Monday 30 April 2007

Action!

A common problem for Czech English speakers is to misuse the English word action.

It is incorrect to say:
"The school organises many interesting actions every year."
or "At the camp there were a lot of actions such as canoe trips and hiking expeditions."

The countable noun action means, above all, an act (skutek), or deed (čin). If you want to express the Czech word akce (an activity aimed at some target), you should use the words event or activity.

For example:

"The school organises many interesting events every year."
"At the camp there were a lot of activities such as canoe trips and hiking expeditions."

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