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Nominalization in French worksheet with answers for French B2 (free PDF download)

Turning verbs into nouns for news style – French B2 worksheet with Zoé, the Français PDF coach

Quick answer: French nominalization replaces a verb with its noun, as in augmenter to l'augmentation. For French B2 students practising nominalization in French, this worksheet gives 20 problems from easy to hard: verb to noun, masculine or feminine and matching verbs and nouns. The answer key is on a separate page, and the worksheet is a free printable PDF.

These 20 problems train nominalization and journalistic style at CEFR B2: verb-to-noun pairs, gender, the passive and the transformation between headlines and full sentences. They begin with single words and end with short press-style writing.

The work follows the CEFR B2 reading standard. When you meet a headline, look for the noun that hides a verb and ask who did what.

Level: French B2 (CEFR upper intermediate) · Standards: CEFR B2, Reading

Problem 1 Verb to noun ★★★

Write the noun that matches each verb, with its article.

  1. augmenter
  2. décider
  3. ouvrir
  4. fermer
Worksheet figure: suffix chart showing -tion and -ance as feminine and -ment as masculineféminin-tion · -sion · -ance · -éemasculin-ment · -ageUse this chart for problems 1 to 5.
Noun endings sorted by gender.

Problem 2 Masculine or feminine ★★★

Write le or la (l’ if needed) before each noun.

  1. … licenciement
  2. … réduction
  3. … croissance
  4. … échec
  5. … départ

Problem 3 Matching verbs and nouns ★★★

Match each verb (1-4) with its noun (a-d).
1. réussir · 2. naître · 3. vendre · 4. accueillir
a) la vente · b) l’accueil · c) la naissance · d) la réussite

Problem 4 Noun to verb ★★★

Write the infinitive that matches each noun.

  1. la livraison
  2. l’achat
  3. le rejet
  4. la démission

Problem 5 Completing with the noun ★★★

Complete with the noun form of the verb in brackets, with its article.

  1. … (fermer) du musée est prévue en mars.
  2. … (augmenter) des loyers inquiète les étudiants.
  3. … (arriver) des invités a eu lieu à 19 h.

Problem 6 Simple passive ★★★

Put each sentence in the passive.

  1. Le maire inaugure le pont.
  2. La mairie annonce les résultats.
  3. Les ouvriers réparent la route.

Problem 7 Nominalizing short sentences ★★★

Rewrite as a noun group (start with the noun).

  1. Le gouvernement a réduit les impôts.
  2. Le magasin ferme ses portes.
  3. Les prix ont augmenté.

Problem 8 Passive in different tenses ★★★

Write the verb in the passive in the tense given.

  1. La loi (voter, passé composé) par l’Assemblée.
  2. Les billets (vendre, futur) en ligne.
  3. Le colis (livrer, imparfait) chaque matin.
Worksheet figure: passive pattern with the object becoming the subject, être and a past participle, and par plus the agentobjet→ sujetêtreparticipeaccordépar +agent
The four blocks of the passive.

Problem 9 Headlines into sentences ★★★

Rewrite each headline as a complete sentence.

  1. Hausse des prix du gaz en Bretagne
  2. Trois cyclistes blessés à Lyon
  3. Fermeture de l’usine de Lorient

Problem 10 Writing a headline ★★★

Write a short headline for: Le conseil municipal a voté la construction d’une nouvelle bibliothèque à Annecy.

Problem 11 Passive participle agreement ★★★

Choose the correct participle.

  1. Les candidates ont été (retenu / retenue / retenus / retenues).
  2. La décision a été (prise / pris / prises / prit) hier.
  3. Les mesures seront (annoncé / annoncée / annoncés / annoncées) lundi.

Problem 12 Correct the mistake ★★★

Correct the mistake in each sentence.

  1. Les tarifs a été augmenté par la mairie.
  2. L’ouvrant du musée est fixée à lundi.
  3. La licencient de trente employés choque la ville.

Problem 13 Two translations into French ★★★

Translate into French.

  1. The closure of the factory worries the town.
  2. The new rules were announced by the minister.

Problem 14 Translating headlines ★★★

Translate each headline into English.

  1. Grève dans les transports : trafic perturbé à Lille
  2. Hausse des loyers : les étudiants inquiets

Problem 15 Reading: a pool closes ★★★

Read the article and answer in English.

Fermeture de la piscine de Quimper. La piscine sera fermée dès lundi pour des travaux de rénovation. La réouverture est prévue en septembre, annonce la mairie. Les nageurs sont invités à utiliser le bassin de Concarneau.

  1. Why is the pool closing?
  2. When will it reopen?
  3. Find the noun for rouvrir.

Problem 16 Time clauses into nouns ★★★

Rewrite with a noun group instead of the clause.

  1. Quand le ministre est arrivé, les journalistes se sont levés.
  2. Comme le prix de l’essence a augmenté, les automobilistes protestent.

Problem 17 From noun to verb ★★★

Rewrite with verbs instead of nouns.

  1. Le rejet du projet par le conseil a surpris les habitants.
  2. Après la découverte de fissures dans le pont, la circulation a été coupée.

Problem 18 From active to headline ★★★

For Les pompiers ont sauvé trois randonneurs dans les Alpes., write a passive sentence, then a headline.

Problem 19 Three headlines and a lead ★★★

Write three headlines and one lead sentence for a local event, such as a night market in Bordeaux.

Problem 20 Short press article ★★★

Write 4 or 5 sentences in French about the opening or closure of a library. Use four nominalizations and one passive.

See the Nominalization In French worksheet answer key

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