academic word list essay writing

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• Academic vocab

The Academic Word List (AWL) The 570 headwords, and other forms, by level

For another look at the same content, check out YouTube » or Youku » , or the AWL infographic » .

This page describes the Academic Word List (AWL), giving information on what the AWL is , as well as a complete list of all words in the AWL . The list is rather static. More dynamic tools for understanding and using the AWL words can be found in other sections of the website, namely the AWL highlighter and gapfill maker , AWL tag cloud and gapfill maker , the AWL finder , and a vocabulary profiler . Other pages also contain information on how to use word lists as well as more detailed information on the main different word lists available for academic study .

What is the AWL?

The Academic Word List (AWL), developed by Averil Coxhead at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, contains 570 word families which frequently appear in academic texts, but which are not contained in the General Service List (GSL) . When compiling the list, the author found that the AWL covers around 10% of words in academic texts; if you are familiar with words in the GSL, which covers around 80% of words in written texts, you would have knowledge of approximately 90% of words in academic texts. The words in the AWL are not connected with any particular subject, meaning they are useful for all students.

The 570 word families of the AWL are divided into 10 lists (called sublists) according to how frequent they are. Sublist 1 has the most frequent word families, sublist 2 the next most frequent word families, up to sublist 10, which has the least frequent. Each sublist contains 60 word families, except for sublist 10, which only has 30.

The list below contains all 570 headwords in the AWL, along with sublist number, and related word forms. All words contain hyperlinks to the Wordnet dictionary , hosted on this site (definitions open in an alert box on the same page).

There is a downloadable copy of this list , with study guidance, in the vocabulary resources section .

Check out the Quizzes section for exercises to practise using words in the AWL.

The Academic Word List

Below is a complete copy of the Academic Word List. It shows headwords, sublist, and individual word forms. There are hyperlinks giving definitions. There is an alternative version of the list, with frequency information for individual word forms , on another page.

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Like the website? Try the books. This extract from Unlock the Academic Wordlist: Sublists 1-3 contains all sublist 1 words, plus exercises, answers and more!

Author: Sheldon Smith    ‖    Last modified: 05 March 2024.

Sheldon Smith is the founder and editor of EAPFoundation.com. He has been teaching English for Academic Purposes since 2004. Find out more about him in the about section and connect with him on Twitter , Facebook and LinkedIn .

The AWL highlighter allows you to highlight words from the AWL (Academic Word List) in any text you choose.

The Academic Word List (AWL) contains 570 word families which frequently appear in academic texts.

The Academic Collocation List (ACL) is a list containing 2,469 of the most frequent and useful collocations which occur in written academic English.

Academic vocabulary consists of general words, non-general academic words, and technical words.

Resources for vocabulary contains additional activities and information (requires users to be logged in).

Learning vocabulary depends on knowing how much to learn, the type of vocabulary to study, and how to study it properly.

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• 40 Useful Words and Phrases for Top-Notch Essays

To be truly brilliant, an essay needs to utilise the right language. You could make a great point, but if it’s not intelligently articulated, you almost needn’t have bothered.

Developing the language skills to build an argument and to write persuasively is crucial if you’re to write outstanding essays every time. In this article, we’re going to equip you with the words and phrases you need to write a top-notch essay, along with examples of how to utilise them.

It’s by no means an exhaustive list, and there will often be other ways of using the words and phrases we describe that we won’t have room to include, but there should be more than enough below to help you make an instant improvement to your essay-writing skills.

If you’re interested in developing your language and persuasive skills, Oxford Royale offers summer courses at its Oxford Summer School , Cambridge Summer School , London Summer School , San Francisco Summer School and Yale Summer School . You can study courses to learn english , prepare for careers in law , medicine , business , engineering and leadership.

General explaining

Let’s start by looking at language for general explanations of complex points.

1. In order to

Usage: “In order to” can be used to introduce an explanation for the purpose of an argument. Example: “In order to understand X, we need first to understand Y.”

2. In other words

Usage: Use “in other words” when you want to express something in a different way (more simply), to make it easier to understand, or to emphasise or expand on a point. Example: “Frogs are amphibians. In other words, they live on the land and in the water.”

3. To put it another way

Usage: This phrase is another way of saying “in other words”, and can be used in particularly complex points, when you feel that an alternative way of wording a problem may help the reader achieve a better understanding of its significance. Example: “Plants rely on photosynthesis. To put it another way, they will die without the sun.”

4. That is to say

Usage: “That is” and “that is to say” can be used to add further detail to your explanation, or to be more precise. Example: “Whales are mammals. That is to say, they must breathe air.”

5. To that end

Usage: Use “to that end” or “to this end” in a similar way to “in order to” or “so”. Example: “Zoologists have long sought to understand how animals communicate with each other. To that end, a new study has been launched that looks at elephant sounds and their possible meanings.”

Adding additional information to support a point

Students often make the mistake of using synonyms of “and” each time they want to add further information in support of a point they’re making, or to build an argument . Here are some cleverer ways of doing this.

6. Moreover

Usage: Employ “moreover” at the start of a sentence to add extra information in support of a point you’re making. Example: “Moreover, the results of a recent piece of research provide compelling evidence in support of…”

7. Furthermore

Usage:This is also generally used at the start of a sentence, to add extra information. Example: “Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that…”

8. What’s more

Usage: This is used in the same way as “moreover” and “furthermore”. Example: “What’s more, this isn’t the only evidence that supports this hypothesis.”

9. Likewise

Usage: Use “likewise” when you want to talk about something that agrees with what you’ve just mentioned. Example: “Scholar A believes X. Likewise, Scholar B argues compellingly in favour of this point of view.”

10. Similarly

Usage: Use “similarly” in the same way as “likewise”. Example: “Audiences at the time reacted with shock to Beethoven’s new work, because it was very different to what they were used to. Similarly, we have a tendency to react with surprise to the unfamiliar.”

11. Another key thing to remember

Usage: Use the phrase “another key point to remember” or “another key fact to remember” to introduce additional facts without using the word “also”. Example: “As a Romantic, Blake was a proponent of a closer relationship between humans and nature. Another key point to remember is that Blake was writing during the Industrial Revolution, which had a major impact on the world around him.”

12. As well as

Usage: Use “as well as” instead of “also” or “and”. Example: “Scholar A argued that this was due to X, as well as Y.”

13. Not only… but also

Usage: This wording is used to add an extra piece of information, often something that’s in some way more surprising or unexpected than the first piece of information. Example: “Not only did Edmund Hillary have the honour of being the first to reach the summit of Everest, but he was also appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.”

14. Coupled with

Usage: Used when considering two or more arguments at a time. Example: “Coupled with the literary evidence, the statistics paint a compelling view of…”

15. Firstly, secondly, thirdly…

Usage: This can be used to structure an argument, presenting facts clearly one after the other. Example: “There are many points in support of this view. Firstly, X. Secondly, Y. And thirdly, Z.

16. Not to mention/to say nothing of

Usage: “Not to mention” and “to say nothing of” can be used to add extra information with a bit of emphasis. Example: “The war caused unprecedented suffering to millions of people, not to mention its impact on the country’s economy.”

Words and phrases for demonstrating contrast

When you’re developing an argument, you will often need to present contrasting or opposing opinions or evidence – “it could show this, but it could also show this”, or “X says this, but Y disagrees”. This section covers words you can use instead of the “but” in these examples, to make your writing sound more intelligent and interesting.

17. However

Usage: Use “however” to introduce a point that disagrees with what you’ve just said. Example: “Scholar A thinks this. However, Scholar B reached a different conclusion.”

18. On the other hand

Usage: Usage of this phrase includes introducing a contrasting interpretation of the same piece of evidence, a different piece of evidence that suggests something else, or an opposing opinion. Example: “The historical evidence appears to suggest a clear-cut situation. On the other hand, the archaeological evidence presents a somewhat less straightforward picture of what happened that day.”

19. Having said that

Usage: Used in a similar manner to “on the other hand” or “but”. Example: “The historians are unanimous in telling us X, an agreement that suggests that this version of events must be an accurate account. Having said that, the archaeology tells a different story.”

20. By contrast/in comparison

Usage: Use “by contrast” or “in comparison” when you’re comparing and contrasting pieces of evidence. Example: “Scholar A’s opinion, then, is based on insufficient evidence. By contrast, Scholar B’s opinion seems more plausible.”

21. Then again

Usage: Use this to cast doubt on an assertion. Example: “Writer A asserts that this was the reason for what happened. Then again, it’s possible that he was being paid to say this.”

22. That said

Usage: This is used in the same way as “then again”. Example: “The evidence ostensibly appears to point to this conclusion. That said, much of the evidence is unreliable at best.”

Usage: Use this when you want to introduce a contrasting idea. Example: “Much of scholarship has focused on this evidence. Yet not everyone agrees that this is the most important aspect of the situation.”

Adding a proviso or acknowledging reservations

Sometimes, you may need to acknowledge a shortfalling in a piece of evidence, or add a proviso. Here are some ways of doing so.

24. Despite this

Usage: Use “despite this” or “in spite of this” when you want to outline a point that stands regardless of a shortfalling in the evidence. Example: “The sample size was small, but the results were important despite this.”

25. With this in mind

Usage: Use this when you want your reader to consider a point in the knowledge of something else. Example: “We’ve seen that the methods used in the 19th century study did not always live up to the rigorous standards expected in scientific research today, which makes it difficult to draw definite conclusions. With this in mind, let’s look at a more recent study to see how the results compare.”

26. Provided that

Usage: This means “on condition that”. You can also say “providing that” or just “providing” to mean the same thing. Example: “We may use this as evidence to support our argument, provided that we bear in mind the limitations of the methods used to obtain it.”

27. In view of/in light of

Usage: These phrases are used when something has shed light on something else. Example: “In light of the evidence from the 2013 study, we have a better understanding of…”

28. Nonetheless

Usage: This is similar to “despite this”. Example: “The study had its limitations, but it was nonetheless groundbreaking for its day.”

29. Nevertheless

Usage: This is the same as “nonetheless”. Example: “The study was flawed, but it was important nevertheless.”

30. Notwithstanding

Usage: This is another way of saying “nonetheless”. Example: “Notwithstanding the limitations of the methodology used, it was an important study in the development of how we view the workings of the human mind.”

Giving examples

Good essays always back up points with examples, but it’s going to get boring if you use the expression “for example” every time. Here are a couple of other ways of saying the same thing.

31. For instance

Example: “Some birds migrate to avoid harsher winter climates. Swallows, for instance, leave the UK in early winter and fly south…”

32. To give an illustration

Example: “To give an illustration of what I mean, let’s look at the case of…”

Signifying importance

When you want to demonstrate that a point is particularly important, there are several ways of highlighting it as such.

33. Significantly

Usage: Used to introduce a point that is loaded with meaning that might not be immediately apparent. Example: “Significantly, Tacitus omits to tell us the kind of gossip prevalent in Suetonius’ accounts of the same period.”

34. Notably

Usage: This can be used to mean “significantly” (as above), and it can also be used interchangeably with “in particular” (the example below demonstrates the first of these ways of using it). Example: “Actual figures are notably absent from Scholar A’s analysis.”

35. Importantly

Usage: Use “importantly” interchangeably with “significantly”. Example: “Importantly, Scholar A was being employed by X when he wrote this work, and was presumably therefore under pressure to portray the situation more favourably than he perhaps might otherwise have done.”

Summarising

You’ve almost made it to the end of the essay, but your work isn’t over yet. You need to end by wrapping up everything you’ve talked about, showing that you’ve considered the arguments on both sides and reached the most likely conclusion. Here are some words and phrases to help you.

36. In conclusion

Usage: Typically used to introduce the concluding paragraph or sentence of an essay, summarising what you’ve discussed in a broad overview. Example: “In conclusion, the evidence points almost exclusively to Argument A.”

37. Above all

Usage: Used to signify what you believe to be the most significant point, and the main takeaway from the essay. Example: “Above all, it seems pertinent to remember that…”

38. Persuasive

Usage: This is a useful word to use when summarising which argument you find most convincing. Example: “Scholar A’s point – that Constanze Mozart was motivated by financial gain – seems to me to be the most persuasive argument for her actions following Mozart’s death.”

