Simple explanation
What is nominalisation? Nominalisation is the process of changing a verb, adjective, or whole proposition into a noun or noun phrase. For example, Researchers analysed the data can be recast around the noun analysis: The analysis of the data revealed several patterns. The basic meaning remains related, but the grammatical focus changes from the people performing an action to the action, process, quality, or result itself. Why is nominalisation common in formal writing? Nominalisation is especially common in academic articles, reports, policy documents, and formal business writing because it allows writers to package complex information into compact grammatical units. It can create a more impersonal tone, foreground concepts rather than people, and help previously mentioned information become the starting point of a new sentence. However, nominalisation is not automatically better than a verb-based structure. Turning verbs into nouns Many verbs have related noun forms, such as decide → decision, analyse → analysis, investigate → investigation, develop → development, refuse → refusal, and respond → response. Common endings include -tion, -sion, -ment, -al, -ance, and -ence. These patterns are useful, but they are not completely predictable, so advanced learners should learn word families rather than relying only on suffix rules. Turning adjectives into nouns Adjectives can also be nominalised when the quality itself becomes the topic. Reliable becomes reliability, effective becomes effectiveness, accurate becomes accuracy, and stable becomes stability. Compare The system is reliable with The reliability of the system is crucial. In the second version, reliability becomes a concept that can be measured, compared, discussed, or evaluated. Nominalising whole propositions At C1 level, nominalisation often involves more than changing one word. A whole idea can be compressed into a noun phrase. The government failed to respond quickly can become the government's failure to respond quickly. This allows a complete event or judgement to function as the subject or object of a larger sentence. Using nominalisation for cohesion One of the most useful functions of nominalisation is linking ideas across sentences. For example: The company expanded rapidly. This expansion created logistical problems. The noun expansion summarises the previous clause and turns old information into the topic of the next sentence. This helps create a smoother flow of information. When nominalisation becomes excessive Too much nominalisation can make writing dense, vague, and difficult to process. A phrase such as the implementation of the evaluation of the modification of the system contains several abstract nouns but gives little sense of who is doing what. Strong C1 writing balances nominal and verbal structures. The goal is not maximum formality, but clear and efficient information management.
Grammar formula
Verb to noun
subject + verb + object → nominalisation + of + objectResearchers analysed the data. → The analysis of the data revealed several patterns.
Adding the agent
nominalisation + of + object + by + agentthe evaluation of the programme by the committee
Possessive nominalisation
agent's + nominalisationthe government's decision
Adjective to noun
subject + be + adjective → the + noun form + of + subjectThe system is reliable. → The reliability of the system is crucial.
Cohesive reference
previous clause → this/that + nominalised nounThe company expanded overseas. This expansion increased revenue.
Cause expressed as a noun phrase
because + clause → because of + nominal phrasebecause demand increased → because of the increase in demand
Core rules
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Rule 1: Use a noun when the process or result is more important than the actor
If you want to shift focus away from the person performing an action, nominalise the main verb: Researchers analysed the results → The analysis of the results.
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Rule 2: The former object often follows the noun with of
After nominalisation, the object of the original verb often appears in an of-phrase: They evaluated the proposal → the evaluation of the proposal.
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Rule 3: Add the agent with by when necessary
If the performer of the action still matters, it can often be added with by: the evaluation of the proposal by the committee. If the agent is obvious or unimportant, it is often omitted.
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Rule 4: Use possessive structures when they are more natural
With people, institutions, governments, and organisations, a possessive form is often more concise than a by-phrase: the government's decision, the company's expansion, the researchers' interpretation.
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Rule 5: Turn adjectives into nouns when the quality itself becomes the topic
Use the noun form when you want to discuss a property as an abstract concept: The method is effective → the effectiveness of the method.
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Rule 6: Learn the preposition that belongs with the noun form
The preposition used with a nominalised noun is not always predictable from the original verb. Common combinations include response to, dependence on, investigation into, increase in, and reduction in.
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Rule 7: Use nominalisation to refer back to earlier information
A process introduced in one sentence can become a noun in the next: The policy was revised. This revision addressed several weaknesses. This is a powerful way to create cohesion.
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Rule 8: Prefer a verb when nominalisation makes the sentence harder to read
Nominalisation should serve a clear purpose. If it only makes the sentence longer, more abstract, or less transparent, a direct verb is usually the stronger choice.
Useful examples
The committee decided to postpone the launch.
The committee made the decision to delay the launch.
The verb-based version foregrounds the committee and its action.
The committee's decision to postpone the launch caused considerable concern.
The decision made by the committee to delay the launch caused significant concern.
Decide becomes decision, so the decision itself becomes the focus.
The researchers analysed the data before publishing their findings.
The researchers examined the data before they published their results.
The sentence focuses directly on what the researchers did.
The analysis of the data revealed several unexpected patterns.
Examining the data revealed several patterns that had not been expected.
