Turning Adjectives into Nouns

The film was popular. → The film enjoyed great popularity.

Notice

  • The film enjoyed great popularity. (popular → popularity)
  • The complexity of the issue surprised everyone. (complex → complexity)
  • There is growing awareness of the problem. (aware → awareness)
  • The report highlighted the significance of the findings. (significant → significance)

Rule

Adjectives can also be nominalised (usually with suffixes like -ity, -ness, -ance/-ence). This lets writers discuss qualities as abstract concepts — essential for academic and analytical writing where you discuss ideas rather than describe people or things directly.

Practice

  1. Nominalise: ‘The problem is becoming more complex.’
    Answer: The complexity of the problem is increasing.
  2. Nominalise: ‘People are more aware of climate change now.’
    Answer: Awareness of climate change has increased.
  3. Nominalise: ‘The results were significant.’
    Answer: The significance of the results was notable.
  4. What is the noun form of ‘accurate’?
    Answer: Accuracy

Connect

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CEFR: Writing — write about complex subjects with an appropriately formal, analytical style.

Azizul Hakim
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