39. Compelling

Usage: Use in the same way as “persuasive” above. Example: “The most compelling argument is presented by Scholar A.”

40. All things considered

Usage: This means “taking everything into account”. Example: “All things considered, it seems reasonable to assume that…”

How many of these words and phrases will you get into your next essay? And are any of your favourite essay terms missing from our list? Let us know in the comments below, or get in touch here to find out more about courses that can help you with your essays.

At Oxford Royale Academy, we offer a number of  summer school courses for young people who are keen to improve their essay writing skills. Click here to apply for one of our courses today, including law , business , medicine  and engineering .

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Academic Phrasebank

• GENERAL LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS
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The Academic Phrasebank is a general resource for academic writers. It aims to provide you with examples of some of the phraseological ‘nuts and bolts’ of writing organised according to the main sections of a research paper or dissertation (see the top menu ). Other phrases are listed under the more general communicative functions of academic writing (see the menu on the left). The resource should be particularly useful for writers who need to report their research work. The phrases, and the headings under which they are listed, can be used simply to assist you in thinking about the content and organisation of your own writing, or the phrases can be incorporated into your writing where this is appropriate. In most cases, a certain amount of creativity and adaptation will be necessary when a phrase is used. The items in the Academic Phrasebank are mostly content neutral and generic in nature; in using them, therefore, you are not stealing other people’s ideas and this does not constitute plagiarism. For some of the entries, specific content words have been included for illustrative purposes, and these should be substituted when the phrases are used. The resource was designed primarily for academic and scientific writers who are non-native speakers of English. However, native speaker writers may still find much of the material helpful. In fact, recent data suggest that the majority of users are native speakers of English. More about  Academic Phrasebank .

This site was created by  John Morley .  

Academic Phrasebank is the Intellectual Property of the University of Manchester.

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Words to Use in an Essay: 300 Essay Words

Hannah Yang

Table of Contents

Words to use in the essay introduction, words to use in the body of the essay, words to use in your essay conclusion, how to improve your essay writing vocabulary.

It’s not easy to write an academic essay .

Many students struggle to word their arguments in a logical and concise way.

To make matters worse, academic essays need to adhere to a certain level of formality, so we can’t always use the same word choices in essay writing that we would use in daily life.

If you’re struggling to choose the right words for your essay, don’t worry—you’ve come to the right place!

In this article, we’ve compiled a list of over 300 words and phrases to use in the introduction, body, and conclusion of your essay.

The introduction is one of the hardest parts of an essay to write.

You have only one chance to make a first impression, and you want to hook your reader. If the introduction isn’t effective, the reader might not even bother to read the rest of the essay.

That’s why it’s important to be thoughtful and deliberate with the words you choose at the beginning of your essay.

Many students use a quote in the introductory paragraph to establish credibility and set the tone for the rest of the essay.

When you’re referencing another author or speaker, try using some of these phrases:

To use the words of X

According to X

As X states

Example: To use the words of Hillary Clinton, “You cannot have maternal health without reproductive health.”

Near the end of the introduction, you should state the thesis to explain the central point of your paper.

If you’re not sure how to introduce your thesis, try using some of these phrases:

In this essay, I will…

The purpose of this essay…

This essay discusses…

In this paper, I put forward the claim that…

There are three main arguments for…

Example: In this essay, I will explain why dress codes in public schools are detrimental to students.

After you’ve stated your thesis, it’s time to start presenting the arguments you’ll use to back up that central idea.

When you’re introducing the first of a series of arguments, you can use the following words:

First and foremost

First of all

To begin with

Example: First , consider the effects that this new social security policy would have on low-income taxpayers.

All these words and phrases will help you create a more successful introduction and convince your audience to read on.

The body of your essay is where you’ll explain your core arguments and present your evidence.

It’s important to choose words and phrases for the body of your essay that will help the reader understand your position and convince them you’ve done your research.

Let’s look at some different types of words and phrases that you can use in the body of your essay, as well as some examples of what these words look like in a sentence.

Transition Words and Phrases

Transitioning from one argument to another is crucial for a good essay.

It’s important to guide your reader from one idea to the next so they don’t get lost or feel like you’re jumping around at random.

Transition phrases and linking words show your reader you’re about to move from one argument to the next, smoothing out their reading experience. They also make your writing look more professional.

The simplest transition involves moving from one idea to a separate one that supports the same overall argument. Try using these phrases when you want to introduce a second correlating idea:

Additionally

In addition

Furthermore

Another key thing to remember

In the same way

Correspondingly

Example: Additionally , public parks increase property value because home buyers prefer houses that are located close to green, open spaces.

Another type of transition involves restating. It’s often useful to restate complex ideas in simpler terms to help the reader digest them. When you’re restating an idea, you can use the following words:

In other words

To put it another way

That is to say

To put it more simply

Example: “The research showed that 53% of students surveyed expressed a mild or strong preference for more on-campus housing. In other words , over half the students wanted more dormitory options.”

Often, you’ll need to provide examples to illustrate your point more clearly for the reader. When you’re about to give an example of something you just said, you can use the following words:

For instance

To give an illustration of

To exemplify

To demonstrate

As evidence

Example: Humans have long tried to exert control over our natural environment. For instance , engineers reversed the Chicago River in 1900, causing it to permanently flow backward.

Sometimes, you’ll need to explain the impact or consequence of something you’ve just said.

When you’re drawing a conclusion from evidence you’ve presented, try using the following words:

As a result

Accordingly

As you can see

This suggests that

It follows that

It can be seen that

For this reason

For all of those reasons

Consequently

Example: “There wasn’t enough government funding to support the rest of the physics experiment. Thus , the team was forced to shut down their experiment in 1996.”

When introducing an idea that bolsters one you’ve already stated, or adds another important aspect to that same argument, you can use the following words:

What’s more

Not only…but also

Not to mention

To say nothing of

Another key point

Example: The volcanic eruption disrupted hundreds of thousands of people. Moreover , it impacted the local flora and fauna as well, causing nearly a hundred species to go extinct.

Often, you'll want to present two sides of the same argument. When you need to compare and contrast ideas, you can use the following words:

On the one hand / on the other hand

Alternatively

In contrast to

On the contrary

By contrast

In comparison

Example: On the one hand , the Black Death was undoubtedly a tragedy because it killed millions of Europeans. On the other hand , it created better living conditions for the peasants who survived.

Finally, when you’re introducing a new angle that contradicts your previous idea, you can use the following phrases:

Having said that

Differing from

In spite of

With this in mind

Provided that

Nevertheless

Nonetheless

Notwithstanding

Example: Shakespearean plays are classic works of literature that have stood the test of time. Having said that , I would argue that Shakespeare isn’t the most accessible form of literature to teach students in the twenty-first century.

Good essays include multiple types of logic. You can use a combination of the transitions above to create a strong, clear structure throughout the body of your essay.

Strong Verbs for Academic Writing

Verbs are especially important for writing clear essays. Often, you can convey a nuanced meaning simply by choosing the right verb.

You should use strong verbs that are precise and dynamic. Whenever possible, you should use an unambiguous verb, rather than a generic verb.

For example, alter and fluctuate are stronger verbs than change , because they give the reader more descriptive detail.

Here are some useful verbs that will help make your essay shine.

Verbs that show change:

Accommodate

Verbs that relate to causing or impacting something:

Verbs that show increase:

Verbs that show decrease:

Deteriorate

Verbs that relate to parts of a whole:

Comprises of

Is composed of

Constitutes

Encompasses

Incorporates

Verbs that show a negative stance:

Misconstrue

Verbs that show a positive stance:

Substantiate

Verbs that relate to drawing conclusions from evidence:

Corroborate

Demonstrate

Verbs that relate to thinking and analysis:

Contemplate

Hypothesize

Investigate

Verbs that relate to showing information in a visual format:

Useful Adjectives and Adverbs for Academic Essays

You should use adjectives and adverbs more sparingly than verbs when writing essays, since they sometimes add unnecessary fluff to sentences.

However, choosing the right adjectives and adverbs can help add detail and sophistication to your essay.

Sometimes you'll need to use an adjective to show that a finding or argument is useful and should be taken seriously. Here are some adjectives that create positive emphasis:

Significant

Other times, you'll need to use an adjective to show that a finding or argument is harmful or ineffective. Here are some adjectives that create a negative emphasis:

Controversial

Insignificant

Questionable

Unnecessary

Unrealistic

Finally, you might need to use an adverb to lend nuance to a sentence, or to express a specific degree of certainty. Here are some examples of adverbs that are often used in essays:

Comprehensively

Exhaustively

Extensively

Respectively

Surprisingly

Using these words will help you successfully convey the key points you want to express. Once you’ve nailed the body of your essay, it’s time to move on to the conclusion.

The conclusion of your paper is important for synthesizing the arguments you’ve laid out and restating your thesis.

In your concluding paragraph, try using some of these essay words:

In conclusion

To summarize

In a nutshell

Given the above

As described

All things considered

Example: In conclusion , it’s imperative that we take action to address climate change before we lose our coral reefs forever.

In addition to simply summarizing the key points from the body of your essay, you should also add some final takeaways. Give the reader your final opinion and a bit of a food for thought.

To place emphasis on a certain point or a key fact, use these essay words:

Unquestionably

Undoubtedly

Particularly

Importantly

Conclusively

It should be noted

On the whole

Example: Ada Lovelace is unquestionably a powerful role model for young girls around the world, and more of our public school curricula should include her as a historical figure.

These concluding phrases will help you finish writing your essay in a strong, confident way.

There are many useful essay words out there that we didn't include in this article, because they are specific to certain topics.

If you're writing about biology, for example, you will need to use different terminology than if you're writing about literature.

So how do you improve your vocabulary skills?

The vocabulary you use in your academic writing is a toolkit you can build up over time, as long as you take the time to learn new words.

One way to increase your vocabulary is by looking up words you don’t know when you’re reading.

Try reading more books and academic articles in the field you’re writing about and jotting down all the new words you find. You can use these words to bolster your own essays.

You can also consult a dictionary or a thesaurus. When you’re using a word you’re not confident about, researching its meaning and common synonyms can help you make sure it belongs in your essay.

Don't be afraid of using simpler words. Good essay writing boils down to choosing the best word to convey what you need to say, not the fanciest word possible.

Finally, you can use ProWritingAid’s synonym tool or essay checker to find more precise and sophisticated vocabulary. Click on weak words in your essay to find stronger alternatives.

There you have it: our compilation of the best words and phrases to use in your next essay . Good luck!

Good writing = better grades

ProWritingAid will help you improve the style, strength, and clarity of all your assignments.

Hannah Yang is a speculative fiction writer who writes about all things strange and surreal. Her work has appeared in Analog Science Fiction, Apex Magazine, The Dark, and elsewhere, and two of her stories have been finalists for the Locus Award. Her favorite hobbies include watercolor painting, playing guitar, and rock climbing. You can follow her work on hannahyang.com, or subscribe to her newsletter for publication updates.

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The Academic Word List from the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English

The Academic Word List

• constitutional
• distribution
• environmental
• authoritative
• availability
• beneficiary
• consistency
• consistently
• constituency
• constituent 1
• constitution
• constitutive
• contextualize
• derivative 1
• distributive
• distributor
• economically
• environment
• environmentalist
• established
• establishment
• financially
• formulation
• functionally
• identifiable
• identification
• inconsistency

Academic vocabulary and academic word lists (AWL)

Improving academic vocabulary skills is an important aspect of any language study at university level. Academic vocabulary can be seen everywhere: in textbooks, journals, lecture handouts, exam papers, essays, assignments, etc. However, vocabulary skills do not improve simply through a natural, effortless process; one has to be as 'active' as possible in dealing with vocabulary, right from the start.

The harder you work on your vocabulary, and the more actively you study, the better your assignments will be, and the more efficient your reading will be too. So the rewards from studying vocabulary are considerable.

