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Park sang joon Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

We went to the west searching for gold

1) We went to the west for searching for gold.
2) We went to the west searching for gold.

I'd like to know why #1 is wrong and #2 is right and what meaning the underlined participle phrase has.
Thank you in advance for your help.
  

Top answer

The use of a gerund phrase as the complement (object) of a preposition is idiomatic. Only certain combinations of verbs, prepositions, and objects are possible: He was arrested for robbing a bank. She received a reward for finding the lost statue.

— AlpheccaStars

  • The use of a gerund phrase as the complement (object) of a preposition is idiomatic.
  • Only certain combinations of verbs, prepositions, and objects are possible: He was arrested for robbing a bank.
  • She received a reward for finding the lost statue.
  • These ornaments are used for celebrating the birth of a baby .
  • In your #2, the participial phrase is adjectival.
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4 Answers
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The use of a gerund phrase as the complement (object) of a preposition is idiomatic. Only certain combinations of verbs, prepositions, and objects are possible:

He was arrested for robbing a bank.

She received a reward for finding the lost statue.
These ornaments are used for celebrating the birth of a baby.

In your #
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thank you, AlpheccaStars, for your precise answer.Emotion: smile

The use of a gerund phrase as the complement (object) of a prepos
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park sang joonBy any chance, can't I take it that "searching for gold" modifies "went" while it expresses the purpose of the subject?
With a slight rewording, it can be a gerund phrase, object of the verb "go"

We went searching for gold out west.
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Thank you, AlpheccaStars, for your valuable answer. Emotion: smile
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