0
Teo Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
in (the) town
What's the difference in meaning between in town and in the town?
Top answer
Not much, really. in town is used a lot to mean "not away". Typically, which particular town is implicit, established by the surrounding context, by association with the person speaking, something like "our town" or "this town".
- Not much, really.
- in town is used a lot to mean "not away".
- Typically, which particular town is implicit, established by the surrounding context, by association with the person speaking, something like "our town" or "this town".
- It's like at home .
- You add the when the identity of the town is previously established in the conversation.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
4 Answers
0
Not much, really. in town is used a lot to mean "not away". Typically, which particular town is implicit, established by the surrounding context, by association with the person speaking, something like "our town" or "this town". It's like at home.
You add the when the identity of the town is previously established in the conversation. Then in the town means
You add the when the identity of the town is previously established in the conversation. Then in the town means
00
CalifJim
The opposite of town is village for the best of my knowledge.
So the following should be fine too.
1. Where is he now?
2. He went to town.
3. Where is he now?
4 He went to village.
So the fouth sentence should be fine too.
The opposite of town is village for the best of my knowledge.
So the following should be fine too.
1. Where is he now?
2. He went to town.
3. Where is he now?
4 He went to village.
So the fouth sentence should be fine too.
00
town doesn't have an opposite. I don't think any concrete nouns do.
Aside from that, there are only a limited number of nouns that can be used in the structures we're talking about.
in town, to town, in church, to church, at work, to work, at school, to school, etc.
villageis not one of them. So your fourth sentence is not possible (even though logic tells us it should
Aside from that, there are only a limited number of nouns that can be used in the structures we're talking about.
in town, to town, in church, to church, at work, to work, at school, to school, etc.
villageis not one of them. So your fourth sentence is not possible (even though logic tells us it should
00
Thanks CalifJim
I have learnt he went to town means that he went to his own town or rather the town he is used to go for shopping or some other
purposes.
He went to the town means some specific town. It tells you that he didn't go to the town which he is used to go for shopping.
So the village does not come under the category where we drop the article.
Being a nativ
I have learnt he went to town means that he went to his own town or rather the town he is used to go for shopping or some other
purposes.
He went to the town means some specific town. It tells you that he didn't go to the town which he is used to go for shopping.
So the village does not come under the category where we drop the article.
Being a nativ
0
Related Questions