by car /with car

English grammar and usage issues

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jazzy
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Posts: 1
Joined: 03 Dec 2007, 14:52

by car /with car

Unread post by jazzy »

Hi!

I was wondering if 'by' is the only prepositions used when you want to say e.g.: "I was driving by car for two hours yesterday. "
Is it possible to say also "with car"?

Thanks for the reply!
rainbow4
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Posts: 4
Joined: 10 Oct 2007, 04:22
Status: Teacher

Unread post by rainbow4 »

Hi there

it's not possible to say with car.

Other prepositions you can use:

"I went to Los Angeles in my car, it took two hours"

:D
lxguy
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Joined: 26 Jan 2008, 15:40
Status: Other

Re: by car /with car

Unread post by lxguy »

Is that possible to say "I went to Los Angeles with a/my car,..."?
Goober
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Posts: 2
Joined: 26 Feb 2008, 21:32

Re: by car /with car

Unread post by Goober »

I would usually say "I went to LA in my car"

I might say "I went to LA by car" if i wanted to be clear they i didn't fly there or something/
systematic
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Posts: 525
Joined: 21 Apr 2008, 12:38
Status: Other

Re: by car /with car

Unread post by systematic »

Maybe this short summary will help:

If the emphasis is on whose car, or which particular car you went in, then it would be correct to say:

I went to Los Angeles in my/Peter"s/his/a rented car.

If the emphasis is on the fact that you travelled in a car and not by any other form of transport, then Goober"s example is correct:

I went to Los Angeles by car (I did not go by train, or by boat).

It is not normal in English to say:
I went to Los Angeles with a car.
with is used to express accompanied by as in:
I went to Los Angeles with my girlfriend.
I offer any information or advice 'as is' and hope that it has been of help. I am not an admin of this board, and my postings do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the board management.
maropo
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Posts: 1
Joined: 10 Apr 2009, 10:39
Status: Teacher

Re: by car /with car

Unread post by maropo »

i am going in my car on holiday to spain :
niki99
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Joined: 07 Aug 2009, 07:22
Status: New Teacher

Re: by car /with car

Unread post by niki99 »

Hi, there,
I'm a new member, but I'll try to put forward my ideas on the topic:

I totally agree with all the aforesaid, I just can't help observing that in a number of movies I've heard: "I'm here with my car."
I don't find it unusual or ungrammatical, really.
Loulou
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Posts: 20
Joined: 31 Oct 2009, 13:57
Status: Teacher

Re: by car /with car

Unread post by Loulou »

Hmm, to me "I'm here with my car" means that the person speaking is somewhere accompanied by his car as if his car is a person. This should only be used for people not objects. People do say "I came here with my car" but it isn't correct grammatically. They should say "I came here by car".
Well, spoken and written english can be so different sometimes and people do say loads of things that are accepted even if they aren't correct grammatically speaking!
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