The Academic Word List Guide

The Academic Word List
The Academic Word List (AWL) was released in the year 2000 by Averil Coxhead from the
School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies at Victoria University of Wellington, New
Zealand. The list contains 570 word families which were selected by analysing a corpus of
millions of words from over 400 academic texts .   Words were taken from 28 different
academic subject areas within the disciplines of Arts, Commerce, Law and Science, so they
are relevant for all areas of academic study.    The list of 570 words was then divided into
ten sublists, with the most frequent 60 words in Sublist 1, to the least frequent words in
Sublist 10.  The list excludes the most frequent 2000 words of English.
The AWL was developed to provide learners of academic English to target their vocabulary
development for all academic disciplines.   It was primarily made so that it could be used by
teachers as part of a program preparing learners for tertiary level study or used by students
working alone to learn the words most needed to study at tertiary institutions.   The
complete list (below) has the headwords (the most common form of the word family) for all
570 words,  and includes the sublist (1‐10) that it comes from.
We have provided you with handouts which contain exercises based on each of the ten
sublists.  They have been designed to help you develop your vocabulary of these words.
For detail on the development and evaluation of the AWL, see Coxhead, Averil (2000) A New
Academic Word List. TESOL Quarterly, 34(2): 213‐238.
abandon 8 abstract 6 academy 5
access 4 accommodate 9 accompany 8
accumulate 8 accurate 6 achieve 2
acknowledge 6 acquire 2 adapt 7
adequate 4 adjacent 10 adjust 5
administrate 2 adult 7 advocate 7
affect 2 aggregate 6 aid 7
albeit 10 allocate 6 alter 5
alternative 3 ambiguous 8 amend 5
analogy 9 analyse 1 annual 4
anticipate 9 apparent 4 append 8
appreciate 8 approach 1 appropriate 2
approximate 4 arbitrary 8 area 1

aspect 2 assemble 10 assess 1
assign 6 assist 2 assume 1
assure 9 attach 6 attain 9
attitude 4 attribute 4 author 6
authority 1 automate 8 available 1
aware 5 behalf 9 benefit 1
bias 8 bond 6 brief 6
bulk 9 capable 6 capacity 5
category 2 cease 9 challenge 5
channel 7 chapter 2 chart 8
chemical 7 circumstance 3 cite 6
civil 4 clarify 8 classic 7
clause 5 code 4 coherent 9
coincide 9 collapse 10 colleague 10
commence 9 comment 3 commission 2
commit 4 commodity 8 communicate 4
community 2 compatible 9 compensate 3
compile 10 complement 8 complex 2
component 3 compound 5 comprehensive 7
comprise 7 compute 2 conceive 10
concentrate 4 concept 1 conclude 2
concurrent 9 conduct 2 confer 4
confine 9 confirm 7 conflict 5
conform 8 consent 3 consequent 2
considerable 3 consist 1 constant 3
constitute 1 constrain 3 construct 2
consult 5 consume 2 contact 5
contemporary 8 context 1 contract 1
contradict 8 contrary 7 contrast 4
contribute 3 controversy 9 convene 3

converse 9 convert 7 convince 10
cooperate 6 coordinate 3 core 3
corporate 3 correspond 3 couple 7
create 1 credit 2 criteria 3
crucial 8 culture 2 currency 8
cycle 4 data 1 debate 4
decade 7 decline 5 deduce 3
define 1 definite 7 demonstrate 3
denote 8 deny 7 depress 10
derive 1 design 2 despite 4
detect 8 deviate 8 device 9
devote 9 differentiate 7 dimension 4
diminish 9 discrete 5 discriminate 6
displace 8 display 6 dispose 7
distinct 2 distort 9 distribute 1
diverse 6 document 3 domain 6
domestic 4 dominate 3 draft 5
drama 8 duration 9 dynamic 7
economy 1 edit 6 element 2
eliminate 7 emerge 4 emphasis 3
empirical 7 enable 5 encounter 10
energy 5 enforce 5 enhance 6
enormous 10 ensure 3 entity 5
environment 1 equate 2 equip 7
equivalent 5 erode 9 error 4
establish 1 estate 6 estimate 1
ethic 9 ethnic 4 evaluate 2
eventual 8 evident 1 evolve 5
exceed 6 exclude 3 exhibit 8
expand 5 expert 6 explicit 6

exploit 8 export 1 expose 5
external 5 extract 7 facilitate 5
factor 1 feature 2 federal 6
fee 6 file 7 final 2
finance 1 finite 7 flexible 6
fluctuate 8 focus 2 format 9
formula 1 forthcoming 10 foundation 7
found 9 framework 3 function 1
fund 3 fundamental 5 furthermore 6
gender 6 generate 5 generation 5
globe 7 goal 4 grade 7
grant 4 guarantee 7 guideline 8
hence 4 hierarchy 7 highlight 8
hypothesis 4 identical 7 identify 1
ideology 7 ignorance 6 illustrate 3
image 5 immigrate 3 impact 2
implement 4 implicate 4 implicit 8
imply 3 impose 4 incentive 6
incidence 6 incline 10 income 1
incorporate 6 index 6 indicate 1
individual 1 induce 8 inevitable 8
infer 7 infrastructure 8 inherent 9
inhibit 6 initial 3 initiate 6
injure 2 innovate 7 input 6
insert 7 insight 9 inspect 8
instance 3 institute 2 instruct 6
integral 9 integrate 4 integrity 10
intelligence 6 intense 8 interact 3
intermediate 9 internal 4 interpret 1
interval 6 intervene 7 intrinsic 10

