Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[klafterreith]

From an article about the death penalty.


`America doesn`t need the p e n a l t y�


It`s clear what the author is trying to say but
would a native speaker accept `penalty�without the word `death� ?

[pugachevV]

It really depends on context.
If "The death penalty" has already been mentioned shortly before, you can just refer to it as "the penalty".
If the article is just about the death penalty, you need not keep repeating "death penalty" but can substitute other terms, as long as the meaning is clear.
A native English speaker would accept that. What is really important is that there should be no confusion.