Made of

[Rachel Adams]

Hello.
I have a question about this passage. Should I include 'it' after 'I love to eat it' and is 'made of' correct when talking about food? If I wasn't talking about food but about furniture, for example, 'This table is mde of wood' is is also correct? Should I use 'made from'?

'My favourite food is cabbage salad. I can't cook it but I love to eat it. 'It's made of cabbage, rise and onions.'

 

[Rover_KE]

[STRIKE]rise[/STRIKE] rice

 

[teechar]

Should I include 'it' after 'I love to eat it' and is 'made of' correct when talking about food? If I wasn't talking about food but about furniture, for example, 'This table is made of wood' [STRIKE]is[/STRIKE] is also correct. Should I use 'made from'?

'My favourite food is cabbage salad. I can't cook it but I love to eat it. 'It's made of cabbage, rice and onions.'

1- We usually don't use "cook" for salads; you can use "make" or "prepare" instead.
2- Yes, that "it" is needed.
3- I prefer "made from", but I would accept "made of" when talking about salads.

 

[Rachel Adams]

1- We usually don't use "cook" for salads; you can use "make" or "prepare" instead.
2- Yes, that "it" is needed.
3- I prefer "made from", but I would accept "made of" when talking about salads.

Isn't there a general rule when to use 'made of', 'made from' and 'made with'? Maybe in BrE it hopefully you exists.:shock:

 

[teechar]

Take a look at these links.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/radio/specials/1837_aae/page29.shtml
https://speakspeak.com/grammar-articles/made-of-made-from

 

[Rachel Adams]

Take a look at these links.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/radio/specials/1837_aae/page29.shtml
https://speakspeak.com/grammar-articles/made-of-made-from

Thank you for the links. The teacher says in the first link that if something keeps its form, we use 'made of' but if the form is changed we use 'made from'. 'The house is made of bricks.' The bricks in the walls are still the bricks. So 'made of' is correct. 'The paper is made from trees.' These trees are not trees anymore so we use 'from'. But in the second article a teacher says 'All of their furniture is made of oak.' But can't we say 'All of their furniture is made from oak' just as it is in the 'paper' example. The oak is not a tree anymore.

 

[teechar]

Yes, but do you see the difference?
To turn wood into paper involves a lot of processing that changes the original form, whereas to make furniture, the wood is cut into shape, polished, and varnished, but it's still clearly wood.

 

[Rachel Adams]

Yes, but do you see the difference?
To turn wood into paper involves a lot of processing that changes the original form, whereas to make furniture, the wood is cut into shape, polished, and varnished, but it's still clearly wood.

I see now. That's why he suggests using 'of'. But when talking about salads you said you prefer 'made from' is it because the ingredients change their form? Even if cabbage is cut into pieces it's still cabbage rice is boiled but it's still rice.

 

[teechar]

No so much. It's because food preparation usually involves a significant amount of processing, and hence "from" (not "of") is typically encountered in such contexts.

 

[Rachel Adams]

No so much. It's because food preparation usually involves a significant amount of processing, and hence "from" (not "of") is typically encountered in such contexts.

Sorry, but have to reask. What do native speakers call changing the original form? Before trees turn into paper they are trees, so in the same way before furniture turns into wood, it's a tree that is first turned into wood, and then into furniture. I think this is where the misunderstanding lies for me.
Could you please explain once again? I am sorry but I am just really trying to understand the difference.

 

[teechar]

Sorry [STRIKE], but have[/STRIKE] to reask. What do native speakers call changing the original form? Before trees are turned into paper, they are trees, so in the same way, before furniture turns into wood, it's a tree that is first turned into wood, and then into furniture. I think this is where the misunderstanding lies for me.
Could you please explain once again? I am sorry but I am just really trying to understand the difference.

If you didn't know where paper came from, you wouldn't know it came from wood by looking at it. Similarly, by just looking at a soup (or even tasting it), you don't necessarily know what went into it. The amount of processing involved is significant enough that the original materials/ingredients are not easily discernible.

 

[emsr2d2]

... before furniture turns into wood,

I don't think that's what you mean. Furniture doesn't turn into wood (unless you count chopping up a chair and tables and putting them on a fire!)

 

[Rachel Adams]

I don't think that's what you mean. Furniture doesn't turn into wood (unless you count chopping up a chair and tables and putting them on a fire!)

I meant wood turns into furniture.

 

[emsr2d2]

I meant wood turns into furniture.

It's better to say "wood is turned into furniture". That makes it clear that there is a third party involved (the person who makes the furniture), rather than that wood spontaneously changes into furniture.

 

[Rachel Adams]

If you didn't know where paper came from, you wouldn't know it came from wood by looking at it. Similarly, by just looking at a soup (or even tasting it), you don't necessarily know what went into it. The amount of processing involved is significant enough that the original materials/ingredients are not easily discernible.

And regarding 'made out of' and 'made up of' are they synonymous with 'made of' or 'made from'?
I mean can I say instead of 'This furniture is made of wood' and 'The salad is made from cabbage, rice and onions' the following:
'The salad is made out of cabbage, rice and onions.'
'The salad is made up of cabbage, rice and onions.'
'This furniture is made out of wood.'
'This furniture is made up of wood.'

 

[probus]

'This furniture is made up of wood" sounds unnatural to me. Your other three examples are fine.

 

[GoesStation]

'This furniture is made up of wood" sounds unnatural to me. Your other three examples are fine.

Good point. Even if it contains other materials, we'd normally just say This is wood/wooden furniture.

 

[Rachel Adams]

'This furniture is made up of wood" sounds unnatural to me. Your other three examples are fine.

One last question. I promise. 'The furniture is made out of wood.' 'Out of' is correct because it's synonymous with 'made of'. Right? As in 'The furniture is made of wood'.

 

[GoesStation]

One last question. I promise. 'The furniture is made out of wood.' 'Out of' is correct because it's synonymous with 'made of'. Right? As in 'The furniture is made of wood'.

It's synonymous but not particularly natural.

 

[emsr2d2]

'The salad is made out of cabbage, rice and onions.'
'The salad is made up of cabbage, rice and onions.'
'This furniture is made out of wood.'

Bear in mind that "out" and "up" are unnecessary (though not wrong). It's perfectly OK to say "The salad is made of ...". Also consider "The salad consists of cabbage ...".