a plan to do it

[Hansman]

I have learned that the noun plan has an appositive like There are no plans to build new offices. Here in the sentence plan means to build new offices ( plan = to build new offices )
How about this one The government has announced plans to create one million new training places. I thought that plan also means to create one million new training places, but it is like ways to create one million new training places. Can't I see it as 'plan = create one million new training places'? How can I distinguish between them in meaning? What do you think?

plan noun - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com

Definition of plan noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

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[jutfrank]

Can't I see it as 'plan = create one million new training places'?

Yes, you can.

 

[Hansman]

Yes, you can.

Thank you so much. Can I also see it as 'ways to create one million new training places'?

 

[emsr2d2]

Thank you so much. Can I also see it as 'ways to create one million new training places'?

It doesn't necessarily mean the ways it's going to create them. It's just another way of saying "The government has announced that it plans to create one million new jobs" or "The government has announced that it has a plan to create one million new jobs".

Governments quite frequently claim that they plan to do something without having worked out how they're going to do it at all.

 

[jutfrank]

Can I also see it as 'ways to create one million new training places'?

Having a plan usually means that you have a goal and you also have a way to achieve that goal.

 

[emsr2d2]

Having a plan usually means that you have a goal and you also have a way to achieve that goal.

For normal people, I agree. For governments, that's frequently not the case (unfortunately).

 

[jutfrank]

For normal people, I agree. For governments, that's frequently not the case (unfortunately).

I agree with the point you're making but I'd say if there's no thought out way of doing it, it's not strictly speaking a plan.