Korean Job Discussion Forums

Hamlet · Joined: 18 Mar 2008

I wrote this sentence.

"It�s too late to drop classes this semester, though, so I'd better get back to studying."

My Korean coworker told me to change the sentence to...

"It�s too late to drop classes this semester, though, so I better get back to study."

I explained to her that her feedback was wrong, and wrote her this...

�I better get back to study.� This means, �I have to return to a place so I can study there.� As in...
A: Do you want to stay out a bit longer with us?
B: No, I have to get back [home] to study.

�I have to get back to studying.� This means, �I have to return to the act of studying.� As in...
�I was studying before I stopped in order to talk to you, but now I have to stop talking to you and get back to studying.�

She came back with this to explain why she was in fact correct, not me...

the number of results of the chunk �get back to study� on google is 37,900,000 and for �get back to studying� is only 259,000.

I explained to her that Google searches were not a good way to check grammar or usage because they do not have the context necessary to decide if the usage is correct.

I checked the google searches, though, and, unbelievably, many people say, "I have to get back to study," meaning I have to return to the act of studying.

Am I wrong? Do any of you use "study" instead of "studying" in the context above? To me there is no question that "studying" is correct....but WTF are all these people online doing using "study."

Also, answer this...

You cannot say, "I have to get back to eat." (meaning return to the act of eating)
You have to say, "I have to get back to eating."

But...

We can say, "I have to get back to work." (meaning I have to get back to the act of working)

We would not usually say, "I have to get back to working." (unless it was followed by a phrase like "on my project)

How is "work" grammatically different than "eat" or "study" in the above context?[/b]

Here is one example from a website...
Welcome to the Life Skills home page.

"Do you want to get back to study, or get a job � but wonder if you have the skills? Has it been years since you were at school? Have you been out of the paid workforce for a while?"

WTF...that sounds so horrible....here is the link.

http://www.westone.wa.gov.au/lifeskills/index.asp

b-class rambler · Joined: 25 Mar 2009

IlIlNine · Joined: 15 Jun 2005 Location: Gunpo, Gyonggi, SoKo

Tell them that they must now conduct all classes in accordance with what the most popular search result on google says.

In fact, because they have access to such a fantastic resource, they hardly need you anymore, do they?

JongnoGuru · Joined: 25 May 2004 Location: peeing on your doorstep

Retarted.

You mean like when a chick fancies up, changes her mind, then puts on some different?

I'm lame, I know it.

namu_nim · Joined: 22 Sep 2009 Location: korea

This is not intented to be sarcastic, since I agree with the use of 'get back to studying', and I'm fairly inadequate at grammar use myself. But shouldn't it be

I had better get back to...../I'd better get back to......
or is that a difference between US/Uk English

Please correct my grammar.

roknroll · Joined: 29 Dec 2007

Would I be correct in assuming the K is thinking along these lines:
I like to study.
I like studying.

Therefore, since it's ...get back to it must be followed by study only. Obviously oblivious to the fact that it's a phrase (get back to).

I'd say it's 'get back to' doing something. Not being much of a grammatarian, I would assume using 'ing' is the norm with exceptions such as 'work' or 'sleep'. I would also assume the exceptions are exceptions because they could be worded differently whereas the typical 'ing' case cannot. For example, 'i'd better get back to sleep' could be 'get back to bed' which is the 'place' mentioned in the OP. Same for 'work'. Let's say I'm talking to someone outside of the class and want to return to my class. So: 'I'd better get back to teaching' would be correct, get back to doing something. I could also say: 'I'd better get back to class to teach (get back to class in order to teach--or in order to continue teaching). Perhaps if you physically 'get back to' a place you have a choice. Let's say I'm reading in the class and another teacher comes in to chat. Then I break it off by saying "I'd better get back to reading". Here I have no choice to reword it and use 'read'.

Forward Observer · Joined: 13 Jan 2009 Location: FOB Gloria

Your definately all loosers. Razz

Moldy Rutabaga · Joined: 01 Jul 2003 Location: Ansan, Korea

I'm all for descriptive grammar in some situations. But you were right to say that Google is not a grammar checker. I know what Google would say about using it's as a possessive...

>You cannot say, "I have to get back to eat." (meaning return to the act of eating)
You have to say, "I have to get back to eating."

I don't see the problem. As with your other example, the former suggests a place (I have to get back home to eat) and the second the act of eating.

>We can say, "I have to get back to work." (meaning I have to get back to the act of working)

We would not usually say, "I have to get back to working." (unless it was followed by a phrase like "on my project)

To me, the second would make grammatical sense and isn't wrong -- it just is unnatural to a native speaker. Why? I guess because the first sentence uses work as a noun and isn't the same as working as a gerund verb. Second, the phrase back to work seems like one of those phrases that's just been grandfathered in English grammar, like I'm going home or I'm going to school; it's shorter and has a more pleasing sound.:>

MattAwesome · Joined: 30 Jun 2008

google is not a grammar checking resource. i cant believe that was her defense...

"- get back to study." means you are going back somewhere to start studying i.e "It's getting late. I need to get back to study."
in your context, you mean returning to the act of studying, so you would be right. you stopped studying, something happened. and you need to study again.

"ive been touching myself all day. i should get back to studying." you arent physically going anywhere.

Tell her MattAwesome said you are right and her to shut her face.

Bread · Joined: 09 Oct 2008

I'm mostly just shocked that a Korean used Google instead of Naver. Who told them about Google? This story is just too suspicious.

Yaya · Joined: 25 Feb 2003 Location: Seoul

Mr. Pink · Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Location: China

I am not a grammar expert but your model sentence:

"It�s too late to drop classes this semester, though, so I better get back to studying."

If one of my students wrote that, I would tell them to remove , though. In formal writing I just don't see why you need that. I am guessing that it was part of a conversation where this is the B part, is that correct?

You were totally correct in what you told her. She was most likely confused as another poster said by the use of to

Bread · Joined: 09 Oct 2008

tzechuk · Joined: 20 Dec 2004

Use *I look forward to seeing you* as an example to explain to her why *get back to studying* is correct.

edwardcatflap · Joined: 22 Mar 2009

get back to studying = a phrasal verb with two particles such as 'look forward to' and they are always followed by the gerund or ...ing form

e.g. I'm looking forward to going home

so it means I better return to the action of studying

get back to study = phrasal verb 'get back' meaning return followed by an infinitive of purpose explaining the reason for your return.

'I better get back to study' means I'd better return somewhere e.g. your house for the purpose of/in order to study(ing.)

So they are both correct but have slightly different meanings