Which tool is best for marking a straight line over a large area?

A chalk line is the best tool for marking a straight line over a large area because it is specifically designed for this purpose. The tool consists of a long, thin cord coated with chalk that you can stretch between two points. When you snap the line, it creates a perfectly straight chalk mark along its length, allowing for precise alignment over distances that would be difficult to achieve with other tools. This makes chalk lines particularly valuable in construction, landscaping, and park maintenance where straight lines are often needed for tasks such as laying out paths or planting rows.

In contrast, while a string line can also be used to mark straight lines, it typically doesn’t leave a permanent mark like a chalk line does; it requires either additional tools or materials to make a visible line. A measuring tape is primarily for measuring distances, so it doesn’t mark a line at all; it merely assists in determining where a line should be. A level is used to ensure surfaces are even and not for marking lines, making it unsuitable for this specific application.