TransWikia.com

Does this essay question have a grammar error?

English Language & Usage Asked on January 23, 2021

Thank you for taking the time to answer this question.

"Discuss the concept of religious belief social scientific perspectives addressing issues of societal change."

Does this sentence make sense in the native speaker’s eyes? I believe it needs to have "in" between belief and social, but what do you think? I considered the possibility of the omitted that, like "the concept of religious belief (that) social scientific….," but I don’t think it makes sense even in this way.

And I interpreted this as that I need to explain ‘religious belief’ in different social science perspectives that address issues of social change. For example, I need to explain the concept of religious belief with classic sociological theories.

Do you think it sounds plausible?? Thank you so much for your time and help. I really appreciate it.

One Answer

In a comment John Lawler wrote:

It's academic style in its worst noun-compounding avatar, but it's not ungrammatical. I'd paraphrase it as Discuss social scientific perspectives on religious beliefs, addressing issues of societal change. The three noun phrases are compounded clumsily, but grammatically; if it were spoken aloud, it would pass unmentioned because it would be clearly intoned and stressed.

Answered by tchrist on January 23, 2021

Add your own answers!

Ask a Question

Get help from others!

© 2024 TransWikia.com. All rights reserved. Sites we Love: PCI Database, UKBizDB, Menu Kuliner, Sharing RPP