Use of 'have' with 'hot spring.'

Question

I wrote 'I had a hot spring' but the teacher said I could use 'I bathed in a hot spring' I went and relaxed in a hot spring.' I see we can say 'have a sauna' and 'have a bath / shower.' Why not 'have a hot spring'?

Tobias.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi Tobias,

Welcome to the Forum.

I wrote 'I had a hot spring' but the teacher said I could use 'I bathed in a hot spring' I went and relaxed in a hot spring.' I see we can say 'have a sauna' and 'have a bath / shower.' Why not 'have a hot spring'?

I think it's really just collocation. Some things we say, and some things we don't say. It may also be that the purpose of a bath is very clear in regard to a person, but the purpose of a spring in regard to a person is less clear. We don't say 'I had a river'.

Best wishes, Clive

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you Clive. Helpful.

CalifJim · Answer

You use "had" to mean "performed the actions associated with". So "had" in that sense must be followed by a word which represents an activity. Activities take time. Keep that in mind.

I had a bath. "a bath" refers to the activity of bathing, washing oneself. During a bath, certain characteristic things are done, and time passes as the activity occurs.
I had a shower. "a shower" refers to the activity of standing under running water to wash oneself. During a shower, certain things are done, and time passes as the activity occurs.

"a hot spring", "a lake", "a river", and so on, are not activities. These words do not imply that anything is being done nor that time is passing. They are merely naturally occurring structures associated with water.

CJ

Use of 'have' with 'hot spring.'

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions