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Are those sentences with 'solution to' correct?

English Language & Usage Asked by loukpadpao on May 31, 2021

  1. One solution to solving unemployment problems is help from governments.
  2. One solution to solve unemployment problems is help from governments.

Thank you very much for your time and answers.

2 Answers

There are at least two explanations for the construct. Both depend on ellipsis. My suggestions for the omitted material are shown {so}.

One solution to {the question of} solving unemployment problems is help from governments.

One solution to {the} solving {of} unemployment problems is help from governments.

Ellipsis = a situation in which words are left out of a sentence but the sentence can still be understood

Cambridge

Answered by Anton on May 31, 2021

Are those sentences with 'solution to' correct?

Not from my perspective as a native speaker, no


From your comment that you're trying to directly solve the problem the sentence mentions, I'd connect the use of "solution" directly to the use of "problem"..

  • One solution to unemployment problems is help from governments.
  • One solution to the problem of unemployment, is help from governments.

..or if you want to connect "solve" to the problem, drop the use of "solution"..

  • One method of solving unemployment problems is help from governments.
  • One way to solve unemployment problems is help from governments.

..rather than a sentence construct that causes the reading user to closely associate "solution" with "solve" - because solving is "providing a solution" it doesn't make sense to "solve a solution".

If you want to outline that the solution is one of many, add some more wording to distance "solution" from "solve", and more clearly create a "set of problems that are solved" so you can talk about one of the solutions:

  • One solution, in the typical set of ways we solve unemployment problems, is help from governments [in the form of..]

Answered by Caius Jard on May 31, 2021

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