1. What is academic vocabulary? Are there any academic word lists?

2. How can I learn vocabulary quickly?

• Recommended books  

Ten best tips for improving one's use of academic vocabulary

What is academic vocabulary are there any academic word lists.

There have been many attempts to define what exactly academic vocabulary is. Many people think that academic vocabulary is more 'difficult' than general English vocabulary. However, academic vocabulary is not necessarily 'difficult vocabulary'; using academic words is more a question of finding appropriate language, in a suitable style, than anything else.

As this web page is essentially a practical one, designed for students rather than researchers, we will indicate only one piece of research that is likely to be particularly useful. This is the AWL (Academic Word List); a list of academic words devised by Averil Coxhead, a researcher based in New Zealand.

In order to build up this word list, Coxhead spent some time placing on computer several hundred written academic texts (that is, about 3.5 million words in total). She then analysed them to see which ones were used most frequently.

The 570 words on the Academic Word List are all thought to be important for students preparing for academic study. If you study these words, and try to use them actively, it will help you to use English vocabulary more successfully, regardless of your study discipline.

The AWL can be accessed at the following website: http://www.victoria.ac.nz/lals/resources/academicwordlist/

There are some exercises on the sub-lists here .

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How can I learn vocabulary quickly?

It can be very difficult to learn new words or phrases. Academic language can often seem very abstract and the more abstract it is, the less memorable it is. In order to improve one's use of academic vocabulary, it is useful to bear in mind some of the principles of what may be termed 'accelerated learning'.

There are six generally agreed 'stages' of accelerated learning; these are as follows :

• Getting into a suitable state of mind.
• Using the senses to acquire information.
• Understanding what you are trying to learn.
• Memorising what you are trying to learn.
• Using what you are trying to learn actively.
• Providing feedback on what you have learned.

Most of us are very familiar with the first four of these procedures, but in fact, very few of us may manage to use actively the language that we have learned (or think we have learned), as in Stage 5. This is a big part of the problem; the words we come across very often stay at a 'receptive' level, and do not quite reach our active vocabulary.

So - what can we do to actively use what we are trying to learn? Some suggestions that have been made by our students in the past are as follows :

• Use mind maps to draw relationships between different words.
• Put word families/groups on one page in your vocabulary book.
• Listen to classical music (Mozart is best) before you work.
• Use mnemonic devices (that is, a word whose first letters give you the key to other important words).
• Put key words into a short story.
• Talk to someone else about what you have learned.
• Imagine the most absurd scenario to make the information more memorable.
• Write words and vocabulary notes using different colours.
• Walk around as you are trying to remember; movement helps. I did most of my revision for my RSA teaching diploma examinations by walking along the beach at Westgate carrying cue cards (true story!), not sitting at my desk.
• In short , never just do nothing - always do something!

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Recommended books for developing academic vocabulary

We especially recommend:

This book is based on research by I.S.P. Nation (1990), who drew up a well-known vocabulary list of 800 items ranked according to their frequency, across a range of academic texts.

David Porter uses this academic word list as the basis for a range of useful exercises: filling in the gaps, choosing the right word, word substitution, collocations and sentence completion.

This book is ideal for self-study.

Learning vocabulary effectively is linked to one's preferred learning style, and so is a very personal matter; what works for one student may not work for another. Some students like to stick Post-it notes on their door to remind them of the words; others prefer to learn lists of unconnected words, out of context. One student I remember tried to learn the dictionary from A to Z, highlighting words that he didn't know. This may seem a very bizarre strategy to some, but at least it worked, in a sense, for the student concerned. The important thing to remember is that there is no 'do nothing' option - whatever you do to learn vocabulary is always better than doing nothing at all and hoping that vocabulary will be acquired 'naturally'.  

Here are some further tips:

• Read actively with paper and pencil to hand and make a note of academic words and phrases that seem to be particularly useful and try and learn them.
• Note how experienced writers use vocabulary, and try to imitate their use of it if you can (without copying ideas, of course).
• Explore relationships between words. For most people, learning vocabulary remains at a surface level and simply involves memorising the word or phrase in translation, however, try to look at relationships between words (e.g. word families) and word formation (e.g. prefixes, suffixes, etc).
• Use Latin-based words in favour of phrasal verbs where you have a choice e.g. 'to get on with' could be replaced by 'to have a good relationship with'. This is referred to as a 'lexical shift', and is important in academic writing .
• Use a dictionary and thesaurus where appropriate; do not just assume that a word exists without checking it first.
• Make sure you write the word you are using in the correct part of speech; do you need the noun form, the verb form or the adjective?
• Avoid the use of 'boring' words such as 'advantage', 'problem', 'good', 'bad', 'interesting' and replace these with something more descriptive.
• Do not use the same word twice in a sentence or close together in a paragraph or text.
• Aim to express your meaning very precisely. For example, note the difference between apparently similar verbs such as 'suggest', 'indicate', 'emphasise', 'point out'.

And perhaps most importantly of all:

• Try to keep good vocabulary records; your records should include, as a minimum, the word or phrase, a translation, information about how to pronounce the word (word stress, phonetics, etc), an example of the word or phrase in a sentence, etc. Make a conscious decision as to whether you want to use the words actively (active vocabulary) or whether you just want to be able to recognise them (passive vocabulary).

Words To Use In Essays: Amplifying Your Academic Writing

Use this comprehensive list of words to use in essays to elevate your writing. Make an impression and score higher grades with this guide!

Words play a fundamental role in the domain of essay writing, as they have the power to shape ideas, influence readers, and convey messages with precision and impact. Choosing the right words to use in essays is not merely a matter of filling pages, but rather a deliberate process aimed at enhancing the quality of the writing and effectively communicating complex ideas. In this article, we will explore the importance of selecting appropriate words for essays and provide valuable insights into the types of words that can elevate the essay to new heights.

Words To Use In Essays

Using a wide range of words can make your essay stronger and more impressive. With the incorporation of carefully chosen words that communicate complex ideas with precision and eloquence, the writer can elevate the quality of their essay and captivate readers.

This list serves as an introduction to a range of impactful words that can be integrated into writing, enabling the writer to express thoughts with depth and clarity.

Significantly

Furthermore

Nonetheless

Nevertheless

Consequently

Accordingly

Subsequently

In contrast

Alternatively

Implications

Substantially

Transition Words And Phrases

Transition words and phrases are essential linguistic tools that connect ideas, sentences, and paragraphs within a text. They work like bridges, facilitating the transitions between different parts of an essay or any other written work. These transitional elements conduct the flow and coherence of the writing, making it easier for readers to follow the author’s train of thought.

Here are some examples of common transition words and phrases:

Furthermore: Additionally; moreover.

However: Nevertheless; on the other hand.

In contrast: On the contrary; conversely.

Therefore: Consequently; as a result.

Similarly: Likewise; in the same way.

Moreover: Furthermore; besides.

In addition: Additionally; also.

Nonetheless: Nevertheless; regardless.

Nevertheless: However; even so.

On the other hand: Conversely; in contrast.

These are just a few examples of the many transition words and phrases available. They help create coherence, improve the organization of ideas, and guide readers through the logical progression of the text. When used effectively, transition words and phrases can significantly guide clarity for writing.

Strong Verbs For Academic Writing

Strong verbs are an essential component of academic writing as they add precision, clarity, and impact to sentences. They convey actions, intentions, and outcomes in a more powerful and concise manner. Here are some examples of strong verbs commonly used in academic writing:

Analyze: Examine in detail to understand the components or structure.

Critique: Assess or evaluate the strengths and weaknesses.

Demonstrate: Show the evidence to support a claim or argument.

Illuminate: Clarify or make something clearer.

Explicate: Explain in detail a thorough interpretation.

Synthesize: Combine or integrate information to create a new understanding.

Propose: Put forward or suggest a theory, idea, or solution.

Refute: Disprove or argue against a claim or viewpoint.

Validate: Confirm or prove the accuracy or validity of something.

Advocate: Support or argue in favor of a particular position or viewpoint.

Adjectives And Adverbs For Academic Essays

Useful adjectives and adverbs are valuable tools in academic writing as they enhance the description, precision, and depth of arguments and analysis. They provide specific details, emphasize key points, and add nuance to writing. Here are some examples of useful adjectives and adverbs commonly used in academic essays:

Comprehensive: Covering all aspects or elements; thorough.

Crucial: Extremely important or essential.

Prominent: Well-known or widely recognized; notable.

Substantial: Considerable in size, extent, or importance.

Valid: Well-founded or logically sound; acceptable or authoritative.

Effectively: In a manner that produces the desired result or outcome.

Significantly: To a considerable extent or degree; notably.

Consequently: As a result or effect of something.

Precisely: Exactly or accurately; with great attention to detail.

Critically: In a careful and analytical manner; with careful evaluation or assessment.

Words To Use In The Essay Introduction

The words used in the essay introduction play a crucial role in capturing the reader’s attention and setting the tone for the rest of the essay. They should be engaging, informative, and persuasive. Here are some examples of words that can be effectively used in the essay introduction:

Intriguing: A word that sparks curiosity and captures the reader’s interest from the beginning.

Compelling: Conveys the idea that the topic is interesting and worth exploring further.

Provocative: Creates a sense of controversy or thought-provoking ideas.

Insightful: Suggests that the essay will produce valuable and thought-provoking insights.

Startling: Indicates that the essay will present surprising or unexpected information or perspectives.

Relevant: Emphasizes the significance of the topic and its connection to broader issues or current events.

Timely: Indicates that the essay addresses a subject of current relevance or importance.

Thoughtful: Implies that the essay will offer well-considered and carefully developed arguments.

Persuasive: Suggests that the essay will present compelling arguments to convince the reader.

Captivating: Indicates that the essay will hold the reader’s attention and be engaging throughout.

Words To Use In The Body Of The Essay

The words used in the body of the essay are essential for effectively conveying ideas, providing evidence, and developing arguments. They should be clear, precise, and demonstrate a strong command of the subject matter. Here are some examples of words that can be used in the body of the essay:

Evidence: When presenting supporting information or data, words such as “data,” “research,” “studies,” “findings,” “examples,” or “statistics” can be used to strengthen arguments.

Analysis: To discuss and interpret the evidence, words like “analyze,” “examine,” “explore,” “interpret,” or “assess” can be employed to demonstrate a critical evaluation of the topic.

Comparison: When drawing comparisons or making contrasts, words like “similarly,” “likewise,” “in contrast,” “on the other hand,” or “conversely” can be used to highlight similarities or differences.

Cause and effect: To explain the relationship between causes and consequences, words such as “because,” “due to,” “leads to,” “results in,” or “causes” can be utilized.

Sequence: When discussing a series of events or steps, words like “first,” “next,” “then,” “finally,” “subsequently,” or “consequently” can be used to indicate the order or progression.

Emphasis: To emphasize a particular point or idea, words such as “notably,” “significantly,” “crucially,” “importantly,” or “remarkably” can be employed.

Clarification: When providing further clarification or elaboration, words like “specifically,” “in other words,” “for instance,” “to illustrate,” or “to clarify” can be used.

Integration: To show the relationship between different ideas or concepts, words such as “moreover,” “furthermore,” “additionally,” “likewise,” or “similarly” can be utilized.

Conclusion: When summarizing or drawing conclusions, words like “in conclusion,” “to summarize,” “overall,” “in summary,” or “to conclude” can be employed to wrap up ideas.

Remember to use these words appropriately and contextually, ensuring they strengthen the coherence and flow of arguments. They should serve as effective transitions and connectors between ideas, enhancing the overall clarity and persuasiveness of the essay.

Words To Use In Essay Conclusion

The words used in the essay conclusion are crucial for effectively summarizing the main points, reinforcing arguments, and leaving a lasting impression on the reader. They should bring a sense of closure to the essay while highlighting the significance of ideas. Here are some examples of words that can be used in the essay conclusion:

Summary: To summarize the main points, these words can be used “in summary,” “to sum up,” “in conclusion,” “to recap,” or “overall.”

Reinforcement: To reinforce arguments and emphasize their importance, words such as “crucial,” “essential,” “significant,” “noteworthy,” or “compelling” can be employed.

