'Lack Something' or 'Lack of Something'? Which One Is Correct? | Mastering Grammar

Lack or Lack Of: Which One Is Correct?

Learners of English often wonder when to use lack of and when to use lack on its own. Let's explore their correct usage.

Lack of Something

We use lack of something when lack functions as a noun:

✅ We face a lack of resources.

✅ John's lack of skills is evident.

✅ The lack of funding halted the project.

Lack Something

We use lack something when lack functions as a verb:

✅ We lack the resources to continue.

✅ John lacks the skills needed for the job.

✅ The project lacked funding.

However, learners often mistakenly use lack of when using lack as a verb:

❌ They lack of confidence in public speaking.
✅ They lack confidence in public speaking.

❌ This pizza lacks of flavour.
✅ This pizza lacks flavour.

❌ He lacks of patience with children.
✅ He lacks patience with children.

The entry for the verb lack in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

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Examples from the Media

A survey of 1,000 school leaders found four out of five said they lack the funding needed to properly maintain school buildings. —Daily Mail (2024)

A series of articles on Venezuela published last May lacked balance because of the absence of comment from government representatives, the Ontario Press Council says in upholding a complaint against the Toronto Star. —Toronto Star (2007)

Graeber is the lead voice of the University of Sydney Association of Professors, an organisation that has attacked Scott and his administration, citing a decline in academic standards, arguing they are a result of a university run by non-academic management teams without academic values, a lack of understanding of high-level expertise needed for each discipline area, authoritarian determinations undermining academic freedom, and a university senate responsible for oversight of management which does not exercise its governance function. —The Sydney Morning Herald (2024)

While there is no federal data on unhoused workers, shelter administrators and local groups report a spike in first-timers with jobs. In Tulsa, for example, where homelessness rose 26 percent this year, lack of affordable housing ranked as the top reason people said they were homeless, beating out mental health struggles or job loss. —The Washington Post (2024)

Practice

Choose the correct option to complete each sentence.

1. The design team lacks/lacks of creative ideas.

2. The design team's lack/lack of creative ideas is troubling.

3. The room has a lack/lack of natural light.

4. The room lacks/lacks of natural light.

5. What we lack/lack of is time.

6. There is a lack/lack of time.

Answer Key

1. lacks    2. lack of    3. lack of    4. lacks    5. lack    6. lack of