Analysis allows the process to function as the subject of the sentence.
The company expanded rapidly into Asian markets.
The company quickly increased its operations in Asian markets.
Expanded presents the event directly as an action.
The company's rapid expansion into Asian markets created new logistical challenges.
The company's quick growth into Asian markets created new logistical difficulties.
Expansion packages the event into a noun phrase.
The system is highly reliable under normal operating conditions.
The system performs very reliably when operating conditions are normal.
The adjective reliable directly describes the system.
The reliability of the system decreases under extreme temperatures.
The system becomes less reliable when temperatures are extreme.
Reliability turns the quality into an independent topic for analysis.
The government failed to respond quickly to the crisis.
The government did not react to the crisis quickly enough.
The clause directly describes the government's failure to act.
The government's failure to respond quickly intensified public criticism.
The government's inability to react quickly increased public criticism.
The entire idea failed to respond is compressed into a noun phrase.
Demand increased sharply during the final quarter.
Demand rose considerably in the last quarter.
Increase is used here as a verb.
The sharp increase in demand placed additional pressure on suppliers.
The significant rise in demand created extra pressure for suppliers.
The nominal form typically appears in the pattern an increase in something.
The university introduced stricter admission criteria last year.
The university brought in more demanding admission requirements last year.
The sentence reports a specific action directly.
The introduction of stricter admission criteria led to a decline in applications.
Bringing in stricter admission criteria resulted in fewer applications.
Introduction refers back to the earlier action and helps organise information.
The experiment was inaccurate because the equipment was unstable.
The experiment lacked accuracy because the equipment was not stable.
The qualities are expressed directly with adjectives.
The inaccuracy of the experiment was largely attributed to the instability of the equipment.
The experiment's lack of accuracy was mainly explained by the equipment's lack of stability.
Inaccuracy and instability create a more abstract and analytical structure.
Common mistakes
- ❌ The decide of the committee caused delays. ✅ The decision of the committee caused delays. Decide is a verb. The correct noun form is decision.
- ❌ The increase of unemployment has become a major concern. ✅ The increase in unemployment has become a major concern. When referring to the thing that becomes greater, increase is normally followed by in.
- ❌ The company made an expansion of its operations rapidly. ✅ The company rapidly expanded its operations. Nominalisation is unnecessary here. The verb expanded is more direct, natural, and concise.
- ❌ The investigation about the incident revealed several problems. ✅ The investigation into the incident revealed several problems. Investigation is typically followed by into when referring to the subject being formally examined.
- ❌ The respond to the proposal was largely negative. ✅ The response to the proposal was largely negative. Respond is the verb; response is the related noun.
- ❌ The evaluation the programme identified several weaknesses. ✅ The evaluation of the programme identified several weaknesses. The object of evaluate normally appears in an of-phrase after the noun evaluation.
- ❌ The implementation of the evaluation of the modification of the system resulted in improvement. ✅ Evaluating the modified system showed that its performance had improved. Stacking several nominalisations makes the relationship between actions unclear. A verb-based structure is easier to process.
Learning tips
- Learn noun forms as part of word families, such as decide–decision, analyse–analysis, and respond–response.
- Learn common nominalised nouns together with their prepositions: response to, dependence on, investigation into, increase in.
- Use nominalisation to turn previously mentioned information into the topic of the next sentence.
- With organisations and people, possessive structures such as the company's decision are often more natural than long by-phrases.
- Watch for long chains containing several instances of of; they often signal excessive nominalisation.
- Do not assume that a more abstract sentence is automatically more academic.
- During editing, ask whether each nominalisation improves focus, cohesion, or information density. If it does not, consider restoring the verb.
Practise this topic
Interactive exercises for this topic are coming soon.
PlannedRelated grammar
Related dictionary words
Frequently asked questions
Does nominalisation always make writing more formal and academic?
It often creates a more abstract or formal style, but it does not automatically improve a sentence. If it makes the structure longer or hides important actions, a direct verb may be more effective.
How can I know the correct noun form of a verb?
Suffixes such as -tion, -ment, and -ance can help, but noun formation is not fully predictable. Learn complete word families such as decide–decision, respond–response, and analyse–analysis.
Do I always use of after a nominalised noun?
No. The correct preposition depends on the noun. Common combinations include evaluation of, response to, dependence on, investigation into, and increase in.
What is the difference between the government's decision and the decision by the government?
Both can be grammatical, but the government's decision is usually shorter and more idiomatic. A by-phrase is more useful when the agent needs to be stated after a longer noun phrase.
Why is nominalisation so common in academic writing?
It allows writers to treat processes, results, and qualities as compact information units. This makes it easier to connect arguments, refer back to previous ideas, and organise complex relationships.
Should I use as many nominalisations as possible in a C1 exam?
No. Controlled and purposeful use is more important than frequency. A well-chosen nominalisation can demonstrate grammatical flexibility, but excessive use can make writing unnatural and difficult to read.