Nominalization (La Nominalisation): The Secret to C1/C2 Writing

Total Word Count: 1,800+ words

If you want to move from B2 (Intermediate) to C1/C2 (Advanced/Native) in French writing, you must master Nominalization.

What is it? It is the art of transforming a Verb or an Adjective into a Noun.

Why use it?

1. Conciseness: It says more with fewer words.
2. Formality: It sounds more academic and professional.
3. Density: It packs more information into a single sentence.

Compare these two sentences:

• Level B1: "Parce que les prix ont augmenté, les gens sont en colère." (Because prices increased, people are angry.)
• Level C1: "L'augmentation des prix a provoqué la colère des gens." (The increase in prices caused people's anger.)

The second sentence allows you to use "Augmentation" as the subject of a new verb. This is how newspapers, essays, and official documents are written.

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Part 1: How to Nominalize (The Suffixes)

There is no single rule, but there are patterns. You need to learn the common suffixes.

1. -TION / -ATION (The Most Common)

Used for many verbs ending in -er.

Part 2: Nominalizing Adjectives

Adjectives describe states. Nouns describe concepts.

1. -ITÉ / -TÉ

Part 3: When to Use Nominalization (Exam Strategy)

1. In Titles (Fait Divers - Writing Task A)

Newspaper headlines ALWAYS use nominalization.

Part 4: Advanced Transformations (The "De" Structure)

When you nominalize, the Object becomes a "De" phrase.

Syntactic Transformation:

Part 5: Common Traps

Trap 1: False Cognates

• Rester (to stay) -> NOT "La restation". It's Le reste (remainder) or noun usage changes.
• Mourir (to die) -> NOT "La mourance". It's La mort.

Trap 2: Wrong Gender

Part 6: Practice Exercises

Transform these B1 sentences into C1 Noun Phrases:

1. B1: "Il est important de respecter les lois."

   • C1: "Le respect des lois est important."
2. "Les températures chutent brutalement."

Conclusion

Nominalization is the trademark of an educated speaker. It allows you to express abstract concepts. Start using it in your TEF/TCF essays. Instead of writing "Je pense que c'est bien parce que ça aide...", write "L'utilité de cette mesure réside dans..." It’s an instant score booster.