Full Time

[namsteven]

Dear Teachers,

A. - He works a full-time job.
- He works full-time.
- He has a full-time job.
- Which sentence is more natural?

B. She called the police on him when he would not let his daughter leave his apartment.
- What does “called the police on him” mean?

Thanks a million

Namsteven

[MikeNewYork]

Dear Teachers,

A. - He works a full-time job.
- He works full-time.
- He has a full-time job.
- Which sentence is more natural?

B. She called the police on him when he would not let his daughter leave his apartment.
- What does “called the police on him” mean?

Thanks a million

Namsteven

A. They are equally natural and correct. In the first, "full-time" is an adverb; in the second, it is an adjective.

B. It means that the police were called and he was mentioned as the problem.

[Tdol]

This might be a BrE difference, but 'works a full-time job' sounds a little strange to me. I'd use 'does a full-time job'.

[BobK]

...
A. - He works a full-time job.
- He works full-time.
- He has a full-time job.
- Which sentence is more natural?
...

I'd prefer 'he does a full-time job' rather than your first; I agree with Mike that the other too are both fine.

(Maybe this is a BE thing, but I don't see works as factitive, except in a few collocations: 'work the day/night shift', 'work wonders', 'work miracles'. Hmm... Maybe 'factitive' is the wrong word. )

b

[MikeNewYork]

I'd prefer 'he does a full-time job' rather than your first; I agree with Mike that the other too are both fine.

(Maybe this is a BE thing, but I don't see works as factitive, except in a few collocations: 'work the day/night shift', 'work wonders', 'work miracles'. Hmm... Maybe 'factitive' is the wrong word. )

b

The first is not uncommon in AmE.

Web Results 1 - 10 of about 19,000 for "works a full-time job".

[Tdol]

Yet another of our little differences.

[MikeNewYork]

Yet another of our little differences.

I wish we had started cataloging them years ago.

[curmudgeon]

I wish we had started cataloging them years ago.

Foibles

[curmudgeon]

- He has a full-time job.
B. She called the police on him when he would not let his daughter leave his apartment.
- What does “called the police on him” mean?

Namsteven

it should be 'She called the police about him

or

she called the police when he would not let

On him is not correct

[MikeNewYork]

it should be 'She called the police about him

or

she called the police when he would not let

On him is not correct

Yes, it is. Informal.

Web Results 1 - 10 of about 873 for "called the police on him".
Web Results 1 - 10 of about 6,250 for "called the police on you".
Web Results 1 - 10 of about 524 for "called the police on her".
Web Results 1 - 10 of about 927 for "called the police on me".
Web Results 1 - 10 of about 1,420 for "called the police on us".
Web Results 1 - 10 of about 11,200 for "called the police on them".
cf:

told on him
ratted on him
squealed on him