water too dirty to wash?

H

hly2004

Banned
chinese
Hi, everyone:

The water in the pond is too dirty to be used for washing.

Could you please tell me your version?

more explanation:
I'm not sure about the part that comes after "too dirty to".
The water in the pond is too dirty to wash.

Best wishes.
 
    • Quicker and less formal, you could also say 'the water is too dirty to wash with'. (for the purists: I know that you are not meant to end a sentence on a preposition, but people do.)
     
    For what it's worth, hly, I'd say The water in the pond is too dirty for washing. But then I like things short and to the point. There remains the slight doubt whether you mean for washing clothes or for washing one's person, but that doubt is present in all the versions here.
     
    Thanks, Thomas Tompion
    :)

    I agree. I think Both cases are possible, and a context may help make it clear to readers.
     
    I like the for washing phrase too, with a couple differences. I would add 'purposes' at the end or "to use" before the phrase.

    The water in the pond is too dirty for washing purposes.

    The water in the pond is too dirty to use for washing. <-- I like this one better.

    The water in the pond is too dirty to wash.
    Click to expand...

    The problem with this sentence is that it means that the water in the pond is so dirty you can't wash the water! That is why we would end the sentence with 'in', wash in would function as a quasi-phrasal verb with 'the water' as its object.

    Orange Blossom
     
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