Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[leon08]

HI, good day,

I HAVE 3 QUESTIONS:

QUESTION 1: I would like to know if there is any rules to choose when to use the preposition "of" to indicate possession and when to use two nouns.

For example: "The door of the classroom" OR "The classroom door" "The windows of the bedroom" OR "The bedroom windows"


QUESTION 2:
A dress costing fifty dollars is a:

a) fifty dollars dress?

b) fifty dollar dress?

A building which is 100 years old is a:
a)100 year old building?
b)100 years old building?

QUESTION 3 If we say "a box of matches",
Why don't we say "a pack of cigarettes"? (we must say cigarrete pack, don't we?).

I will appreciate your help,

THANK YOU.
SALUDOS CORDIALES,
LEON.

[bud]

1. In most cases the double noun would be used. There may be situations where the other way is more likely, but I don't know what they are.

2.
a fifty-dollar dress
a 100-year-old building

3. A "pack of cigarettes" is the way to say it. I'd only use "cigarette pack" when commenting on the package, but not the contents of the package.