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"That knife is too dull for cutting meat."
means: "That knife is so dull that one can't cut meat with it."
"That card is too expensive for staying three more days."
should mean:
"That card is so expensive that one can't stay three more days with it." (this is of-course nonsense.)
Why not "That knife is too dull to cut meat"?
- too X for + object
- too X to + verb
But this is not the pb here I think, as
"That card is too expensive to stay three more days" sounds still weird (teachers to confirm).
Why not "That knife is too dull to cut meat"?
- too X for + object
- too X to + verb
But this is not the pb here I think, as
"That card is too expensive to stay three more days" sounds still weird (teachers to confirm).
FRC
These boots are made for walking. (OK)
This knife is made for cutting meat. (OK)
That card is too expensive to stay three more days. (OK)
This leash is made for staying. (Semi-OK)
This leash is made to make dogs stay. (OK)
Is there anything wrong with:
1-This knife is too dull for cutting meat.
or:
2-For cutting meat, this knife is too dull.
These boots were made for walking.
(Nancy Sinatra, isn't it?)
That card is too expensive to stay three more days.
This sentence is doubtlessly correct. But does it mean exactly the same as the first sentences?
That card is too expensive to stay three more days (with).
My first sentences are about a "three-day card". It is too expensive for three days. Or, to make things simpler, it is too expensive for what it is.
It seems to me that the new sentence says something else or at least could be used in another context:
We should stay more than three more days with that card. If we don't, it won't be worth it. It is as if it is a "ten-day card" (ten or any figure greater than 3) and one is saying that it is too expensive to be used for a three-day stay. It is as if the card could be used for other things and we have a choice.
Don't stay three more days with that card. That'll come out too expensive.
That's the way I feel about it. I'm saying all this of-course, because I want to see whether I am right or not. I have to admit that the context that I have imagined is a bit weird.
too expensive II 
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