Nominalisation in Texts: English Worksheet for 13-Year-Olds (VC2E8LA0)

Instructions

1. Read through each section carefully. The activities are designed to build on each other, so it's best to complete them in order.
2. For each activity, follow the directions and write your answers in the spaces provided.
3. Try the Challenge Quest at the end if you're feeling confident and want to stretch your skills.
4. Once you are finished, check your work against the Answer Key at the end of the worksheet.

Part 1: The Secret Identity of Words

Nominalisation is a powerful writing tool. It's the process of turning a verb (an action word) or an adjective (a describing word) into a noun (a person, place, thing, or idea). This simple change can have a big effect on the tone and meaning of a sentence.

Example:

• Verb: The scientist investigated the problem.
• Noun: The scientist's investigation of the problem was thorough. (Here, the action of "investigating" becomes the idea of an "investigation.")

Activity 1: Word Transformer

Match the verb or adjective in Column A to its noun form (its nominalisation) in Column B. Draw a line to connect them.

Part 2: What's the Effect?

Why would a writer use nominalisation? It often makes writing sound more formal, authoritative, and objective. It focuses on the concept or event itself, rather than who is doing the action. This is common in scientific reports, news articles, and official documents.

Activity 2: Compare the Tone

Read the sentence pairs below. One sentence uses a verb, and the other uses its nominalised noun form. Circle the sentence in each pair that sounds more formal or professional. Then, briefly explain why.

Pair 1:

A. We concluded that the experiment was a success.

B. Our conclusion was that the experiment was a success.

Which sounds more formal? ______

Why do you think that is? _________________________________________________________________

Pair 2:

A. The city needs to manage traffic better.

B. Better traffic management is a necessity for the city.

Which sounds more formal? ______

Why do you think that is? _________________________________________________________________

Pair 3:

A. The coach's analysis of the game revealed several weaknesses.

B. The coach analyzed the game and revealed several weaknesses.

Which sounds more formal? ______

Why do you think that is? _________________________________________________________________

Part 3: Spotting Nominalisation in the Wild

Now that you know what to look for, let's find nominalisation in real-world examples. Your job is to act like a text detective.

Activity 3: Text Detective

Read the following text snippets. Underline the word that is a nominalisation. Then, explain the likely reason the author used it.

1. News Headline: "Government Announces Investigation into Company's Practices"

Nominalised word: __________________

Why was it used? (Hint: Think about official announcements.) _________________________________________________

2. Science Textbook: "The evaporation of water from the ocean is a key part of the water cycle."

Nominalised word: __________________

Why was it used? (Hint: Is it focused on a person or a process?) ________________________________________________

3. School Rule: "Permission from a teacher is required for hall access during class time."

Nominalised word: __________________

Why was it used? (Hint: Think about making a rule sound official and impersonal.) ________________________________

Part 4: You're the Writer

It's time to put your new skills into practice. You can use nominalisation to make your own writing more formal, or you can remove it to make writing simpler and more direct.

Activity 4: Formal Makeover

Rewrite the following simple sentences to sound more formal by changing the bolded verb into a noun (using nominalisation). You may need to change other words, too.

Example: The committee will discuss the problem tomorrow.
Rewrite: A discussion of the problem will be held by the committee tomorrow.

1. We need to solve this issue quickly.
Rewrite: _________________________________________________________________________

2. The players arrived late, which was disappointing.
Rewrite: _________________________________________________________________________

3. The principal approved the plan for the school fair.
Rewrite: _________________________________________________________________________

Challenge Quest (Optional)

Ready to take it to the next level? Read the simple, informal paragraph below. Your mission is to rewrite it for a formal report. Use at least three nominalisations to make it sound more objective and authoritative. The goal is to focus on the events, not the people.

Informal Paragraph:

"The student council met yesterday. They decided to create a new recycling program because they observed that students were throwing away too many plastic bottles. They hope everyone will participate so the school can reduce its waste."

Your Formal Rewrite:

________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Answer Key

Part 1: Word Transformer

1. Decide → D. Decision
2. Explain → F. Explanation
3. Anxious → A. Anxiety
4. Improve → E. Improvement
5. Grow → B. Growth
6. React → C. Reaction

Part 2: Compare the Tone

1. Which sounds more formal? B. Our conclusion was that the experiment was a success.

   Why? Example Answer: It focuses on the "conclusion" as a formal outcome rather than just what "we" did. It sounds more official.

2. Which sounds more formal? B. Better traffic management is a necessity for the city.

   Why? Example Answer: It talks about "traffic management" as a general concept, which sounds more like a policy statement than a direct command.

3. Which sounds more formal? A. The coach's analysis of the game revealed several weaknesses.

   Why? Example Answer: Using the noun "analysis" makes the action of analyzing sound like a formal, completed product or report.

Part 3: Spotting Nominalisation in the Wild

1. Nominalised word: Investigation

   Why was it used? Example Answer: To make the announcement sound official and serious. It focuses on the formal process, not just the act of investigating.

2. Nominalised word: evaporation

   Why was it used? Example Answer: In science, the focus is on the process itself, not on who or what is doing it. "Evaporation" is a scientific concept.

3. Nominalised word: Permission

   Why was it used? Example Answer: To make the rule sound impersonal and authoritative. It's about the concept of "permission" rather than a specific person permitting something.

Part 4: You're the Writer (Answers may vary slightly)

1. Rewrite: A quick solution to this issue is needed. / The solution of this issue requires speed.
2. Rewrite: The late arrival of the players was a disappointment.
3. Rewrite: The principal gave his approval for the plan for the school fair. / The plan for the school fair received the principal's approval.

Challenge Quest (Answers will vary. Look for at least three nominalisations and a more formal tone.)

Example Rewrite: "A student council meeting was held yesterday, resulting in the decision to create a new recycling program. This action was based on the observation that student disposal of plastic bottles was excessive. The goal is to achieve full student participation to secure a reduction in the school's overall waste."

(Nominalisations used in example: decision, observation, disposal, participation, reduction)