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"Waiting on line" or "Waiting in line"



 
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ESL Forum | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
Negative of the phrase: "He needs some money" | About the term 'Bank holiday'
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"Waiting on line" or "Waiting in line" Sun Feb 13, 2005 10:40 am  "Waiting on line" or "Waiting in line"
 

Which if not both is correct?

I was waiting on line for the rollercoaster.

or

I was waiting in line for the rollercoaster.

Please help settle an arguement,
Marika
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Waiting in line Sun Feb 13, 2005 13:03 pm  Waiting in line
 

You were waiting in line for the rollercoaster.
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Waiting on line Mon Mar 14, 2005 4:27 am  Waiting on line
 

In the Northeast - NY, NJ, CT, or Boston - waiting "on line" and waiting "in line" are both acceptable. Its just that in the rest of the country - in the unimportant parts - they only say "in line." That's why NY is the center of the universe, and the South, or the Midwest, or California, isn't
waiting on line
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You're a Moron Tue Nov 04, 2008 19:13 pm  You're a Moron
 

The correct grammar is 'waiting in line'. Unless there is a line painted and you are standing 'on' it you are not on a line you are in it.

"Waiting on line" I have lived in 4 different parts of America. Trust me New York is far from the 'center' of the Universe. Truth is it is quite an embarrassment with people like you living here.
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Waiting on line or in line Tue Nov 04, 2008 19:26 pm  Waiting on line or in line
 

.
I waited in line at the polls in Connecticut for just over an hour this morning. Wink

I have also heard people say "wait on line", but it is much less commonly used than "wait in line".
.
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Waiting on line or in line Wed Nov 05, 2008 0:55 am  Waiting on line or in line
 

I grew up in New York. We did wait "on line." It's the only place I've ever heard it used - that and the immediately surrounding area.

I don't agree, by the way, that it's a matter of "grammar." It's a regional variation. You wouldn't say that correct grammar requires us to say "I live on Mulberry Street" and that our British counterparts are therefore wrong when they say "I live in Mulberry Street," would you? I do believe the person who posted bfore you - in 2005, I may add - had his or her tongue firmly in cheek.

(Amy, only 20 minutes for me. I was psyched!)
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Waiting on line or in line Wed Nov 05, 2008 5:24 am  Waiting on line or in line
 

Ahh, the beauty of an absentee ballot... no lines at all. Razz

Interesting to hear about the 'waiting on line', I've not heard that.

I've heard "I'm waiting on the line to move' or similar.
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Waiting on line Wed Nov 05, 2008 22:00 pm  Waiting on line
 

waiting on line wrote:
In the Northeast - NY, NJ, CT, or Boston - waiting "on line" and waiting "in line" are both acceptable. Its just that in the rest of the country - in the unimportant parts - they only say "in line." That's why NY is the center of the universe, and the South, or the Midwest, or California, isn't

NY is strange. People talk funny and they write funny...more than that, they made Hillary Clinton one of their senators! Laughing Razz I'm only kidding, of course (about Hillary) Laughing .
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Negative of the phrase: "He needs some money" | About the term 'Bank holiday'
ESL Forum | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms "Waiting on line" or "Waiting in line" All times are GMT + 2 Hours
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