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If i want to write sentences such as the following ones,

  • 1 Some people value the beliefs in respect.
  • 2)The president gave him an approval to the policy.
  • 3) there is a demand for water in some poor countries.
  • 4) He suggest the need for leadership.
  • 5) A lot of children are developing a habit for smoking.
  • 6) Loneliness is cited as a reason for suicide. ........ Do they change in the meaning when I turn them into this reduced form?

  • 1) Some people value respect beliefs

  • 2) The president gave him a policy approval

  • 3) There is a water demand in some poor countries.
  • 4) He suggests the leadership need.
  • 5) A lot of children are developing a smoking habit.
  • 6) loneliness is cited as a suicide reason.

If they do change in meaning, could you please provide me with any rule i need to follow when i want to reduce the nouns with prepositions to keep the meaning consistent?

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  • The first modified sentence should be--"Some people value respecting beliefs".
    – Zeeshan Ali
    Commented Jun 14, 2019 at 11:27

1 Answer 1

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  • 1A. Some people value the beliefs in respect.
  • 1B. Some people value respect beliefs

Neither of these is correct, and I am not at all sure what the intended meaning is. It might be:

Some people value respecting the beliefs of others.

  • 2A. The president gave him an approval to the policy.
  • 2B. The president gave him a policy approval

2A is incorrect. "...an approval of the policy" would be valid, but 2B is better, if still awkward

  • 3A. There is a demand for water in some poor countries.
  • 3B. There is a water demand in some poor countries.

3A is correct and very common. 3B is probably not incorrect, but it feels awkward and is not common.

  • 4A. He suggest the need for leadership.
  • 4B. He suggests the leadership need.

Neither of these is good. "leadership need" is awkward and unclear. In 4A it should be "suggests" because He is singular, so:

4C. He suggests the need for leadership.

  • 5A A lot of children are developing a habit for smoking.
  • 5B A lot of children are developing a smoking habit.

In 5A it should be "a habit of smoking" or better "the habit of smoking". 5B is correct and very common.

  • 6A Loneliness is cited as a reason for suicide
  • 6A Loneliness is cited as a suicide reason

6A is correct and common. 6B is a little less common, but correct and has the same meaning.

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  • it seems like normally “Noun1+Preposition+Noun2” is clearer than “Noun2+Noun1”
    – Elizabeth
    Commented Apr 17, 2020 at 14:55

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