NOMINALISATION for academic writing WHAT IS NOMINALISATION CHANGING

NOMINALISATION for academic writing

WHAT IS NOMINALISATION? - CHANGING A VERB INTO A NOUN Compare these sentences: 1. Some people lie and this is bad. 2. Lying is bad. • In general they mean the same, but sentence 2 is expressed more CONCISELY. Sentence 2 uses the word “lying”, whereas sentence 1 uses the word “lie”. Here the word “lie” is a verb. “Lying” is a noun made from the verb “lie” • We call this process nominalisation.

WHAT IS NOMINALISATION? - CHANGING A VERB INTO A NOUN Compare these sentences: 1. Unscupulous synicates take advantage of vulnerable refugees in underdeveloped countries. They make a profit from them. 2. Unscupulous synicates make a profit by taking advantage of vulnerable refugees in underdeveloped countries. • In general they mean the same, but sentence 2 is expressed more CONCISELY. Sentence 2 uses the word “? ? ? ”, whereas sentence 1 uses the word “? ? ? ”. Here the word “? ? ? ” is a verb. “? ? ? ” is a noun made from the verb “? ? ? ”

NOMINALISATION Instead of This information enables us to formulate precise questions about the government in question. removing the first person makes it more formal We would write This information enables the formulation of precise questions about the government in question. Instead of There is evidence to show that children are treated differently. We would write There appeared to be evidence of differential treatment of children.

NOMINALISATION produce justify vary survey divide criticise combine develop adapt treat react discriminate trick judge displace discover lose influence Task 1: Change these verbs into nouns. Task 2: Choose 3 words and show you nominalise the sentences.