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The following sentence, in my opinion, is ambiguous.

You must purchase A that optionally includes B, C, and D.

The meaning can be one of the following.

You must purchase A, C, and D. A optionally includes B.

or

You must purchase A. It optionally includes B, C, and D.

Question

How to remove ambiguity from the main sentence only by rewording it with a single sentence such that the reworded sentence means the first meaning? With the same constraint, how to make it means the second meaning?

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  • You must purchase A (that optionally includes B). You must also purchase C and D.
    – J.R. ♦
    Commented Mar 1, 2018 at 20:58
  • What does this mean? ...only if I want it to mean the first meaning and the second meaning separately?
    – TimR
    Commented Mar 1, 2018 at 20:59
  • What has become clearer? I still have no idea what you want to say.
    – TimR
    Commented Mar 1, 2018 at 21:01
  • Is this what you're trying to achieve: You must purchase A, C, and D. A optionally includes B. Are you wondering how to make clear that there is a restrictive clause ("that optionally includes B") that applies only to A?
    – TimR
    Commented Mar 1, 2018 at 21:39

2 Answers 2

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You must purchase C, D, and A, the last of which optionally includes B.

You must purchase A, C, and D, the first of which optionally includes B.

You must purchase A (which optionally includes B), C, and D.

The drawback of the final option there is that in speech it could be ambiguous without exaggerated prosody.

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Even your suggested sentences are ambiguous. Does "optional" mean that you are free to buy or not buy or that you are free to accept or not accept?

I am going to assume that the option is an option to buy rather than an option to accept.

There is yet another ambiguity about whether the second meaning involves one option relative to B, C, and D jointly or three options relative to B, C, and D individually.

I am going to assume that there are three distinct and independent options

First meaning: You must purchase A, C, and D, but need not purchase B.

Second meaning: You must purchase A, but need not purchase B, C, or D.

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