In English grammar, many words can change their form to serve different purposes. One common and useful change is turning a verb (an action word) into a noun (a naming word). This is called the formation of nouns from verbs. Learning this can help you build a stronger vocabulary, write better sentences, and speak more clearly. In this lesson, you will learn how to change verbs into nouns with easy examples. This will make your English grammar skills more powerful and flexible.
Let’s start from the basics.
What is a Verb?
A verb is a word that shows an action or state.
Examples:
- run, write, play, sing, teach
Use in Sentences:
- She writes a letter.
- They run every morning.
What is a Noun?
A noun is a word that shows the name of a person, place, thing, or idea.
Examples:
- teacher, school, book, happiness, singing
Use in Sentences:
- The writer writes a story.
- He has great happiness in his life.
Why Form Nouns from Verbs?
Forming nouns from verbs helps you to:
- Make formal sentences
- Express ideas clearly
- Use better vocabulary in writing
- Prepare for exams like IELTS, TOEFL, or school grammar tests
How Are Nouns Formed from Verbs?
Most verbs are changed into nouns by adding suffixes at the end. A suffix is a group of letters added to the end of a word to change its meaning or part of speech.
Rules for Formation of Nouns from Verbs
| Rule Type | Suffix Used | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Add -er or -or | -er / -or | To show a person who does the action | teach → teacher, act → actor |
| 2. Add -ion / -sion / -tion | -ion, -sion, -tion | To show the action or result of the verb | decide → decision, create → creation |
| 3. Add -ment | -ment | To show a state, action, or result | move → movement, enjoy → enjoyment |
| 4. Add -al | -al | To show the process or result | refuse → refusal, arrive → arrival |
| 5. Add -ance / -ence | -ance, -ence | To show state, quality, or condition | perform → performance, differ → difference |
| 6. Add -ing (Gerund) | -ing | To show the action itself (as a noun) | read → reading, write → writing |
| 7. Add -th | -th | To form abstract nouns from some verbs | grow → growth, die → death |
| 8. Irregular Changes | No fixed rule | Some verbs change to nouns without a common pattern | speak → speech, choose → choice |
| 9. Drop Silent ‘e’ + Suffix | -ion, -ment, etc. | If verb ends in silent ‘e’, drop it before adding suffix | decide → decision, create → creation |
| 10. Double Final Consonant | -ing or other suffixes | If verb ends with CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant), double last consonant | run → running, sit → sitting |
| 11. Change ‘y’ to ‘i’ | -er, -ance, etc. | If verb ends in consonant + ‘y’, change ‘y’ to ‘i’ before adding suffix | carry → carrier, apply → applicant |
Common Suffixes to Form Nouns
| Suffix | Use | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -er / -or | person who does the action | teach → teacher, act → actor |
| -ion / -tion / -sion | result or process | decide → decision, create → creation |
| -ment | result or state of action | move → movement, enjoy → enjoyment |
| -al | process or result | arrive → arrival, refuse → refusal |
| -ance / -ence | state or quality | perform → performance, differ → difference |
| -ing | action or process | read → reading, draw → drawing |
| -th | abstract noun from verb | grow → growth, die → death |
Examples: Verbs and Their Noun Forms
Here’s a list of commonly used verbs and their noun forms:
| No. | Verb | Noun | Suffix Used |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | act | action | -ion |
| 2 | move | movement | -ment |
| 3 | decide | decision | -sion |
| 4 | teach | teacher | -er |
| 5 | create | creation | -tion |
| 6 | perform | performance | -ance |
| 7 | grow | growth | -th |
| 8 | inform | information | -ation |
| 9 | speak | speaker | -er |
| 10 | die | death | -th |
| 11 | enjoy | enjoyment | -ment |
| 12 | arrive | arrival | -al |
| 13 | appear | appearance | -ance |
| 14 | differ | difference | -ence |
| 15 | write | writer | -er |