invest 2 investigate 4 invoke 10
involve 1 isolate 7 issue 1
item 2 job 4 journal 2
justify 3 label 4 labour 1
layer 3 lecture 6 legal 1
legislate 1 levy 10 liberal 5
licence 5 likewise 10 link 3
locate 3 logic 5 maintain 2
major 1 manipulate 8 manual 9
margin 5 mature 9 maximise 3
mechanism 4 media 7 mediate 9
medical 5 medium 9 mental 5
method 1 migrate 6 military 9
minimal 9 minimise 8 minimum 6
ministry 6 minor 3 mode 7
modify 5 monitor 5 motive 6
mutual 9 negate 3 network 5
neutral 6 nevertheless 6 nonetheless 10
norm 9 normal 2 notion 5
notwithstanding 10 nuclear 8 objective 5
obtain 2 obvious 4 occupy 4
occur 1 odd 10 offset 8
ongoing 10 option 4 orient 5
outcome 3 output 4 overall 4
overlap 9 overseas 6 panel 10
paradigm 7 paragraph 8 parallel 4
parameter 4 participate 2 partner 3
passive 9 perceive 2 percent 1
period 1 persist 10 perspective 5
phase 4 phenomenon 7 philosophy 3

physical 3 plus 8 policy 1
portion 9 pose 10 positive 2
potential 2 practitioner 8 precede 6
precise 5 predict 4 predominant 8
preliminary 9 presume 6 previous 2
primary 2 prime 5 principal 4
principle 1 prior 4 priority 7
proceed 1 process 1 professional 4
prohibit 7 project 4 promote 4
proportion 3 prospect 8 protocol 9
psychology 5 publication 7 publish 3
purchase 2 pursue 5 qualitative 9
quote 7 radical 8 random 8
range 2 ratio 5 rational 6
react 3 recover 6 refine 9
regime 4 region 2 register 3
regulate 2 reinforce 8 reject 5
relax 9 release 7 relevant 2
reluctance 10 rely 3 remove 3
require 1 research 1 reside 2
resolve 4 resource 2 respond 1
restore 8 restrain 9 restrict 2
retain 4 reveal 6 revenue 5
reverse 7 revise 8 revolution 9
rigid 9 role 1 route 9
scenario 9 schedule 8 scheme 3
scope 6 section 1 sector 1
secure 2 seek 2 select 2
sequence 3 series 4 sex 3
shift 3 significant 1 similar 1

simulate 7 site 2 so-called 10
sole 7 somewhat 7 source 1
specific 1 specify 3 sphere 9
stable 5 statistic 4 status 4
straightforward 10 strategy 2 stress 4
structure 1 style 5 submit 7
subordinate 9 subsequent 4 subsidy 6
substitute 5 successor 7 sufficient 3
sum 4 summary 4 supplement 9
survey 2 survive 7 suspend 9
sustain 5 symbol 5 tape 6
target 5 task 3 team 9
technical 3 technique 3 technology 3
temporary 9 tense 8 terminate 8
text 2 theme 8 theory 1
thereby 8 thesis 7 topic 7
trace 6 tradition 2 transfer 2
transform 6 transit 5 transmit 7
transport 6 trend 5 trigger 9
ultimate 7 undergo 10 underlie 6
undertake 4 uniform 8 unify 9
unique 7 utilise 6 valid 3
vary 1 vehicle 8 version 5
via 8 violate 9 virtual 8
visible 7 vision 9 visual 8
volume 3 voluntary 7 welfare 5
whereas 5 whereby 10 widespread 8

Sublist 1 Exercises
1) Complete the table with the correct part of speech.
Noun Verb Adjective Adverb
analysis
approach N/A
context
derived N/A
financially
identified
interpretation N/A
legally
proceed N/A
respond
significant
2) Complete the following sentences with a word from the box. You may need to change the grammar.
factor conception assess source policy assume legislation
a) This course is based on continual ___________ in the form of project work and assignments rather
than end of term examinations.
b) There is a general ____________ that women are worse drivers than men but statistics do not
support this.
c) This process is easy to understand once you have grasped the ___________ of precipitation.
d) Several ____________ influenced the committee’s decision to appoint a new teacher.
e) New ____________ needs to go through Parliament to deal with the problem of illegal immigration.
f) The college has adopted a strict no‐smoking _____________.
g) Solar power is considered a sustainable _____________ of energy.

