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Academic word list 3 & 4

Read or download the sublists 3 & 4 from the academic word list. If you are unsure of the meaning of any of the words, look them up in a dictionary and find examples of how they can be used in academic writing.

Different activities focus on:

  • word meaning
  • grammatical word form
  • collocation (words that typically pair with the target word)
  • spelling

Most common form Other words in the family
alternative alternatively, alternatives
circumstances circumstance
comments comment, commentaries, commentary, commentator, commentators, commented, commenting
compensation compensate, compensated, compensates, compensating, compensations, compensatory
components component, componentry
consent consensus, consented, consenting, consents
considerable considerably
constant constancy, constantly, constants, inconstancy, inconstantly
constraints constrain, constrained, constraining, constrains, constraint, unconstrained
contribution contribute, contributed, contributes, contributing, contributions, contributor, contributors
convention convene, convenes, convened, convening, conventional, conventionally, conventions, unconventional
coordination coordinate, coordinated, coordinates, coordinating, coordinator, coordinators,

co-ordinate, co-ordinated, co-ordinates, co-ordinating, co-ordination, co-ordinator, co-ordinators
core cores, coring, cored
corporate corporates, corporation, corporations
corresponding correspond, corresponded, correspondence, correspondingly, corresponds
criteria criterion
deduction deduce, deduced, deduces, deducing, deductions
demonstrate demonstrable, demonstrably, demonstrated, demonstrates, demonstrating, demonstration, demonstrations, demonstrative, demonstratively, demonstrator, demonstrators
document documentation, documented, documenting, documents
dominant dominate, dominance, dominated, dominates, dominating, domination
emphasis emphasise, emphasised, emphasising, emphatic, emphatically
ensure ensured, ensures, ensuring
excluded exclude, excludes, excluding, exclusion, exclusionary, exclusionist, exclusions, exclusive, exclusively
framework frameworks
funds fund, funded, funder, funders, funding
illustrated illustrate, illustrates, illustrating, illustration, illustrations, illustrative
immigration immigrate, immigrant, immigrants, immigrated, immigrates, immigrating
implies imply, implied, implying
initial initially
instance instances
interaction interact, interacted, interacting, interactions, interactive, interactively, interacts
justification justify, justifiable, justifiably, justifications, justified, justifies, justifying, unjustified
Most common form Other words in the family
layer layered, layering, layers
link linkage, linkages, linked, linking, links
location locate, located, locating, locations, relocate, relocated, relocates, relocating, relocation
maximum maximise, max, maximised, maximises, maximising, maximisation
minorities minor, minority, minors
negative negate, negated, negates, negating, negatively, negatives
outcomes outcome
partnership partner, partners, partnerships
philosophy philosopher, philosophers, philosophical, philosophically, philosophies, philosophise, philosophised, philosophises, philosophising
physical physically
proportion proportional, proportionally, proportionate, proportionately, proportions disproportion, disproportionate, disproportionately,
published publish, publisher, publishers, publishes, publishing, unpublished
reaction react, reacted, reacts, reacting, reactionaries, reactionary, reactions, reactive, reactivate, reactivation, reactor, reactors
registered register, registering, registers, registration

deregister, deregistered, deregistering, deregisters, deregistration
reliance rely, reliability, reliable, reliably, reliant, relied, relies, relying, unreliable
removed remove, removable, removal, removals, removes, removing
scheme schematic, schematically, schemed, schemes, scheming
sequence sequenced, sequences, sequencing, sequential, sequentially
sex sexes, sexism, sexual, sexuality, sexually
shift shifted, shifting, shifts
specified specify, specifiable, specifies, specifying unspecified
sufficient sufficiency, insufficient, insufficiently, sufficiently
task tasks
technical technically
techniques technique
technology technological, technologically
validity valid, invalidate, invalidity, validate, validated, validating, validation, validly
volume volumes, vol

