“Paper is used for writing on ”or “paper is used for writing”,which one is grammatically correct?
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"Paper is used for writing on "or "paper is used for writing",which one is grammatically correct ?
Chopstics are used for eating .
Chopstics are used for eaing with.
This desk is used for putting the computer.
This desk is used for putting the computer on.
Of two pairs of sentences, which one is correct in each?
As per wikipedia, which gives a brief introducion about paper--Paper, a thin unwoven material made from milled plant fibers, is primarily used for writing, artwork, and packaging.
Here "used for writing" , but not "writing on".
However in an English textbook for Junior Three students in China, when it comes to the usage of some objects, an example--"paper is used for writing on"--
is given.
So I want to know when a prep., after a verb. in such a sentence structure, can be omitted. Why is it OK that " It ( the lock )is used for locking the door" (also an example in the textbook), but why not " it is used for locking the door with"?
prepositions grammatical-structure
asked Nov 26 at 10:59
Oliver898
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"Paper is used for writing on "or "paper is used for writing",which one is grammatically correct ?
Chopstics are used for eating .
Chopstics are used for eaing with.
This desk is used for putting the computer.
This desk is used for putting the computer on.
Of two pairs of sentences, which one is correct in each?
As per wikipedia, which gives a brief introducion about paper--Paper, a thin unwoven material made from milled plant fibers, is primarily used for writing, artwork, and packaging.
Here "used for writing" , but not "writing on".
However in an English textbook for Junior Three students in China, when it comes to the usage of some objects, an example--"paper is used for writing on"--
is given.
So I want to know when a prep., after a verb. in such a sentence structure, can be omitted. Why is it OK that " It ( the lock )is used for locking the door" (also an example in the textbook), but why not " it is used for locking the door with"?
prepositions grammatical-structure
asked Nov 26 at 10:59
Oliver898
11
1
There really is no general rule about this. Grammatically, both are equally fine. It's all down to the meaning. In the chopsticks example, both variants are fine, because both make sense. In the computer example, the first one sounds wrong because it makes no sense. And in the paper example, I can see people arguing either way really.
– RegDwigнt♦
Nov 26 at 12:07
Because of your strange use of quotation marks, I had to read your question about five times before I figured it out. You seemingly put opening and closing quotation marks around or and a single quotation mark at the end of the second sentence. (In the title of the question, you also mixed smart and straight quotation marks.)
– Jason Bassford
Nov 26 at 12:47
Tanks for. – RegDwigнt's reply and– Jason Bassford's efforts to make the meaning clear as well as his correction about the quotation mark.
– Oliver898
Nov 27 at 2:36
@RegDwigнt - Ah, but never use a preposition to end a sentence with!
– Hot Licks
Nov 27 at 2:45
As what RegDwigнt said, many people think "with" is optional in this sentence --"Chopstics are used for eating (with)". It is an incorrect sentence -- This desk is used for putting computer. Here a prep. "on" is need. The two sentences -- "paper is used for writing" and "paper is used for writing on"-- are arguble. But no one gives a clear reason. Why? Just the language intuition? I'm a foreign language learner of English. Could you give a reliable evidence? Thank you very much.
– Oliver898
Nov 27 at 2:45
|
show 4 more comments
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0
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up vote
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down vote
favorite
"Paper is used for writing on "or "paper is used for writing",which one is grammatically correct ?
Chopstics are used for eating .
Chopstics are used for eaing with.
This desk is used for putting the computer.
This desk is used for putting the computer on.
Of two pairs of sentences, which one is correct in each?
As per wikipedia, which gives a brief introducion about paper--Paper, a thin unwoven material made from milled plant fibers, is primarily used for writing, artwork, and packaging.
Here "used for writing" , but not "writing on".
However in an English textbook for Junior Three students in China, when it comes to the usage of some objects, an example--"paper is used for writing on"--
is given.
So I want to know when a prep., after a verb. in such a sentence structure, can be omitted. Why is it OK that " It ( the lock )is used for locking the door" (also an example in the textbook), but why not " it is used for locking the door with"?
prepositions grammatical-structure
asked Nov 26 at 10:59
Oliver898
11
"Paper is used for writing on "or "paper is used for writing",which one is grammatically correct ?
