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Forming a noun from a verb or adjective (or
using noun phrases instead of verbs) is known as
nominalisation and this function helps you to create variety
in your writing and prevents you from repeating the same verb/word
over and over again.
To nominalise means: (a) to convert (another part of speech)
into a noun, as in changing the verb legalize into
legalization; (b) to convert (an underlying clause) into a
noun phrase, as in changing he drinks to his drinking.
Example: I am worried about his drinking. |
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AVOIDING WORDINESS |
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Some nominalisations are useful, but others
make our writing unnecessarily wordy. Some nominalisations that
don’t work well, but are easy to fix are:
1) When the nominalisation follows a verb with little specific
meaning: |
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We undertook an
investigation
= We
investigated |
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2) When the nominalisation follows There
is or There are: |
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There was a committee
agreement
= The committee
agreed |
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3) When the nominalisation is the subject of
an ‘empty’ verb: |
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Our
discussion
concerned a bonus = We
discussed
a bonus |
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CONVERTING VERBS INTO
NOUNS |
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Check this example of verb-to-noun
nominalisation: |
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Monica has
improved
in Geography. Her father is happy.
Her father is happy at Monica's
improvement
in Geography. |
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CONVERTING ADJECTIVES
INTO NOUNS |
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Check this example of adjective-to-noun
nominalisation: |
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The scene was so
beautiful
that it took her breath away.
The beauty
of the scene took her breath away. |
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NOMINALISING PHRASAL
VERBS |
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Besides being able to create phrasal verbs by
adding different particles to commonly-used verbs (take over,
take in, etc.), we can often also use in other
combinations the elements of the phrasal verbs themselves:
take over (verb) — overtake (noun).
There are two different ways in which the elements of phrasal
verbs may be combined. The verb and particle may be placed in
reverse order to form a compound verb or noun:
take over — overtake (verb); put out —
output (noun).
Check these examples: |
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The Argentinian runner soon
overtook
the other competitors.
Output at
the factory has now risen considerably. |
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Also, the verb and particle may simply be
joined, sometimes with a hyphen, to form a compound noun:
break down — breakdown; make up — make-up: |
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Our car had a
breakdown.
His girl friend uses a lot of
make-up. |
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In some cases, both types of compound may be
made from the same phrasal verb: |
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take over (phrasal verb) —
overtake (verb) — take-over (noun) |
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Compounds formed from phrasal verbs are not
necessarily related in meaning to the original verb: |
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A new manager
took over
last week. (= assumed control)
The runner
overtook three competitors. (= caught up with
and passed) |
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In some cases, two different compounds may be
formed, corresponding to two different meanings of the original
verb: |
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War
broke out
in 1914. (verb = began)
He was born at the
outbreak
of the war. (noun = beginning)
Three criminals
broke out of the prison. (verb = escape)
There was a
break-out at the prison. (noun = escape of
prisoners) |
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NOTE: British and American people make full
use of this "nominalisation" facility for forming new compounds,
and the exercises on the next page can give only a small
selection of those in current use. |
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On the next page you will be able to practise
this grammar. |
