Author:
Peter Berry
Date Of Creation:
11 February 2021
Update Date:
1 July 2024
Content
Many verbs in English can be easily converted into nouns by adding suffixes. You can also change some verbs to nouns depending on the context of the sentence. Sometimes, the use of the noun form of a verb can sound heavy and confusing. You can optionally change verbs to nouns to keep your text clear and concise. While converting words can be a little tricky, especially when you're not a native speaker, don't get discouraged. With a little time and patience, you should be able to grasp how nouns are moving.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Add a suffix
Add the ending "-ance" or "-ence" to the verb. There are many verbs that can be converted to nouns by adding "-ance" or "-ence." For example, the verb "appear" might make "appearance". The verb "resist" can be converted to "resistance".
- For example, consider the following sentence: "He appeared on many talk shows while the book" (He appeared in many talks while promoting his book). If you want to turn the word into a noun, you could write it: "He made many talk show appearances while his book" (He was in many talks while promoting his book).
Add the "-ment" extension to the verb. Some verbs require the suffix "-ment" to convert into nouns. For example, the verbs "appoint", "assign", and "enjoy" can be changed to "appointment", "assignment", and "enjoyment".- For example, we have a sentence: "The man enjoyed his lunch". If you want to move the word into a noun, you could write it: "The man's lunch brought him enjoyment".
Add the "-tion" or "-sion" extension. You will see the suffixes "-tion" and "-sion" at the end of many nouns. Many verbs turn to nouns with such suffix. For example, the verbs "inform", "decide", and "describe" might translate into the nouns "information", "decision", and "description".- Consider the following example: "He decided to decline the job offer" (He decided to decline the job offer). If you want to use the noun, write it down: "He made the decision to decline the job offer".
Method 2 of 3: Editing sentences
Determine the position of the verb. Verbs are action verbs. It describes doing something in a sentence. If you want to edit the sentence to move the verb into a noun, determine the verb position and see if you have to do it twice when switching to the noun.- For example, consider the following sentence: "The film impacted the students" (The film impacted the students). The verb here is "impacted".
- For another example, we have the sentence: "The athlete prepared to run". The verb to consider is "run" (although "prepared" is also the verb).
Add the appropriate article before the noun. Embroideries are words like "the" or "a", often signaling that the word behind them is a noun. When moving a noun to a noun in a sentence, add an article before the noun.
- If you are moving the word "impacted" into a noun, you need to add the article "an" or "the".
- To make the word "run" a noun, you also need the article "the" or "a".
Rewrite the sentence. When adding articles, you need to edit the sentence further. Verbs also have to be slightly modified to nouns and sentences need to be rearranged.
- For example, the sentence "The film impacted the students" could translate to: "The film had an impact on the students".
- For the next example, the sentence “The athlete prepared to run” might translate to: “The athlete prepared for a run”.
Method 3 of 3: Avoid common mistakes
Refer to the dictionary to check the suffix you used. If English is your second language, using suffixes when converting verbs can be confusing. Since there are no fixed rules for what suffixes to use, don't be afraid to consult a dictionary after converting verbs. There is nothing to lose when you check again.
Avoid converting words that sound like jargon. Many people think that moving words to nouns is a bad way to write. That's because they sound heavy. Business, computing, or sports terminology can be technical nonsense if you use noun form instead of verbs.
- Take for example the following sentence: "The boss conducted an investigation about the allegations" (The boss conducted an investigation of the allegations). It sounds a bit verbose, it's easier to write it simply like this: "The boss investigated the allegations."
- For example, although you could write “The team did a review of the tape”, writing like that doesn't sound very smooth. Instead, write it: “The team reviewed the tape”.
Use only word transitions as this conveys your voice. Using nouns instead of verbs is effective if you're trying to reduce your emotions and increase your objectivity. For example, when dealing with sensitive information, it is more helpful to write a slightly more technical way. Pay attention to when you should convert words and whether or not that way of expressing the correct tone.
- For example, we have the sentence: "He retaliated by filing a lawsuit" (He retaliated by filing a lawsuit). Since this is a sensitive situation, you want to put it in a softer way. You can use a noun form to make the sentence sound less heavy: "The lawsuit may have been a form of retaliation" (The lawsuit can be a form of retaliation).
