Nominalization & Complex Noun Phrases (C1/C2)
📌 Lesson contents
🎯 Lesson goal (C1/C2)
Nominalization means turning verbs, adjectives or whole clauses into nouns. It is the hallmark of academic, formal and high-level journalistic writing (CAE/CPE), because it moves the focus from actions (*what people do*) to concepts and results (*abstract entities*). 🚀
🌟 What is Nominalization?
Instead of describing an event with action verbs or subordinate clauses, we pack it into a noun or a noun phrase.
| Colloquial / verbal style (informal) | Formal style with nominalization (C1/C2) |
|---|---|
| Because the company expanded rapidly, profits increased. | Due to the rapid expansion of the company, profits increased. |
| We decided to cancel the project. | We made a decision regarding the cancellation of the project. |
⏱️ Complex Noun Phrases (pre- and post-modification)
A complex noun phrase packs a lot of information around a central word (the *head noun*) using adjectives, participles or reduced relative clauses (pre-modification) and phrases that add detail after the noun (post-modification).
- The government’s controversial environmental policy changes… (Policy is the head noun; everything else comes before it to modify it.)
- An increase in consumer spending driven by rising confidence.
🛠️ How to form them
To turn verb phrases into formal noun structures, follow these common word-form patterns:
| Starting verb / adjective | Equivalent noun | Example of conversion |
|---|---|---|
| Decide / Conclude | Decision / Conclusion | He decided ➔ He reached a decision |
| Analyze / Assess | Analysis / Assessment | They assessed ➔ They conducted an assessment |
| Efficient / Frequent | Efficiency / Frequency | It is efficient ➔ The efficiency of… |
🚫 Common mistakes to avoid
| C1/C2 mistake ❌ | Correct ✅ |
|---|---|
| The discuss about the budget was long. | The discussion about the budget was long. (‘Discuss’ is a verb; the correct noun is ‘discussion’!) |
| Due to they failed to submit the form. | Due to their failure to submit the form. (‘Due to’ needs a noun or a gerund, not a clause with a finite verb!) |
| An explanation of why did it happen. | An explanation of why it happened (or the cause of the event). (In wh- clauses inside a noun phrase there is no question inversion!) |
1. Gap Fill & Translation (C1/C2)
Complete the sentences by turning verbs or adjectives into the correct nouns (e.g. decision, failure, analysis).
2. Extra: Sentence Builder 🧩
Tap the words to move them and build perfect complex noun phrases!