Why choose の over が?

Question

What is the difference between using の and using が in these two expressions?

The full sentence:

それは学生にとって興味のある問題だと思う。

I understand the meaning, but it seems to me you could replace that の with a が and produce exactly the same sentence.

Why choose one over the other?

Does this answer your question? https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/12825/9831 — Chocolate, Sep 03 '22 at 01:52
@Chocolate Thanks. I found that thread before posting my own; it actually does not answer my question though. I'm trying to figure out if there is a reason to choose one particle over the other. I know _how_ to use both particles, and I know they mean the same thing in a relative clause. But how does one know when の sounds better or more natural? — charlemagne, Sep 03 '22 at 02:27
@SevenOclock Is it confusing? I explicitly state that I already know the meaning and want to know why one would choose の over が other. The fact that there is a choice to be made implies there is a difference. — charlemagne, Sep 03 '22 at 16:06

score 3 · Answer 1 · answered Sep 04 '22 at 01:03

In the attributive usage, the が/の are generally interchangeable.

Both are fine.

As a predicate 興味のある is not acceptable.

Practically it would be better to remember 興味のある is a phrase meaning of interest.

興味のある looks more common to me than 興味がある (as a modifier).

1 Answers1