Is "condition for noun verb ing" correct?

Question

For example, should I say:
There are two conditions for the box containing a ball.
or
There are two conditions for the box's containing a ball. ?
The second one seems more correct, but I know for sure the following is correct, where there is no "'s"
There are three boxes on the table with the blue one containing a ball.
Is this because of the special usage of "with?"

tchrist · Answer

No, you would not say it either of those two ways you proposed in English. You would use an infinitive clause not a gerund clause.

There are two conditions for the box to contain a ball.

The versions with the gerunds don’t sound natural to me. You could also put it this way:

For the box to contain a ball, two conditions must be met.

Is "condition for noun verb ing" correct?

One Answer

Add your own answers!

Ask a Question