center vs middle

Daemon99 · Mon Jul 28, 2008 15:01 pm *center vs middle*

Can someone please tell me which one(s) of the following sentences is/are correct?

1) Keep the candle in the center of the cake.
2) Keep the candle at the center of the cake.
3) Keep the candle in the middle of the cake.
_________________
Non-native speaker of English
=================================
I intend to live forever - so far, so good.

Benjamin · Mon Jul 28, 2008 15:21 pm *center vs middle*

1 and 3 are correct (I would personally use 3 if you wanted to be more "correct")

"in" is used when talking about a point surrounded on all sides
"at" is used to talk about a particular position at a point (or with places)

Lost_Soul · Mon Jul 28, 2008 15:23 pm *center vs middle*

I would say "stick the candle in the center of the cake". (I thought you wanted to insert the candle, rather than to just keep it there)

Yankee · Tue Jul 29, 2008 10:57 am *center vs middle*

.
Using the word 'keep' would suggest that the speaker is telling someone to make sure the candle doesn't move or isn't moved from the middle/center of the cake (to a different location).

(I would also interpret both 'middle' and 'center' to be the middle of the top surface of the cake -- not inside the cake itself.) Laughing

.

Alan · Tue Jul 29, 2008 11:02 am *center vs middle*

Hi,

This is a cake and not a location. I would therefore plump for 'in the middle of the cake.'

Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Don't bank on it

Nola · Wed Jul 30, 2008 0:01 am *center vs middle*

So (middle) is used for things and (center) is used for locations
What about using the prepositions in & at for both of them?
e.g. In the farm --- at the farm
In the center ---- at the center
In the middle ---- at the middle

Nola

Ralf · Wed Jul 30, 2008 0:33 am *center vs middle*

Nola · Wed Jul 30, 2008 9:15 am *center vs middle*

You're right Ralf
I heard that many times before. But what's the essential difference between the usage of middle and center?

Daemon99 · Wed Jul 30, 2008 9:17 am *center vs middle*

Say, if there were seven men standing in a line, and you wanted to refer to the guy standing fourth in the line, you'd say, "The guy at the center".

Now, cake is a solid (not discrete) piece and hence we use, "in the center".

Is my understanding right?

By the way, is there a usage like, "at the middle"? I've never heard such a thing.
_________________
Non-native speaker of English
=================================
I intend to live forever - so far, so good.

Nola · Wed Jul 30, 2008 9:25 am *center vs middle*

[quote="daemon99"]Say, "The guy at the center".

I suppose you meant "The guy is at the center" Smile

Daemon99 · Wed Jul 30, 2008 9:31 am *center vs middle*

Nola · Wed Jul 30, 2008 9:36 am *center vs middle*

Ok You're right, But if you want to give me an example using this sentence as a separated one without mentioning the situation.
I think you should use "is" Thank you

	ESL Forums \| English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms	All times are GMT + 2 Hours
Page 1 of 1