1

My book asked me to correct

The materials for to make a bookmark cost only about 200 won.

So I gave the answer:

The materials to make a bookmark cost only about 200 won.

However, my friend said that this was wrong, saying that the answer should be:

The materials for making a bookmark cost only about 200 won.

The reason he gave was that if I write "The materials to make a bookmark cost only about 200 won," this implies that "to make" describes "the materials".

So, can someone tell me why my answer is wrong(or correct)?

Improve this question
2
  • 2
    Your answer isn't wrong. Your friend is. Here are over 100,000 written instances of the noun phrase the materials to make [something]. And there are only a third of that number for the materials for making (whatever it is)
    – FumbleFingers
    Commented Apr 6, 2016 at 13:25
  • 3
    The friend is wrong {to say|for saying} the OP was wrong.
    – TimR
    Commented Apr 6, 2016 at 14:28

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
1

Your sentence, and your friend's alternative, are both acceptable and natural.

The reason he gave was that if I write "The materials to make a bookmark cost only about 200 won," this implies that "to make" describes "the materials."

"To make a bookmark" or "for making a bookmark" do both describe "the materials." This noun phrase starts "The materials" and the following four words answer the question what materials? So in that sense, "to make" or "for making" does describe "the materials."

If you wanted to talk about making the materials, you might say:

To make the materials used in a bookmark costs only about 200 won.

This sentence has a different meaning and doesn't tell you how much it costs to buy the materials. It may be that your friend thinks your sentence has a meaning similar to this, but it doesn't. Your sentence and your friend's sentence both have the same correctness and meaning.

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .