question about "on the way"

[hwhwhwhw]

Dear teachers,

we sometimes use "I am on the way." to tell the others that we're travelling

can it be modiflied as "I'm on the way to the school"
or "I'm on the way to be a teacher/ writer" by using a methphor?

 

[whitemoon]

Yes,you can modify a noun behind it as a post-modifier.
For example:
1. Egypitan's calendar shows the way to count days, weeks, months, and year. The way is a noun, which is modified by "to count......".
2. Mr. Joseph, a doctor, is my brother. Mr. Joseph is a noun, that is modified by a doctor.
3. Mr. Joseph (who is) in the car is my brother.Mr. Joseph is a noun, that is modified by "(who is) in the car".
4. Mr.Joseph (who is )sitting in the car is my brother. Similarly, Mr. Joseph is modified by "(who is )sitting in the car".
5. A dog (that is) killed by Mr.Joseph is my dog.A dog is a noun, that is modified by "(that is) killed by Mr.Joseph".
6. I like a story (which is) full of adventures. A story is a noun, that is modified by "(which is) full of adventures".
7. My sister is a girl (whom) Mr. Joseph loves. A girl is a noun, that is modified by "(whom) Mr.Joseph loves".

May you understand it very well,
Whitemoon

 

[Anglika]

Dear teachers,

we sometimes use "I am on the way." to tell the others that we're travelling

can it be modiflied as "I'm on the way to the school"
or "I'm on the way to be a teacher/ writer" by using a methphor?

You can indeed say "I am on my way to the school" if you are telling someone you are coming to school.

I would say the second sentence will be better as "I am on my way to being/becoming a teacher/writer".

 

[whitemoon]

I would say the second sentence will be better as "I am on my way to being/becoming a teacher/writer".

Why don't you use " my way to be a teacher/writer"?

 

[Bushwhacker]

Let me profit from this question to ask you is it not possible to say "On the way" to express we are doing something while progressing in some other activity or circunstance?

Thanks a lot,

Bushwhacker:-D:up:

 

[Anglika]

My way to be a teacher says this is the way in which I am a teacher.

"on my way to being a teacher" says that I am in the process of learning how to be a teacher.

 

[Anglika]

Let me profit from this question to ask you is it not possible to say "On the way" to express we are doing something while progressing in some other activity or circunstance?

Thanks a lot,

Bushwhacker:-D:up:

Yes, I think you can.

To be clear: I am on the way/on my way to being a teacher is perfectly good grammar. I am on the way to be a good teacher is not.

 

[whitemoon]

Thank you very much indeed.

 

[vil]

Hi hwhwhw,

I am not a teacher but there is nothing to prevent me to express my opinion.

My super brief answer your question is "YES"! You may use the mentioned above idiom "on the way" in this way. Please see below my examples intermingled with yours one.

on the way

1. also, "on one's way" - in the process of coming, going, or travelling, also about to come,

For example: The mail plane is on the way.
She is on her way out the door.
Winter is on the way.

2. "on the route of a journey, as in

I met him on the way to town.
We ran into them on the way.
I am on the way to the school.

3. on the way to , well on the way to
on the point of experiencing or achieving, as in

James is on the way to becoming a full professor.
Nancy is well on her way to a nervous breakdown.
I'm on the way to be a teacher/writer.
I think in this context it's better to be "I'm on the way to becoming a teacher"

Happy new 2008 year.

Regards.

V.

 

[whitemoon]

Hi hwhwhw,

I think in this context it's better to be "I'm on the way to become a teacher"

Thank you very much for your information.
I don't think the sentence "I'm on the way to become a teacher" is better.
We may say: Rosy (who is) to become a teacher is my sister.
But we can't say, I think, the way (that is) to become a teacher.
Thing to become a teacher must be human. Therefore, a man or a woman (who is) to become a teacher is correct. Or we may say the way to becoming a teacher (as anglika explains).
Just my opinion!
With kindest regards

 

[Bushwhacker]

Let's forget all this about teachers for a moment, and let me ask you if would it be correct to say: "I'm solving the doubts on the way" in the the sense of "I'm solving the doubts improvising, without any previous preparation or alert I'd be in a circunstance pressing me to solve them."

In other words, could "on the way" work for "improvising", "doing things without having time to face them calmly?"

Thanks you. :-D:up:

 

[vil]

Hi whitemoon,

You are in the right. My congratulations!

Thank you for your correction. I have fixed already two times my previous post.

James is on the way to becoming (not become) a full professor.

and

I'm on the way to becoming (not to become) a teacher.

Thank you again.

Happy new 2008 year.

Regards.

V.

 

[Bushwhacker]

Let's forget all this about teachers for a moment, and let me ask you if would it be correct to say: "I'm solving the problems on the way" in the the sense of "I'm solving the problems improvising, without any previous preparation or alert I'd be in a circunstance pressing me to solve them."

In other words, could "on the way" work for "improvising", "doing things without having time to face them calmly?"

Thanks you. :-D:up:

Still my doubt. Anyone attending it, please?

 

[louhevly]

Let's forget all this about teachers for a moment, and let me ask you if would it be correct to say: "I'm solving the doubts on the way" in the the sense of "I'm solving the doubts improvising, without any previous preparation or alert I'd be in a circunstance pressing me to solve them."

In other words, could "on the way" work for "improvising", "doing things without having time to face them calmly?"

Thanks you. :-D:up:

In my ideolect I can't say: "I'm solving the doubts on the way". I could say "I'm solving *problems along* the way" but, I'd prefer "I'm solving problems as I go along".

Lou

 

[Bushwhacker]

In my ideolect I can't say: "I'm solving the doubts on the way". I could say "I'm solving *problems along* the way" but, I'd prefer "I'm solving problems as I go along".

Lou

So, "on the way" is not for "improvising" while progressing in some other thing, "doing things without having time to face them calmly?"

I see you are in Catalonia despite being American, so I infer you understand Spanish or Catalan. Excuse me if not for my daring but what I'm trying to know is I can say "on my way" for "sobre la marcha." Sorry for my license.

Thank You :-D:up:

 

[vil]

Hi Bushwhacker,

"I'm solving the problems improvising, without any previous preparation

If yours "improvising" alludes to "improvised", which meaning is "spoken, performed, or composed with little or no preparation or forethought, so it would be better using another idiom, namely "by the way".

by the way = in passing, incidentally, as in

"She's my wife's cousin, and by the way, a good friend."

or "by the by" = incidentally, in passing, as in

"By the by my wife is coming too."

I hope, that will clear up your doubts.

Regards.

V.

 

[louhevly]

So, "on the way" is not for "improvising" while progressing in some other thing, "doing things without having time to face them calmly?"

I see you are in Catalonia despite being American, so I infer you understand Spanish or Catalan. Excuse me if not for my daring but what I'm trying to know is I can say "on my way" for "sobre la marcha." Sorry for my license.

Thank You :-D:up:

No, "on my way" is not generally a good translation of "sobre la marcha".

BTW, if you wish to ask questions concerning translations between languages, you can google WordReference Forums.

Lou

 

[Bushwhacker]

No, "on my way" is not generally a good translation of "sobre la marcha".

BTW, if you wish to ask questions concerning translations between languages, you can google WordReference Forums.

Lou

Sorry, louhevly, it's my fault, I've wrote "on my way" when what I really want to say is "on the way". It seams I'm condemned not to solve my problem. Excuse me again. Bushwhacker