Please, explain to me what is 'up' in the sentence used for!
The sentence in my school book (Spotlight 9th grade) is a bit unclear: If you go to Paris, don't be surprised if you see people riding gray bikes with metal baskets on the front «up» the Champs Elysees! Could you help me to get the meaning?

That's all the sentence I have. The further text is just about why bikes are gray, some story and that's it's nature-friendly way to go.

I know it could mean some direction, but which one if we're talking about Champs Elysees? And, why did the author of this text decide to show the direction of people riding their bikes, I mean, I don't think there were people riding their bike just in one direction, dig it?

So I could not know something here, please, make it clear! :)

Question

Please, explain to me what is 'up' in the sentence used for!
The sentence in my school book (Spotlight 9th grade) is a bit unclear: If you go to Paris, don't be surprised if you see people riding gray bikes with metal baskets on the front «up» the Champs Elysees! Could you help me to get the meaning?

That's all the sentence I have. The further text is just about why bikes are gray, some story and that's it's nature-friendly way to go.

I know it could mean some direction, but which one if we're talking about Champs Elysees? And, why did the author of this text decide to show the direction of people riding their bikes, I mean, I don't think there were people riding their bike just in one direction, dig it?

So I could not know something here, please, make it clear! :)

Answer

to go or ride "up" or "down" a street means the same as go or ride "along" a street.  Sometimes, people choose up or down because the road is on a slope, or because they are considering the road from a certain physical perspective which makes it look like a slope.

Sometimes, people say "up" a road to a more significant place or a place where you intend to do something purposeful.  Sometimes, people say "down" a road to indicate casualness.

I suggest that you note the usages when you see them, look up examples in sentence databases, notice patterns over time, and don't try to formulate precise rules on this topic.  The usage is informal and so you will feel the usage better in conversation with native speakers.

Answers · 1

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