[Vocabulary] Is this sentence correct?

[Keralite]

Hello Friends,

I would like to know if the usage of 'got down' in the below sentence is correct. I would also like to know if we can use 'caught' instead of 'took' in this sentence.

Sentence: We took a taxi from the air port and my friend Tom got down at the next bust stop.


...:lol:

 

[emsr2d2]

No. He got out at the next bus stop.

Note that "airport" is one word, not two.

In my opinion, "caught" doesn't work with taxis. In BrE, we "get a taxi". You can also take a taxi or, if you call for one by telephone to come to pick you up, you book a taxi or call a taxi. The use of the word "cab" is very common in the UK too, as well as "taxi".

 

[Rover_KE]

We ​

took​

a taxi from the ​

airport​

and my friend Tom ​

got out​

at the next bus​

[STRIKE]

t​

[/STRIKE]

stop.

(Please read the above as if it were written all on the same line.)

You could say 'We hired a taxi' but not 'caught'. You catch a bus or a train as they have regular schedules.

You get out of a car/cab/taxi and get off a bus/train.

You only get down from something you've previously climbed up into or onto, like a tree/horse/table.

Rover

​

 

[SoothingDave]

In America, you can catch a taxi. Particularly in the kind of situation where it is not pre-arranged, but you flag one down in the street or just know they are there. Like at an airport.

 

[emsr2d2]

In the UK, if you flag a taxi down in the street (which is illegal in some cities), we say that we "hail a taxi" or "hail a cab". If the taxi is waiting at a taxi rank (the line of taxis which wait in officially designated areas), we just "get a taxi".

 

[SoothingDave]

"Hail" or "get" also work in those situation. But people do say "I'll catch a cab..." For instance:

How to Catch a Cab in NYC | eHow.com

 

[Barb_D]

I'm trying to think if I've ever "caught" a taxi, and I don't think so. So Dave's use might be regional.

We got a cab, we hailed a cab, we found a cab, we snagged a cab (that would be one passing on the street), we took a cab... there are probably more.

 

[Keralite]

Thank you. You have explained it very clearly and in detail. :roll: