Noun clusters

A combination of nouns often creating, unintended, confusion

Noun clusters combine several nouns into one term creating unclear writing. If used sparingly, this is a useful way to better define what you want to say. But when you place too many nouns consecutively, it is not easily identifiable how they relate to each other, and you end up with confusing sentences.

 

The main rule with noun clusters is to avoid using them as much as possible, especially if there are more than two or three nouns.

 

Most of the time including a verb will make the cluster understandable and the sentence clearer. Verbs bring the concept to life usually focusing on an action or a movement.

 

Another way is to add in prepositions (on, after, before, etc) between the nouns to clarify how they connect to each other.

 

Download the poster for a list of examples of noun clusters.