in a course

Forums: English, Esl, Grammar
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If COURSE means a series of lessons or lectures on a particular subject, what's the difference in UK/US English? I heard some Americans say ON THIS COURSE, but my teacher a long time ago when I was a student told me Britons only said ENROL ON A COURSE, Americans only ENROL IN A COURSE; did I hear that American wrong?

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@WBYeats,

Americans would almost always say ". . . in a course. I have never heard it said otherwise.

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@WBYeats,

Quote:

my teacher a long time ago when I was a student told me Britons only said ENROL ON A COURSE

I think I would agree with that, for the UK.
What's "in" the course is the content of what is being taught.

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@roger,

I agree with this, i've never heard any other construction from Americans.

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@WBYeats,

I shall enrol for a course in English and revert.

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@McTag,

McTag wrote:

Quote:
my teacher a long time ago when I was a student told me Britons only said ENROL ON A COURSE

I think I would agree with that, for the UK.
What's "in" the course is the content of what is being taught.

I agree, for the UK.

At the moment I am on a diet. What's "in" the diet is primarily donkey fodder.

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@Lordyaswas,

Muchly later that same day, even as the hunger bit suchly, Lordyaswas enrolled for a Masters Degree in Peerlessness.

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In other words, can I say both?:

-On/in this course, you will learn many things.

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@WBYeats,

I am on the case, but in a quandry.

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@WBYeats,

Quote:

In other words, can I say both?:

This does not comply with the advice you have been given above, but
nobody I know would get too excited if you did.

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I think that would put him on a course for disaster.

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It might also alienate native speakers, in the course of things.

1 Reply

@Setanta,

So, that could put him off course.

Of course!

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um...what do your answers mean?

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@WBYeats,

To summarise.....

In a course = Amerenglish
On a course = Anglenglish.

So, when in the USA use in, and when in a British/English speaking country (and there are several) use on.

This is a generalisation, of course.

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That's par for the course.

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in a course

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