C1 Stage 1: Sentence
Turn an action into one idea
Nominalisation: turning verbs into noun phrases
You can turn an action like 'prices rose quickly' into one idea like 'the rapid rise in prices', and then say what it causes.
This guide is for B2 writers moving to C1. It is a stage 1 skill: write one sentence (8-50 words).
When to use nominalisation
When something grows, falls or changes, or someone makes a decision, and you want to talk about that as one idea: 'The rise in ...', 'The decision to ...'. It fits almost any topic, often at the start of a point.
Nominalisation: how to do it
Take a verb or a describing word and make it a noun: 'prices rose quickly' becomes 'the rapid rise in prices'; 'people decided to leave' becomes 'the decision to leave'. Now the whole idea can start your sentence, and the rest says what it causes or changes. This is called a noun phrase: it makes writing shorter and more formal. To find what to say, ask: 'so what happens because of this?'
Useful language for nominalisation
- the rise / decline in ...
- the introduction of ...
- the growing reliance on ...
- a lack of ...
- the failure to ...
- the widespread use of ...
Example of nominalisation
The sudden arrival of rental e-scooters in European cities has forced local councils to rethink how pavement space is shared.
Topic: Electric scooters in cities
How the BetterWrite coach checks nominalisation
The BetterWrite coach checks 3 points for this skill, plus accuracy and staying on topic, and quotes your own words when one is not there yet.
Try it
Write ONE sentence about online shopping. Make an action into a thing (like 'the rise in prices' instead of 'prices rose') and say what it has caused or changed.
Write 8-50 words (one sentence).