Usage of "fight" and "fight with"

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Hi,

Which one of the following sentences is more appropriate and why?

  1. He had to fight with two thugs.
  2. He had to fight two thugs.

Thanks,

MG.

2

.
If you mean fisticuffs, both seem fine and synonymous to me.
.

3

And “He had to fight against two thugs.”?

4

the same, but against is better speaking about something ‘global’: against the Nazis (war), fighting against the world, fight against drugs. But not necessary.

5

What do you mean by “not necessary”?

And I agree with you regarding collocation of “fight against + noun”

Here are some of the main ones from the BNC.

fight against terrorism/cancer/crime/inflation/fascism/corruption.

6

I meant:
a) not only with ‘something global’
b) it’s not always necessary to use the preposition (e.g. against)
People are fighting against repression and injustice.
We will fight terrorism, wherever it exists.
Recognizing the all-too familiar symptoms, Manville fought against the gathering depression before it took too firm a hold on him.

7

I would have chosen “but not necessarily” .

8

:slight_smile: