Nominalization of Adjectives and Verbs: Enhancing Formality and Clarity

[Oluwaseun Samuel]

Nominalization is the process of turning adjectives and verbs into nouns. This technique helps make your writing more formal, emphasizing ideas rather than just actions or descriptions.

 

1. Nominalizing Adjectives

Adjectives describe qualities, but turning them into nouns shifts the focus to the state or concept itself. This adds depth to your writing and makes it sound more refined.

 

Examples:

 

happy becomes happiness

strong becomes strength

Instead of saying “She is happy,” you could say, “Her happiness is evident.”

 

2. Nominalizing Verbs

When verbs are nominalized, they refer to actions or processes in a more abstract way. This can make the writing clearer by emphasizing the result or importance of the action.

 

Examples:

 

decide becomes decision

grow becomes growth

For example, “They decided to leave” can be transformed into “Their decision to leave was wise.”

 

3. Benefits of Nominalization

Formality: It creates a more serious tone, often used in academic or formal writing.

Clarity: It helps focus on the underlying ideas or results of actions, making your writing more concept-driven.

Examples:

 

Before: He is strong.

After: His strength is remarkable.

 

Before: They explained everything.

After: Their explanation clarified everything.

 

Nominalization not only makes your writing more professional, but it also enhances clarity by drawing attention to the key ideas behind your sentences.

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