Nominalisation and noun phrases
Turn verbs into nouns to write in a concise, academic style.
Why it matters
Academic writing packs meaning into noun phrases ('the rapid growth of cities') rather than clauses ('cities grew rapidly'). Nominalisation improves concision, lets you reference ideas easily, and raises both Lexical Resource and grammatical range.
The rules
Turn a verb or adjective into a noun to become the subject.
Prices increased → The increase in prices…
Build noun phrases with adjectives and of-phrases.
the sharp decline in the number of smokers
Use common nominalisations: growth, reduction, reliance, availability, access, impact.
Greater availability of credit led to higher spending.
Balance: one or two nominalised subjects per paragraph, not every sentence.
Model sentences
- The widespread adoption of smartphones has transformed how news is consumed.
- A reduction in working hours could lead to improvements in employee wellbeing.
- Government reliance on fossil fuel revenue makes rapid change politically difficult.
Common mistakes
Incorrect: Because people use cars a lot, this causes cities to be polluted.
Correct: Heavy car use is a major cause of urban pollution.
Clause-heavy and repetitive → one clear noun phrase.
Incorrect: The increase of prices
Correct: The increase in prices
'Increase in' + thing; 'increase of' + amount.
Incorrect: The develop of technology
Correct: The development of technology
Use the noun form.
Band tip
Check yourself
Nominalise: 'Many people moved to cities, so cities grew quickly.'
Mass migration to cities led to rapid urban growth.
Noun form: reduce, rely, available, emit
reduction, reliance, availability, emission
Rewrite: 'Because the government cut funding, libraries closed.'
Government funding cuts led to the closure of libraries.