Chopstics are used for eating .
Chopstics are used for eaing with.
This desk is used for putting the computer.
This desk is used for putting the computer on.
Of two pairs of sentences, which one is correct in each?
As per wikipedia, which gives a brief introducion about paper--Paper, a thin unwoven material made from milled plant fibers, is primarily used for writing, artwork, and packaging.
Here "used for writing" , but not "writing on".
However in an English textbook for Junior Three students in China, when it comes to the usage of some objects, an example--"paper is used for writing on"--
is given.
So I want to know when a prep., after a verb. in such a sentence structure, can be omitted. Why is it OK that " It ( the lock )is used for locking the door" (also an example in the textbook), but why not " it is used for locking the door with"?
prepositions grammatical-structure
prepositions grammatical-structure
asked Nov 26 at 10:59
Oliver898
11
asked Nov 26 at 10:59
Oliver898
11
edited Nov 27 at 2:57
asked Nov 26 at 10:59
Oliver898
11
asked Nov 26 at 10:59
Oliver898
11
asked Nov 26 at 10:59
Oliver898
11
11
1
There really is no general rule about this. Grammatically, both are equally fine. It's all down to the meaning. In the chopsticks example, both variants are fine, because both make sense. In the computer example, the first one sounds wrong because it makes no sense. And in the paper example, I can see people arguing either way really.
– RegDwigнt♦
Nov 26 at 12:07
Because of your strange use of quotation marks, I had to read your question about five times before I figured it out. You seemingly put opening and closing quotation marks around or and a single quotation mark at the end of the second sentence. (In the title of the question, you also mixed smart and straight quotation marks.)
– Jason Bassford
Nov 26 at 12:47
Tanks for. – RegDwigнt's reply and– Jason Bassford's efforts to make the meaning clear as well as his correction about the quotation mark.
– Oliver898
Nov 27 at 2:36
@RegDwigнt - Ah, but never use a preposition to end a sentence with!
– Hot Licks
Nov 27 at 2:45
As what RegDwigнt said, many people think "with" is optional in this sentence --"Chopstics are used for eating (with)". It is an incorrect sentence -- This desk is used for putting computer. Here a prep. "on" is need. The two sentences -- "paper is used for writing" and "paper is used for writing on"-- are arguble. But no one gives a clear reason. Why? Just the language intuition? I'm a foreign language learner of English. Could you give a reliable evidence? Thank you very much.
– Oliver898
Nov 27 at 2:45
|
show 4 more comments
1
There really is no general rule about this. Grammatically, both are equally fine. It's all down to the meaning. In the chopsticks example, both variants are fine, because both make sense. In the computer example, the first one sounds wrong because it makes no sense. And in the paper example, I can see people arguing either way really.
– RegDwigнt♦
Nov 26 at 12:07
Because of your strange use of quotation marks, I had to read your question about five times before I figured it out. You seemingly put opening and closing quotation marks around or and a single quotation mark at the end of the second sentence. (In the title of the question, you also mixed smart and straight quotation marks.)
– Jason Bassford
Nov 26 at 12:47
Tanks for. – RegDwigнt's reply and– Jason Bassford's efforts to make the meaning clear as well as his correction about the quotation mark.
– Oliver898
Nov 27 at 2:36
@RegDwigнt - Ah, but never use a preposition to end a sentence with!
– Hot Licks
Nov 27 at 2:45
As what RegDwigнt said, many people think "with" is optional in this sentence --"Chopstics are used for eating (with)". It is an incorrect sentence -- This desk is used for putting computer. Here a prep. "on" is need. The two sentences -- "paper is used for writing" and "paper is used for writing on"-- are arguble. But no one gives a clear reason. Why? Just the language intuition? I'm a foreign language learner of English. Could you give a reliable evidence? Thank you very much.
