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Discussion Groups / English Usage / August 2008Do we write 'seven days a week'?
Hi, I am editing this article where the sentence is: "Most of these establishments are open seven days a week, with public transport easily available." My query: Do we write "seven days a week"? Isn't "all week" or "all days of the week" a better expression? In the given sentence I feel meaning is repetitve if I write "seven days" and "week" in the same sentence. It is sounding awkward to me, but I am not too sure whether I really need to edit it. Please advise. Thanks in advance. Vantika (Ms.) >Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >sentence. It is sounding awkward to me, but I am not too sure whether >I really need to edit it. It's a perfectly normal construction in US English. It eliminates the any ambiguity of what a "week" is. Since we have "week days" and "weekend days", there is a possibility - however remote - of ambiguity.  SignatureTony Cooper - Orlando, Florida >Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > >My query: Do we write "seven days a week"? "Seven days a week" is a completely normal expression. The sentence "Most of these establishments are open seven days a week, ..." implies that other establishments are open on fewer days each week, for example "six days a week" or "five days a week". > Isn't "all week" or "all >days of the week" a better expression? In the given sentence I feel >meaning is repetitve if I write "seven days" and "week" in the same >sentence. It is sounding awkward to me, but I am not too sure whether >I really need to edit it. There is no need to alter it. The mention of seven days in the expression is important. Some people reading the article may come from a culture in which the normal working week is less than seven days, six days for instance. Such a person might ask "does 'all week' mean a working week of six days or a calendar week of seven days?". SignaturePeter Duncanson, UK (in alt.english.usage) > My query: Do we write "seven days a week"? Isn't "all week" or "all > days of the week" a better expression? In the given sentence I feel > meaning is repetitve if I write "seven days" and "week" in the same > sentence. It is sounding awkward to me, but I am not too sure whether > I really need to edit it. Here in the UK, that's good English, and would be understood easily with no ambiguity. The alternatives you offer are not so good: "All week" may mean seven days, or 'the working week', which many assume to be five days. "all days of the week" is equally vague, plus is ungrammatical and clunky; 'every day of the week' would be a little better. It's an area where you need to be very specific; I recently saw a notice that said "Open 24/7 Monday to Friday" SignatureAndrew http://www.wordskit.com/ http://www.flayme.com/ "Andrew Heenan" <fire@will.com>'s wild thoughts were released on Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:17:11 +0100 bearing the following fruit: >> My query: Do we write "seven days a week"? Isn't "all week" or "all >> days of the week" a better expression? In the given sentence I feel [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] >It's an area where you need to be very specific; I recently saw a notice >that said "Open 24/7 Monday to Friday" In Spain there was a sign '24 hour doctor' Below that it listed the opening hours.... -- Jan Hyde (VB MVP) https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Jan.Hyde > "Andrew Heenan" <fire@will.com>'s wild thoughts were > released on Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:17:11 +0100 bearing the [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > > Below that it listed the opening hours.... But was there also a telephone number for out-of-hours treatment? Alan Jones "Alan Jones" <atj@blueyonder.co.uk>'s wild thoughts were released on Fri, 22 Aug 2008 19:54:10 +0100 bearing the following fruit: >> "Andrew Heenan" <fire@will.com>'s wild thoughts were >> released on Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:17:11 +0100 bearing the [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > >But was there also a telephone number for out-of-hours treatment? No. -- Jan Hyde (VB MVP) https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Jan.Hyde > that said "Open 24/7 Monday to Friday" 24/7, that's about three and a half hours, right? ¬R > Andrew Heenan wrote >>My query: Do we write "seven days a week"? Isn't "all week" or "all >>days of the week" a better expression? In the given sentence I feel [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > >Here in the UK, Ah. I stand corrected. I'd assumed your post about 'Brits would probably say this' from a week or so back came from a non-Brit. Unless you're an expat, of course... DC -- Thanks everyone. Each of you have been a great help. Your answers have made me understand things a lot better. With best regards, Vantika >Thanks everyone. Each of you have been a great help. Your answers have >made me understand things a lot better. > >With best regards, > >Vantika What a nice thank-you. I wish I had answered. If you are inclined to email me for some reason, remove NOPSAM :-) Vantika <vantikagupta@gmail.com> wrote in news:1f86f676-7891-4a8a-9a55- 031064312f55@o40g2000prn.googlegroups.com: > Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Vantika (Ms.) As tony cooper says, it's fine. It doesn't seem so odd when you remember that an establishment that is closed on Sundays might be described as "open six days a week". We wouldn't normally use "open all week" in this context, and (in the UK at least) we wouldn't say "open all days of the week", though we might say "open every day of the week". Peter |
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