A noun string is a group of several nouns that act as one noun. Technically, all but one of the nouns act as adjectives, but we’d normally use those words as nouns.
Here are some examples of noun strings:
- underground mine worker safety protection procedures development
- International Space Station astronaut living-quarters module development project
- recovery boiler electrostatic precipitator fire
- university student health and wellbeing monitoring scheme
Notice how these noun strings are difficult to follow? Every time you hit a new noun, you think that’s the final noun that the others modify, but then you come across another noun.
It’s so confusing, and it forces the reader to spend too much time trying to interpret the meaning. If a reader has to think to make sense of what you’re trying to say, your message isn’t clear enough.
Here are some alternatives for clearing up the noun strings I listed above:
- developing procedures to protect the safety of workers in underground mines
- developing the module that will provide living quarters for the astronauts aboard the International Space Station
- fire in the recovery boiler’s electrostatic precipitator
- scheme to monitor the health and wellbeing of university students
Now, I know I have said in the past that we need to chop our word count—and breaking up noun strings seems to increase our word count—but clarity is also important.
Sometimes, writing is an exercise in balancing conciseness and clarity.