3) Here is a text on the topic of health. Complete the text using the words below.
assumed establishing identified individual occurred role significant
The twentieth century saw __________________ advances in medical knowledge. At the
end of the nineteenth century life expectancy was comparatively short for people in Britain
and many children did not survive to adulthood. By the end of the twentieth century,
however, perinatal mortality was low and many people anticipated living beyond their
three score years and ten. This rapid progress __________________ as a result of a series
of microbiological and technological breakthroughs, along with a political focus on social
welfare and public health.
Today, however, we face new threats. Although it had been __________________ that
infectious diseases would be eliminated, new strains of TB and malaria have recently
emerged and are fast __________________ themselves. The viral infection, Aids, has
reached epidemic proportions in some countries. The incidence of heart disease is
increasing, along with other so‐called "self‐inflicted" illnesses. Superbugs, resistant to our
range of antibiotics, continue to evolve.
Predictions for the twenty‐first century suggest that we will see the development of our
understanding of the__________________ of genes in the maintenance of good health.
Many diseases will be prevented as screening for susceptibility allows defective embryos
to be__________________. Those who do get ill, will receive drugs tailored to suit
their__________________ needs and thus more effective in action. Will there also be
surprises awaiting us as the world population ages?
4) Choose the correct word from the list on the left to go with each meaning.
1. authority
2. consistency  official agreement
3. contract  action of showing what is happening
4. distribution  when things have the same standard
5. indication
6. labour
7. available
8. beneficial  based on a clear idea
9. functional  having a good effect
10. major  particular
11. principled
12. specific

Sublist One – this list of words contains the most frequent words in the Academic corpus
analysis established occur
approach estimate percent
area evidence period
assessment export policy
assume factors principle
authority financial procedure
available formula process
benefit function required
concept identified research
consistent income response
constitutional indicate role
context individual section
contract interpretation sector
create involved significant
data issues similar
definition labour source
derived legal specific
distribution legislation structure
economic major theory
environment method variable

Vocabulary ANSWERS based on Sublist One of the Academic Word List
analysis analyse analytical analytically
approach approach approaching/approachable N/A
context contextualise contextual contextually
derivation/derivative derive derived N/A
finance/financier finance financial financially
identity/identification identify identified/identifiable identifiably
interpretation/interpreter interpret interpretive/interpretative N/A
legality/legalisation legalise/legalize legal legally
procedure proceed procedural N/A
response/respondent respond responsive/respondent responsively
significance signify significant significantly
factor conception assess source policy assume legislation
a) This course is based on continual assessment in the form of project work and assignments rather
than end of term examinations.
b) There is a general assumption that women are worse drivers than men but statistics do not support
this.
c) This process is easy to understand once you have grasped the concept of precipitation.
d) Several factors influenced the committee’s decision to appoint a new teacher.
e) New legislation needs to go through Parliament to deal with the problem of illegal immigration.
f) The college has adopted a strict no‐smoking policy
g) Solar power is considered a sustainable source of energy.

3) Here is a text about health. Complete the text using the words below.
assumed establishing identified individual occurred role significant
The twentieth century saw significant advances in medical knowledge. At the end of the nineteenth
century life expectancy was comparatively short for people in Britain and many children did not
survive to adulthood. By the end of the twentieth century, however, perinatal mortality was low
and many people anticipated living beyond their three score years and ten. This rapid progress
occurred as a result of a series of microbiological and technological breakthroughs, along with a
political focus on social welfare and public health.
Today, however, we face new threats. Although it had been assumed that infectious diseases would
be eliminated, new strains of TB and malaria have recently emerged and are fast establishing
themselves. The viral infection, Aids, has reached epidemic proportions in some countries. The
incidence of heart disease is increasing, along with other so‐called "self‐inflicted" illnesses.
Superbugs, resistant to our range of antibiotics, continue to evolve.
Predictions for the twenty‐first century suggest that we will see the development of our
understanding of the role of genes in the maintenance of good health. Many diseases will be
prevented as screening for susceptibility allows defective embryos to be identified Those who do
get ill, will receive drugs tailored to suit their individual needs and thus more effective in action.
Will there also be surprises awaiting us as the world population ages?
1. authority
2. consistency  official agreement
3. contract  action of showing what is happening
4. distribution  when things have the same standard
5. indication
6. labour
7. available
8. beneficial  based on a clear idea
9. functional  having a good effect
10. major  particular
11. principled
12. specific

Sublist 2 Exercises

1) Collocations. Read these sentences and choose the most suitable preposition.
a) The committee is investigating the acquisition in / of / from new resources.
b) We expect you to have more participation of / in / to decision‐making.
c) Students need to learn strategies to / for / from studying independently.
d) Our findings have worrying consequences for / in / of researchers.
e) Professor Jones has the distinction to / of / from winning the award on two occasions.
f) We are committed to a long‐term investment of / in / at this programme.
2) Choose the correct part of speech, adding affixes if necessary, to complete the following sentences.
a) Academic success can only be __________ by hard work.
ACHIEVEMENT
b) The problems that we experienced ___________ the results.
AFFECT
c) We have ___________ proof of our findings.
CONCLUSION
d) The new information has forced the scientists to ___________ their findings.
EVALUATE
e) For insurance purposes, we need an ______________ list of your belongings.
ITEM
f) Tests can now identify genetic ______________ in an unborn baby.
NORMAL
3) Choose words from the box to complete the text. You may have to change the part of speech.
transfer computer survey regulate consumption security range
In recent years, the banking and financial services sector has undergone a number of changes. New ___________
are designed to improve the ___________ of phone and internet transactions in the face of a huge increase in the
___________ of ___________ crimes. Examples of this type of crime include the unauthorised ___________ of
funds from one account to another. In a recent ________ of both banks and ____________, it was found that
confidence in the safety of internet banking was at an all‐time low.

