Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[Mategoya]

The amount of water needed increases. I think "needed" should be written in front of the noun "water". I was taught that single participle sholuld be written in front of the noun, for example a broken watch.
Is "needed" followed by the noun idiomatically?

[haoren]

comments:
*The amount of water needed increases*means*the amount of water which is needed increaces*,so *needed*is not written in the front of the noun.
do you agree with me?
thanks for any replies!!!

[Mategoya]

Thank you Haoren. Why is "The amount of needed water increases" incorrect? I understand "The amount of water which is needed increases."
But we usually say, "This is a broken watch" not "This is a watch broken."

[Educationslave]

there are many inconsistencies in english... I dont know the actual rule.
but:
The ammount of water needed increases. is the correct way to write it.
if you want to move needed, you would change it to:
the needed ammount of water increases.
I am pretty sure it is beacue you want an emphasis on water. water is what you are talking about not need, so the ammount of water is the base of the sentence... as for the watch, again you would need to change the grammar a little to say it the second way: this watch is broken. you can still say it in a similar way.....
hope it helps
ES

[Snake777]