take/make a second left

[englishhobby]

Are both verbs (take and make) possible when giving directions?

1) Go staight on Green Street, then take a second left.
2) Go staight on Green Street, then make a second left.

:?:

 

[Rover_KE]

1) '... then take the second left.' (BE)

2) AE speakers say 'make a left', but I don't know whether they'd say 'make a second left'. They'll tell us later when they get up.

 

[MikeNewYork]

We would say "make the second left". Unfortunately, I am still up.

 

[emsr2d2]

You will notice that in both AmE and BrE, we changed your indefinite article to the definite article. That is because the second turning on the left is a specific turning. We would say "Go about 100 yards and then take/make a left" - even though there might only be one possible left turn, we would still refer to it as "a left [turn]".

However, when we add something like "first/second/third", we use "the". "Go straight along Green Street then take the second left" or "Go straight along Green Street, then take the second [turning] on the left".

Note the correct spelling of "straight".

 

[Tdol]

We would say "make the second left".

Make a left is heard in the UK, but I haven't heard this.

Unfortunately, I am still up.

Sweet dreams ;-)

 

[MikeNewYork]

We also say "make a left" as in "make a left at the corner" but not "a second left".

 

[Tdol]

We just use the make a left version; if we start adding numbers, take works better.