What is Nominalisation?
The word ‘nominal’ is the adjective form relating to the word ‘noun’. Therefore, the term nominalisation refers to changing a verb, adjective or adverb into a noun. In English, nouns can be formed by adding prefixes or suffixes to words belonging to other parts of speech. Through this process, qualities, actions and events are turned into things, ideas or people.
| Word | Nominalisation |
| is walking | the walk |
| final | finality |
| melodiously | melody |
When the verb, adjective or adverb is nominalised, the sentence to which the words belong to sounds more formal and abstract.
(a) After the septic tank leaked into the drinking water reservoir, an epidemic broke out.
(b) After the leakage of the septic tank into the drinking water reservoir, there was an outbreak of an epidemic.
Compared to Sentence (a), Sentence (b) sounds more formal.
More examples
(a) The scientists demonstrated how to extract DNA from the pulp of the tooth.
(b) The scientists conducted a demonstration about the extraction of DNA from the pulp of the tooth.
(a) They discussed whether the claims were authentic or not.
(b) They had a discussion on the authenticity of the claims.
Common Suffixes of Nouns:
| Suffix | Noun Form |
| -ion | demonstration, continuation, fixation |
| -ity | duplicity, possibility, complexity |
| -ness | firmness, happiness, blindness |
| -ment | enjoyment, replacement, arrangement |
| -ance, -ence | absence, importance, appearance |
| -ship | friendship, kinship, partnership |
| -hood | neighbourhood, motherhood, childhood |
| -er | runner, speaker, leader |
Changing Adjectives to Nouns:
Adjectives can be changed into nouns by adding suffixes such as ‘-ness’, ‘-ity’, ‘-ency’, ‘-ancy’ ‘- ance’, ‘-ism’ and ‘-th’.
| Adjective | Suffix | Noun |
| happy | -ness | happiness |
| able | -ity | ability |
| efficient | -ency | efficiency |
| deviant | -ancy | deviancy |
| defiant | -ance | defiance |
Adjectives can also be turned into nouns by dropping suffixes:
| Adjective | Suffix | Noun |
| traumatic | -ic | trauma |
| magical | -al | magic |
| dangerous | -ous | danger |
| questionable | -able | question |
| zealous | -ous | zeal |
Steps:
1. Underline the adjectives in the sentence.
The fact that you are reliable makes me happy.
2. Write down the noun forms of the adjectives.
reliable: reliability
happy: happiness
3. Replace the adjectives with the noun forms. Use them in the sentence either as subjects or as objects.
Your reliability brings me happiness.
Changing Adverbs to Nouns:
Changing adverbs to nouns is a three-step process.
| Adverb | Adjective | Noun |
| specially | special | speciality |
| truthfully | truthful | truth |
| viciously | vicious | viciousness |
Steps:
1. Underline the adverbs in the sentence
The enemies retreated fearfully.
2. Write the noun forms of the adjectives.
fearfully: fear
3. Replace the adverbs with the noun forms. Use them in the sentence with prepositional phrases. (preposition + noun phrase)
The enemies retreated in fear.
Examples:
(a) She has been erring a lot lately. (b) She has been committing a lot of errors lately. (a) Michelle is an intelligent girl. (b) Michelle is blessed with intelligence. (a) The immigrants thronged towards the city rapidly. (b) The immigrants thronged towards the city with rapidness. (a) Ravi’s business expanded in India. (b) Ravi’s business underwent expansion in India. (a) King Mahendra’s stoic demeanour during trying times made his subjects courageous. (b) King Mahendra’s stoicism during trying times instilled courage in his subjects. |
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