use of the word "missing"

English grammar questions, answered by Alan

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use of the word "missing"

Post by coronavirus »

Hello, Alan.

I would like to know if the adjectival participle "missing" is correctly used in the context below.

1. This has prompted researchers to start collecting and preserving missing microbes from traditional peoples and creating biobanks of these before they disappear.

My gut feeling is that only the following is grammatically correct:

2. This has prompted researchers to start collecting and preserving the missing microbes from traditional peoples and creating biobanks of these before they disappear.

Do you think sentence 1 is also accurate? Thank you in advance.
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Re: use of the word "missing"

Post by Alan »

Actually, both are possible. The second, however, implies all, as opposed to simply some, of the microbes in question.
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