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Reegis Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
"Where is there a restaurant"
Please let's have a look at two sentences:
1) Where is a restaurant?
2) Where is the restaurant?
Let's assume I am in a completely new city and would like to eat something, do I say 1) or 2)?
On the one hand I do not mean any particular restaurant, but on the other hand it can be interpreted that I am asking about the nearest restaurant which might suggest definite article.
Of course we can also just say this:
3) Is there a restaurant here?
And then ask where.
But can we mix them somehow?
4) Where is there a restaurant?
5) Where is there a restaurant here?
Are 4) and 5) correct?
1) Where is a restaurant?
2) Where is the restaurant?
Let's assume I am in a completely new city and would like to eat something, do I say 1) or 2)?
On the one hand I do not mean any particular restaurant, but on the other hand it can be interpreted that I am asking about the nearest restaurant which might suggest definite article.
Of course we can also just say this:
3) Is there a restaurant here?
And then ask where.
But can we mix them somehow?
4) Where is there a restaurant?
5) Where is there a restaurant here?
Are 4) and 5) correct?
Top answer
You would not say 2 unless you and the person you are asking both knew you meant a specific restaurant. 1 is not very natural either by itself. Where is the closest restaurant?
- You would not say 2 unless you and the person you are asking both knew you meant a specific restaurant.
- 1 is not very natural either by itself.
- Where is the closest restaurant?
- Is there a restaurant nearby?
- Where is a restaurant that is close and not too expensive?
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4 Answers
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You would not say 2 unless you and the person you are asking both knew you meant a specific restaurant.
1 is not very natural either by itself.
Where is the closest restaurant?
Is there a restaurant nearby?
Where is a restaurant that is close and not too expensive?
Where is a restaurant where my husband and I can enjoy some fine dining?
Where is a restaurant that
1 is not very natural either by itself.
Where is the closest restaurant?
Is there a restaurant nearby?
Where is a restaurant that is close and not too expensive?
Where is a restaurant where my husband and I can enjoy some fine dining?
Where is a restaurant that
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Thanks a lot BarbaraPA for your help.
Let me make sure if I got you right regarding 4) and 5) - are they not correct?
I am asking because I am pretty sure that recently for the first time I have heard a native speaker use one of them and I wonder if they are grammatically correct, or they are some slang or maybe I must have misheard.
Let me make sure if I got you right regarding 4) and 5) - are they not correct?
I am asking because I am pretty sure that recently for the first time I have heard a native speaker use one of them and I wonder if they are grammatically correct, or they are some slang or maybe I must have misheard.
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Perhaps "Where is there a restaurant around here?" was what you heard?
5 is rather a mess, and 4 is not natural as it is.
I wouldn't say the question above - at least, not if I had planned my speech ahead of time.
But when we speak, we don't always plan where our thoughts our going.
We know we want a location, so we start with "where."
We know we want a restaurant, so we
5 is rather a mess, and 4 is not natural as it is.
I wouldn't say the question above - at least, not if I had planned my speech ahead of time.
But when we speak, we don't always plan where our thoughts our going.
We know we want a location, so we start with "where."
We know we want a restaurant, so we
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I am pretty sure there was no word like 'around'.
Yeah, I can follow your reasoning and must say you are completely right. It wasn't long ago when I realized that I do the same when I use my native language. Funny thing, and really good to be aware of.
The most interesting thing about this story is that I heard this sentence in some educational course or podcast...
Yeah, I can follow your reasoning and must say you are completely right. It wasn't long ago when I realized that I do the same when I use my native language. Funny thing, and really good to be aware of.
The most interesting thing about this story is that I heard this sentence in some educational course or podcast...
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