Learn English – Which one is gramatically correct? – I need some help

grammar

There are two sentences:

  1. In artifacts from as early as the Stone Age, mathematics and art can be seen to have fused in the geometric patterns which decorate pottery and carpentry.

  2. In artifacts from as early as the Stone Age, mathematics and art can be seen to have fused in the geometric patterns to decorate pottery and carpentry.

I think the first one is the most suitable option for this sentence, but someone has another idea as option 2 noted above. I'm a bit confused. Hope someone could help.

Best Answer

fused in the geometric patterns which decorate pottery and carpentry

We're talking about patterns that have been found on actual pottery.

fused in the geometric patterns to decorate pottery and carpentry

We're talking about patterns more abstractly, in this sentence we don't have actual pottery/carpentry in mind. This also expresses that it's possible the patterns were intended to decorate, but never actually did for some reason.

If you have a picture of the pottery/carpentry, use which.

If you drew the patterns, but don't have actual examples of where they're applied, use to.

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