0
Guest Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
Climbing a tree
I'm a Belgian teacher who's in the middle of correcting some writing tests. My pupils had to write a newspaper article (using given words and adding stuff and conjugating verbs). Some pupils came up with this sentence:
First he climbed in a tree and jumped from branch to branch.
(The logical option being 'First he climbed a tree and jumped from one branch to the other.)
I'm just wondering whether their sentence is grammatically incorrect. Do you always climb a tree or can you also climb in a tree? And can you climb from branch to branch or do you always climb from one branch to the other?
First he climbed in a tree and jumped from branch to branch.
(The logical option being 'First he climbed a tree and jumped from one branch to the other.)
I'm just wondering whether their sentence is grammatically incorrect. Do you always climb a tree or can you also climb in a tree? And can you climb from branch to branch or do you always climb from one branch to the other?
Top answer
Hello Guest You could say 'climbed up into a tree' and 'climbed from branch to branch'. 'Climbed in a tree' would only work (to my mind) if the tree were were of a very enclosed configuration, so that 'in' became almost a metaphor ('inside'). ) MrP
- Hello Guest You could say 'climbed up into a tree' and 'climbed from branch to branch'.
- 'Climbed in a tree' would only work (to my mind) if the tree were were of a very enclosed configuration, so that 'in' became almost a metaphor ('inside').
- ) MrP
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
3 Answers
0
Hello Guest
You could say 'climbed up into a tree' and 'climbed from branch to branch'.
'Climbed in a tree' would only work (to my mind) if the tree were were of a very enclosed configuration, so that 'in' became almost a metaphor ('inside').
(I envisage a highly topiarised tree, where the branches form a natural tree house.)
MrP
You could say 'climbed up into a tree' and 'climbed from branch to branch'.
'Climbed in a tree' would only work (to my mind) if the tree were were of a very enclosed configuration, so that 'in' became almost a metaphor ('inside').
(I envisage a highly topiarised tree, where the branches form a natural tree house.)
MrP
00
I prefer:
'First he climbed into a tree and jumped from branch to branch.'
You can climb about while in the tree, but I think it more likely that he climbed into the tree from the ground, and subsequently began jumping from branch to branch (which latter phrase is quite common).
Ah, Mr P. My comment is not in preference to yours, which crept in while I wa
'First he climbed into a tree and jumped from branch to branch.'
You can climb about while in the tree, but I think it more likely that he climbed into the tree from the ground, and subsequently began jumping from branch to branch (which latter phrase is quite common).
Ah, Mr P. My comment is not in preference to yours, which crept in while I wa
00
'Climbed into' sounds fine to me too.
MrP
PS: Got the milk, thanks, MM.
MrP
PS: Got the milk, thanks, MM.
0
Related Questions