Beatriz
to the doctor's or to the doctor? I've watched a subtitled video in which a woman said that she had been at the doctor's. Later she said she had been at the doctor. Are they correct both? Are there any difference? Sorry for my English.
2015년 8월 15일 오전 12:18
답변 · 9
1
"At the doctor" sounds really strange to me. "Where have you been"? - I've been at the doctor's/dentist's/hairdresser's/tailor's/optician's. None of these examples would sound right to me without the "s".
2015년 8월 15일
1
Yes; both are correct."At the doctor''s" perhaps suggests that you have been at the place (his/her consulting room or surgery) at which the doctor is located whereas "at the doctor" is not so specific as to the location.
2015년 8월 15일
I agree with Andy. 'At the doctor' sounds very strange to me, too. 'The doctor' is a person, and 'the doctor's' is a place. If you go to the doctor's, you go to his/her surgery (GB) or office (US). You can also go to the doctor, which means that you go to see this person. If you are 'at the doctor's', you are at the doctor's surgery/office. But I have never heard anyone say 'at the doctor'. To my mind, this makes no sense. You can be at a place, but you can't be at a person.
2015년 8월 15일
Both are correct. With "doctor's," the word "office" or "surgery" is omitted but understood. "I've been to the doctor's [office]." The same usage occurs in other contexts. "I'm going over to Kate's to return a book" means "I'm going over to Kate's [house] to return a book." "Dinner at Antoine's" means "Dinner at Antoine's [restaurant]."
2015년 8월 15일
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