Sublist two – this list of words contains the second most frequent group of words in the Academic corpus
achieve design potential
acquisition distinction previous
administration elements primary
affect equation purchase
appropriate evaluation range
aspects features region
assistance final regulations
categories focus relevant
chapter impact resident
commission injury resources
community institute restricted
complex investment security
computer items sought
conclusion journal select
conduct maintenance site
consequences normal strategies
construction obtained survey
consumer participation text
credit perceived traditional
cultural positive transfer

Vocabulary ANSWERS based on Sublist Two of the Academic Word List
1) Collocations. Read these sentences and choose the most suitable word.
a) The committee is investigating the acquisition in / of / from new resources.
b) We expect you to have more participation of / in / to decision‐making.
c) Students need to learn strategies to / for / from studying independently.
d) Our findings have worrying consequences for / in / of researchers.
e) Professor Jones has the distinction to / of / from winning the award on two occasions.
f) We are committed to a long‐term investment of / in / at this programme.
2) Choose the correct part of speech, adding affixes if necessary, to complete the following sentences.
a) Academic success can only be achieved by hard work.

ACHIEVEMENT

b) The problems that we experienced affected the results.

AFFECT

c) We have conclusive proof of our findings.

CONCLUSION

d) The new information has forced the scientists to re‐evaluate their findings.

EVALUATE

e) For insurance purposes, we need an itemised list of your belongings.

ITEM

f) Tests can now identify genetic abnormalities in an unborn baby.

NORMAL

transfer computer survey regulate consumption security range
In recent years, the banking and financial services sector has undergone a number of changes. New regulations
are designed to improve the security of phone and internet transactions in the face of a huge increase in the
range of computer crimes. Examples of this type of crime include the unauthorised transfer of funds from one
account to another. In a recent survey of both banks and consumers it was found that confidence in the safety of
internet banking was at an all‐time low.

Sublist 3 Exercises
1) Antonyms. For each of the adjectives, write its opposite using a prefix.
A B
justified
proportionate
registered
reliable
specified
sufficient
valid
2) Match the words or expressions in B with a verb from A and a phrase from C.
A B C
put a deduction with another company.
establish a reaction based on evidence.
pay a contribution to someone.
make a partnership to a charity.
observe emphasis on something.
make compensation in a test tube.
3) Complete the text with words from the list. You may have to change the part of speech.
outcome criteria considerable commented
shift circumstances immigration minority
The Australian government has announced a ____________ ____________ in its ____________ policy. In an effort
to increase the numbers of both skilled and unskilled workers, the application _____________ have been relaxed. A
government spokesperson _______________, “Current _____________ have led to a need for 20,000 more
migrants. We are targeting ____________ applicants in particular and hope the _____________ for Australia will be
a vibrant workforce which can continue this country’s positive growth”.

Sublist Three – this list of words contains the third‐most‐frequent words in the Academic corpus
alternative emphasis philosophy
circumstances ensure physical
comments excluded proportion
compensation framework published
components funds reaction
consent illustration registered
considerable immigration reliance
constant implies removed
constraints initial scheme
contribution instance sequence
convention interaction sex
coordination justification shift
core layer specified
corporate link sufficient
corresponding location task
criteria maximum technical
deduction minorities techniques
demonstrate negative technology
document outcomes validity
dominant partnership volume

Vocabulary ANSWERS based on Sublist Three of the Academic Word List
A B
justified unjustified
proportionate disproportionate
registered unregistered
reliable unreliable
specified unspecified
sufficient insufficient
valid invalid
2) Match the words or expressions in B with a verb from A and a phrase from C.
A B C
put emphasis on something.
establish a partnership with another company.
pay compensation to someone.
make a contribution to a charity.
observe a reaction in a test tube.
make a deduction based on evidence.
3) Complete the text with words from the list. You may have to change the part of speech.
outcome criteria considerable commented
shift circumstances immigration minority
The Australian government has announced a considerable shift in its immigration policy. In an effort to increase the
numbers of both skilled and unskilled workers, the application criteria have been relaxed. A government
spokesperson commented, “Current circumstances have led to a need for 20,000 more migrants. We are targeting
minority applicants in particular and hope the outcome for Australia will be a vibrant workforce which can continue
this country’s positive growth”.

Sublist 4 Exercises
access N/A
commit N/A
cycle N/A
emerged N/A
N/A internally
optional
prediction
N/A principally
promote N/A N/A
project N/A
summarised
a) The government is setting up __________ to help unemployed people return to work.
b) He _____________ to pay the money back within 6 months.
c) We hope that further research will confirm our ___________.
d) You do not need any __________ experience in order to do this job.
e) The results __________ sharply with other medical tests carried out in Australia.
f) The company has yet to give an _____________ explanation for its actions.
g) There are plans to divide the country along __________ lines.
1. adequacy
2. civility  large formal meeting
3. conference  formal discussion of an issue
4. debate  possible future effect/result
5. goal
6. implication
contrast hypothesis ethnic mechanism undertaken prior adequate

7. imposed
8. predicted  experiencing pressure
9. stressed  related to one particular country
10. occupational  forced somebody to do something
11. granted
12. domestic
Sublist Four – this list of words contains the fourth-most-frequent words in the Academic corpus
access error parallel
adequate ethnic parameters
annual goals phase
apparent granted predicted
approximated hence principal
attitudes hypothesis prior
attributed implementation professional
civil implications project
code imposed promote
commitment integration regime
communication internal resolution
concentration investigation retained
conference job series
contrast label statistics
cycle mechanism status
debate obvious stress
despite occupational subsequent
dimensions option sum
domestic output summary
emerged overall undertaken

