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Interactive Grammar: Nominalisation

Convert verbs and adjectives into nouns to create formal, academic, and professional writing style.

Grammar Explanation · Authentic Examples · Practice Exercises

Lesson progressNot started
Duration
~39 min
Exercises
26
Level
Advanced

Overview

Convert verbs and adjectives into nouns to create formal, academic, and professional writing style.

Verb → Noun

  • -tion/-siondecide → decision · investigate → investigation
  • -mentdevelop → development · assess → assessment
  • -ance/-enceperform → performance · differ → difference
  • -alrefuse → refusal · approve → approval

Adjective → Noun + Why Nominalise

  • -itycomplex → complexity · equal → equality
  • -nessaware → awareness · effective → effectiveness
  • EffectAdds objectivity: We investigated → An investigation was conducted
  • DensityCompresses ideas: the rapid development of technology

Academic Register

  • Formal: The committee decided → The committee's decision
  • Impersonal: We analysed → An analysis was conducted
  • ❌ implemention → ✅ implementation (learn exact nominal forms)

When to use

Academic essays

The investigation of climate data revealed significant variation.

Business reports

The implementation of the new system improved efficiency.

Legal writing

The assessment of damages requires careful consideration.

Research papers

The development of antibiotic resistance poses serious challenges.

Nominalisation: Multiple Choice

Select the correct nominal form or the most academic rewrite

Multiple Choice10 questions
1decide → correct noun form
2investigate → correct noun form
3implement → correct noun form
4complex (adj) → noun form
5aware (adj) → noun form
6Most academic rewrite of 'Prices increased significantly':
7Which sentence is more academic?
8refuse → noun form
9perform → noun form
10Nominalisation achieves in academic writing.

Write the Nominalised Form

Convert the verb or adjective in brackets to its noun form

Fill in the Blanks10 questions
1The(implement → N)of the new policy began in January.
2The(assess → N)of structural damage took several weeks.
3A significant(reduce → N)in operating costs was achieved.
4The(develop → N)of a new regulatory framework is underway.
5Her(aware → N)of the conflict influenced her decision.
6The(investigate → N)revealed widespread financial misconduct.
7The(approve → N)of the merger required regulatory sign-off.
8The(refuse → N)to cooperate with the inquiry caused delays.
9The(complex → N)of the tax code deters foreign investment.
10The(perform → N)of the team exceeded all quarterly targets.

Academic Rewrite Using Nominalisation

Rewrite each sentence in a more formal style by nominalising the main verb

Transform6 questions

1The government decided to raise interest rates. → (The government's decision…)

2Researchers investigated the long-term effects of stress. → (An investigation into…)

3Prices increased significantly in the third quarter. → (There was a significant…)

4The committee approved the revised budget. → (The approval of…)

5They refused to cooperate with the investigators. → (Their refusal to…)

6The results confirmed that the treatment was effective. → (The results provided…)

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this lesson on sentence structure cover?

Convert verbs and adjectives into nouns to create formal, academic, and professional writing style.

Which CEFR level is this lesson designed for?

This lesson is designed for Advanced (C1) learners and forms part of the Sentence Structure section on Grammartier.

What is the best approach for studying this grammar topic?

Start with the definition, then study the examples carefully to understand how the pattern works in context. Practise identifying the structure in authentic sentences before producing your own — this recognition-first approach builds a strong foundation for accurate, confident use.

Your Grammar Learning Path

Follow the CEFR progression for this topic cluster.

  1. C1
    Formal and Informal Register
  2. C1
    Hedging Language
  3. C1
    NominalisationYou are here
  4. C2
    Academic Hedging and Precision
  5. C2
    Advanced Concession and Contrast
  6. C2
    Advanced Discourse Features
  7. C2
    Advanced Ellipsis

Before You Start

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Continue Your Grammar Journey

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