| 16 | build | builder | -er |
| 17 | direct | direction | -ion |
| 18 | compete | competition | -tion |
| 19 | explain | explanation | -ation |
| 20 | develop | development | -ment |
| 21 | manage | management | -ment |
| 22 | resist | resistance | -ance |
| 23 | refer | reference | -ence |
| 24 | govern | government | -ment |
| 25 | operate | operation | -ion |
| 26 | translate | translation | -ion |
| 27 | admire | admiration | -ation |
| 28 | confess | confession | -sion |
| 29 | protect | protection | -ion |
| 30 | propose | proposal | -al |
| 31 | oppose | opposition | -tion |
| 32 | suggest | suggestion | -ion |
| 33 | explore | exploration | -ation |
| 34 | fail | failure | -ure |
| 35 | behave | behavior | -ior |
| 36 | contribute | contribution | -tion |
| 37 | describe | description | -tion |
| 38 | permit | permission | -sion |
| 39 | impress | impression | -sion |
| 40 | select | selection | -ion |
| 41 | relate | relation | -ion |
| 42 | publish | publication | -ation |
| 43 | act | actor | -or |
| 44 | observe | observation | -ation |
| 45 | announce | announcement | -ment |
| 46 | argue | argument | -ment |
| 47 | instruct | instruction | -ion |
| 48 | employ | employment | -ment |
| 49 | investigate | investigation | -tion |
| 50 | sing | singer | -er |
Types of Nouns Formed from Verbs
1. Agent Nouns (Who does the action)
- Formed using: -er, -or
Examples:
- Teach → Teacher
- Act → Actor
- Sing → Singer
2. Action or Result Nouns
- Formed using: -ion, -ment, -al
Examples:
- Decide → Decision
- Move → Movement
- Arrive → Arrival
3. Abstract Nouns
These are ideas, feelings, or qualities.
- Formed using: -th, -ance, -ence
Examples:
- Grow → Growth
- Differ → Difference
- Perform → Performance
4. Gerund Nouns
Formed by adding: -ing
- These show action as a noun
Examples:
- Read → Reading
- Write → Writing
- Draw → Drawing
Examples in Sentences
- She teaches math. → She is a good teacher.
- He decided to go. → It was a wise decision.
- They moved fast. → The movement was quick.
- We enjoy music. → Our enjoyment was great.
- He performed well. → His performance was excellent.
Irregular Formations
Not all verbs follow a regular pattern. Some have irregular noun forms.
| Verb | Noun |
|---|---|
| speak | speech |
| choose | choice |
| grow | growth |
| die | death |
| live | life |
| know | knowledge |
Spelling Changes When Adding Suffixes
Sometimes spelling changes when adding suffixes. Here are a few rules:
Rule 1: Drop silent ‘e’
- Create → Creation
- Decide → Decision
Rule 2: Double the final consonant
- Run → Running
- Begin → Beginning
Rule 3: Change ‘y’ to ‘i’
- Study → Studier / Studious
- Carry → Carrier
Practice Activity
Change these verbs into noun forms:
- inform → __________
- grow → __________
- decide → __________
- move → __________
- perform → __________
- teach → __________
- die → __________
- create → __________
- speak → __________
- enjoy → __________
Answers: information, growth, decision, movement, performance, teacher, death, creation, speech, enjoyment
Use in Daily Speaking
Learning noun forms helps you:
- Sound more fluent
- Speak more formally
- Use correct grammar
Example Sentences:
- His arrival was a surprise.
- The creation of the app was smart.
- Her performance was excellent.
- I liked the movement of the story.
- The speaker was very confident.
FAQs
Q1. What is the noun form of “decide”?
A: The noun form is decision.
Q2. How do we form a noun from a verb?
A: By adding suffixes like -er, -ion, -ment, -al, etc.
Q3. Are all verbs regular in noun formation?
A: No. Some are irregular, like speak → speech.
Q4. Is “running” a verb or noun?
A: It can be both. In “I love running”, it’s a noun (gerund).
Q5. Why is this topic important?
A: It helps you speak and write better English.
Understanding how to form nouns from verbs is a key skill in English. It helps in making proper sentences, speaking clearly, and writing correctly. By learning the suffixes and practicing regularly, you can improve your grammar and vocabulary.
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