Implication: To discuss the broader implications of ideas or findings, words like “consequently,” “therefore,” “thus,” “hence,” or “as a result” can be utilized.

Call to action: If applicable, words that encourage further action or reflection can be used, such as “we must,” “it is essential to,” “let us consider,” or “we should.”

Future perspective: To discuss future possibilities or developments related to the topic, words like “potential,” “future research,” “emerging trends,” or “further investigation” can be employed.

Reflection: To reflect on the significance or impact of arguments, words such as “profound,” “notable,” “thought-provoking,” “transformative,” or “perspective-shifting” can be used.

Final thought: To leave a lasting impression, words or phrases that summarize the main idea or evoke a sense of thoughtfulness can be used, such as “food for thought,” “in light of this,” “to ponder,” or “to consider.”

How To Improve Essay Writing Vocabulary

Improving essay writing vocabulary is essential for effectively expressing ideas, demonstrating a strong command of the language, and engaging readers. Here are some strategies to enhance the essay writing vocabulary:

• Read extensively: Reading a wide range of materials, such as books, articles, and essays, can give various writing styles, topics, and vocabulary. Pay attention to new words and their usage, and try incorporating them into the writing.
• Use a dictionary and thesaurus:  Look up unfamiliar words in a dictionary to understand their meanings and usage. Additionally, utilize a thesaurus to find synonyms and antonyms to expand word choices and avoid repetition.
• Create a word bank: To create a word bank, read extensively, write down unfamiliar or interesting words, and explore their meanings and usage. Organize them by categories or themes for easy reference, and practice incorporating them into writing to expand the vocabulary.
• Contextualize vocabulary: Simply memorizing new words won’t be sufficient; it’s crucial to understand their proper usage and context. Pay attention to how words are used in different contexts, sentence structures, and rhetorical devices. 

How To Add Additional Information To Support A Point

When writing an essay and wanting to add additional information to support a point, you can use various transitional words and phrases. Here are some examples:

Furthermore: Add more information or evidence to support the previous point.

Additionally: Indicates an additional supporting idea or evidence.

Moreover: Emphasizes the importance or significance of the added information.

In addition: Signals the inclusion of another supporting detail.

Furthermore, it is important to note: Introduces an additional aspect or consideration related to the topic.

Not only that, but also: Highlights an additional point that strengthens the argument.

Equally important: Emphasizes the equal significance of the added information.

Another key point: Introduces another important supporting idea.

It is worth noting: Draws attention to a noteworthy detail that supports the point being made.

Additionally, it is essential to consider: Indicates the need to consider another aspect or perspective.

Using these transitional words and phrases will help you seamlessly integrate additional information into your essay, enhancing the clarity and persuasiveness of your arguments.

Words And Phrases That Demonstrate Contrast

When crafting an essay, it is crucial to effectively showcase contrast, enabling the presentation of opposing ideas or the highlighting of differences between concepts. The adept use of suitable words and phrases allows for the clear communication of contrast, bolstering the strength of arguments. Consider the following examples of commonly employed words and phrases to illustrate the contrast in essays:

However: e.g., “The experiment yielded promising results; however, further analysis is needed to draw conclusive findings.”

On the other hand: e.g., “Some argue for stricter gun control laws, while others, on the other hand, advocate for individual rights to bear arms.”

Conversely: e.g., “While the study suggests a positive correlation between exercise and weight loss, conversely, other research indicates that diet plays a more significant role.”

Nevertheless: e.g., “The data shows a decline in crime rates; nevertheless, public safety remains a concern for many citizens.”

In contrast: e.g., “The economic policies of Country A focus on free-market principles. In contrast, Country B implements more interventionist measures.”

Despite: e.g., “Despite the initial setbacks, the team persevered and ultimately achieved success.”

Although: e.g., “Although the participants had varying levels of experience, they all completed the task successfully.”

While: e.g., “While some argue for stricter regulations, others contend that personal responsibility should prevail.”

Words To Use For Giving Examples

When writing an essay and providing examples to illustrate your points, you can use a variety of words and phrases to introduce those examples. Here are some examples:

For instance: Introduces a specific example to support or illustrate your point.

For example: Give an example to clarify or demonstrate your argument.

Such as: Indicates that you are providing a specific example or examples.

To illustrate: Signals that you are using an example to explain or emphasize your point.

One example is: Introduces a specific instance that exemplifies your argument.

In particular: Highlights a specific example that is especially relevant to your point.

As an illustration: Introduces an example that serves as a visual or concrete representation of your point.

A case in point: Highlights a specific example that serves as evidence or proof of your argument.

To demonstrate: Indicates that you are providing an example to show or prove your point.

To exemplify: Signals that you are using an example to illustrate or clarify your argument.

Using these words and phrases will help you effectively incorporate examples into your essay, making your arguments more persuasive and relatable. Remember to give clear and concise examples that directly support your main points.

Words To Signifying Importance

When writing an essay and wanting to signify the importance of a particular point or idea, you can use various words and phrases to convey this emphasis. Here are some examples:

Crucially: Indicates that the point being made is of critical importance.

Significantly: Highlights the importance or significance of the idea or information.

Importantly: Draws attention to the crucial nature of the point being discussed.

Notably: Emphasizes that the information or idea is particularly worthy of attention.

It is vital to note: Indicates that the point being made is essential and should be acknowledged.

It should be emphasized: Draws attention to the need to give special importance or focus to the point being made.

A key consideration is: Highlight that the particular idea or information is a central aspect of the discussion.

It is critical to recognize: Emphasizes that the understanding or acknowledgment of the point is crucial.

Using these words and phrases will help you convey the importance and significance of specific points or ideas in your essay, ensuring that readers recognize their significance and impact on the overall argument.

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Academic Writing Resources – Academic PhraseBank | Academic Vocabulary & Word Lists

1. ref-n-write phrasebank for writing research papers.

REF-N-WRITE phrase bank contains a comprehensive collection of the phrases that you can readily use to write your research paper.  The site contains plenty of academic phrases, sentence stubs and academic vocabulary that covers various sections of the paper – abstract, introduction, materials & methods, results, discussion, conclusion, acknowledgments, and appendix. The academic phrases and vocabulary were extracted from a wide collection of scientific research papers. The phrases and sentence stubs provided on the site are very generic, so there will not be any copyright or plagiarism implications if you use them directly in your papers. This is a perfect place to start if you are writing your first research paper or if you are a non-native English speaker. There is also a nice tutorial explaining how to write a research paper with a brief description of various sections that constitute a research paper.

Click here to go to REF-N-WRITE Academic Phrasebank for Research Paper Writing ….

2. Manchester PhraseBank for General Academic Writing

This Academic phrase bank is the most popular general resource for academic writers created by Dr. John Morley at the University of Manchester. It provides phraseological ideas for the main sections of a research paper or dissertation. The phrases cover various aspects of academic writing and are categorised under following sections: (1) Being critical, (2) Being cautious, (3) Classifying and listing, (4) Compare and contrast, (5) Defining terms, (6) Describing trends, (7) Describing quantities, (8) Explaining causality, (9) Giving examples as support, (10) Signalling transition, and (11) Writing about the past. Even though, the resource was designed primarily for academic and scientific writers who are non-native speakers of English, however native speaker writers may still find much of the material helpful. There is a general section covering topics such as (1) Academic style, (2) Commonly confused words, (3) British and US spelling, Punctuation, (3) Using articles, (4) Sentence structure, (5) Paragraph structure and (6) Helpful tips for writers. The Academic Phrasebank is not discipline specific. The phrases provided in the site are content neutral and generic in nature and hence using them, will not constitute plagiarism or stealing others ideas.

Click here to go to Manchester Phrasebank for Academic Writing ….

3. UEFAP (Using English for Academic Purposes For Students in Higher Education)

The UEFAP site has plenty of resources in academic writing. The site is maintained by Andy Gillett – the author the book “Successful Academic Writing.” This site touches upon various elements of academic writing and is organised under following sections: (1) Functions; (2) Paragraphs; (3) Plagiarism; (4) reporting; (5) Genres; (6) References; (7) Citation; (8) Punctuation; and (9) Spelling. There are plenty of fill-in-the-blanks type exercises to practice your academic writing skills.

Click here to go to UEFAP Academic Vocabulary Exercises for Academic Writing ….

4. Academic Word List – Dr. Averil Coxhead (Victoria University of Wellington)

Dr. Averil Coxhead, Senior Lecturer School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies developed and evaluated The Academic Word List (AWL) for her MA thesis. This list is a very useful resource for improving academic writing skills for learners and a good teaching resource for tutors. The list contains 570 word families which were selected according to principles. The list does not include words that are in the most frequent 2000 words of English since they are likely to be mostly articles, prepositions and very basic vocabulary. The academic word list was extracted from the Academic Corpus containing approximately 3,500,000 running words. The materials for the corpus came from four broad fields of study: Arts, Commerce, Law, and Science. Each of these contained approximately 875,000 running words. Words from each field were further divided into seven subject areas of approximately 125,000 running words.

Click here to go to Dr. Averil Coxhead’s Academic Word List Webpage ….

5. Academic Vocabulary – Sandra Haywood, University of Nottingham, UK

This site is maintained by Sandra Haywood of Nottingham and has plenty of resources to expand your academic vocabulary using the Academic Word List (the AWL). The ‘AWL Highlighter’ tool available in this site highlights AWL words in texts you cut and paste into the site. The ‘AWL Gapmaker’ creates gaps in place of AWL words in texts you cut and paste into the site. There are plenty of exercises for beginners in academic writing and teaching resources for academic writing tutors. This resource is handy for home students and overseas students, who need to learn the technical vocabulary of their field. This will help them improve their comprehension of academic texts and also help them write assignments in an academic writing style.

Click here to go to Dr. Sandra Haywood’s Academic Word List Webpage ….

6. Word and Phrase Info – Mark Davis, Brigham Young University

This is a very useful site that allows you to analyze your writing by comparing your text with data from a Corpus. After inputting the text, the site processes your text and displays useful information about words and phrases in the text, based on data from the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA). It will highlight all of the medium and lower-frequency words in your text and create lists of these words that you can use offline. You can also have it show you the “academic” words in your text.  You can click on the words in the text to see a detailed information such as word sketch, definition, collocates, and the frequency of the word (overall, and by genre). You can search for related phrases on selected phrases in your text, to show related phrases in COCA. In this way, this resource is like a “collocational thesaurus” to see what related phrases are most likely in different styles of English. This will help you use just the right phrase based on a huge collection of native English texts.

  Click here to go to Mark Davis’s Academic Vocabulary & Phrase Analysis Webpage ….

7. Exam English

This site contains plenty of free practice tests for the learners of English. They have converted academic word list produced by Dr. Averil Coxhead into a series of practice tests. The 570 words are divided into 10 Groups. The groups are ordered such that the words in the first Group are the most frequent words and those in the last Group are the least frequent. This site is excellent if you would like to improve your academic writing skills through practice.

Click here to go to Academic Word List Practice Webpage ….

8. Academic Vocabulary Exercises – Gerry Luton, University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

This site is maintained by Gerry Luton, University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. There are plenty of academic vocabulary exercises to improve your academic writing skills. The Academic Word List (AWL) is divided into 10 sublists of word families, and there are exercises for each sublist. The exercises include different derivations for the words given. This website features over 750 gap-fill exercises to learn and review over 2000 items of General vocabulary and Academic vocabulary in English. Gap-fill exercises are an excellent way to practice vocabulary in different contexts and can be used to broaden the student’s understanding of the range of meaning of vocabulary. The online format of the exercises allows students to get immediate feedback on their answers.

Click here to go to Academic Vocabulary Exercise Webpage ….

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Learn 570 Essential Words for IELTS

These exercises on the  academic word list  are designed to improve your knowledge of vocabulary for the IELTS test. 

Start Learning the Words

The AWL consists of  570 word families , and these words are the most common words to be found in academic texts. 

This is why they are so useful to learn if you are studying for tests like IELTS where your level of vocabulary can affect your score.

Sublist 1 contains the most common words that are in the Academic Word List, sublist 2 contains the next most common, and so on.

