| Academic Word List |
|---|
| access |
verb |
to be able to enter, reach, approach, etc. something |
| “He couldn’t access his email account because someone had changed his password.” |
| access |
noun |
the ability or right to enter, reach, approach, etc. something |
| “I don’t have access to those files.” |
| accurate |
adjective |
precise or exact; free from error (opposite = inaccurate) |
| “The victim was unable to provide an accurate description of the criminal.” |
| achieve |
verb |
to accomplish; to reach a certain standard |
| “As a result of her hard work, she achieved an excellent score on her final.” |
| acquire |
verb |
to get or come into possession of something; to accumulate or collect |
| “Over 20 years of collecting stamps, I’ve acquired over 4,000 of them!” |
| analyse |
verb |
to look at something closely; to examine in detail |
| “After analysing the DNA sample, the police were able to identify the killer.” |
| aspect |
noun |
a part or an element of something |
| “Flexibility is just one aspect of being a successful gymnast.” |
| assist |
verb |
to help or aid someone (noun = assistance) |
| “They were assisted by an outside company when designing the program.” |
| available |
adjective |
free to help; present or in stock (in regards to inventory) |
| “We do not have enough resources available to complete the project.”
|
| aware |
adjective |
having knowledge of something; being conscious or cognizant of something |
| “I wasn’t aware of the problem. Thank you for informing me.”
|
| benefit (from) |
verb |
to receive an advantage or make an improvement |
| “Society has greatly benefited from technological advancements.”
|
| benign |
adjective |
gentle or kind; favorable; passive or inactive |
| “ The military cannot afford to be benign in this war.”
|
| comment (on) |
verb |
to make a statement about something |
| “First, I would like to comment on the current environmental situation”
|
| compensate (for) |
verb |
to give an equivalent or a return for something else |
| “If the government expects citizens to do this, they must compensate their citizens fairly.”
|
| component |
noun |
a part or element of something (see also: aspect) |
| “To understand the whole problem, you must look at all of its separate components.”
|
| concentrate (on) |
verb |
to focus your attention on something |
| “In order to move forward, we must concentrate on finding realistic solutions to the problem.”
|
| consequence |
noun |
a result or effect of something |
| “He was executed as a consequence for his heinous actions.”
|
| consist (of) |
verb |
to be made of something; to be composed of something |
| “A healthy relationship must consist of trust and mutual respect.”
|
| constant |
adjective |
regular and seemingly permanent (adverb = constantly) |
| “It is difficult to deal with constant disagreement when working in a group.”
|
| construct |
verb |
to develop or build; to make |
| “Numerous condos are currently being constructed in the downtown core.”
|
| contribute |
verb |
to give to a common cause, supply, or fund |
| “I contributed over $300 to charity last year.”
|
| convert (into) |
verb |
to change or transform into |
| “That building was recently converted into a restaurant.”
|
| correspond (with/to) |
verb |
to be similar to something; to be in agreement with something |
| “The words of politicians often don’t correspond with their actions.”
|
| crucial |
adjective |
very important; vital |
| “The media was crucial to changing public opinion about the Viet Nam war.”
|
| define (as) |
verb |
to provide a definition; to give clarity or definition to something |
| “The word ‘crucial’ can be defined as ‘extremely important’ or ‘vital.’”
|
| demonstrate |
verb |
to provide a demonstration or to show how something functions |
| “This satellite will demonstrate the technological power of our organization”
|
| design |
verb |
to create or model |
| “The factory assembly line was partially designed by Henry Ford.”
|
| disposal |
noun |
the act of arranging or distributing; getting rid of something |
| “A general is responsible for the effective disposal of his soldiers.”
|
| distinct |
adjective |
clear and having easily-identifiable or specific characteristics |
| “Dark chocolate is known for its distinct smell and taste.”
|
| emphasise |
verb |
to place emphasis or special focus on something |
| “The media constantly emphasises the dangers of illegal drugs.”
|
| erode |
verb |
to destroy slowly over time; to disintegrate |
| “Many religious leaders feel that secularism has eroded morality.”
|
| error |
noun |
a mistake |
| “Despite constant reminders and protests, governments continue to make errors.”
|
| estimate |
verb, noun |
to make an educated guess; to give a projection |
| “Scientists have been estimating a massive population explosion over the next two decades.”
|
| exclude |
verb |
to keep someone/something from entering a group, society, project, etc. |
| “When I was in high school, I was excluded from many activities due to my disability.”
|
| extract |
verb |
to get or obtain something from something else |
| “Physical torture is not an effective means of extracting information from a human being.”
|
| flexible |
adjective |
not rigid; able to be shaped (opposite = inflexible) |
| “Employers need to be flexible to the needs of their employees.”
|
| function |
noun |
the working purpose of something; ability |
| “Cell phones are useful because they can serve multiple useful functions.”
|
| identical |
adjective |
the same or alike in appearance and/or character |
| “The problem I have with suburban neighbourhoods is that all the houses look identical.”
|
| identify |
verb |
to recognise or verify the identity of someone/something |
| “Even today, scientists continue to identify new types of plants and animals.”
|
| indicate |
verb |
to show or give evidence of something |
| “Research indicates that cell phones can cause cancer.”
|
| indication (of) |
noun |
a sign or token |
| “High blood pressure is a clear indication of stress.”
|
| interpretation |
noun |
an explanation or perception of something |
| “Religious writings can have multiple interpretations.”
|
| item |
noun |
a separate piece or article of something |
| “Anthropologists have recently uncovered 200 physical items pertaining to the Incas.”
