Page 125 - English - Teaching Academic Esl Writing

NOUNS ANDTHE NOUN PHRASE 111
In academic writing, nouns with the suffix -ness refer to characteriza- tions and states,whereas -ion nouns are particularly prevalent in the ac- ademic genre, where the suffix occurs in frequent and rare words.
The Most Common Nouns with -tionDerivations
infection production information reaction instruction relation ooperation situation organization variation
population
(Biberetal., 1999)
In terms of their semantic content, most gerunds and nominal- izations, which are frequent in generalizations, refer to concepts, ac- tions, and processes that would be difficult to convey by other lexical means. For example,
lure have the most to gain by developing, teaching, and protecting the prevailing institu- tions and culture. Culture normally justifies the institutions and structure, and institutions generally work to support the structure and culture. Together, social structure, culture, and institutions areimportant to what individuals do. (Charon, 1999,p. 125)
Gerunds, even more than nominalized nouns, refer to processes (some linguists actually call them process nouns)—for example:
developing (ideas)—development creating (software)—creation
observing (animals)—observation suggesting (new directions)—suggestion
In fact, one of the key differences between gerunds and nominalized nouns is that of a process referred to by means of gerund versus an abstraction, concept, or action expressed in nominalizations. Thus, instituting something is different from an institution and organizing from an organization. There are various derivations of both types that exist in only one form (e.g., reading, writing, teaching, learning, hoping or culture, moisture, revolution,possibility, probability}.
Traditionally, practically all L2 grammar books provide lists of verbs that are followed by gerunds, infinitives, or both (e.g., enjoy + swimming (but not
action
addition
application
association
communication examination concentration formation
direction distribution education equation
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