De-nominalisation

Article excerpt · target grammar marked

When a government speaks of the termination of employment, someone got fired. When a corporation announces a restructuring of operational capacity, someone lost their job.

Grammar Reference · De-nominalisation

De-nominalisation

The termination of employment occurred. → The company fired her. — restores agent and action

Rhetorical distance

A restructuring of operational capacity was announced. — abstraction removes who did what to whom

Radical plainness

Governments are lying, species are dying. — verbs as political demand, not stylistic choice

Common error

The failing of the system caused harm. ✗ → The system failed, and people were harmed. ✓

01Exercise 1 — Form · Write the Correct Form

De-nominalisation

1.The government's of the new tax rules confused most citizens.

2. of vested interests in media ownership is rarely discussed openly.

3.XR's writers deliberately avoided in favour of raw, accusatory verbs.

4.The judge's that the evidence was inadmissible shocked the prosecution team.

5.Orwell demanded in political writing: name the actor, name the act.

6.The pamphlet's of the official report was brutally effective.

02Exercise 2 — Transform

rewrite with the new structure

1.The board decided to cut funding for arts programmes.

2.The administration of the vaccine distribution programme was delayed.

3.Officials failed to communicate the risks clearly.

4.The acquisition of the smaller firm was completed last quarter.

5.Workers protested outside the headquarters for three days.

6.The facilitation of stakeholder engagement was prioritised.

03Exercise 3 — About You

in your notebook

Personalise: complete five sentences about yourself using the target grammar.

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