One of the most powerful techniques for scoring a Band 8 or 9 in IELTS Writing is nominalisation. Nominalisation is the process of turning verbs or adjectives into abstract nouns. This makes your writing sound much more objective, academic, and formal.
Converting Verbs to Nouns
Instead of using a simple verb to describe an action, you can use an abstract noun to describe the concept. Look at the difference in tone between these two sentences:
- Band 5.5: The government decided to invest in public transport, which improved the city a lot.
- Band 8.0: The government's decision to increase investment in public transport led to a significant improvement in the city.
In the second sentence, "decision," "investment," and "improvement" act as the core nouns, making the sentence structure far more sophisticated.
Converting Adjectives to Nouns
You can apply the same technique to adjectives.
- Band 5.5: The internet is very important for modern education.
- Band 8.0: The importance of the internet in modern education cannot be overstated.
Practicing this technique will completely transform the way your essays sound to the IELTS examiner.