TO or WITH?

Question

Is this right?Many people believe that the biggest issues associated TO coal mining extraction....orMany people believe that the biggest issues associated WITH coal mining extraction can damage water quality.

GPY · Accepted Answer

It should be "associated with".

"coal mining extraction" is not quite right. Say "coal mining" or "coal extraction".

For me, there is something not entirely satisfactory about "... the biggest issues ... can damage water quality". To make another suggestion I would need to know what issues you mean.

Anonymous · Answer

Many people believe that the biggest issues associated WITH coal mining CAN or ARE damage water quality and potential health risk.

GPY · Answer

Yobib NarteaMany people believe that the biggest issues associated WITH coal mining CAN or ARE damage water quality and potential health risk.

Many people believe that the biggest issues associated with coal mining can damage water quality and are a potential health risk.

However, my earlier comment still applies; the sentence seems unsatisfactory. If you don't want to be specific about the issues, you could say:

Many people believe that the activities associated with coal mining can damage water quality and are a potential health risk.

This seems better to me.

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you so much <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' alt='Emotion: smile'/> I thought of that too but its a thesis statement, im not sure if i should emphasize it or not

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you so much <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' alt='Emotion: smile'/>

GPY · Answer

Just to explain a little more ...

"Many people believe that the biggest issues associated with coal extraction can damage water quality" feels to me like a slightly awkward blend of two ideas -- firstly that some aspects of mining activity can damage water quality, and secondly that the biggest issue facing the industry is that water quality can be harmed.

Clive · Answer

I share GPY's discomfort with this use of the word 'issue'.

Very broadly speaking, here's how I see it.
eg Mining harms water quality. This is a problem.
eg Does mining harm water quality? This is an issue.

Clive

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