en English es español fr française it italiano de deutsche ja 日本語 pl polski cs česky sv svenska tr Türkçe nl Nederlands

Mind the gap: why "lack there of" lacks everything

Reviewed and edited by Lloyd Cooper 13/10/2024, 00:48
English.me team member

What kind of error is it?

Lack there of or lack thereof. What's correct?

It is a grammatical error involving incorrect usage of the phrase to indicate absence or lack.

Why do people make this mistake?

People often make this error because they are trying to convey the idea of something being absent, but mistakenly believe "lack there of" is a single compound expression. The confusion arises from misinterpreting the correct phrase "lack thereof", where "thereof" means "of that."

What is correct?

The correct phrase is "lack thereof", which is used to refer to the absence of something previously mentioned.

Examples of correct usage

  • She was concerned about the details, or lack thereof, in the report.
  • The policy and its enforcement, or lack thereof, led to widespread confusion.

Recommended posts in Grammar

Imminent mistake: understanding the error in "imminent domain"

Imminent mistake: understanding the error in "imminent domain"

People often mishear or misinterpret the term "eminent domain" due ... Learn more →

Why "be apart of" keeps you aside: understanding this common grammatical error

Why "be apart of" keeps you aside: understanding this common grammatical error

People often confuse "apart" with "a part" because they sound ... Learn more →

Why "head quarters" needs a space makeover

Why "head quarters" needs a space makeover

Some people mistakenly treat "headquarters" as two separate words, possibly ... Learn more →

Why "enviroment" needs an 'n'tervention

Why "enviroment" needs an 'n'tervention

People often misspell "environment" as "enviroment" because the second "n" ... Learn more →