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

machinery and equipment
the study of the principles of knowledge, ethics and reality
the process of people moving from one country to another to live permanently
a process of discovering and examining an event or a set of facts
the solution for a difficult problem, conflict or issue
the process of bringing different parts together and combining them into a whole
following after
every year
before
relating to scientific or mechanical factors
relating to the body
relating to jobs that require a high level of education
easy to see or perceive
enough
the opposite of positive
the small parts of a whole
restrictions on how something can be done
results from research, an investigation, or a course of study
ways of doing a specifc task
small groups that make up less than 50% of the whole
money used to pay for a specific thing
numerical data
opinions and feelings about something
the size and measurements of a particular object
an idea that is a logical result of facts
a response to something
the process of carrying out a plan
relating to citizens and their government authorities
relating to business organisations
relating to a particular race or nationality
to explain or give precise, detailed requirements
to take something away or move it
to continue to keep or have something
a government or system of rule
an agreement between two people or organisations to work together
an event at which people with common professional or academic interests present ideas and share information
a different choice or option
enough
first or most important
things you hope or intend to achieve
the boundaries which define and limit a particular process
the likely future effects of an action or decision
the amount or quantity of something
the highest amount, the most
a connection between two things
a machine that carries out a specific action or the way a particular result or effect is created
something that has been produced by a person or machine
a piece of work you have to do
agreement or permission
a serious agreement to do something
public discussion about an issue
to create written evidence about something you do
to try to make something more widely popular
to check and make certain
a basic structure that can be used to plan or do something
one particular time that something happens
a process in which the last step leads back to the first step and process begins again
a plan
a similarity or comparison with something in a different context
a small amount of something in relation to the whole amount

Answers

technology
philosophy
immigration
investigation
resolution
integration
subsequent
annual
prior
technical
physical
professional
obvious
adequate
negative
components
constraints
outcomes
techniques
minorities
funds
statistics
attitudes
dimensions
deduction
reaction
implementation
civil
corporate
ethnic
specify
remove
retain
regime
partnership
conference
alternative
sufficient
principal
goals
parameters
implications
volume
maximum
link
mechanism
output
task
consent
commitment
debate
document
promote
ensure
framework
instance
cycle
scheme
parallel
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

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Academic word list 3 & 4