[Grammar] hit on the face

[Ashiuhto]

Please check out the following sentence.

In the PE class, I was accidentally hit by a baseball on the face and got a bloody nose.

 

[emsr2d2]

Please check out the following sentence.

In the PE class, I was accidentally hit by a baseball on the face and got a bloody nose.

In PE [class], I was accidentally hit in the face with/by a baseball and I got a bloody nose.

In BrE, you can just call it "PE" and we'll know what you mean. We also say "hit in the face" not "hit on the face". We mix our prepositions in this context. For example, we say "on the head/arm/leg/hand/foot" but "in the face/eye/stomach/nuts(!)/chest".

 

[BobK]

:up: And when you're hit in the face, you may be hit on the chin or in the teeth. ;-)

b

 

[Rover_KE]

. . .or in Ashiuhto's case - on the nose.

 

[dilodi83]

what about the groin? Which preposition do you use?

 

[Tdol]

I would use in the groin.

 

[BobK]

:up: Or - euphemistically (this is one commonly used by cricket commentators) - 'he was hit amidships' ;-)

b

 

[emsr2d2]

What about the groin? Which preposition do you use?

For that delicate area, it's "in" with every word I can think of...

- in the groin
- in the nuts (slang - not rude)
- in the balls (slang - not very rude)
- in the b*llocks (rude slang)
- in the nads (slang, abbreviation for gonads - not very rude)
- in the family jewels (slang)
- in the testicles (we'd probably only say the anatomical name to a medical professional!)

 

[sherrie15]

'on' can be used when being more specific about the groin area, 'hit on the left hand side of the groin', 'hit on the lower part of the groin'.

I would also use the word 'testicle/s' when speaking to someone more formally, not just healthcare professionals, my parents, a neighbour etc.

 

[Tdol]

There's a poll on the subject now: Poll: The ball hit me ____ the face. - Language Polls - UsingEnglish.com

 

[BobK]

Afterthought: More advanced students should also be aware of the idiom 'on the face of it' (which doesn't seem to be in the UE list); it means something like 'apparently/by the look of it'.

b

 

[emsr2d2]

Afterthought: More advanced students should also be aware of the idiom 'on the face of it' (which doesn't seem to be in the UE list); it means something like 'apparently/by the look of it'.

b

Good point. I would say that it means "at first glance" or "it gives the appearance of ... without delving any deeper".

 

[Tdol]

Afterthought: More advanced students should also be aware of the idiom 'on the face of it' (which doesn't seem to be in the UE list); it means something like 'apparently/by the look of it'.

b

It is now:
On the face of it - Idiom Definition - UsingEnglish.com

;-)