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Magic79 Posted 19 years ago
Grammar

on holiday OR in holiday

1font00Longman Advanced Dictionary has the following information on the usage of holiday:02font02br
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00British English speakers say holiday , not holidays in the structures be on holiday, go on holiday and return/come back from holiday • something to read when you are on holiday (NOT when you are on holidays) • When you come back from holiday, it's hard to work (NOT When you come back from holidays).Holidays is usually used after the, my, your etc • Soon it will be the holidays. • Where do you want to go for your holidays?!! Do not say 'be in (your) holidays' or 'go in (your) holidays'. Say go on holiday or go on your holidays or be on holiday or be on your holidays.!! Do not say 'make a holiday'. Say have a holiday .02br
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01font00The dictionary says: 02font00Do not say 'be in (your) holidays02br
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01font00-I think we can say: I (was/spent) three 01u00days02u00 01u00on02u00 holiday. (Am I right?)02font02br
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01font00- "how many 01u00days02u00 are 01u00in02u00 your next holiday?" seems better than02font02br
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01font00 -"how many days are on your next holiday?"02font02br
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01font00OR maybe we the previous questoins are all wrong and we need to say instead:02font02br
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01font00- How many days is your holiday?02font02br
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01font00Reason for my confusion is that we say both:02font02br
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01font00- How many days are IN a year?02font02br
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01font00- How many days is a year?02font02br
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01font00But with holiday...we have "on holiday" and I am wondering if "on" can turn to "in" when asking about the number of days (in/on) a holiday!!!!02font02br
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01font00Please help clearing my mind!02font02br
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Top answer

02sup 02sub 02br 02br 01sub 01sup 00Either way, [on] is correct prep. 02sup 02sub 02br 02br 02br 02br 01sub 01sup 00For me, 01b 00holiday02b 00 was a troubling word when I was learning English. 02sup 02sub 02br 02br 01sub 01sup 002- 00is a public 05000 in the0102 02sup 02sub 02br 02br 01sub 01sup 003- Mr.

— Goodman

  • 02sup 02sub 02br 02br 01sub 01sup 00Either way, [on] is correct prep.
  • 02sup 02sub 02br 02br 02br 02br 01sub 01sup 00For me, 01b 00holiday02b 00 was a troubling word when I was learning English.
  • 02sup 02sub 02br 02br 01sub 01sup 002- 00is a public 05000 in the0102 02sup 02sub 02br 02br 01sub 01sup 003- Mr.
  • 02sup 02sub 02br 02br 01sub 01sup 004- We wish you a happy holiday season.
  • (no’s’)02sup 02sub 02br 02br 010id85
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9 Answers
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1sub01sup00Hi Magic,02sup02sub02br
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01sub01sup01b00“Holidays”02b00 is the British equivalent of “01b00vacation”02b00 for the Americans.02sup02sub02br
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01sub01sup00Either way, [on] is correct prep. 02sup0
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0 003- Mr. Blair is on his [01font00holidays02font00] and will not accept any appointment.02br
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00Here I would use "holiday" - "Mr Blair is on holiday and will not accept any appointments."02br
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00"Holidays" = Family holidays are always stressfull; School holidays will start in July and end in Septe
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0Sorry, I think we have different opinions. Based on my verification on line, [Holidays] does mean [vacation] in AmE. Packaged Holiday is the same as packaged vacation. [On holiday] is the same as [on vacation]. Mr. Blair is on his 01font00holidays 02font00is correct in my book.02br
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1font00Hi there,02font02br
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01font00So which one is correct?02font02br
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01font02font02br
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01font00-How many days are IN a year? OR02font02br
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1font00How many days are 01u01i00there02i02u00 in a year? 02font02br
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01font00How many days is a year? 01b00(Incorrect)02b02font0-
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0Thanks FeFeebs11, Goodman, and Liang!02br
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00how about this:02br
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00I am sure we can say 01i00how long is your holidays02i00. But how about if I wanted to ask specifically about the number of days!!02br
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00a. How many days are (in/on) your holidays? (which preposition)0-
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0In natural English, we'd proablay say one of the followings:02br
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00 "How long will you be done for vacation?"02br
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00"How long would you be on your holidays?"02br
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00"How long is your vacation?"02br
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00"How many days will you be on vacation/ holidays?"0-
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0OK, to clear up a little confusion that has crept in here, due to people introducing American English into a British English topic.02br
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00The original question was asking about British English, which does not use 'holidays' in the same way as American English. 'Vacation' is American English.02br
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00Tony Blair is on his holidays - correct in Ameri
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0Very lucid!02br
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00Thanks Nona and anonymous!02br
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00There are many days 00in my holidays00 when I just choose to stay home and read in the comfort of my bedroom!0-
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