Question go or get?

hirashin · 25 May 2020

Dear native English speakers,
Which sounds correct?
(a) How did you go to the museum?
(b) How did you get to the museum?

Hirashin

Michael2 · 25 May 2020

I think in general in these sentences "go (or come)" means the mode of transport whereas "get" could also mean the route taken, or if you asked something like "How did you get to the museum so quickly?". It can be hard to answer questions using "how" because there are numerous meanings of "how", but "Get" seems more natural to me in this case. Also, using "go" in this case would sound like a museum away from where you were, as "go" means, but "get" really means "arrive" so if you asked "b" you could be at the museum currently, although you would probably say "here" instead of "museum" then.

mdchachi · 25 May 2020

hirashin said:
Dear native English speakers,
Which sounds correct?
(a) How did you go to the museum?
(b) How did you get to the museum?

Hirashin

Both sound correct.

hirashin · 25 May 2020

Thanks, Michael2 and mdchachi.

Michael2 said:
Also, using "go" in this case would sound like a museum away from where you were, as "go" means, but "get" really means "arrive" so if you asked "b" you could be at the museum currently, although you would probably say "here" instead of "museum" then.

Does (b) sound a little unnatural as it is?

Michael2 · 26 May 2020

No it sounds fine, much better than "go".

mdchachi · 26 May 2020

hirashin said:
Thanks, Michael2 and mdchachi.

Does (b) sound a little unnatural as it is?

No it sounds fine. I disagree with Michael2 in that I don't think it sounds "much better." Both sound fine to me.

Michael2 · 27 May 2020

I think in England at least everyone says "get" in this kind of sentence.

Question go or get?

hirashin

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Michael2

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mdchachi

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hirashin

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Michael2

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mdchachi

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Michael2

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