[Grammar] I've taken a bus to work many times.

[beachboy]

a) I've taken a bus to work many times.
b) I've taken buses to work many times.

Three questions:

1) Can "a" and "b" have the same meaning?
2) Can "a" mean that, whenever I go to work by bus, I take the same one?
3) Can "b" mean that, whenever I go to work by bus, I take 2 or 3 of them?

 

[Raymott]

1. Yes.
2. No
3. No

Both a and b can mean multiple buses.

 

[emsr2d2]

A pedant might suggest that a) means it was the same bus but I don't think that. b) suggests, to me, that you get more than one bus on your journey to work each time. I think the most important thing to point out is that neither sentence is very natural. If you still go to work on a bus, say "I often go to work on the bus". If you no longer do so, say "I often used to go to work on the bus". Note that, in BrE, "on the bus" simply means "by bus".

 

[beachboy]

1. Yes.
2. No
3. No

Both a and b can mean multiple buses.

If "b" can mean multiple buses, it can mean 2 or 3, can't it?

 

[Raymott]

Yes, "multiple" includes 2 or 3 buses. Or do you mean answer 2 or 3?
But, to me, "buses" doesn't have to mean more than one bus. For example, you might have taken many different buses on different occasions if you work in different places, without ever having taken more than one bus on each occasion.

I'll change my answers to 2 and 3 to "possibly". I think I was answering "Do they mean ...?"
In AusE, neither of your sentences indicates the number of buses you take on each occasion.

 

[beachboy]

Yes, "multiple" includes 2 or 3 buses. Or do you mean answer 2 or 3?
But, to me, "buses" doesn't have to mean more than one bus. For example, you might have taken many different buses on different occasions if you work in different places, without ever having taken more than one bus on each occasion.

I'll change my answers to 2 and 3 to "possibly". I think I was answering "Do they mean ...?"
In AusE, neither of your sentences indicates the number of buses you take on each occasion.

Ah, ok, that's what I thought!

 

[Rover_KE]

Ah, OK. That's what I thought!

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