[General] You can go to downtown through this way

[Silverobama]

Hi.

I was standing in front of my friend's tea shop with Carol. The place opposite the tea house is downtown. The place is somewhat under construction so I need to point her the way.

I stood in the gate and told her "You can go to downtown through this way". Is it natural?

When she went out of the tea house, went through two gates and she would reach an overpass then she could go to the downtown after finishing walking the overpass.

 

[emsr2d2]

There are a lot of corrections needed but first, let's get to the bottom of the illogical building positioning. What do you mean by "The place opposite the tea house is downtown"? Are you aware that "The place opposite the tea house" means "The shop/building on the other side of the road/street, facing the tea house"? If that place is downtown, then so is the tea house.

 

[Silverobama]

There are a lot of corrections needed but first, let's get to the bottom of the illogical building positioning. What do you mean by "The place opposite the tea house is downtown"? Are you aware that "The place opposite the tea house" means "The shop/building on the other side of the road/street, facing the tea house"? If that place is downtown, then so is the tea house.

I wanted to take a picture and uploaded here. A picture is better than thousand words. But I forgot to take one, I'm sorry.

Carol was going to the downtown. We were in a building complex. There's a gate which people can go through it to the downtown. When people go into the gate, there's a big place without anything, a blank area, which was a construction site. And there is another gate to the opposite of this gate. When we walk to the opposite gate (which is not on the side of the tea house), we can see an overpass. We walk the overpass and when we walk to the end, we see the downtown.

I know, you might say "Why not take a taxi or a motorcycle". Well, many people are still using the road to get to downtown.

 

[Matthew Wai]

Do you mean the following?

There is a gate at both ends of the construction site. One gate is at the side of the tea house. Another leads to the overpass, which leads to the downtown.

 

[Rover_KE]

For a start, let's stop saying 'the downtown'.

It's either 'downtown' (as ems wrote) or 'the downtown district'.

 

[Matthew Wai]

"Downtown" is marked as NOUN [COUNTABLE/UNCOUNTABLE] in Macmillan: https://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/downtown_2

 

[TheParser]

I stood in the gate and told her "You can go to downtown through this way". Is it natural?

When she went out of the tea house, went through two gates and she would reach an overpass then she could go to the downtown after finishing walking the overpass.

NOT A TEACHER


Hello, Silverobama:

If I understand your explanation correctly, I would be more comfortable with something like: I stood at the gate and said: "You can get downtown this way."

(Presumably, she would then walk through two gates, continue on the overpass, and then be downtown.)

 

[Tarheel]

Re: You can go downtown this way

Matthew, dictionary.com gives examples of the word's usage. (The word "the" is used, but only in phrases like "the downtown district".)

www.dictionary.com

 

[GoesStation]

Re: You can go downtown this way

Matthew, dictionary.com gives examples of the word's usage. (The word "the" is used, but only in phrases like "the downtown district".)

www.dictionary.com

In that phrase, "downtown" is an adjective or possibly an attributive noun.

 

[Silverobama]

NOT A TEACHER


Hello, Silverobama:

If I understand your explanation correctly, I would be more comfortable with something like: I stood at the gate and said: "You can get downtown this way."

(Presumably, she would then walk through two gates, continue on the overpass, and then be downtown.)

If downtown has a name, (it does), is called Three Gorges Square. Can I say it like this? "You can get to the Three Gorges Square on this way"?

 

[tedmc]

I think "downtown"is an area which forms the heart of a city(also called "the city centre) rather than a specific place in the city.
"On this way" is not correct. I would drop the "on", at the same time pointing to the route or say "taking/following this route".

 

[Matthew Wai]

I think "the" is not needed before "Three Gorges Square", a proper name.

"Walk this way to Three Gorges Square."

 

[emsr2d2]

You need to stop suggesting "on this way".

You can get there this way.
You can get there that way.

 

[Rover_KE]

As you're standing next to her on the street, you will point to the way to go.

Note that 'downtown' is rarely used in the UK. We say 'the town/city centre'.

downtown us canadian nzn

• the central or lower part of a town or city, esp the main commercial area

(Macmillan)

 

[Matthew Wai]

The place opposite the tea house is downtown.

The tea house overlooks the downtown district.

 

[Silverobama]

You need to stop suggesting "on this way".

You can get there this way.
You can get there that way.

"You can get to Three Gorges Square this way"?

Is this sentence better?

 

[emsr2d2]

Yes, that's much better. Of course, as you say "this way", you would need to pointing in the direction the person needs to go.

 

[TheParser]

If downtown has a name, (it does), is called Three Gorges Square. Can I say it like this? "You can get to the Three Gorges Square on this way"?

NOT A TEACHER

Hello, Silverobama:

1. Whenever I am confused about the use of the definite article, I check the Internet to see what (presumably) native speakers say.

2. Here are three examples that I assume were written by native speakers.

a. "The men were speaking in Three Gorges Square in the heart of downtown, where scores of retirees gather."

Source: May 22, 2012, edition of the Washington Post, considered to be a leading American newspaper.

b. "...ut no where are they more common than in Chongqing [Chungking]-- in Three Gorges Square, a commercial plaza in Chongqing's university district."

Source: The Atlantic, considered as a very serious American magazine of ideas.

c. "At the same time it's easy access to Three Gorges Square, either by taxi or bus."

Source: Expedia, an American website that helps people book hotel rooms.

3. In doing my research, I noticed that some writers did use the definite article when the words "Three Gorges Square" is used like this (my example): "We then took a leisurely walk to the Three Gorges Square shopping district." Maybe the definite article refers to "shopping district." The proper noun "Three Gorges Square" seems to be naming the shopping district.

*****

By the way, if you ever visit New York City, one would definitely say something like: "I really want to visit Times Square." But maybe: "I didn't have time to visit the Times Square area."

 

[Silverobama]

Hello TheParser.

I appreciate your help and here's the feedback.

1. Whenever I am confused about the use of the definite article, I check the Internet to see what (presumably) native speakers say.

Yes, I can use Google now, but it's based on HK system. When I try to get information about English learning, I get many Chinese websites.
That's why I ask questions, bothering all of you here. :-( Shame on me.

I can get access to the second source.

And thank you so much for your sentences from those sources. I have never studied or been abroad. My language adviser who passed away a few years ago was a native speaker of NYC. She was very nice, like people I have met here.

 

[Matthew Wai]

Yes, I can use Google now, but it's based on HK system. When I try to get information about English learning, I get many Chinese websites.

I am in Hong Kong. When I use Google, I get English websites.