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WorksheetYear 10Level 3 · Challenge

Free Year 10 Precise Verbs and Nominalisation Worksheet

Students learn two tools that mark mature academic writing. Nominalisation turns verbs and adjectives into nouns (decide → decision, strong → strength) so that ideas can be packed into dense, formal sentences; precise analytical verbs (positions, undermines, conveys) replace vague ones such as shows, says and gets. Students practise nominalising, then reverse the process where it harms clarity, and choose stronger verbs for essay sentences. Knowing when to use each technique is the real skill, and this worksheet addresses both sides.

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Year
Year 10
Subject
English
Topic
Vocabulary
Difficulty
Level 3 · Challenge
Estimated time
25 minutes
Curriculum
Australian Curriculum
Questions
18
Answers
Included, with working
Format
PDF (A4) + print

Students will practise

  • recognising nominalisation in formal texts
  • converting verbs and adjectives into abstract nouns
  • unpacking nominalisations to restore clarity
  • replacing vague verbs with precise analytical verbs
  • judging when nominalisation improves or weakens writing

Curriculum: Australian Curriculum. We show specific outcome codes only where they have been verified against the official curriculum document.

What's next?

Completed: Precise Verbs and Nominalisation

  1. 1Analysing a Poem: Night Shift — Text Analysis
  2. 2Writing an Analytical Paragraph (PEEL/TEEL)
  3. 3Comparing Two Texts

How to use this worksheet

  1. Print the PDF or complete it on screen. Write the student's name and date at the top.
  2. Read the instructions for each part together before starting. Encourage working to be shown.
  3. Mark with the answer sheet. Use the model answers and success criteria as a guide rather than a single right answer.
  4. Record the score, celebrate what went well, then follow the "What's next" suggestion.

Common questions

Who is this worksheet for?

Year 10 students (typically ages 15–16) working on vocabulary. It is pitched at level 3 · challenge.

Are the answers included?

Yes. The PDF includes a full answer sheet with model answers and success criteria where there is more than one good answer. You can also view the answers online.

How long does it take?

About 25 minutes for 18 questions. Short, regular sessions work best: two or three a week beats one long one.

Do I need to sign up to download?

No. Click Download Free PDF and it opens immediately. It is free for personal, classroom and homeschool use.

What should we do next?

Try Analysing a Poem: Night Shift — Text Analysis.

Preview

Year 10 · English · Vocabulary

Precise Verbs and Nominalisation

Success Tutoring

Student name:

Date:

Score: /

Nominalisation makes writing dense; precise verbs make it sharp. Use the first to compress ideas and the second to say exactly what a text does.

Part A — Recognise the tools

Circle the best answer.

1.Nominalisation is the process of:
  1. Aturning a noun into a verb
  2. Bturning a verb or adjective into a noun
  3. Cadding a prefix to a word
  4. Dshortening a long word
2.Which sentence contains a nominalisation of the verb 'reduce'?
  1. AThe council reduced parking fees.
  2. BParking fees were reduced by the council.
  3. CThe reduction in parking fees pleased shoppers.
  4. DThe council will reduce parking fees next year.
3.Which is the most precise analytical verb to complete: 'The repeated image of locked doors ______ the character's isolation.'
  1. Ashows
  2. Bhas
  3. Creinforces
  4. Dis about
4.When does nominalisation weaken writing?
  1. AWhen it allows a complex idea to be named once and then discussed
  2. BWhen it piles up abstract nouns so the reader cannot tell who did what
  3. CWhen it is used in a topic sentence
  4. DWhen it appears in a science report
5.The noun formed from the adjective frequent is:
  1. Afrequently
  2. Bfrequence
  3. Cfrequency
  4. Dfrequentness

Part B — Nominalise

Rewrite each sentence so that the underlined verb or adjective becomes a noun. Keep the meaning the same.

6.Nominalise the underlined verb: 'The council decided to close the pool, which angered residents.'
7.Nominalise: 'Because the climate is changing, farmers are planting earlier.'
8.Nominalise the underlined adjective: 'The bridge was strong, which impressed the engineers.'
9.Nominalise: 'Students who participate regularly achieve more.'
10.Nominalise: 'The author repeats the word 'home', and this emphasises the narrator's longing.'

Part C — Unpack for clarity

These sentences are over-nominalised. Rewrite each with clear subjects and active verbs.

11.Unpack this sentence so the reader can see who did what: 'The implementation of the new policy by the school resulted in a reduction in lateness.'
12.Unpack: 'The failure of the committee to reach an agreement led to the postponement of the vote.'
13.Unpack: 'There was an expectation among parents of improved communication from the school.'
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Created by
Success Tutoring
Last reviewed
1 October 2026
How it was made
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