the key of or to the door?

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Diamondrg  #211752  Sat, 01 Apr 06 07:03 PM

The question is quite clear.

- 'I've got the key of the door. I've never been 21 before.' To get ... ' To get the key to the door, you'd have to be 21.'

NYTimes

  
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CalifJim  #211769  Sat, 01 Apr 06 07:44 PM
to is preferable, in the sense of which goes with, which belongs with (as a pair, usually).

the key to the door
the door to the garage
the entrance to the building
the combination to the safe
the attachments to this vacuum cleaner
the answer to the question
my response to her letter

Note that these expressions with to are often in the context of finding a smaller thing that goes with a bigger thing.  The smaller thing takes on the role of something missing (in a vague and broad sense) that must be supplied to complete the pair.

But be careful - these can be highly idiosyncratic, and for is often used the same way, and substituting one for the other will sound peculiar to a native speaker.

the remote for this TV
the cover for the pot
a belt for these pants


Also, many of these are alternately expressed as compound nouns.

the garage door, the door key, the pot cover

All in all, this topic can become quite a muddle.
There's no end to the treats!  Smile [:)]

CJ
  
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Diamondrg  #211912  Sun, 02 Apr 06 12:52 PM

Thank you, Jim. Is there any difference between

the cover for the pot

and

the cover of the pot

the cover to the pot (?Thinking [*-)])

  
CalifJim  #212055  Mon, 03 Apr 06 02:26 AM
There are subtle differences.  First of all, I personally would never say the cover of the pot.  I would say the pot cover.

I might look for a cover for the pot.  I merely want something that will serve as a cover for that pot.  It doesn't have to be that very cover that the manufacturer provided with the pot when I bought the pot (and its cover).

Or I might look for the cover to the pot.  I want the specific cover that goes with (was manufactured for) that pot.

Not everybody will interpret the difference as I have.  You may wish to wait for other opinions.

CJ

  
Penicillin  #399039  Wed, 01 Aug 07 01:58 AM
So "keys to the car" is correct NOT "car keys", right?
  
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Yankee  #399041  Wed, 01 Aug 07 02:12 AM
 Onh1986 wrote:
So "keys to the car" is correct NOT "car keys", right?

I use "car keys" all the time.  Actually, I use both versions regularly. Smile [:)]

  
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Clive  #399043  Wed, 01 Aug 07 02:23 AM

Hi,

A very small comment about  a cover for the pot.

I would suggest that most people would usually just speak of the lid or the pot lid.

Best wishes, Clive

  
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Penicillin  #399045  Wed, 01 Aug 07 02:27 AM

car's key

OR

car key
OR

key of the car

OR

key to the car?

  
Clive  #399050  Wed, 01 Aug 07 02:55 AM

Hi,

The commonest way to say it is my car key.

Clive

  
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