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Message board > OPEN YOUR BOOKS AT/TO PAGE 23
OPEN YOUR BOOKS AT/TO PAGE 23
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yolprica
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OPEN YOUR BOOKS AT/TO PAGE 23
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I started a thread last Saturday trying to make clear that "open your books ON page 23" is not correct because native English and American speakers say so. In fact I have been corrected by my language assistants several times after class. I just wanted to help but it seems that some people don �t want to know that they haven �t been doing things right. I am sorry if you felt bad about it.
Yolanda |
9 Aug 2010
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joy2bill
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So true! many teachers do not like their "dirty laundry being aired."
Or is it a case of "Don �t tell me! I �m the teacher! I can �t be wrong!"
Sorry, I �m just grumpy because I have just had my class level changed again and I have some very upset students. It �s all about money for the powers-that-be! Still least I �ve still got a job!
Cheers Joy |
9 Aug 2010
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Nebal
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Wowwwwww!!! Open your books "at page x" is correct?????? This is the first time I hear of it. Well, I know that " on page" / "to page" are the most frequently used. On my part, I have no problem to be corrected since we are humans and learning doesn �t stop anywhere.
Sooooooooo, "on page" is wrong. Then, this means that my teachers, my students, and I have been using it wrong for so long.
How can I be sure that what you �re saying is correct? have you spotted it in a dictionary ? What about the native speakers? I do wonder. |
9 Aug 2010
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Zora
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"At page" - I�d say is wrong. But if other natives say it�s OK, then who am I to argue.
Also, "on page" is not entirely incorrect if you use it right.
i.e.
"On page 23, do exercise 2 and 4".
"Open your books AND on page 12, do activities 1 and 2."
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9 Aug 2010
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Kate (kkcat)
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Nebal, have a look here http://www.eslprintables.com/forum/topic.asp?id=21406
Yes, it turns out to be absolutely wrong in this exact sentence �open your books ... page 23� . I guess that �s because most languages when using this sentence have a kind of a preposition which means "ON" in their language, so unintentionally people started using �open your books on page ... �.
It �s easy to switch to at/to if you use it a few times in the classroom. 
EDIT: In Oxford Advanced learner�s dictionary I found this example : open your books at page 25.
Sorry can�t give you a link because I have the electronic version of it in my laptop and the copy-paste function is disabled.
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9 Aug 2010
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yanogator
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As far as I know, "Open your books on page 23" is not used in the US.
Although I agree with "Open your books at page 23", I have never said it and I don �t think I �ve ever heard it. I have always used "to". This might be a British/US difference.
Bruce |
9 Aug 2010
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Apodo
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You CAN be sure Nebal. It �s really wrong. (Except for non-natives who have been taught that way. LOL) It �s like saying �make a photo � - We don �t!
These are correct:
Open your books at Page 23.
He had his book open at page 23.
Turn to page 23 of your book.
When he dropped it, the book fell open at page 23.
On page 23 there is a picture of a confused English teacher and an article about English prepositions. |
9 Aug 2010
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Nebal
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Zorita, dear, missed u!!! Well, I think the way you used "on page" is logical.
Sweet Kate, thanks for showing me the proof and supplying the link to the old post. Yes, now am convinced. I will correct myself and my students then. Will try to get used to it, surely!!! ;0)))
Bruce is another native speaker and he �s assuring that "on page " is wrong. Ok then!! Thanks a lot guys for the tips.
Apodo, thanks a lot. Yes, we, non-native speakers, are sometimes the victims of translations. Your examples are really clear and useful.
Have a great start of the week,
Nebal |
9 Aug 2010
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blunderbuster
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Yes, Bruce, that is the difference between BE and AE.
Yolprica, don �t feel bad about people �s reaction. People who reacted negatively did not deserve to be told in the first place.
Regards
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9 Aug 2010
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teresapr
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Thanks so much dear Yolanda!It �s a very useful information!Have a nice day! |
9 Aug 2010
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Zora
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Just had a revelation of sorts here... 
Us natives do say "open your books students, on page 33 is a diagram..." but if you noticed - there is a COMMA! OR even a full stop! "Open your books students. On page 23 is a diagram..."
I think that people hear things being said and they don�t realise that there is punctuation in the middle and just assume it�s one thing and not another. So, I really guess that the non-natives were not wrong all together. I just think that you (we) were not "pausing" long enough for others to realise it was a comma or full stop in between one and the other!
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9 Aug 2010
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