- It's an island

Hi MM

I don't object to on Corfu. It's quite a big island and therefore in Corfu is also very common, perhaps more common than on Corfu.

CB

Cool Breeze

Joined on Fri, Apr 7 2006

Helsinki, Finland

Senior Member (3,006)

The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.- Mark Twain

Mister Micawber

#423823 Wed, 26 Sep 07 01:10 PM

Right you are, CB. How odd.

Mister Micawber

Cool Breeze

#423838 Wed, 26 Sep 07 01:56 PM

Mister Micawber wrote:

Right you are, CB. How odd.

Well, it may seem odd in faraway Japan, MrM. Smile [:)]

The truth is that I've never heard a Brit holidaying in Majorca say he/she is on Majorca. Not that I would consider it wrong. Live and let live!

CB

Cool Breeze

Feebs11

#423844 Wed, 26 Sep 07 02:22 PM

Similarly, I have never heard someone say "I was in the Isle of Wight last weekend" or "I spend my holiday in the Channel Islands". I feel like Mr M that "on an island" is better.

Feebs11

Joined on Thu, Nov 23 2006

Veteran Member (5,003)

Mister Micawber

#423856 Wed, 26 Sep 07 02:53 PM

I've never heard a Brit holidaying in Majorca say he/she is on Majorca.

Yes, it seems to have a good deal to do with whether the speaker is actually on the island or at a distance from it when speaking.

Mister Micawber

Cool Breeze

#423862 Wed, 26 Sep 07 03:13 PM

Feebs11 wrote:
Similarly, I have never heard someone say "I was in the Isle of Wight last weekend" or "I spend my holiday in the Channel Islands". I feel like Mr M that "on an island" is better.

Feebs, I agree with you completely. I haven't tried to say what is 'better', I have just said what I have heard people say. I always say on an island, not in an island. However, actual usage varies a great deal. The bigger the island is, the more likely at least some people are to use in. Also, if an island is a country, in is usually used: He lives in Japan. He lives in Malta. Should anyone prefer on Japan, I am the last person to object! Smile [:)]

Cheers
CB

Cool Breeze

Malta

Mister Micawber

#423868 Wed, 26 Sep 07 03:23 PM

Unfortunate choice, CB-- Japan is a country but not an island. I live on Honshu in Japan.

(Being 'in faraway Japan' does have its advantages, you see.)

Mister Micawber

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