do/go boating?

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Verona_82

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Hello!

I'd be very grateful if someone could help me with word usage.

-So, how was your weekend?
-Great, we went to a lake and sailed in a boat.

Doesn't it sound weird? Are the following alternatives any better?

-...we did some boating
-...we went boating.
-...we did some rowing.
-...we went for a row.
-...we sailed around the lake (??)
 

lauralie2

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They all look good to me.
 

Verona_82

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all? even this 'sailed in a boat' thing?​
 

lauralie2

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all? even this 'sailed in a boat' thing?​
Yes. "Sail" is a verb (sail, sailed, sailing). :-D

Alternatively,


  • We went to a lake and went sailing in a boat.
 

Verona_82

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oh oh. You made my day, Lauralie :-D Thank you!
 

TheParser

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Hello!

I'd be very grateful if someone could help me with word usage.

-So, how was your weekend?
-Great, we went to a lake and sailed in a boat.

Doesn't it sound weird? Are the following alternatives any better?

-...we did some boating
-...we went boating.
-...we did some rowing.
-...we went for a row.
-...we sailed around the lake (??)


********** NOT A TEACHER **********


Verona,


Teacher Lauralie has given you an excellent answer, as usual.

May I just point out for your interest that if a native speaker

said, "I went sailing," s/he would probably not add: "in a boat."

If s/he did, perhaps some sarcastic person might reply:

Well, of course, in a boat -- not on an airplane or a train or in a car!!!

********** NOT A TEACHER **********

P. S. Please excuse me for using "s/he." But I simply cannot bring

myself to use "they" in those sentences.

P.P.S. But if you wanted to specify the kind of boat, then I think that

it would fine:

My best friend, who is very rich, invited me to go sailing with him on

his huge yacht.
 

Verona_82

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hmm, an idea has just come to mind. The expression "we went sailing" can be used to talk about all kinds of boat, not necessarily ones moved by the wind, right?
 

TheParser

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hmm, an idea has just come to mind. The expression "we went sailing" can be used to talk about all kinds of boat, not necessarily ones moved by the wind, right?


********** NOT A TEACHER **********


Verona,


You are 100% correct.

In fact, my dictionary reminded me that it need not even be a

boat:

She sailed right into the conference room and sat down.

=

She walked into the room smoothly and with absolute confidence.

********** NOT A TEACHER **********
 
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