I was riding the pillion and my friend was sitting in the front driving the bike.

Status
Not open for further replies.

tufguy

VIP Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2014
Location
India
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Hindi
Home Country
India
Current Location
India
1) I was riding the pillion and my friend was sitting in the front driving the motorcycle.

1) I was sitting in the back and my friend was sitting in the front driving the bicycle.

Is the word "Drive" correct here? If not then, what word should it be replaced with?
 

Tarheel

VIP Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2014
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
1) I was riding the pillion and my friend was sitting in the front driving the motorcycle.

1) I was sitting in the back and my friend was sitting in the front driving the bicycle.

Is the word "driving" correct here? If not then, what word should it be replaced with?

What word would you use other than "driving"?
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
tufguy, please Google the following:

what verb collocates with motorbike?
 

tufguy

VIP Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2014
Location
India
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Hindi
Home Country
India
Current Location
India

teechar

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Feb 18, 2015
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
Iraq
Current Location
Iraq
You're evading my question. Why did you ask the same question after two years?
 

GoesStation

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Joined
Dec 22, 2015
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
I just wanted to know whether "drive" can be used or not. [STRIKE]?[/STRIKE]
Don't capitalize a word to emphasize it. I don't want to have to tell you this again.

Your statement was not a question, so the question mark was incorrect. This is a common error among native speakers as well, so don't be surprised if you see it in their informal writing.
 

Tarheel

VIP Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2014
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
I am perfectly okay with "drive" there. In fact, despite the popularity of "ride" the word "drive" is more logical.
 

GoesStation

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Joined
Dec 22, 2015
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
I am perfectly okay with "drive" there. In fact, despite the popularity of "ride" the word "drive" is more logical.
Maybe so, but it's not idiomatic. Native speakers don't say someone is "driving" a motorcycle.
 

tzfujimino

Key Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2007
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
Japanese
Home Country
Japan
Current Location
Japan
Maybe so, but it's not idiomatic. Native speakers don't say someone is "driving" a motorcycle.

Then the sentence from the dictionary (in #5) isn't very good.

Would it be better if it said "He rode his motorbike, with me riding pillion"?
 

GoesStation

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Joined
Dec 22, 2015
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Then the sentence from the dictionary (in #5) isn't very good.

Would it be better if it said "He rode his motorbike, with me riding pillion"?
No. "He" was the driver, and the other person was the pillion passenger.

Note that we don't use the word "pillion" in American English.
 

GoesStation

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Joined
Dec 22, 2015
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Tzfujimino, note that I edited my reply. "Drove" is okay in the dictionary's example. "Rode" wouldn't make sense because both the driver and the passenger were riding the bike.
 

Skrej

VIP Member
Joined
May 11, 2015
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
1) I was riding the pillion(I was the pass[STRIKE]a[/STRIKE]enger) and my friend was sitting in the front riding the motorcycle.

1) I was sitting in the back(I was the pass[STRIKE]a[/STRIKE]enger) and my friend was sitting in the front riding the bicycle.


Note the duplicate spelling error.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top