Help with vocabulary

Advanced Academic English – Vocabulary Syllabus (based on Cambridge Advanced Academic English in Use

General themes are given, together with examples of language that can be put into practical use

Many of the examples given are to illustrate the potential for advanced use (CEFR C1-C2) as I realise it can be challenging when learners reach these stages to feel as though they are progressing.

Language can also be delivered at B2 level, with the extent of broadening the student’s ability to communicate using academic writing skills, moving away from more basic and direct modes of expression)

The list is intended to provide students with a convenient reference point if they wish to choose a particular area of focus

Introduction – review and use of general academic language. This can also be a main focus for less experienced students

• Academic nouns (on the subject of, theme, model, aspect of, be beyond the scope of)

• Academic verbs (develop, establish, assume, illustrate, carry out)

• Academic adjectives (relative to, be relevant to, abstract, qualitative,

  quantitative, apparent, potential)

• Academic adverbs (comparatively, explicitly, specifically, merely)

• Prepositional phrases (in line with, to some extent, in conjunction with)

• Verbs and prepositions (amounts to, can be traced to, can be attributed to)

• Verbs and noun combinations (be loosely based on, be invariably demonstrated by, exhaustively discussed)

• Adjectives and nouns (significant elements of, widespread use of, inevitable outcome)

• Nouns and collocations (a recent phenomenon, a heated debate, a representative sample)

• Metaphors and idioms (a glaring discrepancy between, shed new light on, maintain a united front towards, remain in the dark about something).

• Academic phrasal verbs (put forward, point out, set out, go against)

• Quantifying expressions (exceeding, the bulk of, a great deal of)

More detailed use of academic English (building on and adding to the language developed above)

• Language for facts, evidence and data (empirical, striking, illuminate, stem from)

• Words for dealing with numbers (incidence, magnitude of, aggregate)

• Language for dealing with statistics (proportion, ratio, volume, deviation from the norm)

• Expressions connected with graphs and diagrams (plotting, random sample, plummet, fluctuate)

• Expressions associated with time (in the distant future, the emergence of, concurrent)

• Cause and effect (chain reaction, origin/source, trigger, induce)

• Talking about ideas (concept, framework, model, notion, stance, viewpoint)

• Reporting what other says (imply, assets, contend, implication, point of contention)

• Analysis of results (benefits (outweighing) drawbacks, come down on one side or another), point to, constitute)

• Conveying meaning (subtle distinctions, pertinent observations, nuances of meaning, shifts in perspective)

• Research and study aims (extending knowledge bases, into the wider debate, target a particular group)

• Conveying points of view (reactionary, (somewhat) conservative, a (potential) oversight, being overtly simplistic, deep-rooted prejudice)

• Degrees of certainty (presume that, allegedly, the perception is, absence of evidence to the contrary)

• Phrases for presenting an argument (even so, albeit, despite the fact, respectively)

• Language for organising writing (will address, (be concerned with, in the preceding section, as can be seen in)

• Making a presentation (run over, moving on, going back to, skip, take questions)

• Describing research methods (correlation between, cause-and-effect relationship, (not) be representative of, in depth, determine the relationship(s) between variables.

• Classifying (categories, components, hierarchy, genus, be subsumed under)

• Making connections (be synonymous with, have a mutual influence on, correspond to, the interplay between)

• Comparing and contrasting (analogies between, the (subtle/pronounced) distinction between, conversely)

• Describing problems (discrepancies in, pose a challenge to, reveal (a number of) shortcomings, mediate between)

• Describing situations (circumstances surrounding, taking the factors of….into account, be confined to, place restraints on)

• Processes and procedures (the emergence of, the application of, ratification of, utilise, to supplement)

• Describing change (transition to/from, diminish, fluctuate, perceptible change in, the status quo)

• Evaluation and emphasis (ground-breaking, be noteworthy that, be borne out by, seminal, flaws, be contradictory, lack hard evidence for)

• Summary and conclusion (recapitulate, bring to a close, the overall picture)