The words shown on this page below are just the  headwords . If you  download the full academic word list , you can see that there are many variations of each word according to whether you are using it as a noun, verb, adjective etc.

There are a total of  60 word families  in each sublist, apart from sublist 10 which has 30.

About the Academic Word List Exercises

In order to make your learning of the words structured, each academic word list has been divided into sets of 10 words. Each set of exercises then focuses on just those 10 words.

When you are confident you know them, you can move onto the next 10.

Before you start learning them it is important to understand that  recognizing  the words and actually  using them  are two very different skills, the first one being much easier than the second.

Lets look at an example using the first word on the academic word list,  analyse :

• analytically

If you learn the word  analyse  and its meaning and are aware of the other word forms, then you may well understand the meaning of the word when you read it, whichever form it is in.

However, knowing which one to use when you are writing is a much more difficult skill and will take a lot more practice and time to master!

These academic word list exercises will help you to get to know the words, but you will need to work on your own as well. No website will be a substitute for actually practicing the words when you are writing and checking your usage.

And an important thing to do whenever you learn a new word from the academic word list or elsewhere is to learn which words it  collocates  with.

And the number one rule with vocabulary  - only use words in the test that you are confident you know how to use!

Or you are at least confident you understand its meaning and where it can be used - a few errors in word form are ok in the test if you are not looking for a top score as you will be given some credit for using less common words.

However, you may find you actually lower your band score if you try to use lots of clever vocabulary but you are not using it properly or making lots of word form errors!

This will only confuse the examiner when they read your work. Try to keep improving your vocabulary, but when it comes to the test, stick with what you know and are confident with!

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50 Useful Academic Words & Phrases for Research

Like all good writing, writing an academic paper takes a certain level of skill to express your ideas and arguments in a way that is natural and that meets a level of academic sophistication. The terms, expressions, and phrases you use in your research paper must be of an appropriate level to be submitted to academic journals.

Therefore, authors need to know which verbs , nouns , and phrases to apply to create a paper that is not only easy to understand, but which conveys an understanding of academic conventions. Using the correct terminology and usage shows journal editors and fellow researchers that you are a competent writer and thinker, while using non-academic language might make them question your writing ability, as well as your critical reasoning skills.

What are academic words and phrases?

One way to understand what constitutes good academic writing is to read a lot of published research to find patterns of usage in different contexts. However, it may take an author countless hours of reading and might not be the most helpful advice when faced with an upcoming deadline on a manuscript draft.

Briefly, “academic” language includes terms, phrases, expressions, transitions, and sometimes symbols and abbreviations that help the pieces of an academic text fit together. When writing an academic text–whether it is a book report, annotated bibliography, research paper, research poster, lab report, research proposal, thesis, or manuscript for publication–authors must follow academic writing conventions. You can often find handy academic writing tips and guidelines by consulting the style manual of the text you are writing (i.e., APA Style , MLA Style , or Chicago Style ).

However, sometimes it can be helpful to have a list of academic words and expressions like the ones in this article to use as a “cheat sheet” for substituting the better term in a given context.

How to Choose the Best Academic Terms

You can think of writing “academically” as writing in a way that conveys one’s meaning effectively but concisely. For instance, while the term “take a look at” is a perfectly fine way to express an action in everyday English, a term like “analyze” would certainly be more suitable in most academic contexts. It takes up fewer words on the page and is used much more often in published academic papers.

You can use one handy guideline when choosing the most academic term: When faced with a choice between two different terms, use the Latinate version of the term. Here is a brief list of common verbs versus their academic counterparts:

Although this can be a useful tip to help academic authors, it can be difficult to memorize dozens of Latinate verbs. Using an AI paraphrasing tool or proofreading tool can help you instantly find more appropriate academic terms, so consider using such revision tools while you draft to improve your writing.

Top 50 Words and Phrases for Different Sections in a Research Paper

The “Latinate verb rule” is just one tool in your arsenal of academic writing, and there are many more out there. But to make the process of finding academic language a bit easier for you, we have compiled a list of 50 vital academic words and phrases, divided into specific categories and use cases, each with an explanation and contextual example.

Best Words and Phrases to use in an Introduction section

1. historically.

An adverb used to indicate a time perspective, especially when describing the background of a given topic.

2. In recent years

A temporal marker emphasizing recent developments, often used at the very beginning of your Introduction section.

3. It is widely acknowledged that

A “form phrase” indicating a broad consensus among researchers and/or the general public. Often used in the literature review section to build upon a foundation of established scientific knowledge.

4. There has been growing interest in

Highlights increasing attention to a topic and tells the reader why your study might be important to this field of research.

5. Preliminary observations indicate

Shares early insights or findings while hedging on making any definitive conclusions. Modal verbs like may , might , and could are often used with this expression.

6. This study aims to

Describes the goal of the research and is a form phrase very often used in the research objective or even the hypothesis of a research paper .

7. Despite its significance

Highlights the importance of a matter that might be overlooked. It is also frequently used in the rationale of the study section to show how your study’s aim and scope build on previous studies.

8. While numerous studies have focused on

Indicates the existing body of work on a topic while pointing to the shortcomings of certain aspects of that research. Helps focus the reader on the question, “What is missing from our knowledge of this topic?” This is often used alongside the statement of the problem in research papers.

9. The purpose of this research is

A form phrase that directly states the aim of the study.

10. The question arises (about/whether)

Poses a query or research problem statement for the reader to acknowledge.

Best Words and Phrases for Clarifying Information

11. in other words.

Introduces a synopsis or the rephrasing of a statement for clarity. This is often used in the Discussion section statement to explain the implications of the study .

12. That is to say

Provides clarification, similar to “in other words.”

13. To put it simply

Simplifies a complex idea, often for a more general readership.

14. To clarify

Specifically indicates to the reader a direct elaboration of a previous point.

15. More specifically

Narrows down a general statement from a broader one. Often used in the Discussion section to clarify the meaning of a specific result.

16. To elaborate

Expands on a point made previously.

17. In detail

Indicates a deeper dive into information.

Points out specifics. Similar meaning to “specifically” or “especially.”

19. This means that

Explains implications and/or interprets the meaning of the Results section .

20. Moreover

Expands a prior point to a broader one that shows the greater context or wider argument.

Best Words and Phrases for Giving Examples

21. for instance.

Provides a specific case that fits into the point being made.

22. As an illustration

Demonstrates a point in full or in part.

23. To illustrate

Shows a clear picture of the point being made.

24. For example

Presents a particular instance. Same meaning as “for instance.”

25. Such as

Lists specifics that comprise a broader category or assertion being made.

26. Including

Offers examples as part of a larger list.

27. Notably

Adverb highlighting an important example. Similar meaning to “especially.”

28. Especially

Adverb that emphasizes a significant instance.

29. In particular

Draws attention to a specific point.

30. To name a few

Indicates examples than previously mentioned are about to be named.

Best Words and Phrases for Comparing and Contrasting

31. however.

Introduces a contrasting idea.

32. On the other hand

Highlights an alternative view or fact.

33. Conversely

Indicates an opposing or reversed idea to the one just mentioned.

34. Similarly

Shows likeness or parallels between two ideas, objects, or situations.

35. Likewise

Indicates agreement with a previous point.

36. In contrast

Draws a distinction between two points.

37. Nevertheless

Introduces a contrasting point, despite what has been said.

38. Whereas

Compares two distinct entities or ideas.

Indicates a contrast between two points.

Signals an unexpected contrast.

Best Words and Phrases to use in a Conclusion section

41. in conclusion.

Signifies the beginning of the closing argument.

42. To sum up

Offers a brief summary.

43. In summary

Signals a concise recap.

44. Ultimately

Reflects the final or main point.

45. Overall

Gives a general concluding statement.

Indicates a resulting conclusion.

Demonstrates a logical conclusion.

48. Therefore

Connects a cause and its effect.

49. It can be concluded that

Clearly states a conclusion derived from the data.

50. Taking everything into consideration

Reflects on all the discussed points before concluding.

Edit Your Research Terms and Phrases Before Submission

Using these phrases in the proper places in your research papers can enhance the clarity, flow, and persuasiveness of your writing, especially in the Introduction section and Discussion section, which together make up the majority of your paper’s text in most academic domains.

However, it's vital to ensure each phrase is contextually appropriate to avoid redundancy or misinterpretation. As mentioned at the top of this article, the best way to do this is to 1) use an AI text editor , free AI paraphrasing tool or AI proofreading tool while you draft to enhance your writing, and 2) consult a professional proofreading service like Wordvice, which has human editors well versed in the terminology and conventions of the specific subject area of your academic documents.

For more detailed information on using AI tools to write a research paper and the best AI tools for research , check out the Wordvice AI Blog .

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

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• Academic writing
• Taboo words in academic writing

Words and Phrases to Avoid in Academic Writing

Published on February 6, 2016 by Sarah Vinz . Revised on September 11, 2023.

When you are writing a dissertation , thesis, or research paper, many words and phrases that are acceptable in conversations or informal writing are considered inappropriate in academic writing .

You should try to avoid expressions that are too informal, unsophisticated, vague, exaggerated, or subjective, as well as those that are generally unnecessary or incorrect.

Bear in mind, however, that these guidelines do not apply to text you are directly quoting from your sources (including interviews ).

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Table of contents

Too informal, too exaggerated, too subjective, generally incorrect, other interesting articles.

Academic writing is generally more formal than the writing we see in non-academic materials (including on websites). It is also more formal than the ways in which we normally speak. The following words and phrases are considered too informal for a dissertation or academic paper.

Informal sentence starts

Some words are acceptable in certain contexts, but become too informal when used at the beginning of a sentence. You can replace these with appropriate  transition words  or simply remove them from the sentence.

Check for common mistakes

Use the best grammar checker available to check for common mistakes in your text.

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Using vague terms makes your writing imprecise and may cause people to interpret it in different ways. Always try to be as specific as possible.

Academic writing is usually unadorned and direct. Some adverbs of frequency (such as always and never ) and intensifiers (words that create emphasis, such as really ) are often too dramatic. They may also not be accurate – you’re making a significant claim when you say something is perfect or never happens.

These terms do sometimes add value, but try to use them sparingly.

Some words and phrases reveal your own bias. For instance, if you state that something will obviously happen, you are indicating that you think the occurrence is obvious – not stating a fact.

Expressing your opinion is appropriate in certain sections of a dissertation and in particular types of academic texts (such as personal statements and reflective or argumentative essays ). In most cases, though, take care when using words and phrases such as those below – try to let the facts speak for themselves, or emphasize your point with less biased language.

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Certain words and phrases are often used incorrectly, even by native speakers of a language. If you’re exposed to such mistakes often enough, you may start to assume they are correct – but it’s important that you don’t let them creep into your writing.

You should also bear in mind that some of these mistakes relate to things we all frequently mishear (for instance, we often think the speaker is saying would of instead of would have ).

In general, you should also try to avoid using words and phrases that fall into the following categories:

• Jargon (i.e., “insider” terminology that may be difficult for readers from other fields to understand)
• Clichés (i.e., expressions that are heavily overused, such as think outside of the box and at the end of the day )
• Everyday abbreviations (e.g., approx. , ASAP, corona, stats, info )
• Slang (e.g., cops , cool )
• Gender-biased language   (e.g., firemen , mankind )
• Generally unnecessary (e.g., redundant expressions that do not add meaning, such as compete with each other instead of simply compete)

Reflective reports and  personal statements  sometimes have a less formal tone. In these types of writing, you may not have to follow these guidelines as strictly. The preface or acknowledgements of a dissertation also often have a less formal and more personal voice than the rest of the document.

If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

• Ad hominem fallacy
• Post hoc fallacy
• Appeal to authority fallacy
• False cause fallacy
• Sunk cost fallacy
• Deep learning
• Generative AI
• Machine learning
• Reinforcement learning
• Supervised vs. unsupervised learning

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Vinz, S. (2023, September 11). Words and Phrases to Avoid in Academic Writing. Scribbr. Retrieved April 5, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-writing/taboo-words/

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Sarah's academic background includes a Master of Arts in English, a Master of International Affairs degree, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. She loves the challenge of finding the perfect formulation or wording and derives much satisfaction from helping students take their academic writing up a notch.

