Ice Tea or Iced Tea?
By bingskee
@bingskee (5234)
Philippines
September 20, 2011 10:01am CST
Some say there is no difference, but there is. 
I do not want to sound like a guru. It just don't sound or read right to me. The tea is the subject or the object, and 'iced' is the adjective, as I see it.
If you insist on 'ice tea', what makes it right then? I just want to learn. Perhaps there is a reason why people call 'iced teat' ice tea. 
I do not want to sound like a guru. It just don't sound or read right to me. The tea is the subject or the object, and 'iced' is the adjective, as I see it.
If you insist on 'ice tea', what makes it right then? I just want to learn. Perhaps there is a reason why people call 'iced teat' ice tea. 7 responses
@macdingolinger (10386)
• United States
20 Sep 11
I am not sure that it matters too much. They both mean the same thing and it may rely more on where you are actually from rather than what is grammatically correct. I think I usually say, "Ice TEa" rather than iced tea. And if I am not mistaken restaraunts bill it as 'ice tea'as well. Good question though!
@lampar (7584)
• United States
21 Sep 11
If i'm talking about a cup of cold tea existed yesterday, then i will use 'iced', if it is a freshly prepared one that is still in the cup where my hand is holding right now, then i will use 'ice' to reflect the state of the subject i am talking about. I assume it all boil down to how the writer perceive the important of past and present tense in his /her sentences, whether he is interested in communicating the state of subject in the discussion or not. 
@kalav56 (11464)
• India
20 Sep 11
Iced tea is right and it is an adjective qualifying the noun "tea". I do not know whether it can be used as "gold cup" or silver spoon" where the noun acts as the adjective. I shall check it up and get back later. But I instinctively feel it cannot be.
However, people take liberties with the lanuage when it is spoken. It may be wrong in written English but it is not unacceptable when people use this informally. THe usage may still be wrong but what I am trying to convey is that there are worse mistakes made this way.For e.g..,using "like ", where it should not be used , "kind of" where it ought not to be used are not accepted in written Emglish. While talking anything is accepted. Only when people use these in the written text also it becomes unacceptable.
@kalav56 (11464)
• India
21 Sep 11
HI bingskee! Strictly speaking "golden " is normally the adjective. In this case of the instances I have quoted above, they function here as an adjective. They are material nouns but here they function as an adjective. Otherwise too ,We have the same word perform the work of an adjective, verb, noun, adverb isn't it?
Do not worry too much about the mistakes in the menu card.If you come to our country , you will get crazy. I got really upset when I saw some absurd spelling like"restaurent" . Subsequently I am seeing many such weird spellings here on the road too and it irritates me no end. Any spelling mistake or blatant wrong use of prepositions wriiten on a board in a public place affects me too but unfortunately many people do not know it nor are they bothered to find out the right spelling or usage. Such is the level of confidence and anything is accepted among a crowd that does not know or care . "Stay calm as long as the meaning is conveyed"--this is the lesson I have learned.
@bingskee (5234)
• Philippines
22 Sep 11
hi, kalav. gold is a noun when it means, for example, a precious stone. it is an adjective when it connotes color, for example, dark yellow, blond, tawny, etc.
well, it didn't really bother me like i cannot sleep. i cannot help myself not to be affected when i am in restaurants. anyway, i discuss it with anyone who's with me and try not make a scene out of a simple thing.
gold is a noun when it means, for example, a precious stone. it is an adjective when it connotes color, for example, dark yellow, blond, tawny, etc.
well, it didn't really bother me like i cannot sleep. i cannot help myself not to be affected when i am in restaurants. anyway, i discuss it with anyone who's with me and try not make a scene out of a simple thing.@bingskee (5234)
• Philippines
21 Sep 11
how come that in 'gold cup' or 'silver spoon', the noun becomes the adjective? aren't cup and spoon nouns, how are they adjectives?
i think the phrase being written on the menu affected me this much ha ha ha i will probably not be affected if i just listen.
i think the phrase being written on the menu affected me this much ha ha ha i will probably not be affected if i just listen.1 person likes this
@neildc (17239)
• Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines
22 Sep 11
i know it should be iced tea when you put ice in your tea.
but it's the nestea product that is ice tea.
@cloudflix (112)
• United States
20 Sep 11
I actually use the term Iced Tea as you do...I wonder if people just say it so quickly that the d at the end of Iced can't be heard? Or maybe it is a list or recipe of what they want..."ice" and "tea" :) ;)
@0CoOlGuY0 (103)
• Portugal
20 Sep 11
I say ice tea!!Maybe i'm just used to drinking the brand "ice tea" so much :S
@LadyDulce (830)
• United States
20 Sep 11
I think it's a regional thing. Like for soft drinks, some people say "tonic", "soda", "pop", "soda pop", "fizz", etc. Simply a matter of preference. I sometimes say icetea and sometimes iced tea.
