[Grammar] A man is fishing from the shore.

[kadioguy]

(In the Toeic listening test)

A man is fishing from the shore.

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What does the "from" here mean? Does it mean "used to express removal or separation, as in space, time, or order"?

Why not say something like A man is fishing at/on/by the shore? I am saying so because I think the man is exactly at/on/by the shore, rather than at a distance away from the shore.

What do do you think?

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(Source, the answer key)

 

[jutfrank]

His fishing rod extends from the shore. The activity takes place in the water, not on the shore.

 

[GoesStation]

The activity takes place in the water, not on the shore.

I don't think we can say that. The man's standing on the shore and manipulating the rod and other tackle there. The hook and bobber, if he's using one, may be in the water, but my image of the activity focuses on the man on the shore.

 

[jutfrank]

I don't think we can say that. The man's standing on the shore and manipulating the rod and other tackle there. The hook and bobber, if he's using one, may be in the water, but my image of the activity focuses on the man on the shore.

Well, that may be how you view the picture (me too) but the point is that the writer of that sentence viewed it differently. That's why he chose to use from.

I'd want to say: A man is fishing on the shore.

 

[SoothingDave]

You fish from a boat or you fish from the shore. It's about where you are standing.

 

[kadioguy]

Thank you all.

So according to the picture, "A man is fishing from the shore" and "A man is fishing on the shore" both work - it depends on how you view it.

Am I right?

 

[GoesStation]

Thank you all.

So according to the picture, "A man is fishing from the shore" and "A man is fishing on the shore" both work - it depends on how you view it.

Am I right?

Between the two, I'd vote for "from". But if you change the order, only "on" is possible: The man is on the shore, fishing.

 

[kadioguy]

Between the two, I'd vote for "from".

Seeing your post in #3, I assumed that you would choose the "on" version. :shock:

 

[GoesStation]

Post #3:

The man's standing on the shore and manipulating the rod and other tackle there. The hook and bobber, if he's using one, may be in the water, but my image of the activity focuses on the man on the shore.

Between the two, I'd vote for "from".

Seeing your post in #3, I assumed that you would choose the "on" version. :shock:

Is that because I used "on" repeatedly? Take a closer look at the verbs and noun phrases I used it with. In every case, the preposition serves to make the phrases' focus the location where the activity is occurring. In fishing from the shore, I'm focusing on the activity's origin. That works better for me when that activity is fishing.

 

[kadioguy]

That works better for me when that activity is fishing.

I now know what happened.

As far as the picture itself is concerned, your image of the activity focuses on the man on the shore. However, when we have to focus on the man's fishing there, you will say A man is fishing from the shore.

 

[jutfrank]

In fishing from the shore, I'm focusing on the activity's origin.

Okay, yes. The 'angling' activity originates on the shore. The whole act of fishing kind of travels from its starting point on the shore to its target in the water.