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IELTS Training with Jonathan

Helping Busy People Succeed in IELTS.

What are IELTS academic words in Writing and Reading 

By ielts-jonathan.com on 20 March 2022 0

Academic Word List Training

Most students are confident in writing in their own language but for IELTS, and especially for IELTS essays, the language that students use and select for their writing can be much more challenging. In particular, selecting inappropriate words for a report or essay can create a negative impression in the examiner’s mind of a student’s writing and lead to a lower band score.

What are academic words

A really easy but simple definition of academic words are the accepted words that the IELTS examiner would expect a good writer to select and use in an essay or report. In actual fact academic writing can be regarded as a genre of writing where word forms and tenses are accepted by an academic community as a whole.

I like to think that academic words can be divided into three basic groupings. First of all, there are the high frequency words found in formal or academic writing, followed by low frequency words in formal or academic writing and finally specialist terminology and phrases that only an expert would be able to use or be expected to understand without a dictionary. 

The group of words I encourage you to study are the high-frequency words found in formal writing.

Why use academic words

As I have already mentioned, academic words are the types of words that are expected in academic writing.

In addition to this, using academic words in an IELTS essay can help make your writing appear both more informative, more educated and more authoritative. 

Of course a further important reason for IELTS academic words is the need to distinguish yourself clearly away from the writing of a high school student.

Above all, carefully selecting and using appropriate academic words in your essay will help impress that examiner. It can help demonstrate that you can draw from a wide range of vocabulary and select the appropriate words. 

Not doing this or being unaware of inappropriate words can have a negative effect in the tone of your writing and can affect the meaning. Above all, this can spoil the progression of your essay which is an assessed aspect of your writing.

Words to avoid in academic writing

There are certain words that you should really avoid in IELTS essay writing as well as Task 1 reports. 

Try not to use…’ get ’…..

Most people get a pay increase yearly.  People can get a good salary in this profession.  If a student gets to a lesson late, there should be a penalty.  Many consumers don’t get climate change.  Commuters are better off getting the train than using the car. 

Try not to use ‘ like ’ …..

There are plenty of effective energy saving tips, like switching off lights and having showers instead of baths.

These words are mostly colloquial and informal and will stand out in your writing.

Match the formal sentence with the phrasal verb

Avoid most phrasal verbs such as……get on, take up, get over, get in, get on with

There are literally hundreds of these!

Never use slang   such as …… bro, bookies, cash, stuff, workaholic, shopaholic, a pro, veg (vegetable) and avoid using idioms such as …. a blessing in disguise, a piece of cake, on top of the world,  the sky is the limit, better late than never.

Always avoid colloquial speech in your writing such a s ………

Don’t use contractions in your essay or Task 1 Report such as……. we’re they’ve I’m, I’ve and they’ve.

Don’t use abbreviations and vague expressions such as ….etc, literally, and so on and such like.

Using any of these can affect the tone of your writing, which will affect the progression throughout your IELTS essay or report.

This doesn’t apply to the General Writing Test . In this test, you might be asked to write an informal letter in which case all of the above might be possibly used in an informal letter.

What words do you need to know for academic reading

Good advice is that you probably need to know more words that you can use in your writing 

In the reading test, in most cases it is possible to read around words that you don’t know by using the context and other information in the reading passage to help you. In fact, most readers do this when they read a new text anyway. 

A good awareness of academic words is certainly helpful in the test, but it is not vital.

How to use academic words in your writing

In writing however, you probably need a good bank of words that you can actively use in your writing. The most effective way of improving in this area is active practice. 

Plenty of textbooks offer good practice gap fills for high-frequency academic words and there are some good online resources too. 

Being able to use the same word in its different word forms is a good way to increase your word bank knowledge, for example, 

import (n) import (v) important (adj) importance (n)

How can I increase my academic word knowledge?

So the three most effective ways to increase your academic word knowledge is through reading widely, focussed practicing writing and completing useful gap fills- practice.

The Conversation is a good source of student friendly academic reading material and can help with topic awareness too and here’s a few online gap fill exercises I have created for my students to use.

My IELTS Academic practice word list

Finally I’ve collected a list of academic word and example sentences that can also be used to improve your level of suitable vocabulary which can be useful for even native speakers of English.

The list is being created step by step.

Access (noun: to be able to enter, reach, approach something)

Access (verb: the ability or right to enter, reach approach something)

Accurate (adj: precise of exact, free from error)

Acquire (verb: to obtain or come into possession of something, to accumulate)

Achieve (verb: to accomplish, to reach a certain standard)

Analyse  (verb: to look at something closely, examine in detail)

Aspect (noun: a part of element of something)

Assist (verb: to help or aid someone)

Assistance (noun: to provide help or aid)

Available (adj: free to help someone, present or in stock)

Aware (adj: have knowledge of something, conscious of something, surroundings)

Area  – areas

Assessment  – assess, assessable, assessed, assesses, assessing, assessments, reassess, reassessed, reassessing, reassessment, unassessed

Assume  – assumed, assumes, assuming, assumption, assumptions

Authority  – authoritative, authorities

Available  – availability, unavailable

Benefit (verb: to receive an advantage or profit from something)

Benefit (noun: a payment by a government or insurance company / an advantage or profit gained from something ) 

Benign (adj: gently, kindly )

Benefit  – beneficial, beneficiary, beneficiaries, benefited, benefiting, benefits

Concept  – conception, concepts, conceptual, conceptualisation, conceptualise, conceptualised, conceptualises, conceptualising, conceptually

Consisten t – consist, consisted, consistency, consistently, consisting, consists, inconsistencies, inconsistency, inconsistent

Constitutional  – constituencies, constituency, constituent, constituents, constitute, constituted, constitutes, constituting, constitution, constitutions, constitutionally, constitutive, unconstitutional

Context  – contexts, contextual, contextualise, contextualised, contextualising decontextualised,

Contract  – contracted, contracting, contractor, contractors, contracts

Create  – created, creates, creating, creation, creations, creative, creatively, creativity, creator, creators, recreate, recreated, recreates, recreating

Comment (on), Compensate (for), Component, Concentrate (on,) Consequence, Consist (of),Constant, Construct, Construction, Contribute, Convert (into), Correspond ( with/to), Crucial, Comment (on), Compensate (for), Consist (of), Constant, Construct, Construction, Contribute, Convert (into),Correspond ( with/to), Crucial,

Definition  – definable, define, defined, defines, defining, definitions, redefine, redefined, redefines, redefining, undefined

Derived  – derivation, derivations, derivative, derivatives, derive, derives, deriving

Distribution  – distribute, distributed, distributing, distributional, distributions, distributive, distributor, distributors, redistribute, redistributed, redistributes, redistributing, redistribution

Define (as), Demonstrate, Design, Disposal, Distance, Distinct

Economic  – economical, economically, economics, economies, economist, economists, economy, uneconomical

Environmen t – environmental, environmentalist, environmentalists, environmentally, environments

Established  – disestablish, disestablished, disestablishes, disestablishing, disestablishment, establish, establishes, establishing, establishment, establishments

Estimate  – estimated, estimates, estimating, estimation, estimations, over-estimate, overestimate, overestimated, overestimates, overestimating, underestimate, underestimated, underestimates, underestimating

Evidence  – evidenced, evident, evidential, evidently

Export  – exported, exporter, exporters, exporting, exports

Emphasise, Erode, Error, Exclude, Extract

Factors  – factor, factored, factoring

Financial  – finance, financed, finances, financially, financier, financiers, financing

Formula  – formulae, formulas, formulate, formulated, formulating, formulation, formulations, reformulate, reformulated, reformulating, reformulation, reformulations

Function  – functional, functionally, functioned, functioning, functions

Identified  – identifiable, identification, identifies, identify, identifying, identities, identity, unidentifiable

Income  – incomes

Indicate  – indicated, indicates, indicating, indication, indications, indicative, indicator, indicators

Individual  – individualised, individuality, individualism, individualist, individualists, individualistic, individually, individuals

Interpretation  – interpret, interpretations, interpretative, interpreted, interpreting, interpretive, interprets misinterpret, misinterpretation, misinterpretations, misinterpreted, misinterpreting, misinterprets,

Involved  – involve, involvement, involves, involving, uninvolved

Issues  – issue, issued, issuing

Identification (noun:)

Identify (verb:)

Indicate (verb:)

Indication (noun:)

Indication (of)

Interpretation ( noun:)

Import (verb:)

Import (noun: 

Important (adj:)

Importance (noun:)

Item (noun:)

Labour  – laboured, labouring, labours

Legal  – illegal, illegality, illegally, legality, legally

Legislation  – legislate, legislated, legislates, legislating, legislative, legislator, legislators, legislature

Legislation, Location, Logical

Major  – majorities, majority

Method –  methodical, methodological, methodologies, methodology, methods

Majority, Maximise ,Minimise, Monitor

Occur  –  occurred, occurrence, occurrences, occurring, occurs reoccur, reoccurred, reoccurring, reoccurs

Percent  – per cent, percentage, percentages

Period  – periodic, periodical, periodically, periodicals, periods

Policy  – policies

Principle  – principled, principles, unprincipled

Procedure  – procedural, procedures, proceed, proceeded, proceeding, proceedings, proceeds

Process  – processed, processes, processing

Required  – require, requirement, requirements, requires, requiring

Research  – researched, researcher, researchers, researches, researching

Response  – respond, responded, respondent, respondents, responding, responds, responses, responsive, responsiveness, unresponsive

Role  – roles

Relevant, Reliable, Require, Requirement, Resource, Respond, Retain, Role

Section  – sectioned, sectioning, sections

Sector  – sectors

Significant  – insignificant, insignificantly, significance, significantly, signified, signifies, signify, signifying

Similar  – dissimilar, similarities, similarity, similarly

Source  – sourced, sources, sourcing

Specific  – specifically, specification, specifications, specificity, specifics

Structure  – restructure, restructured, restructures, restructuring, structural, structurally, structured, structures, structuring, unstructured

Theory  – theoretical, theoretically, theories, theorist, theorists

Variables  – invariable, invariably, variability, variable, variably, variance, variant, variants, variation, variations, varied, varies, vary, varying

Academic Word List 2

Achieve  – achievable, achieved, achievement, achievements, achieves, achieving

Acquisition  – acquire, acquired, acquires, acquiring, acquisitions

Administration  – administrate, administrates administrations, administrative, administratively, administrator, administrators

Affect  – affected, affecting, affective, affectively, affects, unaffected

Appropriate  – appropriacy, appropriately, appropriateness, inappropriacy, inappropriate, inappropriately

Aspect  – aspects

Assistance  – assist, assistant, assistants, assisted, assisting, assists, unassisted

Categories  – category, categorisation, categorise, categorised, categorises, categorising, categorizing

Chapter  – chapters

Cite  – citations

Commission  – commissioned, commissioner, commissioners, commissioning, commissions

Community  – communities

Complex  – complexities, complexity

Computer  – compute, computation, computational, computations, computable, computed, computerised, computers, computing

Conclusion  – conclude, concluded, concludes, concluding, conclusions, conclusive, conclusively inconclusive, inconclusively

Conduct  – conducted, conducting, conducts

Consequences  – consequent, consequence, consequently

Construction  – construct, constructed, constructing, constructions, constructive, constructs reconstruct, reconstructed, reconstructing, reconstruction, reconstructs

Consumer  – consume, consumed, consumers, consumes, consuming, consumption

Credit  – credited, crediting, creditor, creditors, credits

Cultural  – culture, culturally, cultured, cultures, uncultured

Design – designed, designer, designers, designing, designs

Distinction  – distinct, distinctions, distinctive, distinctively, distinctly, indistinct, indistinctly

Elements  – element

Equation  – equate, equated, equates, equating, equations

Evaluation  – evaluate, evaluated, evaluates, evaluating, evaluations, evaluative, re-evaluate, re-evaluated, re-evaluates, re-evaluating, re-evaluation

