Nouns: forming nouns from other words
We often form nouns from other parts of speech, most commonly from a verb or an adjective. We can then use the noun phrase instead of the verb or adjective to create a more formal style. We call this nominalisation:
excite → excitement
grow → growth
invade → invasion
fly → flight
industrial → industrialisation
wide → width
After 1900 there was a growth in trade with Europe. (less formal: After 1900 trade with Europe grew.)
The closure of the Meteorcorp factory caused 200 workers to lose their jobs. (less formal: Meteorcorp closed the factory and 200 workers lost their jobs.)
Nominalisation is common in writing, especially formal writing.
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Word of the Day
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to move something by pulling it along a surface, usually the ground
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September 11, 2024
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September 09, 2024
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© Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2024
© Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2024
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