Recognising nominalised verbs
Nominalised verbs often end in –ion, -ment, -al, -age, -ing, -ance, -ant, -dom.
- Find the verb (action, doing word) in your sentence.
- Check the noun that follows closely. Can you turn this into the verb?
Examples
Here are some examples of nominalisations turned back into verbs.
| Avoid these nominalisations | Use these verbs |
|---|---|
| Achievement | Achieve |
| Action | Act |
| Agreement | Agree |
| Appearance | Appear, seem |
| Application | Apply |
| Approval | Approve |
| Arrival | Arrive |
| Assessment | Assess, review, check, evaluate |
| Beginning | Began |
| Transition | Ttransit, change |
| Commitment | Commit, promise, agree to |
| Communication | Communicate, tell, email, call |
| Conclusion | Conclude, decide |
| Confirmation | Confirm |
| Consideration | Consider |
| Consultation | Consult, discuss |
| Continuation | Continues |
| Contribution | Contributed, gave, donated, helped |
| Decision | Decide |
| Definition | Define |
| Demonstration | Demonstrate, show |
| Description | Describe |
| Determination | Determine |
| Development | Develop, produce, make, create |
| Discussion | Discuss |
| Donation | Donate, give |
| Editing | Edit |
| Employment | Employ |
| Enhancement | Enhance, improve, upgrade |
| Enrolment, re-enrolment | Enrol, re-enrol |
| Evaluation | Evaluate |
| Examination | Examine, check |
| Expectation | Expect |
| Explanation | Explain |
| Implementation | Implement, set up, install |
| Implication | Imply, suggest |
| Indication | Indicate, show, prove |
| Inspection | Inspect, check |
| Instruction | Instruct, teach, tell |
| Intention | Intend, mean |
| Introduction | Introduce |
| Investigation | Investigate, check |
| Leadership | Lead |
| Mentoring | Mentor, coach |
| Notification | Notify, tell, email, call |
| Objection | Object |
| Observation | Observe, saw, notice |
| Ownership | Own |
| Payment | Pay |
| Performance | Perform, act, sing, do |
| Prioritisation | Prioritise, order, rank |
| Progression | Progress, improve |
| Reaction | React, respond, reply |
| Recommendation | Recommend |
| Reduction | Reduce, cut back |
| Referral | Refer |
| Reformation | Reform, change, improve |
| Refusal | Refuse |
| Rejection | Reject, deny |
| Relocation | Relocate, move |
| Replacement | Replace, change |
| Requirement | Require, must |
| Resistance | Resist |
| Resolution | Resolve, decide, agree |
| Review (as a noun) | Review (as a verb) |
| Revision | Revise, change, edit |
| Ruling | Rule, decide, order |
| Solution | Solve, fix |
| Statement | State, say |
| Submission | Submitted, lodged, sent |
| Suggestion | Suggest |
| Training | Train |
| Transformation | Transform, change |
| Translation | Translate |
| Undertaking | Undertake, do, promise |