Korean Job Discussion Forums

[denverdeath]

Would stairs or steps be better in this example?

We need to take the _______ because the elevator is not working.

Stairs seems to sound better to me, but are both equally correct?

Not sure if this is job-related or not, but the question did come up at work.

Thanks.

[ilovebdt]

[deessell]

I would say that you use steps when you have a specified number ie, the thirty steps. When talking generally I would use stairs.

[sheba]

Yes, I agree. Stairs are a grouping name. Steps are an individual name.

[teachingld2004]

I also would use "stairs". Sort of like "a ", or "the" .

But if I was giving a test, depending on the level of the student, I would accept either.

[Privateer]

Generally stairs go from one floor to another inside a building. Hmm...would you call one of those outside fire escapes 'stairs'? I suggest it would be confusing if not inaccurate to do so.

Stairs are made up of a number of steps of course but you wouldn't use the word 'steps' unless you wanted to focus on them particularly. The word 'steps' by itself usually refers to sets of steps outside such as those leading up to the main entrance of a building.

Perhaps the best way to explain it to students would be with pictures. Would you call steps inside a building 'stairs' if they didn't go to a different floor? I don't think you would, so you could emphasize going-between-floors to students.