A free complimentary stainless steel gate

Question

Can I say,(a) The house comes with a free complimentary stainless steel gate but only costs $150 000 per unit. (b) The house comes with a free stainless steel gate but only costs $150 000.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

Can I say,

(a) The house comes with a free complimentary stainless steel gate but only costs $150 000 per unit.

No.

(b) The house comes with a free stainless-steel gate but only costs $150,000.

Yes. I'd say 'and' instead of 'but'.

Clive

Adrenochrome · Answer

Clive is quite right, however, the whole sentence sounds a little unEnglish. It is just the way it is written seems a little clumsy. It has the srtange feeling that a stainless steel gate is a very expensive thing. I think that an Estate Agent (or Realtor, in US English - I think) would phrase it;

The house only costs $150,000, and comes with a free stainess steel gate.

With sentence (a) the terms free and complimentary both mean the same thing, though the term complimentary is most often used for a small seperate item. The gate is a part of the house, whereas complimentary would be more likely to be something like,

'Buy two cinema tickets and get complimentary popcorn' or 'There will be complimentary tea and biscuits at the meeting'.

I hope this hasn't added to your confusion and has been helpful.

Vincent Teo · Answer

Thanks.

That means "free = complimentary" is the same thing, no need to repeat!

Another things, so we say "a free stainless steel" or "a free-stainless steel"? which is correct? I saw that it got an arguement!!

Adrenochrome · Answer

No hyphen here.

"a free stainless steel sink".

If anyone tells you different - kick their backsides:)

A free complimentary stainless steel gate

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