Being British / American

[mirela b 2]

Which mistakes? :scare: I tend to type looking at the keyboard and not the screen, I usually click the post button before checking what i have written! Hence mistakes.

 

I assure you - i AM fluent in English! :jester:

 

But with regards to going out at the weekend, young people in England go out at the weekend with the sole purpose of getting drunk. They say if they haven't they have had a crap night. I dont think that happens in the USA!

 

It's "on the weekend", isn't it?

[deleted 1]

But with regards to going out at the weekend, young people in England go out at the weekend with the sole purpose of getting drunk. They say if they haven't they have had a crap night. I dont think that happens in the USA!

 

It's "on the weekend", isn't it?

 

No - it's 'at'. :jester:

[mirela b 2]

No - it's 'at'. :jester:

 

No, it's not! And I'm so sure about it...Look:

..........................................

on = preposition used to show the date or day when something happens: He's due to arrive on 14 February. I'm working on my birthday.

There are many other situations when on is used...but this one is related to our case.

 

at = preposition used to show the place or position of something or someone: She's at the library. Used to show the time: The miting starts at three.

 

...from Cambridge Learner's Dictionary (University Press - 2001.

[Shadowdancer 4]

sorry for butting in...

 

'on' is used for the date or day while for 'at' the dictionary mentions that it's used to show the time.

 

 

anyway, i googled it myself a bit and found this discussion: http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=62308

 

as with so many other issues, it seems to be a matter of British English vs. American English, as this, and other posts show:

I am teaching British English and I found in the books "at the weekends" and also I have taught American English and I have found "on the weekend"

[mirela b 2]

sorry for butting in...

 

'on' is used for the date or day while for 'at' the dictionary mentions that it's used to show the time.

anyway, i googled it myself a bit and found this discussion: http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=62308

 

as with so many other issues, it seems to be a matter of British English vs. American English, as this, and other posts show:

 

I see, hmm. The only problem is that I studied English in England and I did it with English professors. "At the weekend" was considered a mistake. To be honest, I never found "at the weekend" in any English book I read in my entire life. In the US I had to take a TOEFL exam and I read a couple of grammar books about soooo many things and exceptions...but I will never forget the rules about prepositions. Anyway, I still make mistakes :scare:. Nobody's perfect!

 

But if Rogeroo said that "at the weekend" is used in England - probably it's more common there than I thought even though isn't considered quite correct (by their experts).

 

It's interesting to find new things about a language on a forum... :jester:

[Shadowdancer 4]

I just tried to remember how I phrase it... 'On the weekend' sounds weird to me, and I am sure I have never used it. :scare: I think I usually avoid constructions with prepositions. I use sentences like "I am going out this weekend" or "What plans do you have for the weekend". I am quite sure that if I were to use preposition I'd slip in a Romanian translation like "in the weekend" :crazy: However, I use 'on weekends', in sentences like "On weekends I like to go out with friends". Weird. :jester:

[deleted 1]

No, it's not! And I'm so sure about it...Look:

..........................................

on = preposition used to show the date or day when something happens: He's due to arrive on 14 February. I'm working on my birthday.

There are many other situations when on is used...but this one is related to our case.

 

at = preposition used to show the place or position of something or someone: She's at the library. Used to show the time: The miting starts at three.

 

...from Cambridge Learner's Dictionary (University Press - 2001.

All I can say is that this is how the English speak. We would say:

 

What are you doing on Monday?

What are you doing on Ann's birthday?

 

....but when it comes to talking about the weekend it has always been:

 

What are you doing at the weekend?

 

...and just to confuse the matter further, when talking about months we say:

 

What are you doing in July?

 

I'm not an English teacher so cant say why, all i know is this is how English is spoken! My south african wife says both sound wrong and she would say 'what are you doing for the weekend?'

 

You mentioned I make 'mistakes' as in the plural. What else have i said that doesnt make sense?

Editat Ianuarie 20, 2007 de Rogeroo

[mirela b 2]

You mentioned I make 'mistakes' as in the plural. What else have i said that doesnt make sense? :P

 

Nothing important, just some spelling (and minor mistakes). Doesn't matter anyway. :tease:

[Ares444 13]

I am not a native but speak English 24/24. I've crosschecked with my British fellows

They go out at w/ends but never go out on the w/ends. This is what they say...

They say "on" is American English.

Editat Ianuarie 21, 2007 de Ares444

[Ares444 13]

(a browser @ Jan 20 2007, 12:55 AM) *

No, it's not! And I'm so sure about it...Look:

..........................................

on = preposition used to show the date or day when something happens: He's due to arrive on 14 February. I'm working on my birthday.

 

There are many other situations when on is used...but this one is related to our case.

 

at = preposition used to show the place or position of something or someone: She's at the library. Used to show the time: The miting starts at three.

....from Cambridge Learner's Dictionary (University Press - 2001.

 

Definition

 

at the weekend UK (US on the weekend)

 

on Saturday or Sunday, or on both Saturday and Sunday:

What did you do at the weekend?

We go out once in a while after work and on the weekend.

(from Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)

 

Please find below the related URL:

Cambridge Dic.

Editat Ianuarie 21, 2007 de Ares444