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Good at or good in.
Message de marit64 posté le 22-11-2006 à 00:50:09 (S | E | F | I)
everybody!
I've always learned that we have to say: "Good at English" but my new teacher keeps on telling me that it's wrong and the way to say it is "good in English". According to him, the rule is the following one: "Good at something and good in languages.
If an anglophone or a better person than me in English could give me an answer, I'd appreciate it.
Thanks a lot for your answers (ing)
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Modifié par lucile83 le 22-11-2006 13:53
Message de marit64 posté le 22-11-2006 à 00:50:09 (S | E | F | I)
everybody!I've always learned that we have to say: "Good at English" but my new teacher keeps on telling me that it's wrong and the way to say it is "good in English". According to him, the rule is the following one: "Good at something and good in languages.
If an anglophone or a better person than me in English could give me an answer, I'd appreciate it.
Thanks a lot for your answers (ing)
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Modifié par lucile83 le 22-11-2006 13:53
Réponse: Good at or good in. de whynot95, postée le 22-11-2006 à 06:52:39 (S | E)
Hello.
Here's an excerpt from BBC :
You do not have to be very good at English to enjoy the discussions. The BBC English Discussion Group is there for people to practise their communication and writing skills.
Réponse: Good at or good in. de lucile83, postée le 22-11-2006 à 14:05:14 (S | E)
Hello,
I tried this morning to find out "good in English " but I didn't succeed in that research !
I am afraid it doesn't exist. Could you ask your teacher where he read that ?
Thanks very much
Réponse: Good at or good in. de marit64, postée le 23-11-2006 à 00:14:53 (S | E)
Hi!
everybody for your answers.I'll ask my teacher next Tuesday where he read that.
So long,
Réponse: Good at or good in. de mulligan, postée le 23-11-2006 à 01:35:07 (S | E)
Hello,
Voici ce que l'on peut lire sur le site de l'Oxford dictionary, au mot GOOD :
Here is what we can read on the site Oxford Dictionary, concerning the word "good" :
SKILFUL
5 ~ (at sth / at doing sth) able to do sth well: to be a good actor / cook to be good at languages / your job Nick has always been good at finding cheap flights.
6 ~ with sth/sb able to use sth or deal with people well: She’s good with her hands (= able to make things, etc.). He’s very good with children.
*Sur Harraps New shorter: Good at latin.
* In Harraps New shorter : Good at Latin
Pas de mention de Good in.
Ou bien c'est de l'American-English ou bien il y a erreur.
Not any mention of Good in.
Either it is American-English or it is a mistake.
Good night.
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Modifié par lucile83 le 23-11-2006 06:53
Sorry mulligan, I wrote what you said in green and in English as it is the English Only forum
Réponse: Good at or good in. de mulligan, postée le 23-11-2006 à 10:29:28 (S | E)
Thank you Lucile83. I was inattentive (first participation). I apologize.
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Modifié par lucile83 le 23-11-2006 14:37
You're welcome
Réponse: Good at or good in. de marit64, postée le 29-11-2006 à 00:27:42 (S | E)
Hi everybody!Lucille
I saw my teacher this afternoon and he told me that he had learned it in California (US). Moreover an anglophone told me that people use "Good in English" in Canada. Who's right, who's wrong, I'm completly mixed up?
Thanks a lot each one of you for your answer.
Réponse: Good at or good in. de magmatic_rock, postée le 29-11-2006 à 01:10:09 (S | E)
Hello,
as I mentioned last week through pm, in Canada we say "at" and I asked several American people who told me the same!
Don't say "in", and even if you do, people will understand you anyway! I know a couple of foreigners here who say "I live at..." instead of "in" but everyone understands and keeps talking without being shocked! I make some mistakes too but people get me! Anyone is perfect! Even English speakers make a bunch of mistakes like we do with French!
Don't remain stuck on one little stuff like this!
Seriously, if you can express yourself clearly with a fairly good English, no one is going to notice your mistakes! And if ever they do, they'll correct you kindly so you can keep improving your skills!
And I think you are pretty good at English
Réponse: Good at or good in. de whynot95, postée le 29-11-2006 à 05:50:08 (S | E)
Hello my dear Marit.
I also asked some American people and they told me that "good in English" is incorrect.
So I agree with Magma. On this website, every day I see many French native speakers make a lot of mistakes. Sometimes even by some young English teachers!
Réponse: Good at or good in. de lucile83, postée le 29-11-2006 à 07:16:13 (S | E)
Hello marit and everybody,
Thanks marit for your information; I thought so.
Well, the quite correct and British way of saying is "at"; nevertheless people will understand you if you say "in".They may or not correct you; I will as I consider that as a mistake
See you soon
Réponse: Good at or good in. de marit64, postée le 05-12-2006 à 23:46:22 (S | E)
Hi everybody!
Thanks a lot for your comments but I really think that it depends on where we live. I met two women last week. They lived in Ontario (Canada) for almost forty years and they've never heard "Good at English". They use "Good in English". It's really strange for them to say "Good at English".
But, I know that the most important thing is to be understood.
Once again, thank you and have a nice week!
Réponse: Good at or good in. de mister, postée le 13-12-2006 à 11:01:37 (S | E)
hello,
Normally we use “at “when it’s matter of position, and “in” for space. American people see English here as field i.e. learning English; that’s why they would rather say “good in English”. But we could say to be good at English. It’s right as well. It depends on speaking English countries.
thanks
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Modifié par lucile83 le 13-12-2006 11:08
Réponse: Good at or good in. de fenics, postée le 13-12-2006 à 23:14:42 (S | E)
Hello,
Voilà ce que j'ai pu lire à propos de ce sujet sur le site de la BBC:
-"To be good at" est la forme standard que l'on utilise comme dans l'exemple "I'm not very good at football".
-Toutefois la forme "To be good in" est plus répendue avec des mots qui
-En général, les deux sont souvent interchangeables.
Bye.
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Modifié par bridg le 13-12-2006 23:41
Réponse: Good at or good in. de marit64, postée le 14-12-2006 à 00:17:07 (S | E)
Hi everybody!Mister and fenics, thanks a lot for your answers. I appreciated them.
So long,
INDISPENSABLES : 