What is the right phrase - May I pay "in cash" or may I "pay cash"?
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2"Pay cash" is acceptable and well-received.– KrisCommented Feb 22, 2015 at 12:40
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1Either is fine.– Hot LicksCommented Feb 22, 2015 at 13:09
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2But, perhaps more importantly, you need to understand the difference between write and right!– WS2Commented Feb 22, 2015 at 13:14
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Can it be decided whether 'cash' in pay cash is a DO or an adverbial objective?– Edwin AshworthCommented Feb 22, 2015 at 15:18
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Many roads lead to Rome. Many cultures lead to NYC.– Blessed GeekCommented Feb 22, 2015 at 16:01
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1 Answer
There seems to be an entire family of expressions involving pay + [form of money] that permit English speakers to use either "pay [form of money]" or "pay in [form of money]." For example:
pay cash & pay in cash
pay hard currency & pay in hard currency
pay dollars & pay in dollars
pay ready money & pay in ready money
pay silver & pay in silver
The dual acceptability seems to break down in situations where English speakers would normally use by in place of in. For example:
pay by check/cheque but not pay check/cheque
pay by credit card but not pay credit card
Members of the first set of phrases remain idiomatically acceptable (in U.S. English, anyway) when you substitute with for in:
pay with cash
pay with hard currency
pay with dollars
pay with ready money
pay with silver
In contrast, substituting with for in in the second group works only if you add an indefinite article after with:
pay with a check/cheque
pay with a credit card
The underlying distinction at work here may be the difference between form of payment (cash, hard currency, dollars, etc.) and mode of transfer (check/cheque, credit card).
answered Feb 22, 2015 at 16:37