Features  – feature, featured, featuring

Final  – finalise, finalised, finalises, finalising, finality, finally, finals

Focus  – focused, focuses, focusing, refocus, refocused, refocuses, refocusing

Impact  – impacted, impacting, impacts

Injury  – injure, injured, injures, injuries, injuring, uninjured

Institute  – instituted, institutes, instituting, institution, institutional, institutionalise, institutionalised, institutionalises, institutionalising, institutionally, institutions

Investment  – invest, invested, investing, investments, investor, investors, invests reinvest, reinvested, reinvesting, reinvestment, reinvests

Items  – item, itemisation, itemise, itemised, itemises, itemising

Journal  – journals

Maintenance  – maintain, maintained, maintaining, maintains

Normal  – normalisation, normalise, normalised, normalises, normalising, normality, normally abnormal, abnormally,

Obtained  – obtain, obtainable, obtaining, obtains, unobtainable

Obtain, Obvious, Occur, Option

Participation – participate, participant, participants, participated, participates, participating, participatory

Perceived  – perceive, perceives, perceiving, perception, perceptions

Positive  – positively

Potentia l – potentially

Previous  – previously

Primary  – primarily

Purchase  – purchased, purchaser, purchasers, purchases, purchasing

Participate, Participation, Period, Precise, Predictable, Prohibited, Proportion, Prospect, Psychological, Purchase, Pursue

Range  – ranged, ranges, ranging

Regulations  – regulate, regulated, regulates, regulating, regulation, regulator, regulators, regulatory, deregulated, deregulates, deregulating, deregulation, unregulated

Relevant  – irrelevance, irrelevant, relevance

Resident  – reside, resided, residence, residential, residents, resides, residing

Resources  – resource, resourced, resourceful, resourcing unresourceful, under-resourced

Restricted  – restrict, restricting, restriction, restrictions, restrictive, restrictively, restricts, unrestricted, unrestrictive

Security  – secure, insecure, insecurities, insecurity, secured, securely, secures, securing, securities

Sought – seek, seeking, seeks

Select  – selected, selecting, selection, selections, selective, selectively, selector, selectors, selects

Site  – sites, situation, situational, situated

Survey  – surveyed, surveying, surveys

Sector, Secure, Select, Significant, Source, Status, Structure, Substitute, Symbolise

Text  – texts, textual

Traditional  – texts, textual

Transfer  – transferable, transference, transferred, transferring, transfers

Task, Technique, Topical, Transform, Transformation, Trend

Vary, Variation, Veritable, Visible

Prepared by IELTS-Jonathan for free distribution.

I hope this post helps ‘even the native’ speakers taking the IELTS Exam.

I’m Jonathan

I’ve taught IELTS and University English in more than a dozen universities and schools around the world.

I’m a parent, traveller and passionate about language teaching and helping students achieve their dreams.

Whilst living in Austria or working in Asia, I run IELTS courses to help students get to where they want to be.

If you are serious about IELTS, connect with me to see how I can help you.

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Top 300+ List of Essay Words To Use

Here is our top list of essay words you can add to your writing.

Any student or academic will tell you writing academic papers requires patience, thorough research, and appropriate words to relay ideas effectively. Below, we have prepared a list of essay words for your essay or academic piece’s introduction, body, and conclusion.

What Are Essay Words?

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Along with a paper’s arguments, format, and structure, essay words are used to adequately explain the subject in a formal but clear manner. Picking the correct phrases and words helps your audience realize your key point and persuade them to follow your thinking.

Plus, applying suitable words to introduce and expound ideas convinces your readers that you’ve done your research correctly. These English essay words are also helpful if you spend time paraphrasing the ideas of other writers and academics. If you need more help, consider using a good essay checker .  Here are essay words you can use:

Most academic essays require a formal writing style because using informal writing makes it hard to edit and grade based on a standard the school or university gives. Even personal and narrative essays must stay formal. These are the words to create and enhance your introduction without losing the sense of formality in academic writing.

According to the most recent data, more employees prefer working at home than in the office.

This essay will address the issue of gender inequality in the workforce.

In this essay, we will analyze the various factors that contribute to climate change.

The approach we’ll use in discussing this topic involves a combination of qualitative and quantitative analysis.

Some experts argue that human activities are the major contributors to global warming.

The author asserts that the lack of early education is one of the main drivers of economic inequality.

Let’s assume for a moment that we’ve already optimized all renewable energy sources.

Before we begin analyzing the effects of the problem, we must first know the root of it.

This essay takes a broad look at the implications of global warming on agricultural productivity.

• Challenging

Drug addiction is the most challenging global problem every government must solve.

Mental illness is a topic with many complex issues.

We will consider both sides of the argument before drawing conclusions.

• Significance

What is the significance of following rules?

In the context of this discussion, “productivity” refers to the output of a worker per hour.

Mental health is a sensitive topic affecting people of all ages.

There is a debate about the effectiveness of the new tax policy in reducing income disparity.

This essay will detail the causes and effects of deforestation.

Our task is to determine the causes of the rise in mental health issues among college students.

We will discuss the ethical implications of genetic engineering in this essay.

This essay will elaborate on the role of social movements in bringing about societal change.

In the next section, the researchers will enumerate the benefits of adopting a plant-based diet.

We will evaluate the impact of climate change on biodiversity.

This essay will explore the important aspect of artificial intelligence in modern healthcare.

To understand the subject better, we will first discuss its history.

First and foremost , it’s essential to understand that not all politicians are bad.

We can learn a lot from the book “ The Little Prince ,” such as about the fundamental nature of love.

The essay will highlight the importance of community participation in local governance.

This essay will illuminate the effects of screen time on children’s development.

This essay will introduce the concept of sustainable development and its significance.

The main goal of this essay is to discuss the value of justice in our lives.

There’s a myriad of factors that affect a country’s tourism.

The objective of this essay is to spread awareness about the violence women and children face daily. 

An overview of the current state of renewable energy technologies will be provided in this essay.

We will present an argument in favor of implementing more stringent environmental regulations.

Lack of knowledge in managing finances is a prevalent problem today.

A good speaker delivers their speech without referring to notes.

In this essay, we will review studies related to the impact of social media on teenagers.

Let’s shed some light on the impact of fast fashion on the environment in this essay.

The youth’s mental state today has been disturbed by societal pressures, such as the impossible beauty standards they see on social media. 

Research suggests that adolescent mental health can be severely affected by excessive screen time.

• To that end

To that end , this essay aims to challenge conventional thinking and inspire more inclusive practices in our communities.

This essay will touch on the issue of gender disparity in corporate leadership.

We will unpack the factors contributing to the rapid development of technology.

My essay aims to validate the hypothesis that a healthier diet can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease.

This essay will weigh the pros and cons of genetic modification in agriculture.

We’ll zoom in on the specific impacts of pollution on marine ecosystems in this essay.

Essays need examples to present arguments and illustrate cases. Examples support claims offer evidence, make complex concepts easier for readers, and usually lead to higher grades! Knowing several essay words for giving examples is vital to avoid the repetition of similar words or phrases. 

Akin to the effects of climate change, deforestation also leads to a significant increase in greenhouse gas emissions.

To analogize, the effect of deforestation on our planet is like removing the lungs from a living organism.

It appears from recent studies that regular exercise can improve mental health.

Our justice system’s flaws are apparent, such as in the case of O.J. Simpson , who was acquitted despite murdering his wife.

To clarify, this essay argues that renewable energy is more sustainable than fossil fuels.

This essay conveys the importance of cultivating empathy in a diverse society.

• Corroborate

Recent studies corroborate the theory that mindfulness meditation can reduce stress.

• Demonstrate

Statistics demonstrate a significant correlation between diet and heart disease.

This essay will depict the socio-economic impacts of the ongoing pandemic.

Current research discloses a worrying trend of increasing cyber threats.

The data displays a significant increase in the usage of renewable energy sources.

To elucidate, this essay aims to explore the intricate relationship between mental health and social media use.

The evidence suggests that pollution is a major factor contributing to global warming.

The effects of climate change exemplify the urgent need for environmental preservation.

The graphs below exhibit the significant impact of human activities on climate change.

• For example

For example, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can significantly lower the risk of heart disease.

• For instance

For instance, aerobic exercises like running and swimming improve cardiovascular health.

• I.e. (Id est)

A healthy lifestyle, i.e., a balanced diet and regular exercise, can prevent numerous diseases.

This essay will illustrate how technology has transformed modern education.

Imagine if we could harness all the power from the sun; we would have an unlimited source of clean energy.

• In other words

In other words, this essay will deconstruct the complexities of artificial intelligence in layman’s terms.

The data indicates a steady decline in the population of bees worldwide.

Like a domino effect, one small change can trigger a series of events in an ecosystem.

This essay will outline the main strategies for maintaining mental wellness amid a pandemic.

This essay seeks to portray the various forms of discrimination prevalent in society.

• Pretend that

Pretend that each tree cut down is a breath of air taken away; perhaps then we’ll understand the severity of deforestation.

The melting polar ice caps are undeniable proof of global warming.

This essay proposes a holistic approach to dealing with the issue of cyberbullying.

Each data point represents a respondent’s opinion in the survey.

Recent studies reveal a direct correlation between screen time and sleep disorders.

The experts say that practicing mindfulness can help reduce anxiety.

The graphs show a significant increase in the global temperature over the past century.

Similar to how a car needs fuel to run, our bodies need a balanced diet for optimal performance.

The current situation with the global pandemic has underscored the importance of mental health.

• Substantiate

The studies substantiate the claim that smoking can lead to a multitude of health issues.

In this context, melting ice caps symbolize the urgent need for climate action.

The data tells us that stress levels have spiked during the pandemic.

The increasing global temperatures are a testament to the impact of human activities on climate change.

• To give an idea

To give an idea, think of the human brain as a super-computer, continuously processing and storing information.

The goal of this essay is to underline the importance of sustainable practices.

The findings verify the hypothesis that meditation can improve mental health.

These words appear throughout the essay but are mainly for the body. You can use these words to effectively show the importance of an argument and emphasize essential paragraphs in your essay.

Above all, it’s essential to maintain a balance between work and personal life for overall well-being.

• Acknowledge

We must acknowledge the crucial role of teachers in shaping the future of our society.

Environmentalists advocate for sustainable practices to mitigate climate change effects.

The research affirms the beneficial impact of regular exercise on mental health.

The government is taking measures to amplify the reach of digital literacy.

Adding evidence from credible sources can bolster your argument in an essay.

The author cites numerous studies to support his theory of human behavior.

• Conclusively

Conclusively, the findings suggest a strong correlation between diet and heart health.

The experiments confirm the effectiveness of the vaccine against the virus.

Some experts contend that implementing a carbon tax reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

These new findings contradict the previously held beliefs about the origins of the universe.

The president will declare a state of emergency in a few days.

Exercise can definitely improve your mood and energy levels.

The speaker emphasizes the need for more mental health services.

Many celebrities endorse the idea of adopting a plant-based diet for environmental reasons.

Children, especially, should be taught the value of resilience from an early age.

These viral scandals expose the corruption within the political system.

The law expressly forbids discrimination based on race or gender.

The situation is extremely concerning and requires immediate attention.

The fact is that climate change is a reality we must confront.

We should focus on adopting renewable sources of energy to mitigate climate change.

• Fundamentally

Fundamentally, equality is a basic human right that everyone deserves.

The data seems to imply a shift in consumer behavior towards sustainable products.

• Importantly

Importantly, regular check-ups are crucial for early detection of diseases.

• in light of

In light of recent research, it’s vital to re-examine the previous findings.

Regular exercise, indeed, has been proven to reduce the risk of chronic illnesses.

• Irrefutable

The damaging effects of plastic pollution on marine life are irrefutable .

We must maintain a commitment to practice sustainability in our daily lives.

• Make certain of

Before the researchers start any experiments, they must make certain of procedures and goals.

Several factors contribute to climate change, namely deforestation, industrial pollution, and urbanization.

It’s necessary to reduce our carbon footprint to protect the planet.