Vocabulary ANSWERS based on Sublist Four of the Academic Word List
access access accessible N/A
commitment commit committed N/A
cycle cycle (recycle) cyclic (al) N/A
emergence emerge emerged/emerging N/A
N/A internalise/internalize internal internally
option opt (for/to) optional optionally
prediction predict predictable predictably
principal N/A principal principally
promotion promote N/A N/A
projection project projecting/projected N/A
summary summarise/summarize summarised summarily (diff meaning)
a) The government is setting up mechanisms to help unemployed people return to work.
b) He undertook to pay the money back within 6 months.
c) We hope that further research will confirm our hypothesis.
d) You do not need any prior experience in order to do this job.
e) The results contrast sharply with other medical tests carried out in Australia.
f) The company has yet to give an adequate explanation for its actions.
g) There are plans to divide the country along ethnic lines.
1) adequacy
2) civility  large formal meeting
3) conference  formal discussion of an issue
4) debate  possible future effect/result
5) goal
6) implication
contrast hypothesis ethnic mechanism undertaken prior adequate

7) imposed
8) predicted  experiencing pressure
9) stressed  related to one particular country
10) occupational  forced somebody to do something
11) granted
12) domestic

Sublist 5 Exercises
a) Once we make adjustments to / for / of inflation, the fall in interest rates is quite small.
b) Many developing countries are making the transition towards / from / in a market economy.
c) The traditional notion of / in / from marriage goes back thousands of years.
d) A child’s capacity of / at / for love is without limit.
e) His father’s death gave him a new perspective to / for / on life.
f) The visit to Germany gave them exposure in / at / to the language.
2) Choose the correct part of speech to complete the following sentences. You may have to add an affix.
a) I was ___________ that I had to pay a fee because you didn’t tell me.
AWARENESS
b) We engaged the services of an international __________ firm.
CONSULT
c) The awards are given at the _____________ of the President.
DISCRETE
d) The findings of the report are ______________ wrong.
FUNDAMENTAL
e) It is _____________ to think you can do the work of three people.
LOGIC
f) How can we get students to adopt a more serious ______________ towards learning?
ORIENT
In a recent policy speech, a spokesman for the President has announced an ___________ in the number of nuclear
power stations in the United States. He indicated that ____________ oil resources have led to the need to identify a
secure power source. “This form of power, under secure conditions and ___________ carefully, will ____________ us
to supply electricity cleanly and safely,” he said. “The power _____________ by just one nuclear plant can provide
enough electricity for millions of homes.” Critics immediately responded with concerns over health and safety. A
spokesman for Greenpeace said, “What we need to do is focus more on _____________ forms of _____________.”
monitor energy decline enable expand generate sustainability

Sublist Five – this list of words contains the fifth-most-frequent words in the Academic corpus
academic evolution orientation
adjustment expansion perspective
alter exposure precise
amendment external prime
aware facilitate psychology
capacity fundamental pursue
challenge generated ratio
clause generation rejected
compounds image revenue
conflict liberal stability
consultation licence styles
contact logic substitution
decline marginal sustainable
discretion medical symbolic
draft mental target
enable modified transition
energy monitoring trend
enforcement network version
entities notion welfare
equivalent objective whereas

Vocabulary ANSWERS based on Sublist Five of the Academic Word List
a) Once we make adjustments to / for / of inflation, the fall in interest rates is quite small.
b) Many developing countries are making the transition towards / from / in a market economy.
c) The traditional notion of / in / from marriage goes back thousands of years.
d) A child’s capacity of / at / for love is without limit.
e) His father’s death gave him a new perspective to / for / on life.
f) The visit to Germany gave them exposure in / at / to the language.
2) Choose the correct part of speech to complete the following sentences. You may have to add an affix.
a) I was unaware that I had to pay a fee because you didn’t tell me.
AWARENESS
b) We engaged the services of an international consultancy firm.
CONSULT
c) The awards are given at the discretion of the President.
DISCRETE
d) The findings of the report are fundamentally wrong.
FUNDAMENTAL
e) It is illogical to think you can do the work of three people.
LOGIC
f) How can we get students to adopt a more serious orientation towards learning?
ORIENT
In a recent policy speech, a spokesman for the President has announced an expansion in the number of nuclear
power stations in the United States. He indicated that declining oil resources have led to the need to identify a
secure power source. “This form of power, under secure conditions and monitored carefully, will enable us to
supply electricity cleanly and safely,” he said. “The power generated by just one nuclear plant can provide enough
electricity for millions of homes.” Critics immediately responded with concerns over health and safety. A
spokesman for Greenpeace said, “What we need to do is focus more on sustainable forms of energy.”
monitor energy decline enable expand generate sustainability

Sublist 6 Exercises
A B
flexible
capable
inhibited
motivated
rational
subsidized
traceable
enhanced exceeded diverse initiative minimum precede allocating
a) This new system will give ___________ access to information within the library.

b) Her performance ___________ our expectations.

c) The new curriculum will take into account the __________ of the population.

d) We have decided to ___________ legal proceedings against the newspaper.

e) Rates of truancy have only increased ____________ .

f) He took the ___________ step of making a public comment.

g) You should __________ the same amount of time for each question.

ignore presumption incentive transformation overseas edition
In a recent ____________ in The Australian, the issue of the drastic fall in numbers of young people taking up
apprenticeships was raised. The modern employment landscape has been ___________ by changes to universities
in recent years, which have seen huge increases in the numbers of people taking a degree. Now, the government is
trying to provide ____________ to encourage young people to consider taking up an apprenticeship, as well as
allowing more skilled migrants to come to Australia. An opposition spokesman said, “There’s a mistaken
____________ that importing these skills from __________ will solve the problem. This ___________ the fact that
this government has been under funding training for years.”

