Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

navi · Joined: 02 Mar 2005 Posts: 104

Which are correct:

1-This machine is designed for applying to rough surfaces.
2-This machine is designed to be applied to rough surfaces.
3-This machine is designed to apply to rough surfaces.

4-This shirt is for wearing at dinner parties.
5-This shirt is to be worn at dinner parties.
6-This shirt is to wear at dinner parties.

Suzanne · Joined: 21 Apr 2008 Posts: 283 Location: Seattle, WA, USA

Hello,

Something seems to be missing from the first set of sentences. What is being applied to the rough surfaces? With the m issing noun, the sentences might go like this:

1-This machine is designed for applying _________ to rough surfaces.
2-This machine is designed to be applied to rough surfaces. (INCORRECT)
3-This machine is designed to apply __________to rough surfaces.

A couple of suggestions for these sentences:

4-This shirt is for wearing TO dinner parties.
(Okay, but not as good as #6)
5-This shirt is to be worn at dinner parties. (Not what a native speaker would say. It's an awkward sentence.)
6-This shirt is to wear TO dinner parties. (This is the best sentence.)

You could also say:
-I got this shirt to wear for dinner parties.
-This special shirt is for dinner parties.

Does that help?