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ESL forum >
Grammar and Linguistics > Toothache or A toothache? Please help!
Toothache or A toothache? Please help!
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ninon100
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Toothache or A toothache? Please help!
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Dear colleagues and native speakers, how do we say: toothache, stomachache, backache etc:
I �ve got toothache OR I �ve got A toothache?
I �ve seen both variants on the net, but still can �t decide which one is correct.
Please help!
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25 Oct 2012
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douglas
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I �ve got a toothache (at least in US English) |
26 Oct 2012
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ukonka
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In Russia we are taught to say: I have a headache, so I have a toothache is the same, I think.
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26 Oct 2012
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PhilipR
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Both are okay.
While a toothache might be standard US English, in British English toothache is also used. |
26 Oct 2012
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ninon100
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What about the other kinds of "ache"? stomach-ache, for instance?
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26 Oct 2012
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Apodo
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a headache a stomachache a backache We only have one head, stomach and back an earache - one ear earache - one or both ears could be aching. a toothache- one tooth toothache - one or more teeth could be aching. |
26 Oct 2012
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cunliffe
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In England, we don �t use the article, so �I �ve got earache � means only one ear is aching. In the case of both your ears aching, (very bad luck btw!), you would have to point that out. We �ve had this discussion before and it is a British English thing. |
26 Oct 2012
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ninon100
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Bottom line: no matter how you say it - it �s always right. what a relief!
Thanx everyone, that �s encouraging :)
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26 Oct 2012
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MoodyMoody
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I had two earaches or a double earache six years ago. I had bronchitis on vacation, and we drove up and down mountains, and then we flew cross-country to go home. Lynne �s right: it was very bad luck. |
26 Oct 2012
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