Sublist Six – this list of words contains the sixth most‐frequent words in the Academic corpus
abstract exceed migration
accurate expert minimum
acknowledged explicit ministry
aggregate federal motivation
allocation fees neutral
assigned flexibility nevertheless
attached furthermore overseas
author gender preceding
bond ignored presumption
brief incentive rational
capable incidence recovery
cited incorporated revealed
cooperative index scope
discrimination inhibition subsidiary
display initiatives tapes
diversity input trace
domain instructions transformation
edition intelligence transport
enhanced interval underlying
estate lecture utility

Vocabulary ANSWERS based on Sublist Six of the Academic Word List
A B
flexible inflexible
capable incapable
inhibited uninhibited
motivated unmotivated
rational irrational
subsidized unsubsidised
traceable untraceable
enhanced exceeded diverse initiative minimum precede allocating
a) This new system will give enhanced access to information within the library.
b) Her performance exceeded our expectations.
c) The new curriculum will take into account the diversity of the population.
d) We have decided to initiate legal proceedings against the newspaper.
e) Rates of truancy have only increased minimally.
f) He took the unprecedented step of making a public comment.
g) You should allocate the same amount of time for each question.
ignore presumption incentive transformation overseas edition
In a recent edition of The Australian, the issue of the drastic fall in numbers of young people taking up
apprenticeships was raised. The modern employment landscape has been transformed by changes to universities in
recent years, which have seen huge increases in the numbers of people taking a degree. Now, the government is
trying to provide incentives to encourage young people to consider taking up an apprenticeship, as well as allowing
more skilled migrants to come to Australia. An opposition spokesman said, “There’s a mistaken presumption that
importing these skills from overseas will solve the problem. This ignores the fact that this government has been
under funding training for years.”

Sublist 7 Exercises
Noun Verb Adjective (+ negative) Adverb
adapt N/A
convert N/A
innovation N/A
priority N/A
prohibitively
denied N/A
disposal N/A
equipped N/A
N/A ideologically
Submit
transmission N/A
empirically classical paradigm couple aid finite intervention
a) Her injuries mean that she is no longer able to walk _________________.
b) Scholars have found similarities between the movie Star Wars and characters and situations in __________
mythology.
c) Lack of rain ____________________ with high temperatures caused the crops to fail.
d) These results are supported ________________________ by several studies.
e) The earth only possesses ____________________ resources, which will eventually run out.
f) He was establishing his reputation as a scholar when the war _______________________.
g) Writing instruction in the last ten years has been shaped by two __________________ ‐ shaping theories.
1. adults
2. channel  way of communicating
3. decade  no involvement with other countries
4. equipment  systems of sending information
5. isolationism
6. media

7. confirmation
8. elimination
9. guarantee
10. mode
11. phenomenon
12. thesis
 removing substances
 something that happens in nature
 a particular way of doing something
Sublist Seven– this list of words contains the seventh most‐frequent words in the Academic corpus
adaptation empirical phenomenon
adults equipment priority
advocate extract prohibited
aid file publication
channel finite quotation
chemical foundation release
classical global reverse
comprehensive grade simulation
comprise guarantee solely
confirmed hierarchical somewhat
contrary identical submitted
converted ideology successive
couple inferred survive
decades innovation thesis
definite insert topic
deny intervention transmission
differentiation isolated ultimately
disposal media unique
dynamic mode visible
eliminate paradigm voluntary

Noun Verb Adjective (+ negative) Adverb
adaption/adaptation adapt adaptive (non‐adaptive) N/A
convert/conversion convert converted (unconverted) N/A
innovation innovate innovative N/A
priority prioritise prioritised N/A
prohibition prohibit prohibitive prohibitively
denial/denier deny denied N/A
disposal dispose disposable (indisposed) N/A
equipment equip equipped (unequipped) N/A
ideology/ideologue N/A ideological ideologically
submission/submissiveness submit submissive submissively
transmission transmit transmittable N/A
empirically classical paradigm couple aid finite intervention
a) Her injuries mean that she is no longer able to walk unaided.
b) Scholars have found similarities between the movie Star Wars and characters and situations in classical
mythology.
c) Lack of rain coupled with high temperatures caused the crops to fail.
d) These results are supported empirically by several studies.
e) The earth only possesses finite resources, which will eventually run out.
f) He was establishing his reputation as a scholar when the war intervened.
g) Writing instruction in the last ten years has been shaped by two paradigms ‐ shaping theories.
1) adults
2) channel  way of communicating

3) decade
 no involvement with other countries
4) equipment  systems of sending information

5) isolationism

6) media

7) confirmation
8) elimination  removing substances
9) guarantee  something that happens in nature
10) mode  a particular way of doing something
11) phenomenon
12) thesis