Most common form Other words in the family
access accessed, accesses, accessibility, accessible, accessing, inaccessible
adequate adequacy, adequately, inadequacies, inadequacy, inadequate, inadequately
annual annually
apparent apparently
approximated approximate, approximately, approximates, approximating, approximation, approximations
attitudes attitude
attributed attribute, attributable, attributes, attributing, attribution
civil -
code coded, codes, coding
commitment commit, commitments, commits, committed, committing
communication communicate, communicable, communicated, communicates, communicating, communications, communicative, communicatively, uncommunicative
concentration concentrate, concentrated, concentrates, concentrating
conference confer, conferences, conferred, conferring, confers
contrast contrasted, contrasting, contrastive, contrasts
cycle cycled, cycles, cyclic, cyclical, cycling
debate debatable, debated, debates, debating
despite -
dimensions dimension, dimensional, multidimensional
domestic domestically, domesticate, domesticated, domesticating, domestics
emerged emerge, emergence, emergent, emerges, emerging
error erroneous, erroneously, errors
ethnic ethnicity
goals goal
granted grant, granting, grants
hence -
hypothesis hypotheses, hypothesise, hypothesised, hypothesises, hypothesising, hypothetical, hypothetically
implementation implement, implemented, implementing, implements
implications implicate, implicated, implicates, implicating, implication
imposed impose, imposes, imposing, imposition
integration integrate, integrated, integrates, integrating
internal internalise, internalised, internalises, internalising, internally
investigation investigate, investigated, investigates, investigating, investigations, investigative, investigator, investigators
job jobs
label labelled, labelling, labels
mechanism mechanisms
obvious obviously
occupational occupy, occupancy, occupant, occupants, occupation, occupations, occupied, occupier, occupiers, occupies, occupying
option optional, options
output outputs
overall -
parallel paralleled, parallels, unparalleled
parameters parameter
phase phased, phases, phasing
predicted predict, predictability, predictable, predictably, predicting, prediction, predictions, predicts, unpredictability, unpredictable
principal principally
prior -
professional professionally, professionals, professionalism
project projected, projecting, projection, projections, projects
promote promoted, promoter, promoters, promotes, promoting, promotion, promotions
regime regimes
resolution resolve, resolved, resolves, resolving, unresolved
retained retain, retaining, retainer, retainers, retains, retention, retentive
series -
statistics statistic, statistician, statisticians, statistical, statistically
status -
stress stressed, stresses, stressful, stressing, unstressed
subsequent subsequently
sum summation, summed, summing, sums
summary summaries, summarise, summarised, summarises, summarising, summarisation, summarisations
undertaken undertake, undertakes, undertaking, undertook

Activities

Now try the activities which will help you become familiar with the words and expand your vocabulary.


Questions

  1. machinery and equipment
  2. the study of the principles of knowledge, ethics and reality
  3. the process of people moving from one country to another to live permanently
  4. a process of discovering and examining an event or a set of facts
  5. the solution for a difficult problem, conflict or issue
  6. the process of bringing different parts together and combining them into a whole
  7. following after
  8. every year
  9. before
  10. relating to scientific or mechanical factors
  11. relating to the body
  12. relating to jobs that require a high level of education
  13. easy to see or perceive
  14. enough
  15. the opposite of positive
  16. the small parts of a whole
  17. restrictions on how something can be done
  18. results from research, an investigation, or a course of study
  19. ways of doing a specifc task
  20. small groups that make up less than 50% of the whole
  21. money used to pay for a specific thing
  22. numerical data
  23. opinions and feelings about something
  24. the size and measurements of a particular object
  25. an idea that is a logical result of facts
  26. a response to something
  27. the process of carrying out a plan
  28. relating to citizens and their government authorities
  29. relating to business organisations
  30. relating to a particular race or nationality
  31. to explain or give precise, detailed requirements
  32. to take something away or move it
  33. to continue to keep or have something
  34. a government or system of rule
  35. an agreement between two people or organisations to work together
  36. an event at which people with common professional or academic interests present ideas and share information
  37. a different choice or option
  38. enough
  39. first or most important
  40. things you hope or intend to achieve
  41. the boundaries which define and limit a particular process
  42. the likely future effects of an action or decision
  43. the amount or quantity of something
  44. the highest amount, the most
  45. a connection between two things
  46. a machine that carries out a specific action or the way a particular result or effect is created
  47. something that has been produced by a person or machine
  48. a piece of work you have to do
  49. agreement or permission
  50. a serious agreement to do something
  51. public discussion about an issue
  52. to create written evidence about something you do
  53. to try to make something more widely popular
  54. to check and make certain
  55. a basic structure that can be used to plan or do something
  56. one particular time that something happens
  57. a process in which the last step leads back to the first step and process begins again
  58. a plan
  59. a similarity or comparison with something in a different context
  60. a small amount of something in relation to the whole amount

Answers

  1. technology
  2. philosophy
  3. immigration
  4. investigation
  5. resolution
  6. integration
  7. subsequent
  8. annual
  9. prior
  10. technical
  11. physical
  12. professional
  13. obvious
  14. adequate
  15. negative
  16. components
  17. constraints
  18. outcomes
  19. techniques
  20. minorities
  21. funds
  22. statistics
  23. attitudes
  24. dimensions
  25. deduction
  26. reaction
  27. implementation
  28. civil
  29. corporate
  30. ethnic
  31. specify
  32. remove
  33. retain
  34. regime
  35. partnership
  36. conference
  37. alternative
  38. sufficient
  39. principal
  40. goals
  41. parameters
  42. implications
  43. volume
  44. maximum
  45. link
  46. mechanism
  47. output
  48. task
  49. consent
  50. commitment
  51. debate
  52. document
  53. promote
  54. ensure
  55. framework
  56. instance
  57. cycle
  58. scheme
  59. parallel
  60. proportion


Activity 1

Identify the correct word forms. Choose the correct noun, verb or adjective from the options inside the square brackets.

