Grammar Worksheet — Intro
Nominalisation
Explanation
Nominalisation turns actions, qualities, or whole clauses into noun phrases.
It is common in academic and formal writing because it helps compress information and connect ideas.
Overuse can make writing heavy, so nominalised phrases should remain clear and purposeful.
Form
| Use | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Core form | Verb -> noun | Sales declined. -> the decline in sales |
| Variation | Adjective -> noun | The policy is effective. -> the effectiveness of the policy |
| Advanced form | Clause -> noun phrase | The data was unreliable. -> the unreliability of the data |
Use of to connect a noun with the thing it describes: the expansion of the programme.
Use in after nouns such as increase, decrease, rise, fall, decline, and growth.
Examples
- The decline in sales surprised analysts.
- The expansion of the programme requires additional funding.
- The effectiveness of the policy remains uncertain.
- The introduction of new rules caused confusion.
- The failure to consult residents damaged trust.
- A lack of transparency weakened the process.
- The removal of the old system took six months.
- Greater investment in training improved staff retention.
Common Mistakes
- The decline of sales surprised analysts. → The decline in sales surprised analysts. Use in after decline when referring to a measurable change.
- The policy effective remains uncertain. → The effectiveness of the policy remains uncertain. Use the noun form effectiveness in a nominal phrase.
- The introduce of new rules caused confusion. → The introduction of new rules caused confusion. Use the correct noun form introduction.
- The failure consulting residents damaged trust. → The failure to consult residents damaged trust. Use failure to + verb.