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Hans51 Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
Go surfing
1) Mary went surfing to the beach. (X)
2) Mary went surfing at the beach. (O)
My English teacher says #1 is wrong because there is no meaning "move" or "go" in "go surfing", "go swimming", etc. Can we say the structures such as "go surfing", etc imply "move" and "do", but sometimes we cannot infer "move", but "do" like #2 and in "Jack climbed up the hill with all his gear but didn't go hang-gliding because he was too afraid"?
Am I right? Do you native English speakers agree with this? Thank you so much as usual.
2) Mary went surfing at the beach. (O)
My English teacher says #1 is wrong because there is no meaning "move" or "go" in "go surfing", "go swimming", etc. Can we say the structures such as "go surfing", etc imply "move" and "do", but sometimes we cannot infer "move", but "do" like #2 and in "Jack climbed up the hill with all his gear but didn't go hang-gliding because he was too afraid"?
Am I right? Do you native English speakers agree with this? Thank you so much as usual.
Top answer
The 'movement' is already included in 'surfing' in that idiom ('to go + -ing'); that is why #1 is unacceptable except in casual English. 'Surfing' is the terminus of the movement, not 'the beach'. Does that answer your concern?
- The 'movement' is already included in 'surfing' in that idiom ('to go + -ing'); that is why #1 is unacceptable except in casual English.
- 'Surfing' is the terminus of the movement, not 'the beach'.
- Does that answer your concern?
- I do not understand your question about Jack.
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5 Answers
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The 'movement' is already included in 'surfing' in that idiom ('to go + -ing'); that is why #1 is unacceptable except in casual English. 'Surfing' is the terminus of the movement, not 'the beach'.
Does that answer your concern? I do not understand your question about Jack.
Does that answer your concern? I do not understand your question about Jack.
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Wow, thank you again and I am really surprised now. There is still a long way to go for English. So your point is that "go swimming", "go shopping", etc have no meaning of "go" but "do", right?
"Jack climbed up the hill with all his gear but didn't go hang-gliding because he was too afraid"?
Considering meaning, "go hang-gliding" implies just "do" and we cannot infer meaning
"Jack climbed up the hill with all his gear but didn't go hang-gliding because he was too afraid"?
Considering meaning, "go hang-gliding" implies just "do" and we cannot infer meaning
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Hans51"Jack climbed up the hill with all his gear but didn't go hang-gliding because he was too afraid"? Considering meaning, "go hang-gliding" implies just "do" and we cannot infer meaning of "go" there, right?I guess it depends on how you look at it, but yes. I see it as he did the 'go' part but did not complete it (by 'hang-gliding').
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Thank you so much, and can you take a look at this?
"I am going fishing now" means
1) I am on the way to some place to fish.
2) I am doing the fishing now.
Which one is a proper way of interpreting the example?
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"I am going shopping at Walmart."
"I am going shopping to Walmart."
"I am going fishing now" means
1) I am on the way to some place to fish.
2) I am doing the fishing now.
Which one is a proper way of interpreting the example?
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"I am going shopping at Walmart."
"I am going shopping to Walmart."
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"I am going fishing now" means 1) I am on the way to some place to fish.
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Which one is a correct sentence? -- "I am going shopping at Walmart."
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"I am going shopping with my mom now." means 1) I am on my way to some mart with my
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Which one is a correct sentence? -- "I am going shopping at Walmart."
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"I am going shopping with my mom now." means 1) I am on my way to some mart with my
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