Nominalisation

C1 · AdvancedAdvanced Grammar

decide → decision. analyze → analysis. Because it is important → because of its importance.

What you'll learn

Nominalisation turns a verb or adjective into a noun, common in formal and academic writing
Common noun-forming endings: -tion/-sion, -ment, -al, -ance/-ence, -ity, or an irregular change
A nominalized verb usually needs 'of' (or another preposition) before its object, since nouns can't take a direct object
Overusing nominalisation in casual speech can sound stiff — it's a register choice, not always an improvement

What nominalisation is

Nominalisation is turning a verb or adjective into its noun form. Formal and academic writing favors this — it lets an idea be packaged as a noun phrase, discussed, and connected to other ideas more compactly than a full clause.

"Verb: We decided quickly. → Noun: Our quick decision..."

"Adjective: It is important. → Noun: its importance"

Forming nominalisations

Common noun-forming endings include -tion/-sion (decide→decision, discuss→discussion), -ment (improve→improvement, argue→argument), -al (arrive→arrival, refuse→refusal), -ance/-ence (perform→performance), and -ity (able→ability). Some are irregular (analyze→analysis, succeed→success).

"decide → decision"

"analyze → analysis"

"important → importance"

The preposition after a nominalisation

A verb can take a direct object, but a noun can't — so once a verb is nominalized, its former object needs a preposition (usually 'of') to connect it back to the noun.

"Verb: We analyzed the data. → Noun: the analysis of the data."

"Verb: We discussed the proposal. → Noun: the discussion of the proposal."

Real English

"The company's rapid growth surprised investors."

"Due to heavy investment, the company recovered."

"There was a sharp increase in prices last year."

"A reduction in costs is expected next quarter."

Watch out

✗the discussion the plan

✓the discussion of the plan

A noun can't take a direct object the way a verb can — add 'of' (or the correct preposition) to connect it to what follows.

✗decidement

✓decision

Noun-forming endings aren't interchangeable — 'decide' takes '-sion', not '-ment'. Learn each noun form individually.

✗Because of its important, we should act now.

✓Because of its importance, we should act now.

After 'because of'/'due to', a noun is needed, not the adjective itself — nominalize it first ('important' → 'importance').

Real life — A formal email

"Following our discussion of the proposal, we have reached a decision."

"Great — what was the outcome?"

"Approval, on the condition of a reduction in the total budget."

"Understood. I'll send an explanation of the new figures shortly."

Practice

Exercise 1 · Choose the correct nominalisation

Choose the correct nominalisation of 'decide'.

Exercise 2 · Choose the correct nominalisation

Choose the correct nominalisation of 'analyze'.

Exercise 3 · Choose the correct nominalized version

Choose the correct formal, nominalized version of: 'Because it is important, we should act now.'

Exercise 4 · Choose the correct preposition

Choose the correct preposition after the nominalisation: 'the analysis ___ the data'

Exercise 5 · Choose the correct preposition

Choose the correct preposition after the nominalisation: 'the discussion ___ the proposal'

Exercise 6 · Choose the more formal, nominalized version

Choose the more formal, nominalized version of: 'The company grew quickly, which surprised investors.'

Exercise 7 · Choose the correct nominalisation

Choose the correct nominalisation of 'arrive'.

Exercise 8 · Choose the correct nominalisation

Choose the correct nominalisation of 'improve'.

Exercise 9 · Give the noun form

Give the noun form of 'explain'.

Exercise 10 · Nominalize the sentence

Nominalize this sentence more formally: 'Prices increased sharply last year.' → There was ___ last year.

Exercise 11 · Sort into groups

the discussion of the plan

the discussion the plan

an explanation of the results

an explanation the results

0 / 4 sorted

Quick challenge

Five quick questions to check what stuck.

Question 1 / 5

Score: 0/0

Choose the correct nominalisation of 'succeed'.

You learned

Nominalisation turns a verb or adjective into a noun for formal register.
Common endings: -tion/-sion, -ment, -al, -ance/-ence, -ity, or irregular forms.
A nominalized verb needs 'of' (or another preposition) before its former object.
Overusing nominalisation in casual speech can sound stiff.

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Substitution: One/Ones, Do & So

Learn how English replaces a repeated noun with 'one/ones', a repeated verb phrase with 'do (so)', and a repeated clause with 'so/not'.

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Ellipsis

Learn how English omits words that are already understood from context — after auxiliaries, in comparisons, and in short conversational replies.

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Emphasis Structures

Learn emphatic 'do', reflexive pronouns for emphasis, and intensifiers like 'such' and 'so' that stress a point without changing its meaning.

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Fronting

Learn how to move an object, complement, or location to the front of a sentence for emphasis and cohesion — and when that triggers inversion.