Travel in American English

Travel is the moving motion of individuals between different geographic locations. Travel can be one-way or round trip, done by automobile, bicycle, car, plane, train, bus or other modes, and is one way or another usually on foot. Travel has been one of the earliest forms of commercial exchange occurring across social boundaries and through trade routes. One example was the ancient Egyptian trade in linen, which was traded to other countries. Today, air travel is prevalent throughout the world and employs more than six million people worldwide.

Traveling and commerce are not the only things associated with Travel, however. A person may go on a pilgrimage to a religious or cultural organization, go on a fishing expedition, take part in an athletic event, participate in a race, or participate in any other activity that makes travel a part of his or her daily life. Travel is an ever-present feature in our everyday lives. A journey takes one place, in fact, and while traveling it’s important to understand and appreciate the place along the way.

Travel is one of the most common verbs in the English language, used to describe trips taken or tours conducted. Traveling can take several forms. A tourist can visit another country or even another state. A soldier goes on tours overseas. A coach or boat cruise takes travelers from one point in a country to another point in that country. A horseback rider goes through the rolling hills and trails of a mountain range.

A journey, in its most general sense, is a journey from beginning to end. A journey, as the verb, can literally be interpreted as a single route (a single road) or a series of interconnecting roads or paths. The act of traveling is the beginning and the end of a journey.

Travel in American writing tends to imply movement rather than a stationary stage. Instead of a stage, the verb travel implies motion. “I am traveling abroad” means I am going somewhere. “I am looking for a new apartment” refers to looking for an apartment rather than remain at my current location. “I am buying a car” refers to buying a car rather than remain at my current location.

As a verb, travel implies motion. So when describing travel, the verb describes where something is: in this case, to a new location. “I am traveling around the world” describes my traveling around the world. In American writing, the verb travel has to take the ending -ing to indicate motion.