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Akdom Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
The key to UNLOCKING the mystery
"Ultimately, as Churchill concluded about Russia, the key to unlocking the Korean riddle/mystery/enigma lies in the determining its national interest.'
If it were upto me, I would say the key to unlock something, so why the -ing form here?
I usually say sentence like these:
The scientists believed that they have the key to unlock the mystery of the Pyramids.
That lawsuit will be the key to open up a whole new national debate about marriage.
Thank you.
If it were upto me, I would say the key to unlock something, so why the -ing form here?
I usually say sentence like these:
The scientists believed that they have the key to unlock the mystery of the Pyramids.
That lawsuit will be the key to open up a whole new national debate about marriage.
Thank you.
Top answer
Your examples of what you usually say are perfectly acceptable. Why the -ing form? There are two reasons.
- Your examples of what you usually say are perfectly acceptable.
- Why the -ing form?
- There are two reasons.
- Reason 1: Churchill tended to speak with a poetic or rhetorical style.
- ".
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2 Answers
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Your examples of what you usually say are perfectly acceptable.
Why the -ing form?
There are two reasons.
Reason 1:
Churchill tended to speak with a poetic or rhetorical style.
Think of the rhythm when you say "the key to unlocking the ...".
"the key to unlocking the ..."
Reason 2:
Think of a verb with -ing as describing a process or
Why the -ing form?
There are two reasons.
Reason 1:
Churchill tended to speak with a poetic or rhetorical style.
Think of the rhythm when you say "the key to unlocking the ...".
"the key to unlocking the ..."
Reason 2:
Think of a verb with -ing as describing a process or
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Hi,
Maybe I'm all wet on this, but I take it as the difference between "to" as infinitive marker and "to" as preposition.
"the key to unlocking the mystery" uses "to" as a preposition, requiring the gerund as object.
"the key to unlock the mystery" is infinitive of purpose, or something like that.
Best wishes, - A.
Maybe I'm all wet on this, but I take it as the difference between "to" as infinitive marker and "to" as preposition.
"the key to unlocking the mystery" uses "to" as a preposition, requiring the gerund as object.
"the key to unlock the mystery" is infinitive of purpose, or something like that.
Best wishes, - A.
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