Sublist 8 Exercises
a) The disease is accompanied with / by / from a high temperature.
b) It helps children develop an appreciation of / for / in poetry and drama.
c) We must behave in conformity of / to / with local customs.
d) There must be no deviation from / in / to the normal procedure.
e) The film industry thrives on the exploitation to / of / in women.
f) The fluctuation of / on / in interest rates is very worrying.
2) Choose the correct part of speech of the word in brackets, adding affixes if necessary, to complete the following
sentences.
a) We expected a completely _______________ response from the government, but this response is very
confusing.
AMBIGUITY
b) Could you help me _______________ one or two points?
CLARITY
c) The decision will _______________ lead to political tensions.
INEVITABILITY
d) The _______________ costs of increasing superannuation must be considered.
PROSPECT
e) The press conference had to be _______________ until July 29th due to a clash of dates.
SCHEDULE
f) Forecasts for the economic are being _______________ downwards.
REVISION
Economic conditions continue to be of _____________ concern to many analysts around the world, who cannot
see any improvements, particularly in the ___________ market. The dollar has been unstable for several weeks.
“___________ in the troubled Middle-East are causing the high prices, particularly in _____________ such as oil,”
a spokesman said today, “and this is why we have seen the _____________ of recent weeks.” The _____________
increase in the price of a barrel of oil is having a knock-on effect around the world. “Transport providers have to
pay more for petrol and this will _____________ affect customers,” she said.
currency tensions widespread commodity fluctuate dramatic inevitable

Sublist Eight – this list of words contains the eighth most-frequent words in the Academic corpus
abandon deviation plus
accompanied displacement practitioners
accumulation dramatic predominantly
ambiguous eventually prospect
appendix exhibit radical
appreciation exploitation random
arbitrary fluctuations reinforced
automatically guidelines restore
bias highlighted revision
chart implicit schedule
clarity induced tension
conformity inevitably termination
commodity infrastructure theme
complement inspection thereby
contemporary intensity uniform
contradiction manipulation vehicle
crucial minimised via
currency nuclear virtually
denote offset widespread
detected paragraph visual

Vocabulary ANSWERS based on Sublist Eight of the Academic Word List
a) The disease is accompanied with / by / from a high temperature.
b) It helps children develop an appreciation of / for / in poetry and drama.
c) We must behave in conformity of / to / with local customs.
d) There must be no deviation from / in / to the normal procedure.
e) The film industry thrives on the exploitation to / of / in women.
f) The fluctuation of / on / in interest rates is very worrying.
sentences.
a) We expected a completely unambiguous response from the government, but this response is very
confusing.
AMBIGUITY
b) Could you help me clarify one or two points?
CLARITY
c) The decision will inevitably lead to political tensions.
INEVITABILITY
d) The prospective costs of increasing superannuation must be considered.
PROSPECT
e) The press conference had to be rescheduled until July 29th due to a clash of dates.
SCHEDULE
f) Forecasts for the economic are being revised downwards.
REVISION
Economic conditions continue to be of widespread concern to many analysts, who cannot see any improvements,
particularly in the currency market. The dollar has seen been unstable for several weeks. “Tensions in the Middle-
East are causing the high prices, particularly in commodities such as oil,” a spokesman said today, “and this is why
we have seen the fluctuations of recent weeks.” The dramatic increase in the price of a barrel of oil is having a
knock-on effect around the world. “Transport providers have to pay more for petrol and this will inevitably affect
customers,” she said.
currency tensions widespread commodity fluctuate dramatic inevitable

Sublist 9 Exercises
A B
restrained
mature
ethical
diminished
confined
compatible
attainable
2) Choose the correct word from the list on the left to match each meaning.
1. rigidity
2. suspension  improvement (usu. small)
3. violation  understanding
4. refinement  action that breaks a law
5. insight
6. erosion
7. diminution
8. device  system of rules
9. compatibility  when things exist together well
10. attainment  reduction in amount
11. protocol
12. revolution
preliminary integral concurrent trigger mediation supplementary qualitative
a) The President’s assassination ______________ a wave of riots.
b) I’m afraid the bank will require some ____________ information in order to proceed.
c) The researcher provided only a ______________ study of educational services, which will need further
work.
d) Women’s experiences are _____________ different from men’s.
e) The United Nations has offered to ____________ between the warring factions.
f) Statistics are an ____________ part of medical research.
g) He should be released in only two years, because his sentences are running ________________.

Sublist Nine – this list of words contains the ninth most‐frequent words in the Academic corpus.
accommodation duration preliminary
analogous erosion protocol
anticipated ethical qualitative
assurance format refine
attained founded relaxed
behalf inherent restraints
bulk insights revolution
ceases integral rigid
coherence intermediate route
coincide manual scenario
commenced mature sphere
incompatible mediation subordinate
concurrent medium supplementary
confined military suspended
controversy minimal team
conversely mutual temporary
device norms trigger
devoted overlap unified
diminish passive violation
distort portion vision

Vocabulary ANSWERS based on Sublist Nine of the Academic Word List
A B
restrained unrestrained
mature immature
ethical unethical
diminished undiminished
confined unconfined
compatible incompatible
attainable unattainable
1. rigidity
2. suspension  improvement (usu. small)
3. violation  understanding
4. refinement  action that breaks a law
5. insight
6. erosion
7. diminution
8. device  system of rules
9. compatibility  when things exist together well
10. attainment  reduction in amount
11. protocol
12. revolution
preliminary integral concurrent trigger mediation supplementary qualitative
a) The President’s assassination triggered a wave of riots.
b) I’m afraid the bank will require some supplementary information in order to proceed.
c) The researcher provided only a preliminary study of educational services, which will need further
work.
d) Women’s experiences are qualitatively different from men’s.
e) The United Nations has offered to mediate between the warring factions.
f) Statistics are an integral part of medical research.
g) He should be released in only two years, because his sentences are running concurrently.