|
| legislation |
noun |
the act or process of making laws; the laws which have been made |
| “The current health legislation will be difficult for all political parties to accept.”
|
| location |
noun |
the place of something |
| “Niagara Falls is a popular location for tourists.”
|
| logical |
adjective |
able to be explained or understood clearly (opposite = illogical) |
| “The CEO has promised to take logical steps to ensure the future success of the company.”
|
| majority |
noun |
the greater part or number; over 50% of the population |
| “The majority of citizens oppose the government’s proposed budget.”
|
| maximise |
verb |
to use to maximum effect or potential |
| “The goal of any business is to maximise its profits.”
|
| minimise |
verb |
to reduce as much as possible |
| “In any war, one of the primary objectives should be to minimise civilian casualties.”
|
| monitor |
verb |
to watch and give attention |
| “Companies have numerous ways to monitor employee behaviour.”
|
| obtain |
verb |
to get or receive |
| “In order to obtain respect, a person has to earn it.”
|
| obvious |
adjective |
clear and easy to see |
| “There are some obvious similarities between French and English vocabulary.”
|
| occur |
verb |
to happen or take place |
| “An earthquake is expected to occur here in the next 2-3 years.”
|
| option |
noun |
a choice; one of several possibilities to be chosen |
| “When our options are limited, we are more likely to act decisively.”
|
| participate |
verb |
to take part in something |
| “Thousands of talented athletes participate in the Olympics.”
|
| participation |
noun |
the act of taking part in something |
| “Portugal was ridiculed for its participation in slavery.”
|
| period |
noun |
a portion of time; a significant interval of time in history |
| “The 1700s were a period of great scientific advance.”
|
| precise |
adjective |
exact or definite |
| “It is important for a teacher to give precise instructions.”
|
| predictable |
adjective |
able to be predicted (opposite = unpredictable) |
| “The goal of science is to find predictable results.”
|
| prohibited |
adjective, verb |
not allowed; forbidden |
| “These days, smoking is prohibited in many public places.”
|
| proportion |
noun |
a part of a larger whole; the size of something |
| “A large proportion of modern problems are a result of negligence.”
|
| prospect |
noun |
a potential candidate; a possibility of success, profit, etc. |
| “I was excited by the prospect of winning the lottery.”
|
| psychological |
adjective |
relating to the mind or psychology |
| “We must pay attention to our psychological health.”
|
| purchase |
verb |
to buy |
| “We’re planning to purchase a house next year.”
|
| pursue |
verb |
to chase or follow |
| “Acting is a difficult career to pursue.”
|
| relevant |
adjective |
connected to the current situation; pertinent (opposite = irrelevant) |
| “In an essay, we must only focus on relevant supporting details.”
|
| reliable |
adjective |
able to be predicted or trusted; dependable (opposite = unreliable) |
| “Finding a reliable babysitter is difficult for most parents.”
|
| require |
verb |
to have need of something; to need |
| “To take a masters course, one requires an undergraduate degree.”
|
| requirement |
noun |
something which is obligatory, demanded, or needed |
| “You do not meet the requirements for this position”
|
| resource |
noun |
a support, supply, or aid of something that can be used when needed |
| “If you want me to do this presentation, I will need more resources.”
|
| respond |
verb |
to reply |
| “When faced with a bully, it is important not to respond with anger.”
|
| retain |
verb |
to remember; to continue to use |
| “The most difficult part of learning is retaining the information”
|
| role |
noun |
a position or customary function |
| “The role of a parent is to provide safety for his/her child.”
|
| sector |
noun |
a part or subdivision |
| “It is the government’s job to protect all sectors of society.”
|
| secure |
adjective |
safe; protected from harm (opposite = insecure) |
| “Everyone wants to live in a secure neighbourhood.”
|
| select |
verb |
to choose |
| “We selected the best candidate for the job.”
|
| significant |
adjective |
important; of consequence (opposite = insignificant) |
| “Man landing on the moon was a significant achievement for science.”
|
| source |
noun |
any place, person, or thing from which something else comes or originates |
| “We can’t seem to locate the source of the problem.”
|
| status |
noun |
someone’s position in relation to other people; the state or condition |
| “His status as the top player in the game is unquestionable.”
|
| structure |
noun |
the organization or arrangement of something |
| “The structure of the education system needs to change.”
|
| substitute |
noun, verb |
a replacement for someone/something |
| “If you want to succeed, there is no substitute for hard work.”
|
| symbolise |
verb |
to represent or be a symbol for something |
| “In most cultures, it is understood that the dove symbolises peace.”
|
| task |
noun |
a job or duty to be performed |
| “Raising a family is not an easy task.”
|
| technique |
noun |
a specific way of doing something; a certain skill |
| “Most people don’t know that cooking requires hundreds of difficult techniques.”
|
| topical |
adjective |
pertaining to current or local events or interests |
| “Global warming has been extremely topical in the first half of the 21st century.”
|
| transform |
verb |
to change into a different form |
| “The internet has transformed the way we communicate.”
|
| trend |
noun |
a style that is currently popular; the general course of something |
| “Fashion trends are always changing.”
|
| vary |
verb |
to be different; to alternate; to change or alter; to diversify |
| “To write a good essay, you need to vary your vocabulary.”
|
| veritable |
adjective |
being truly or very much so |
| “I felt a veritable pain in my abdomen”
|
| visible |
adjective |
able to be seen (opposite = invisible) |
| “There has been a visible shift in public opinion towards the government.”
|
| wane |
verb |
to decrease in strength, intensity, etc. |
| “My interest in the movie waned the longer we watched it.”
|
