Nominalisation

Creating nominalisations
• Nominalisations are nouns often formed
from verbs (e.g. discover > discovery,
achieve > achievement, present >
presentation, permit > permission).
• describers (e.g. brave > bravery, high
>height, tense > tension),
• conjunctions (e.g., whereas > difference,
if > possibility)
• preposition (e.g. during > duration).
Creating nominalisations
From Verbs
• Many verbs can be changed into
nominalisations by changing the end of
the verb
• eg. divide > division, pay > payment,
sing > my singing
• Some do not need change
• eg. struggle > the struggle
Creating nominalisations
suggest advise decide
compare believe trust

propose marry divorce

die invent invite
agree resign pay
Understanding Nominalisation
Original Version Nominalised Versions
They were impressed
by how brave she was.

It may not be
appropriate to
nominalise every
possibility
Understanding Nominalisation
Original Version Nominalised Versions
They were impressed She made an
by how brave she was. impression because
she was brave.
It may not be
appropriate to
nominalise every
possibility
Understanding Nominalisation
Original Version Nominalised Versions
They were impressed She made an
by how brave she was. impression because
she was brave.
It may not be They were impressed
appropriate to by her bravery.
nominalise every
possibility
Understanding Nominalisation
Original Version Nominalised Versions
They were impressed She made an
by how brave she was. impression because
she was brave.
It may not be They were impressed
appropriate to by her bravery.
nominalise every
possibility
She made an
impression by her
bravery.
Understanding Nominalisation
Original Version Nominalised Versions
Jill placed the flowers
perfectly on the table.

The coach was

amazed by Nina’s
brilliant effort.
Understanding Nominalisation
Original Version Nominalised Versions
Jill placed the flowers Her placement of the
perfectly on the table. flowers on the table was
perfect.
The table looked perfect
due to Jill’s placement of
the flowers.
The coach was amazed by Nina’s brilliance amazed
Nina’s brilliant effort. the coach.
The coach’s amazement
was caused by Nina’s
brilliance.
Rewriting an example
Step 1 Identify the verbs
• Students who complete what the school
requires can graduate. When they
receive their certificate, they can apply
for work.
Rewriting an example
Step 1 Identify the verbs
• Students who complete what the school
requires can graduate. When they
receive their certificate, they can apply
for work.
Rewriting an example
Step 2 Nominalise these verbs
• Complete >
• Require >
• Graduate >
• Receive >
• Apply >
Rewriting an example
Step 2 Nominalise these verbs
• Complete > Completion
• Require > Requirement
• Graduate > Graduation
• Receive > Receipt
• Apply > Application
Rewriting an example
Step 3
• Try to rewrite the text using all
nominalisations
Rewritten example
• Completion of the school’s requirements can
lead to graduation. Upon receipt of their
certificate, students can make an application
for work.
• What other steps were required to rewrite the
text?
Other changes
• Change of verb > can lead to
• Change of foregrounding > Completion
of the school’s requirements
• Longer noun groups > receipt of their
certificate
Rewritten Exercise
1) Transport for London will invest £350
million next year on renovation of
several tube stations.

"Transport for London's investment of

£350 million next year will focus on the
renovation of several tube stations."
Rewritten Exercise
2) Blended learning divides students.
Some accept the newer style of
teaching, while others reject it.

"Blended learning creates a division

among students, with some showing
acceptance of the newer style of teaching
while others display rejection."
Rewritten Exercise
3) Population grows fast around industrial
centers. The industrial centers provide
better employment opportunities.

"The rapid growth of the population

around industrial centers is due to the
provision of better employment
opportunities by these centers."
Revision
1) We walked for charity.
 The charity walk was done by us.

2) Netherlands invaded Indonesia in 1975. This

was the immediate cause of the Second
World War breaking out.
 Netherlands’ invasion of Indonesia in 1975
was the immediate cause of the outbreak of
the Second World War.
Practice
1. The government officer did not explain why he release the
dangerous prisoner .

2. Crime was increasing rapidly and the police were becoming

concerned.

3. They analyzed the data from the experiment, and it revealed that the
monkeys react when they consume too much sugar.

4. A lecturer teaches the students how to write academic essays.

5. The University of Melbourne made a decision to expand its ancient

facilities so that their students will be more comfortable.
Some considerations
• The syntax of the sentence need to change to
accommodate the nominalisations (eg. new
verb) and as a result the meaning of the
sentence may change
• It is sometimes necessary to build student’s
synonyms for common verbs and describers
before they can nominalise them
• Not all verbs/describers need to be
nominalised
• The appropriate level of nominalisation for the
job
 Building vocabulary prior to
nominalisation
• She did well in the play.
• She performed well in the play.
• Her performance in the play was excellent.
• Her excellence was shown in her
performance.
• Her excellence was evident in her
performance.
• Evidence of her excellence was seen in her
performance.
(At what point does nominalisation become
cumbersome and inappropriate?)
 Building vocabulary prior to
nominalisation
• He took away the rubbish, because it
had to be done.
• He took away the rubbish, because it
needed to be done.
• He removed the rubbish, because it was
necessary.
• The removal of the rubbish was a
necessity.
Understanding Nominalisation
• Text B• (Written
Text Aminutes
(Spokenofcomments
the meeting
at aincluding
committee
some
meeting)
of the possible
nominalisations)

A proposal
Hazel: waswe
I reckon made
canby Hazelthe
replant thattrees
the revegetation
along the sideoccur along
of the ovalthe side of
nearest to the
the main
school’s oval nearest to the main road so that there is a reduction in noise.
road. It is very noisy on that side and the trees will make it better. I’ll ask the council
Hazel
to see will
if wemake a request
can borrow to borrow
some of theirequipment
gear to usefrom the day.
on the council.
Vy made the offer to use her husband’s truck and will investigate the possibility of
borrowing equipment
Vy: My husband from
said we her
can uncle.
use his truck if we want to. I can see if my uncle can also
lend us some tools.
Text B on the Register Continuum
R Field Everyday Technical
Text
E B

G
I Tenor Informal Formal
S Text
B

T
E
Mode Most spoken Most written
R Text
B
Nominalisation changes
“packaging’ of information
Texts with lots of nominalisation appear
dense and difficult to read because:
• Abstractions are named
• Noun groups are complex
• Relating verbs are used (e.g. contains,
are, involves)
• “Actors” are removed
Unpacking nominalisations
• It is important to be able to “unpack” noun
groups containing nominalisations
• How could you explain the information below
without using nominalisation?
• How many sentences does it take?
• The dramatic increase of illegal logging in
rainforests is of international significance. The
reduction of suitable habitat is causing the
extinction of some species and a general
reduction of biodiversity.
Nominalisation and genres
• Nominalisation is an important resource
for successful development of factual
genres
• Used to introduce technical terms in
explanations or reports
• eg. Heat from the sun causes liquid
water to become water vapour. This
process is called evaporation.
Nominalisation and genres
• Used to foreground the theme of the
sentence/clause
• eg. When the sun heats the water, it
evaporates into steam. Evaporation causes
the steam to rise, cool and condense.
Condensation into clouds makes the water
droplets heavy and they fall to the ground.
This is precipitation. Precipitation can be rain,
snow or hail.
Nominalisation and genres
• Used to organise research and writing
• Report eg. Location, Population,
Economy
• Explanation eg. Causes, Effects,
Consequences
• Exposition eg. Arguments, Reasons,
Factors, Issues