Which of the sentences is grammatically correct?
- The using of the opportunities offered by … became an important element.
- A significant element became the using of the opportunities offered by …
Thank you in advance for your help.
Answer
Both are grammatical, but neither is very satisfactory.
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In the first place, the ponderous construction the VERBing of is almost always a bad choice. If you want the -ing form in situations like this, employ it as a frank verb: write using X. If for some reason you want to bleach out any hint of ‘verbiness’, employ the ordinary noun form, use of.
(Usage is something else again: it designates habitual or customary use, and today usually refers to use of some linguistic form.)
Other things being equal, I recommend the verbal use; too many nouns makes your diction sound pompous and self-important.
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In the second place, you should not speak of using an opportunity. Use is employed with a tool or means by which you do something.
- Using the resources offered by …
- Using the software provided by …
- Use of equipment obtained from …
But an opportunity is not a tool or means for doing something; it is an occasion for doing something. Opportunity signifies a time or a situation or a state of affairs particularly suited to doing whatever it is you want to do. You would do better to use take advantage of or seize or exploit:
- Taking advantage of the opportunity offered by …
- Seizing the opportunity afforded by …
- Exploiting the opportunity arising from …
Attribution
Source : Link , Question Author : Heniek Kowalski , Answer Author : StoneyB on hiatus
