How to Change a Verb to a Noun

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Many verbs in the English language can easily be converted into nouns with the addition of suffixes. You can also change certain verbs to nouns depending on the context of a sentence. Sometimes, using the noun form of a verb can sound clunky and jargon-heavy. Use your discretion when changing verbs to nouns to keep your writing clear and concise. While it can be a little tricky to change around words, especially if you're not a native speaker, don't get discouraged. With a little time and patience, you can get the hang of changing verbs to nouns.

Suffixes that Turn Verbs Into Nouns

Adding Suffixes

Add "-ance" or "-ence" to verbs. A wide variety of verbs can be changed to nouns with the addition of the suffixes "-ance" or "-ence." For example, the verb "appear" can become "appearance." The verb "resist" can become "resistance." For example, look at the sentence, "He appeared on many talk shows while promoting his book." If you wanted to change the verb to a noun, you could say, "He made many talk show appearances while promoting his book."

Add "-ment" to verbs. Other verbs require the suffix "-ment" to be converted to nouns. For example, "appoint,", "assign," and "enjoy" can become "appointment," "assignment", and "enjoyment." For example, look at the sentence, "The man enjoyed his lunch." If you wanted to change the verb to a noun, you could say, "The man's lunch brought him enjoyment."

Add "-tion" or "-sion.". The suffixes "-tion" and "-sion" are found at the end of many nouns. A wide variety of verbs turn into nouns with these suffixes. For example, "inform", "decide", and "describe" can become "information," "decision," and "description." For example, look at the sentence, "He decided to decline the job offer." If you wanted to use a noun, you could say, "He made the decision to decline the job offer."

Adjusting the Sentence

Locate the verb. A verb is an action word. It describes the act of doing something in a sentence. If you want to adjust a sentence to change a verb to a noun, locate the verb and see if it can double as a noun. For example, look at the sentence, "The film impacted the students." The verb here is "impacted." As another example, consider the sentence, “The athlete prepared to run.” The verb in question is “run” (although “prepared” is also a verb).

Add an appropriate determiner before the word. A determiner is a word like "the" or "a", which usually signifies the following word will be a noun. To change a verb to a noun in a sentence, add a determiner before the noun. If you're changing "impacted" to a noun, you would need the determiner "an" or the determiner “the.” To change “run” to a noun, you would need the determiner “the” or the determiner “a.”

Rewrite the sentence. Once you've added a determiner, you may need to tweak the sentence further. The verb may need to be tweaked slightly to become a noun and the sentence may need minor rearranging. For example, "The film impacted the students," can be changed to, "The film had an impact on the students." For instance, “The athlete prepared to run,” can be changed to, “The athlete prepared for a run.”

Avoiding Common Mistakes

Consult a dictionary to double check your suffixes. If English is your second language, which suffix to use when converting verbs can get confusing. As there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to which suffix to use, don't be embarrassed to consult a dictionary after changing a verb to a noun. It can never hurt to double check.

Avoid conversations that sound like jargon. Many people consider changing verbs to nouns a form of poor writing. This is because it often sounds jargon heavy. Terms used in business, computing, or sports can sound like meaningless jargon if you use the noun form over the verb form. For example, take the sentence, "The boss conducted an investigation about the allegations." It's a little wordy, and it's easier to simply write, "The boss investigated the allegations." For instance, while you could say, “The team did a review of the tape,” it doesn’t flow well. Instead, go with, “The team reviewed the tape.”

Use conversions only if it better conveys your tone. Using nouns as verbs can be helpful if you're trying to sound less emotional and more objective. If dealing with sensitive information, for example, it can be beneficial to sound a little technical. Be aware of when you're using conversions and whether they convey the proper tone. For example, take the sentence, "He retaliated by filing a lawsuit." As this is a sensitive situation, you may want to phrase it in gentler terms. You can use the noun form to write the more played down sentence, "The lawsuit may have been a form of retaliation."