Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[BMO]

Jammed with people and jam-packed with people, are they the same? Is the latter jammed with more people?

Thanks.

bmo

[Mallaien]

They mean the exact same thing. and you used it correctly in both sentances.

Jammed is more proper to use, if your taking a test for english. Jam-packed is a less formal word in American conversations.
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[BMO]

Thanks. Does pack alone mean the same, as in packed with people?

[Mallaien]

[BMO]

You can say The crowd packed the stadium, can't you. So what is the difference between this and

1. The crowd jam-packed the stadium, or
2. The crowd jammed the stadium.

Pack as a noun:
You can say, a pack of thieves, a pack of wild dogs, a pack of armed robbers.

Thanks.

bmo

[CP]

The most natural, I think, are:

"The stadium is packed today." Implied: it's full of people, not potatoes.

"The stadium is jammed." Same.

"The stadium is jam-packed / jam-packed with people." Describes the state of the stadium.

"Ten thousand people jammed into the stadium." Describes what the people did to fill up the stadium.

"The crowd packed into the stadium." Same. Note the use of "indo."

As for "pack," you are right about those uses. There is also "a pack of lies" to describe what some people tell when testifying or telling a story, and "a pack of coyotes / dingoes / hyenas" besides the other canines, wolves and dogs.

Did I mention "pack of cards"?
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You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb

[BMO]

[Mallaien]

BMO

[BMO]

Thank you all.

bmo