key to preserving or key to preserve?

heyiamhere · Post by **heyiamhere** » Tue Aug 23, 2005 12:10 pm

Help me a couple of TOEFL questions.

1. ket to ~
Is it grammartically wrong to write the key to preserve the planet, not the key to preserving the planet?

The key to preserve the planet is to use the earth's resources
without permanently damaging the ecosphere.

2. controversy
which sounds natural?
"much controversy" " many controversies" "a controversy"

Thanks

mariainnl · Post by **mariainnl** » Tue Aug 23, 2005 12:53 pm

To answer your first question I would use the present continuous.
Question number two - controversy is not countable so I would avoid using much or many.

I may be wrong but we learn by our mistakes, so it will be nice to read more feedbacks. I love this site it really gets you thinking...

JuanTwoThree · Post by **JuanTwoThree** » Tue Aug 23, 2005 1:04 pm

The answer to your first question is that yes , it is wrong because this "to" is the preposition and not the infinitive marker.

We'll need more of a context for the second:

There hasn't been much/a/any controversy about this.

Over the years there have been many/a large number of controversies/has been a great deal/lot of controversy about this.

This caused controversy/a controversy.

It seems to be as easily countable as uncountable. What was the question?

heyiamhere · Post by **heyiamhere** » Tue Aug 23, 2005 1:39 pm

Thanks,

As for the first question,
~ing seems more appropriate, but would it be grammartically wrong if I say to preserve?

I know newspapers are not always grammartically correct, but
I fould an article saying " a key to succeed ~"
http://www.cricketnext.com/interviews1/ ... ews085.htm

JuanTwoThree · Post by **JuanTwoThree** » Tue Aug 23, 2005 3:46 pm

"Would it be grammatically wrong to say "key to preserve"? I would have to say yes. That "to" is like a little arrow, it means "in the direction of" : it's a preposition. As an example, in the BNC there is not one single result for "key to succeed" . This "to" takes the -ing form ( BTW Mariainnl, that's a far better term to use than "present continuous" ,which in this case it isn't, or gerund , which in this case it is

)

Hey, your www.cricketnext.com is based in India and is sports journalism, a combination that leads to some inventive English.

I'd still like to have that toefl question. Mariainnl you're confusing yourself with the terminology again. It's very tempting to use these terms, isn't it? But you can't avoid both "much" and as well "many". One of them has to be OK , if you think about it. Saying the word is uncountable means that neither "a controversy" nor "many controversies" are correct. I'm afraid that you can say both of them.

heyiamhere · Post by **heyiamhere** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 5:15 pm

Thanks!

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key to preserving or key to preserve?

key to preserving or key to preserve?

TOEFL answer