Word 1

  • Noun: [contribution, contributed, contributes]
  • Verb: [contribution, contribute, contributor]
  • Adjective: contributing

Answers:

  • Noun: [contribution]
  • Verb: [contribute]
  • Adjective: contributing

Word 2

  • Noun: occupation
  • Verb: [occupy, occupier, occupant]
  • Adjective: [occupies, occupational, occupancy]

Answers:

  • Noun: occupation
  • Verb: [occupy]
  • Adjective: [occupational]

Word 3

  • Noun: [correspondence, corresponded, correspondingly]
  • Verb: correspond
  • Adjective: [correspondence, correspondingly, corresponding]

Answers:

  • Noun: [correspondence]
  • Verb: correspond
  • Adjective: [corresponding]

Word 4

  • Noun: [interactively, interaction, interacts]
  • Verb: interact
  • Adjective: [interactive, interactions, interact]

Answers:

  • Noun: [interaction]
  • Verb: interact
  • Adjective: [interactive]

Word 5

  • Noun: dominance
  • Verb: [dominate, dominant, domination]
  • Adjective: [domination, dominates, dominant]

Answers:

  • Noun: dominance
  • Verb: [dominate]
  • Adjective: [dominant]

Word 6

  • Noun: emphasis
  • Verb: [empathetically, emphasise, empathetic]
  • Adjective: [empathetically, emphasise, emphatic]

Answers:

  • Noun: emphasis
  • Verb: [emphasise]
  • Adjective: [emphatic]

Activity 2

Choose the best word in each sentence from the options inside the square brackets.

1. I'll start with some general [commentators, comments, commentators] about the recent history of the industry and the factors that have led to the current decline.

Answer: comments

2. The success of this project can be [attribution, attributes, attributed] to the support of several key organisations.

Answer: attributed

3. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the regulations [imposed, imposing, imposition] by the government on companies in this sector.

Answer: imposed

4. Once the repair has been carried out, further testing [undertake, undertaken, undertaking] is to ensure that the issue has been resolved.

Answer: undertaken

5. Dr. Nguyen [published, publishing, publisher] has widely in leading journals and has received over fifteen research grants.

Answer: published


Choose the best word in each sentence from the options inside the square brackets.

1. Many young people still take up smoking, [despite, alternative] countless government health awareness campaigns.

Answer: despite

2. Under no [convention, circumstances] should you operate this machinery without wearing the appropriate safety clothing.

Answer: circumstances

3. This [series, sum] of experimental, collaborative projects aims to bring performers from many disciplines and backgrounds together.

Answer: series

4. There has been [considerable, located] growth in this field in recent years, creating more opportunities for researchers to attract funding.

Answer: considerable

5. The low rate of participation in sports by females [project, implies] that there is a perception that sport is a mainly male-oriented activity.

Answer: implies


Guess the word that matches the list of synonyms. The number of letters is given as a clue.

1. Synonyms: following, succeeding, successive

Hint: 10 letters

Answer: subsequent

2. Synonyms: signify, show, exhibit

Hint: 11 letters

Answer: demonstrate

3. Synonyms: move, transfer, rearrange

Hint: 5 letters

Answer: shift


Choose the best word in each sentence from the options inside the square brackets.

1. Researchers have documented many cases of the pollution limit being exceeded – in one [instance, hence] it was over ten times the legal safe level.

Answer: instance

2. Many experts recommend engaging with the relevant [professionally, professionalism, professional] bodies in your field of study while you are still at university.

Answer: professional

3. Expressions of interest are sought from those wishing to attend the [conferring, conference, confer].

Answer: conference

4. These organisations can be vital to people with severe physical disabilities, who often feel [excluded, attribute] from their community.

Answer: excluded

5. Reacting against the [sufficient, dominant] social beliefs of the early 20th century, these women revolutionised the position of women in public life.

Answer: dominant

6. The Spencer Prize is an [annual, cycle] award given for excellence in collaborative research.

Answer: annual

7. Whilst some continue to [debate, predict] the exact causes of the problem, there is a general move towards the acceptance of Grave's Theory.

Answer: debate

8. The committee's role is to oversee the [investigation, investigate, investigative] into the reasons for the decline.

Answer: investigation

9. All of the various [components, outcomes] of the machinery must be checked for faults every twelve months.

Answer: components

10. Over the last decade we have seen a marked increase in [immigrate, immigration, immigrated] from Horn of Africa countries such as South Sudan, Somalia and Ethiopia.

Answer: immigration

11. It is essential to evaluate the [concentration, validity] of your research findings for different purposes such as decision making or trend analysis.

Answer: validity

12. This is a complex issue, and [considerable, approximate] research is needed into the likely impact of a change of policy at this time.

Answer: considerable

13. Rather, developing countries often face [constrained, constrain, constraints] such as lack of infrastructure, which make widespread health programs challenging.

Answer: constraints

14. The aim is to find a [resolution, resolve, resolved] that is acceptable and beneficial to both parties, thereby avoiding legal action.

Answer: resolution

15. It is likely that any change to the way education is funded will have far-reaching [implicate, implicated, implications] for the academic success of this entire generation.

Answer: implications

16. The exceptionally heavy rainfall, and the [prior, subsequent] widespread flooding, left the banana crops in ruin.

Answer: subsequent

17. Students will be encouraged to explore a range of experimental [techniques, circumstances] for working with materials such as wood, fabric and metal.

Answer: techniques

18. Innovative measures to ease the [volume, task] of traffic entering the city during peak hours will be discussed.

Answer: volume