その中( に / で / から ) What is the correct choice of particles?


Excerpt from a JLPT practice question:

> Background information: the writer was looking for rental apartments.
>
> 次に行ったところは小さい会社ですが、そこの人は大変優しい人でした。 それにいいアパートもたくさんありました。 私は **その中[Blank]**
> 好きな家を借りました。 今、住んでいるアパートより少し高いですが、新しくきれいなアパートです。
>
> The answer is given as `から`. (but it's not as important why `から` is correct
> than why `で` and `に` is wrong)

**(Question 1)** Why can't I use `で` to fill the blank?

**(Question 2)** Why can't I use `に` to fill the blank either?

* * *

My thoughts leading up to choosing `で`：

> `その中`(in the 会社) is a place where the verb `借りる` occurs.

* * *

My thoughts leading up to choosing `に`:

> `その中` is the place where the writer is. Hence `その中に`.

* * *

My thoughts trying to justify the use of `から`:

> The demonstrative `その中` is referring to "the choice of apartments" rather
> than "the office where the choice is being offered"
>
> Hence `その中から` would mean "from the choice of apartments" rather than "from
> the office where the choice is being offered"
>
> (My initial thoughts were `その中` referred to "the office where the choice is
> being offered)

**(Clarification Point)** What is the demonstrative `その中` referring to?

* * *




> 私はその中から好きな家を借りました

I chose a house I liked from this set.

> 私はその中に好きな家を借りました

I chose a house I liked, and rented it from this middle (i.e., the set is the
owner, because Aに借りる means you're borrowing from A). It's nonsensical, because
中 is not even something singular you can borrow from.

> 私はその中で好きな家を借りました

And when I was inside it, I picked up a house I liked. Because で would be the
place of the action.

You seem to do a lot of mistakes/misinterpretations because you overlook the
relation between particles and verbs. The verb dictates the particles you will
use. What's important is not really what goes after その中, it is what goes with
借りる。




> 私はその中から好きな家を借りました

I chose a house I liked from this set.

> 私はその中に好きな家を借りました

I chose a house I liked, and rented it from this middle (i.e., the set is the
owner, because Aに借りる means you're borrowing from A). It's nonsensical, because
中 is not even something singular you can borrow from.

> 私はその中で好きな家を借りました

And when I was inside it, I picked up a house I liked. Because で would be the
place of the action.

You seem to do a lot of mistakes/misinterpretations because you overlook the
relation between particles and verbs. The verb dictates the particles you will
use. What's important is not really what goes after その中, it is what goes with
借りる。

