1. Iran Reverse Auctions (correct) 2. Iran government (incorrect) 3. Iran's Reverse Auctions (incorrect) 4. Iran's government (correct)

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1. Iran Reverse Auctions (correct) 2. Iran government (incorrect)3. Iran's Reverse Auctions (incorrect) 4. Iran's government (correct)5. Iranian reverse auction (correct) 6. Iranian government (correct)Hello, My question is getting complicated that's why I decided to ask this in a different thread. Two things here make me confused:My first confusion is this:#1 and #2 have the same construction, then why can "Iran" work as an adjective in #1 but can't work in #2?My second confusion is this:#3 and #4 have the same construction, then why can "Iran's" work as a possessive in #4 but can't work in #3?Thank you.I had asked this question in http://forum.wordreference.com/threads/official-website-of-the-iranian-reverse-auction.3201077/ but I couldn't understood their answers very well. Maybe your answer would be more clarified. Thank you.

GPY · Accepted Answer

Could you explain what "Iran Reverse Auctions" is supposed to refer to? It is not very obvious.

Sb70012 · Answer

Hi,
Thanks for answering. I am stuck with this complicated question. Two native English speakers have answered my question in other forums but I have not understood their explanations very well.

1. Iran reverse auctions (correct)
2. Iran government (incorrect)
3. Iran's reverse auctions (incorrect)
4. Iran's government (correct)
5. Iranian reverse auction (correct)
6. Iranian government (correct)

By "reverse auctions" I mean the reverse auctions that take place in Iran. We want to make a website about reverse auctions which take place in Iran (or some cities of Iran), so that we can everyday upload some daily reverse auctions information on the website.

My first confusion is this:
#1 and #2 have the same construction, then why can "Iran" work as an adjective in #1 but can't work in #2?

My second confusion is this:
#3 and #4 have the same construction, then why can "Iran's" work as a possessive in #4 but can't work in #3?

Thank you.

Fivejedjon · Answer

sb700121. Iran reverse auctions (correct) 2. Iran government (incorrect)3. Iran's reverse auctions (incorrect) 4. Iran's government (correct)5. Iranian reverse auction (correct) 6. Iranian government (correct)

I would say that 1 and 2 were incorrect, 3,4,5 and 6 were correct.

CalifJim · Answer

GPYReverse Auctions

My understanding of it is that these are bids to do work. Each party tries to underbid the others in order to obtain a contract to do a job, e.g., build a bridge.

CJ

GPY · Answer

sb70012I mean the reverse auctions that take place in Iran.

Sorry, I should have explained that I can gather that much.

sb70012We want to make a website about reverse auctions which take place in Iran (or some cities of Iran), so that we can everyday upload some daily reverse auctions information on the website.

OK, I see.

"Iran government" is incorrect by itself because "government" has no determiner. "the Iran government" might be used by some people; it has a journalistic feel. I don't agree that, intrinsically, "Iran reverse auctions" is any more "correct" than "the Iran government", or that, intrinsically, "Iran's reverse auctions" is any less correct than "Iran's government". Maybe it could be argued that "Iran's Reverse Auctions" feels less suitable as a website name, but even this is not clear-cut in my opinion.

1. Iran Reverse Auctions (correct) 2. Iran government (incorrect) 3. Iran's Reverse Auctions (incorrect) 4. Iran's government (correct)

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