Thursday, 7 July 2011

Which is correct “My house is opposite to the railway station” or “………opposite the railway station”?

You normally say that the house is opposite the railway station, and not `opposite to’. When you use the word `opposite’ in this manner, you are suggesting that there is something separating the two objects. In this case, it could be that the railway station and your house are separated by a road or a street. Opposite implies that the two buildings are on different sides of the road/street. Similarly, when you say, “Divya’s room is opposite Puja’s”, what you are suggesting is that the two rooms are facing each other; there is a corridor between them.

*The nearest supermarket is opposite the hospital. *The people who live opposite Anand’s house are slightly crazy.

Source: S. Upendran, The Hindu ‘Know Your English’ Series, March 13, 2006

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