Nominalisation

1. Nominalisation Changing verbs or other words to nouns

2. What is Nominalisation? • Nominalisation is the process in which words are changed into nouns • It changes the focus of the text from the action to the object or concept • It can also be used to remove the participants, further focusing the text on the object/concept • Nominalisation is used in academic writing to express the information formally

3. Examples of Nominalisation • Europeans invaded Australia and they destroyed sacred sites. • The European invasion of Australia destroyed sacred sites Nouns or Noun Groups Verbs

4. Examples of Nominalisation • EuropeansinvadedAustralia and theydestroyedsacred sites. • The European invasion of Australia destroyedsacred sites Nouns or Noun Groups Verbs

5. Nominalisation – How to do it? • Look for sentences with active verbs • E.g. Someone did something • Think of a noun to replace the verb (in this example “did”) • Often, the easiest way to find a noun is to add a suffix to the end, eg –ion, -ism, -ment • Invade – Invasion • Another way to work out the noun is to say “ ‘something’ occurred”

6. Examples of Nominalisation • Sydney City Council decided to change the official documents to Invasion. Councillor Phillip Black disagreed and said the council should “moderate using emotional language”

7. Examples of Nominalisation • Sydney City Council decidedto change the official documents to Invasion.Councillor Phillip Black disagreed and saidthe council should “moderate using emotional language” • Sydney City Council’s decision to change the official documents was opposed byCouncillor Phillip Black with the advice that the council should “moderate using emotional language”