do surf

English translation: go surfing

02:12 Nov 22, 2013

English language (monolingual) [Non-PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters

English term or phrase: do surf

I´d like to know if "to do surf" is gramatically incorrect. I know you say go surfing / surf the waves.

Patsy Florit KudoZ activity Questions: 214 (none open) (2 without valid answers) (12 closed without grading) Answers: 0
Local time: 03:47

Selected answer:go surfing

Explanation:
No, you can't "do" surfing, just like you couldn't do skiing. At least, I've never heard the phrase, and in coastal BC, Canada, there are quite a few surfers, myself included...

Selected response from:

Lucie L
Canada
Local time: 23:47

Grading comment

Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED

5 +5

go surfing

Lucie L

5 +4

Grammatically incorrect

PatriciaMagnus

4 +1

Incorrect, except conceivably in certain specific expressions

Tony M

Discussion entries: 1

Answers

45 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +5

can you say do surf

go surfing

Explanation:
No, you can't "do" surfing, just like you couldn't do skiing. At least, I've never heard the phrase, and in coastal BC, Canada, there are quite a few surfers, myself included...

Lucie L
Canada
Local time: 23:47
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English

Grading comment

Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

3 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +4

can you say do surf Grammatically incorrect

Explanation:
To do surfing is also incorrect

Go surfing is correct
Surf is correct

Example sentence(s):

I go surfing. He surfs.

PatriciaMagnus
United States
Local time: 02:47
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English

7 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

Incorrect, except conceivably in certain specific expressions

Explanation:
I totally concur with what the other answerers have already said.

However, I would just like to add a little rider to that: there are certain highly idiomatic expressions in current EN where it might conceivably be possilbe to encounter this collocation.

I'm thinking of certain expressions such as "I don't do khaki!" and "We must do lunch!" — and no doubt a number of others I've forgotten. Although these may well have arisen historically from some particular expression, they are now often adapted to suit different circumstances by the addition of sometimes highly unlikely words — hence why I can conceive one might just possibly encounter 'surf' in this way.

But I'm sure this wasn't the main thrust of Asker's original question!

Tony M
France
Local time: 08:47
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 309

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