[Grammar] on Friday or (just) Friday

[i'mmariko]

Which is correct? And, what is the difference between the two sentences.

1) My cat went missing Friday.
2) My cat went missing on Friday.

Thanks for your help.

Mariko

 

[curmudgeon]

1) Is American English, they like to take shortcuts ;-)
2) Is proper English, also you could say 'My cat went missing last Friday'

 

[i'mmariko]

Thank you for your comment,Gillnetter

I found the phrase, "My cat went missing Friday." in today's San Francisco Chronicle.

Mariko

 

[Linguist__]

I've never heard of it. To me, it sounds like you are telling a person called Friday that your cat went missing.

I could understand it in speech, but it seems strange if it was in an article. Unless it was a quote.

 

[i'mmariko]

I've never heard of it. To me, it sounds like you are telling a person called Friday that your cat went missing.

I could understand it in speech, but it seems strange if it was in an article. Unless it was a quote.

It's a photo a caption. It says, "D.H. is looking for his cat, Samantha, shown last month. His leash-trained companion went missing Friday."

 

[Barb_D]

Maybe this is regional, but "went missing" is very normal to my ear and to my speech. I wouldn't write it in a business report ($20 million has gone missing) but it's a common substitution for "disappeared."

 

[curmudgeon]

In the UK this is acceptable form and is used frequently

see here


Ask the English Teacher: Went missing

 

[Paperino]

I am not a teacher.

I believe "My cat went missing ON Friday" is correct.
You may reference Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL) by searching "Prepositions for Time, Place, and Introducing Objects." Sorry, at this time I am not able to provide a link.

As for the "went missing" part of your sentence, I find it too colloquial (too much like slang). However, as Curmudgeon pointed out, it is more common and accepted in Britain, and it is often used in the American press.

You might try "My cat ran off (away) on Friday," "My cat was missing on Friday," or "My cat has been missing since Friday."

 

[Tdol]

It is a photo caption, so I think omitting the preposition is OK but 'Missing since Friday' might be a better caption.