"in street" or "on street"?

[Waelsaeed]

Sorry for saying this but still I didn't get the answer for the question.I know that all what u said is about using in in some places and on in other places but suppose that this was a question in some kind of a test what are we going to choose ( in king street ) or ( on king street )

[Yankee]

Hi Waelsaeed

I would say that most reputable standardized tests will accept either "in" or "on".

In American English, we would only use "on" in that sentence. In British English, it appears to be more typical to use "in" in that particular sentence.
.
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Nessie]

Hi MrP,

[Yankee]

Hi Nessie

While you're waiting for MrP, you could take a look here for information about "(the) High Street":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Street

By the way, why don't you start a thread about your experiences and adventures as a brand-spanking-new university student? I bet lots of people would be interested in hearing about that.
.
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[MrPedantic]

Hello Nessie,

To answer your questions in order:

1. As Amy's link suggests, the main street in a town is usually called "High St" on signs, and referred to as "the high street".

2. Many towns in England have a "London Road": originally, it was the road that led to London. On signs, they appear as "London Road"; but they are often referred to as "the London road".

3. If I say something to you, you are the "addressee": the person to whom my comment is addressed. In discussions of language, this is the usual meaning of the word; elsewhere, your "letter/parcel" definition would probably apply.

4. When you are in a particular area, "the high street" means the local high street. So if I'm in Kensington, and say "I'll meet you in the high street", the other person will assume I mean "Kensington High St".

Let me know if it's still unclear!

Best wishes,

MrP

[Molly]

[*Vi*]

What about "at"? I had learned we only use at when the number of the building is mentioned, but recently I have seen an example on a book:

I live at 4th Street. (although 4th would be a number it refers to the name of the street here)
I live at 798 Main Ave. (here it refers to the number of the building)

So, what's the difference? American X British?

[Yankee]

Hi Vi

Basically, we use "at" to refer to a specific street address or location.
In other words, we use "at" when we give an address -- i.e. a street and a street number, as in your example:
- I live at 798 Main Street.

We also use "at" to refer to a location such as a specific intersection:
- I live at the corner of Elm Street and Fifth Avenue.
.
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[*Vi*]

That's the point, I saw it on a school book:

"make a left at 48th Street" (this is not a street address)

Would it be because it suggests it is at the corner of? Or is it wrong?

[Yankee]

Hi Vi

[*Vi*]

Thanks for your reply, Yankee.

[Nessie]

[MrPedantic]

Hello Nessie,

In England, you would be more likely to encounter a "Main St" in a village or small town (much like "Fore St" in Cornwall). It might well be largely residential.

"High St" on the other hand implies in general usage a shopping street. To add to the confusion, you can say you're "going to the high street" in a town without a street called "High", if your implication is "the chief shopping street".

I would guess that most people in England have experience of a "High St", rather than a "Main St". If you were to tell me that you lived in Main St, I would immediately picture a charming village with an antiques shop or two, or perhaps an old Scottish town, in venerable grey stone, with a decaying castle; but if you said you lived in the high street, I would picture supermarkets and the Golden Arches.

Best wishes,

MrP

[Yankee]

Hi Nessie

There are probably millions of proper names for streets -- among those proper names are "High Street" and "Main Street". (Note the capitalization!) Both of those are common names for streets in the US.

In my part of the world, we would refer generally/generically to the primary street in a town as being "the main street". That is basically a descriptive reference to the type of street, not the actual name of the street. In bigger towns and in cities, there might be a number of main streets. These main streets typically have things such as shops, banks and other businesses located on them. They are not usually residential streets (or not primarily residential anyway).

The proper name of the main/primary street in the town where I grew up is "Broadway". The town where I grew up has neither a street named "Main Street" nor a street named "High Street".

However, the town next to my hometown has both a street named "Main Street" and a street named "High Street". :lol: There the street named "Main Street" is the primary street in town on which businesses are located. In that town, the street called "Main Street" is also one of the main/primary streets. It also runs all the way through the town -- from the northern side of town to the southern side. So, in that particular town "Main Street" is also the main/primary "through road".
.
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[MrPedantic]

If you exchange "main" and "high", Amy's post applies to my experience too.