0
Pvunderink Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

Sentence?

Can someone please check the following sentence?

"The present subsection reviews these descriptive statistics and elaborates on motivations for some striking results."
  

Top answer

"elaborates on motivations for some striking results" doesn't sound right to me. A "motivation" is a reason for doing something. I don't think you can really have a motivation for a result -- especially not a "striking" one, which has connotations of being unforeseen.

— GPY

  • "elaborates on motivations for some striking results" doesn't sound right to me.
  • A "motivation" is a reason for doing something.
  • I don't think you can really have a motivation for a result -- especially not a "striking" one, which has connotations of being unforeseen.
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

4 Answers
0
"elaborates on motivations for some striking results" doesn't sound right to me. A "motivation" is a reason for doing something. I don't think you can really have a motivation for a result -- especially not a "striking" one, which has connotations of being unforeseen.
0
0
I understand what you mean.
Could you perhaps help me to reformulate that part of the sentence?
Some parts are indeed unforeseen and striking, I want to mention these things and try to give reasons for these events.
0
0
Could you say "explains some striking results" or "attempts to explain some striking results"?
0
0
Thank you. I like the second one better.
Your comments are helpful for me!
0

Related Questions