3

This is a very simple question, yet I did not find anybody that could give me a satisfactory answer. I would say “go by foot”, but it seems that “go on foot” is used more often.

Which one is right? Are both right? Does it depend on the context?

Edit: Searching with Google yields 26,000,000 results for “on foot” and 8,000,000 for “by foot”, so it seems that at least both expressions are used. However, whether they are both correct is another issue.

Improve this question
4
  • For the yet however, I don't think it's wrong, is it?
    – j-i-l
    Sep 26, 2012 at 22:35
  • 1
    Actually 'yet' is preferable to 'although' here.
    – Jim
    Sep 27, 2012 at 3:46
  • 1
    Why is the question rated negatively? Is it not well formulated? Does it not belong here? ... I would appreciate some feedback, without it is somehow hard to guess what is not OK with my question. Thanks in advance!
    – j-i-l
    Sep 27, 2012 at 10:56
  • Upvote as question seems reasonable.
    – Gnubie
    Sep 27, 2012 at 18:27

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
2

Both expressions convey the meaning, but in my experience and the experience of Google ngram "on foot" is far more common:

Click here for Google ngram

"By" tends to be used more for a transport system "by car", "by plane". "On" for body parts "on foot", "on hands and knees" being the only examples I can think of.

Interesting side note "on foot" has become much less common over the last two hundred years according to the NGram: reflective, I think, of our changing means of transportation.

Improve this answer
1
  • Thanks for the answer! By the way, thanks for introducing me to Google Ngram :)
    – j-i-l
    Sep 26, 2012 at 22:48

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.