– Oliver898
Nov 27 at 2:45
1
1
There really is no general rule about this. Grammatically, both are equally fine. It's all down to the meaning. In the chopsticks example, both variants are fine, because both make sense. In the computer example, the first one sounds wrong because it makes no sense. And in the paper example, I can see people arguing either way really.
– RegDwigнt♦
Nov 26 at 12:07
There really is no general rule about this. Grammatically, both are equally fine. It's all down to the meaning. In the chopsticks example, both variants are fine, because both make sense. In the computer example, the first one sounds wrong because it makes no sense. And in the paper example, I can see people arguing either way really.
– RegDwigнt♦
Nov 26 at 12:07
Because of your strange use of quotation marks, I had to read your question about five times before I figured it out. You seemingly put opening and closing quotation marks around or and a single quotation mark at the end of the second sentence. (In the title of the question, you also mixed smart and straight quotation marks.)
– Jason Bassford
Nov 26 at 12:47
Because of your strange use of quotation marks, I had to read your question about five times before I figured it out. You seemingly put opening and closing quotation marks around or and a single quotation mark at the end of the second sentence. (In the title of the question, you also mixed smart and straight quotation marks.)
– Jason Bassford
Nov 26 at 12:47
Tanks for. – RegDwigнt's reply and– Jason Bassford's efforts to make the meaning clear as well as his correction about the quotation mark.
– Oliver898
Nov 27 at 2:36
Tanks for. – RegDwigнt's reply and– Jason Bassford's efforts to make the meaning clear as well as his correction about the quotation mark.
– Oliver898
Nov 27 at 2:36
@RegDwigнt - Ah, but never use a preposition to end a sentence with!
– Hot Licks
Nov 27 at 2:45
@RegDwigнt - Ah, but never use a preposition to end a sentence with!
– Hot Licks
Nov 27 at 2:45
As what RegDwigнt said, many people think "with" is optional in this sentence --"Chopstics are used for eating (with)". It is an incorrect sentence -- This desk is used for putting computer. Here a prep. "on" is need. The two sentences -- "paper is used for writing" and "paper is used for writing on"-- are arguble. But no one gives a clear reason. Why? Just the language intuition? I'm a foreign language learner of English. Could you give a reliable evidence? Thank you very much.
– Oliver898
Nov 27 at 2:45
As what RegDwigнt said, many people think "with" is optional in this sentence --"Chopstics are used for eating (with)". It is an incorrect sentence -- This desk is used for putting computer. Here a prep. "on" is need. The two sentences -- "paper is used for writing" and "paper is used for writing on"-- are arguble. But no one gives a clear reason. Why? Just the language intuition? I'm a foreign language learner of English. Could you give a reliable evidence? Thank you very much.
– Oliver898
Nov 27 at 2:45
|
show 4 more comments
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There really is no general rule about this. Grammatically, both are equally fine. It's all down to the meaning. In the chopsticks example, both variants are fine, because both make sense. In the computer example, the first one sounds wrong because it makes no sense. And in the paper example, I can see people arguing either way really.
– RegDwigнt♦
Nov 26 at 12:07
Because of your strange use of quotation marks, I had to read your question about five times before I figured it out. You seemingly put opening and closing quotation marks around or and a single quotation mark at the end of the second sentence. (In the title of the question, you also mixed smart and straight quotation marks.)
– Jason Bassford
Nov 26 at 12:47
Tanks for. – RegDwigнt's reply and– Jason Bassford's efforts to make the meaning clear as well as his correction about the quotation mark.
– Oliver898
Nov 27 at 2:36
@RegDwigнt - Ah, but never use a preposition to end a sentence with!
– Hot Licks
Nov 27 at 2:45
As what RegDwigнt said, many people think "with" is optional in this sentence --"Chopstics are used for eating (with)". It is an incorrect sentence -- This desk is used for putting computer. Here a prep. "on" is need. The two sentences -- "paper is used for writing" and "paper is used for writing on"-- are arguble. But no one gives a clear reason. Why? Just the language intuition? I'm a foreign language learner of English. Could you give a reliable evidence? Thank you very much.
– Oliver898
Nov 27 at 2:45