goalpost/s

That is not a real world sentence.

Think about it logically. If he hit one goalpost, he missed the other. The phrase "but missed" implies a failed intention.

"Goalpost" is one word.

The structure with a net at each end of a football pitch is called a "goal". It is made of two goalposts, a crossbar and a net.

Goalposts are only hit accidentally. Footballers never aim for the goalposts!

If Eric, when he kicked the ball, was aiming at the goal, then you would write:-

Eric kicked the ball but missed the goal.

When the ball is aimed at the goal:

--If the ball passes in between the goalposts without hitting either of them, that is, it misses both of them, and the goalkeeper does not catch it, a goal is scored (ignoring technical details such as offside, etc)

--If the ball strikes either of the goalposts, a goal is not scored.

If Eric, when he kicked the ball, was aiming at a goalpost, perhaps for amusement, then you could write:-

Eric kicked the ball, and missed the goalpost at which he was aiming.

What if the goal posts were moved?

My boss keeps moving the goalposts.

A phrase meaning targets are continually extended.

Maybe it depends on the sport. In American football, as opposed to rest-of-the-world football (which we call soccer), it's goalposts because there are two of them, and you kick the ball between them and over the crossbar to score points.

If the ball doesn't go between the goalposts, you miss them, and you score no points. I gather from contrex's post that the same term doesn't apply in soccer. So it does seem likely from Yoong's post that he is in this case speaking the dreaded AmE, and it should be goalposts (yes, one word).

Are you saying that "Eric kicked the ball but missed the goalposts" in correct in AmE?

Many thanks.

Thanks, Contrex, for your detailed reply and correction of 'goal posts'.

Best wishes.

Yoong, yes, if Eric is playing American football.

And probably if he's playing Canadian-rules football too, tho I'm not sure--the two are pretty close but not identical. If he's playing what we call soccer and everybody else calls football, it would probably be "Eric kicked the ball but missed the goal."

Thanks, Username.

You've asked that question before, I seem to remember.

Hi Mc Tag

Maybe, but perhaps a similar question.

Regards.

And you can put your chewing gum on the bed post overnight . . .

(just a joke - from a song lyric)