Question
21 January
- Portuguese (Brazil)
-
English (US)
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Question about English (US)
My question today is about "take", "get", "caught" and "pick up". Can I use them all as a synonym or would it be wrong? When I don't know which one to use, can I use get instead?
My question today is about "take", "get", "caught" and "pick up". Can I use them all as a synonym or would it be wrong? When I don't know which one to use, can I use get instead?
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- English (US)
That is really difficult to answer because each of the words you list has about a dozen definitions.
"I have to get some things from the store" = "I have to pick up some things from the store", but you can't use caught or take in this sentence.
If you are fishing, someone can ask "Did you catch anything?" or "Did you get anything?" and mean the same, but not with take or pick up.
Take doesn't really go with any of the words. It is not really a synonym.
Bottom line-these words are not synonyms, even though some of them can be interchanged in certain situations. I think you just have to memorize the use for each one.
Highly-rated answerer
- Portuguese (Brazil)
- English (US)
@lockheart Unfortunately, there are too many exceptions
if the subject is you, use "Get", -"Did SHE get the letter?" (she is not you)
the subject is someone else, use "Take", -"I take it you didn't get my letter" (I isn't someone else)
if the subject moves, use "Caught", -"I caught a COLD on my vacation" (colds don't move)
if the subject cannot move, use "Pick up" -"I have to pick up THE KIDS at school" (kids move)
That is the FUN of language, especially English!
Highly-rated answerer
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