To Throw

[apparrode]

Hello !

I´ve just registered !

When I want to "hit" sb or sth, I use the preposition AT after "throw", right ?! Eg: "I threw a stone at the window/ at the cat" etc...

- But do I throw things AT or TO/ ON the floor ?

e.g: The gipsies have the habit of throwing dishes AT / ON the floor ?

Thanks,

Andrea.

 

[RonBee]

I (and most NES) would throw something on the floor. I am not sure of the distinction except perhaps that you can't miss the floor.

:wink:

Welcome to our friendly forum.

:hi:

 

[apparrode]

I (and most NES) would throw something on the floor. I am not sure of the distinction except perhaps that you can't miss the floor.

:wink:

Welcome to our friendly forum.

:hi:

- Thank your for your help !

And is it correct to say "throw sth AT the wall" ? (Would you use throw sth ON in any other besides "floor"?).

 

[RonBee]

I (and most NES) would throw something on the floor. I am not sure of the distinction except perhaps that you can't miss the floor.

:wink:

Welcome to our friendly forum.

:hi:

- Thank your for your help !

And is it correct to say "throw sth AT the wall" ? (Would you use throw sth ON in any other besides "floor"?).

First, I should have said I am not sure of the reason for the distinction.

To answer your first question, you can certainly throw something at a wall. As for on, you can throw things on a bed, and you can throw things on a chair. The difference seems to be that you throw at things that are vertical, and you throw things on things that are horizontal.

 

[whl626]

How about to throw thing ' at ' the spot on the floor ?

 

[RonBee]

How about to throw thing ' at ' the spot on the floor ?

Yes, you can throw something at a spot on the floor. You can also throw something at the dog, which just happens to be on the floor.

:wink:

 

[whl626]

Please don't do that it is kind of cruel I normally use water pump to shoot at it

 

[RonBee]

:wink:

 

[Casiopea]

How about to throw thing ' at ' the spot on the floor ?

It's probable that 'on' refers to a surface, as in "on top of":

On the table
On the wall
On the ceiling
On the floor

whereas 'at' refers to a point in space and time:

1. Throw it at the target on the wall.
2. Look at the stars in the sky.
3. The bus leaves at 5:00 on the dot.

Cas

 

[RonBee]

How about to throw thing ' at ' the spot on the floor ?

It's probable that 'on' refers to a surface, as in "on top of":

On the table
On the wall
On the ceiling
On the floor

whereas 'at' refers to a point in space and time:

1. Throw it at the target on the wall.
2. Look at the stars in the sky.
3. The bus leaves at 5:00 on the dot.

Cas

I might throw something on the table or on the floor, but I would throw something at the wall or at the ceiling.

(There sure is a lot of throwing going on around here lately.)

:wink:

 

[Casiopea]

I might throw something on the table or on the floor, but I would throw something at the wall or at the ceiling.

:roll: Ducking as she writes,

Me, too. I'd throw X on a horizontal surface, like a table or the floor 'cause that's how gravity works, and I'd throw X at a point in space, like a bug on a wall or a fly on the ceiling. I'd also throw X at a cockroach on the table or on the floor. We have those here


Cas

 

[whl626]

Regarding the ' bus leaves at 5.00 on the dot '. is it against the rule to use ' at about ' at the same time. ???

I learned from somewhere that at refers to fixed time and about is more or less the exact time. So it is wrong to use both at the same time ??? Any comments ?

 

[Casiopea]

Regarding the ' bus leaves at 5.00 on the dot '. is it against the rule to use ' at about ' at the same time. ???

I learned from somewhere that at refers to fixed time and about is more or less the exact time. So it is wrong to use both at the same time ??? Any comments ?

Depends on whose rule book, I guess

What's the diff between 'fixed' and 'exact'? I'm confus-ed.

To my knowledge, 'at' refers to exact (precise) time (e.g. 5:00), whereas 'at about' refers to at a time near exact time (e.g. some time around 5:00, maybe 5:05 or 4:55. It really depends on what the speaker consitutes as 'about'. Some people might assume 'at about 5:00' means, 5:10 or 4:50. There's also, "Let's meet at about 7:00 ~ 7:30 ish", which confuses me, too.

Cas

 

[RonBee]

I might throw something on the table or on the floor, but I would throw something at the wall or at the ceiling.

:roll: Ducking as she writes,

Me, too. I'd throw X on a horizontal surface, like a table or the floor 'cause that's how gravity works, and I'd throw X at a point in space, like a bug on a wall or a fly on the ceiling. I'd also throw X at a cockroach on the table or on the floor. We have those here


Cas

You have cockroaches there? Imagine that!

:wink:

 

[RonBee]

Regarding the ' bus leaves at 5.00 on the dot '. is it against the rule to use ' at about ' at the same time. ???

I learned from somewhere that at refers to fixed time and about is more or less the exact time. So it is wrong to use both at the same time ??? Any comments ?

If I understand your question, the answer is no. You can use at X time or at about X time, but it wouldn't make sense to use them both together.

Did I understand the question?

 

[Casiopea]

Regarding the ' bus leaves at 5.00 on the dot '. is it against the rule to use ' at about ' at the same time. ???

I thought he meant 'at' + 'about' together

Cas

I don't have to imagine them. I'm looking at one right now

 

[RonBee]

You could be right. Obviously, I wasn't sure.

We don't have cockroaches. We have cats.

:wink: