Section 19.5 Nominalization and Verb Strength
English allows verbs to be converted into nouns through a process called nominalization: decide becomes decision, investigate becomes investigation, conclude becomes conclusion. These noun forms are grammatically valid and sometimes genuinely useful—you will see when below. But when nominalization is used habitually rather than purposefully, the action drains out of the sentence. The verb—the word that actually expresses what is happening—gets buried inside a noun phrase, leaving the sentence to lean on a weak verb like make, give, conduct, or perform to carry the grammatical load. The result is prose that feels sluggish and indirect, even if every sentence is technically correct.
The fix is usually straightforward: identify the hidden verb inside the noun, restore it to verb form, and let it do its job. Make an examination of becomes examine. Reach a conclusion becomes conclude. The sentence gets shorter and the action becomes visible.
Nominalization is turning a verb into a noun. While sometimes useful, excessive nominalization creates wordy, weak prose.
The Problem.
| Nominalized (wordy) | Verbal (concise) |
|---|---|
| make an examination of | examine |
| give consideration to | consider |
| conduct an investigation of | investigate |
| reach a conclusion | conclude |
| provide assistance to | assist |
When Nominalization Works.
Nominalizations are useful when the noun form serves a specific purpose:
-
As subjects: The investigation revealed problems. (investigation as topic)
-
To refer back: This decision was controversial. (referring to previous content)
The key is avoiding unnecessary nominalization that buries the action.