Notably, the use of renewable energy has been making significant progress in recent years.

Obviously, a balanced diet and regular exercise are key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

• On the whole

On the whole, implementing green practices can significantly improve our environmental impact.

• Particularly

Air pollution is a concern, particularly in densely populated cities.

The study points out the beneficial effects of meditation in reducing stress.

The organization is primarily focused on promoting gender equality.

The success stories reinforce the importance of perseverance and hard work.

I would like to reiterate the need for consistent efforts in maintaining mental health.

• Significantly

Regular physical activity can significantly decrease the risk of heart disease.

The project was singularly successful due to the dedicated efforts of the team.

• Specifically

The legislation specifically targets unfair practices in the industry.

Ultimately, the decision rests on the collective agreement of the team.

Alice in Wonderland syndrome, or AIWS , is undeniably one of the rarest diseases.

• Undoubtedly

Undoubtedly, regular reading considerably enhances vocabulary and comprehension skills.

• Unquestionably

Unquestionably, education plays a pivotal role in societal development.

These words show the order of events or progress in an essay. They are used to give examples to further expound on a point or introduce another concept. However, be careful that each paragraph should only focus on one idea.

After completing the coursework, the students began preparing for the final exams.

The team celebrated their victory, afterwards, they began to prepare for the next season.

He accepted the job, albeit with some reservations.

As soon as the rain stopped, we left for our hike.

Before the introduction of modern technology, tasks were manually done.

• Concurrently

The two events were happening concurrently, no wonder there was a scheduling conflict.

• Consecutively

She was late for work three days consecutively .

• Consequently

He forgot his wallet, consequently, he couldn’t pay for lunch.

• Continually

The organization is continually striving to improve its services.

She loves the beach. Conversely, he prefers the mountains.

The team is currently working on the new project.

During the conference, several new initiatives were announced.

Earlier in the day, we had discussed the pros and cons.

Eventually, she managed to finish her book.

Firstly, we need to identify the root of the problem.

Following the events yesterday, we decided to meet up today.

He was tired, hence he went to bed early.

Henceforth, all meetings will be held in the new conference room.

Hereafter, we must ensure that all protocols are strictly followed.

• Immediately

He left immediately after the meeting.

• In the interim

In the interim, we’ll continue with our current strategies.

• In the meantime

In the meantime, let’s clean up the workspace.

• Incidentally

Incidentally, I came across this book while cleaning my attic.

With the constant disagreements, the project inevitably failed.

She invariably arrives late for meetings.

We decided to postpone the discussion for later .

Latterly, there has been a surge in the use of online learning platforms.

He will cook dinner. Meanwhile, I will set the table.

• Momentarily

He was momentarily distracted by the noise.

Next, we need to review the project plan.

• Periodically

The software updates periodically to ensure optimal performance.

She is presently attending a conference in New York.

Previously, we discussed the risks involved in the project.

Prior to the event, we need to finalize all arrangements.

• Sequentially

The tasks must be completed sequentially .

• Simultaneously

We cannot handle multiple tasks simultaneously .

She will arrive soon .

• Subsequently

He completed his degree and subsequently found a job in the field.

The power suddenly went out.

He got promoted and thereafter received a substantial raise in salary.

Thereupon, he decided to retire and write a book.

Thus, we conclude our discussion.

Keep stirring until the sugar dissolves.

We will begin when everyone arrives.

Call me whenever you need help.

While she cooked the meal, he set the table.

No matter what type of essay you write, it should remain informative. Words used to add information create flow, expand arguments, and incorporate details that support your points.

She’s asking him about that project the boss wants them to do.

The results were not as bad as anticipated; actually, they were quite good.

This is a great product; in addition, it’s very affordable.

• Additionally

The car is economical; additionally, it’s environmentally friendly.

She tried again after failing the first time.

He worked alongside his colleagues to complete the project.

We will also need to consider the budget.

• Alternatively

If the plan fails, we could alternatively try a different approach.

She likes to read books and watch movies.

He is open to another perspective on the matter.

She will attend the meeting as well .

The project will assuredly be completed on time.

Besides the main dish, we also have a variety of desserts.

She will certainly appreciate the gesture.

The rules were clearly explained to everyone.

This is a problem commonly encountered in this field.

• Complementary

The two studies are complementary, providing a comprehensive understanding of the issue.

• Correspondingly

The workload increased, and correspondingly, the need for more staff became apparent.

The increased workload, coupled with tight deadlines, created a stressful atmosphere.

The team members contributed equally to the project.

The cake was delicious, and the icing made it even more enjoyable.

• Furthermore

He is qualified for the job; furthermore, he has relevant experience.

• In addition

She is a great leader; in addition, she is an excellent communicator.

• In contrast

He is outgoing; in contrast, his brother is quite shy.

She did not like the book; in fact, she found it boring.

• In particular

She loves flowers, roses in particular .

It appears simple; in reality, it’s quite complex.

• In the same way

He treats all his employees fairly, in the same way he would like to be treated.

He enjoys reading; likewise, his sister loves books.

• More importantly

She passed the exam; more importantly, she scored highest in the class.

The house is beautiful; moreover, it’s located in a great neighborhood.

• Not only… but also

He is not only a talented musician, but also a great teacher.

• On the one hand

On the one hand, he enjoys his current job; on the other, he aspires for a higher position.

• On top of that

The food was delicious; on top of that, the service was excellent.

She has impressive qualifications; plus, she has a lot of experience.

He was disheartened after failing the exam; similarly, she was upset after losing the match.

He woke up late, and then rushed to work.

He is a skilled programmer; to add, he has an exceptional understanding of user experience design.

• Together with

He completed the project together with his team.

She is tired, and she is hungry too .

• With this in mind

With this in mind, we should proceed cautiously.

These are words used to include information that confirms or disagrees with a point in your essay. Words that compare and contrast ideas are common in argumentative essays . It’s because this type demands a counterargument to fairly present other experts’ take on the issue.

He went to work although he was feeling unwell.

• Analogous to

The structure of an atom is analogous to our solar system.

• As opposed to

She prefers tea as opposed to coffee.

• By the same token

He is a great teacher; by the same token, he is a superb mentor.

• Comparatively

My new laptop works comparatively faster than the old one.

Upon comparison, his work proved far superior.

• Contrariwise

The day was hot; contrariwise, the night was chilly.

Contrary to his usual behavior, he arrived on time.

Her efforts are directly correlated to her success.

His words were counter to his actions.

Despite the rain, they continued the game.

• Different from

His opinion is different from mine.

Their views on the subject are disparate .

• Dissimilar to

His style of writing is dissimilar to that of his peers.

• Distinct from

Her dress is distinct from the others.

• Divergent from

His findings are divergent from the initial hypothesis.

• Equivalent to

His happiness was equivalent to that of a child.

He failed the test; however, he didn’t stop trying.

• In comparison

In comparison, his work is of a higher standard.

He gave a donation in lieu of flowers.

• In like manner

She dresses in like manner to her sister.

• In opposition to

He voted in opposition to the proposed bill.

• In spite of

In spite of the challenges, she never gave up.

• In the same vein

In the same vein, he continued his argument.

He chose to walk instead of taking the bus.

Just as Rome wasn’t built in a day, success doesn’t come overnight.

Much as I appreciate your help, I must do this on my own.

• Nevertheless

He was tired; nevertheless, he continued to work.

• Notwithstanding

Notwithstanding the difficulties, he completed the task on time.

• On the contrary

He is not lazy; on the contrary, he is a hard worker.

• Opposite of

Joy is the opposite of sorrow.

His life parallels that of his father.

• Rather than

She chose to laugh rather than cry.

• Regardless of

Regardless of the consequences, he went ahead with his plan.

His answer is the same as mine.

• Set side by side

When set side by side, the differences are clear.

Though he was late, he still got the job.

Unlike his brother, he is very outgoing.

It was a match of experience versus youth.

He is tall, whereas his brother is short.

He is rich, yet very humble.

The conclusion is an essential part of the essay. The concluding paragraph or section reiterates important points, leaves the readers with something to think about, and wraps up the essay nicely so it doesn’t end abruptly. 

• Accordingly

He performed well on the job; accordingly, he was promoted.

• After all is said and done

After all is said and done, it’s the kindness that counts.

All in all, the concert was a great success.

• All things considered

All things considered, I think we made the best decision.

The event, altogether, was a memorable one.

• As a final observation

As a final observation, her dedication to the project was commendable.

• As a final point

As a final point, the successes outweighed the failures.

• As a result

He worked hard; as a result, he achieved his goals.

His actions were inappropriate; as such, he was reprimanded.

• By and large

By and large, the feedback has been positive.

The event was, chiefly, a success.

In close, I must say the performance was extraordinary.

The evidence was compelling and led to his conviction.

• Effectively

The team effectively handled the project.

• Everything considered

Everything considered, the trip was beneficial.

Evidently, he was not involved in the crime.

Finally, she announced her decision.

• In a nutshell

In a nutshell, the plan was not effective.

• In conclusion

In conclusion, we need to strive for better communication.

• In drawing things to a close

In drawing things to a close, I’d like to thank everyone for their contributions.

In essence, we need to focus on quality, not quantity.

• In retrospect

In retrospect, our methodology was correct.

In summary, the event was a success.

In the end, hard work always pays off.

• In the final analysis

In the final analysis, the project was a success.

• Last but not the least

Last but not the least, we need to thank our sponsors.

Lastly, don’t forget to enjoy the process.

On balance, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

Overall, it was a productive meeting.

Summarily, we need to focus on our key strengths.

The report summarizes the main findings of the study.

Summing up, we made significant progress this year.

• Taking everything into account

Taking everything into account, it was a successful campaign.

He was ill; therefore, he couldn’t attend the meeting.

• To cap it all off

To cap it all off, we had a great time at the party.

To close, we need your continued support.

• To conclude

To conclude, let’s aim for higher targets next year.

To finish, remember that success comes to those who dare.

To sum up, we achieved our objectives.

• Without a doubt

Without a doubt, it was an unforgettable experience.

To wrap up, it was a journey worth taking.

Learning how to use the right essay words is just one of the many writing skills students and those writing in academia must develop. Others include a good knowledge of grammar and an ability to write an essay that’s readable and accurate. It just takes practice. Check out our guide packed with transition words for essays .

Some words that could be used to describe different kinds of essays include argumentative, persuasive, expository, narrative, descriptive, analytical, compare and contrast, cause and effect, reflective, and personal.

When writing an essay, it’s important to choose appropriate and effective words to express your ideas clearly and concisely. Here are some words you can use to enhance your essay writing: 1. First, secondly, third 2. Moreover, furthermore, additionally 3. In addition, also, likewise 4. However, nevertheless, yet 5. Although, despite, regardless

Here are some other words that can be used as alternatives for “you” in an essay: yourself, oneself, one, someone, somebody, anyone, everybody, people, individuals, persons, others, them, they, yourselves, thou, thee.

1. Narrative essays 2. Descriptive essays 3. Expository essays 4. Persuasive essays 5. Argumentative essay

Maria Caballero is a freelance writer who has been writing since high school. She believes that to be a writer doesn't only refer to excellent syntax and semantics but also knowing how to weave words together to communicate to any reader effectively.

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• Task 1 General
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IELTS Academic word list (online and pdf)

On this page you can find an ultimate IELTS academic wordlist that consists of 5 sub-lists with 100 words in each. The lists get increasingly difficult. By learning these words you will learn the most common and important vocabulary that occurs in IELTS.

Vocabulary is equally important for reading and writing . By knowing a lot of prevalent words you will understand the reading texts better. Moreover, vocabulary is one of the four marking criteria used to assess you IELTS writing. So one of the secrets of a successful essay is a broad range of vocabulary.

Simply memorizing the words is not enough: you need to know how to adopt the words in your writing.

So, having learnt the word resolute , you should be able to apply it in your writing. For example: her resolution to become a designer has led her to success.

Don't worry if you haven't learnt all of the word lists: quality is more important than quantity! It's much better to learn 1 word list well than 5 word lists poorly.

Download IELTS Academic wordlist in pdf >