Sublist 10 Exercises

sentences.
a) The argument put forward by the minister was so ____________ that she lost her seat.
CONVINCED
b) Many patients fall into a _________________ state while they are on this medication.
DEPRESSION
c) The teacher was not __________________ to help the students who did little or no homework.
INCLINATION
d) The city ________________ a series of upgrades to its road network during the 1990s.
UNDERGO
e) During the 19th
Century the idea that instant communication could happen across continents was
__________________.
CONCEIVED
f) Nobody could blame the young boy for his _________________ to swim across the wild river.
RELUCTANT
1. collapse
2. levy  being an extremely important and basic characteristic
3. encountered  similar to a tax
4. intrinsic  lasting for a long time / difficult to get rid of
5. persistent
6. colleagues
7. depression
8. integrity  a regular meeting of a particular group
9. reluctant  not willing to do something (may be slow to do it)
10. assembly  the quality of being honest and having principles.
11. enormous
12. convinced
adjacent albeit persistent whereby nonetheless enormous likewise
A breakthrough in research on a rare bone disease has given hope to sufferers, and has great significance for the
future of osteopathy. The ______________ pain associated with the disease can be minimised without drugs,
_____________ for short periods. By strengthening tissues ______________ to the affected joints, sufferers can
gradually improve pain‐free mobility. The course of treatment, ___________ a patient attends a clinic once a week,
has produced encouraging results in clinical trials. _____________, researchers are optimistic about the results of a
concurrent study which treats the disease with a calcium‐ rich diet. Trials are as yet inconclusive; _______________
researchers are reasonably certain that this breakthrough will improve the lives of sufferers _______________.

Sublist Ten – this list of words contains the 30 least frequent words in the Academic corpus.
adjacent enormous odd
albeit forthcoming ongoing
assembly inclination panel
collapse integrity persistent
colleagues intrinsic posed
compiled invoked reluctant
conceived levy so-called
convinced likewise straightforward
depression nonetheless undergo
encountered notwithstanding whereby

Vocabulary ANSWERS based on Sublist Ten of the Academic Word List
sentences.
a) The argument put forward by the minister was so unconvincing that she lost her seat.
CONVINCED
b) Many patients fall into a depressive state while they are on this medication.
DEPRESSION
c) The teacher was not inclined to help the students who did little or no homework.
INCLINATION
d) The city underwent a series of upgrades to its road network during the 1990s.
UNDERGO
e) During the 19th
Century the idea that instant communication could happen across continents was

inconceivable .

CONCEIVED
f) Nobody could blame the young boy for his reluctance to swim across the wild river.
RELUCTANT
1. collapse
2. levy  being an extremely important and basic characteristic
3. encountered  similar to a tax
4. intrinsic  lasting for a long time / difficult to get rid of
5. persistent
6. colleagues
7. depression
8. integrity  a regular meeting of a particular group
9. reluctant  not willing to do something (may be slow to do it)
10. assembly  the quality of being honest and having principles.
11. enormous
12. convinced
adjacent albeit persistent whereby nonetheless enormous likewise
A breakthrough in research on a rare bone disease has given hope to sufferers, and has great significance for the
future of osteopathy. The persistent pain associated with the disease can be minimised without drugs, albeit
for short periods. By strengthening tissues adjacent to the affected joints, sufferers can gradually improve pain‐
free mobility. The course of treatment, whereby a patient attends a clinic once a week, has produced
encouraging results in clinical trials. Likewise , researchers are optimistic about the results of a concurrent
study which treats the disease with a calcium‐ rich diet. Trials are as yet inconclusive; nonetheless, researchers
are reasonably certain that this breakthrough will improve the lives of sufferers _ enormously .

Regular and Irregular Verbs in English
Although there is not a separate stand-alone grammar test in IELTS, your ability to recognise
and use a range of grammatical structures accurately will be important in the listening,
reading, speaking, and writing modules of the IELTS test. Having a good command of verb
patterns is an important aspect of grammar.
In English, the regular forms of verbs are as follows:
Base form Past tense Past participle
play played played
For example:
I play tennis once a week. (Present simple)
I played tennis last Wednesday. (Past simple)
I have played tennis since I was a child. (Present Perfect)
However, many common verbs in English are irregular. Here is a list of common irregular
verbs.
be was/were been
begin began begun
break broke broken
bring brought brought
buy bought bought
build built built
choose chose chosen
come came come
cost cost cost
cut cut cut
do did done
draw drew drawn
drive drove driven

eat ate eaten
feel felt felt
find found found
get got got
give gave given
go went gone
have had had
hear heard heard
hold held held
keep kept kept
know knew known
leave left left
lead led led
let let let
lie lay lain
lose lost lost
make made made
mean meant meant
meet met met
pay paid paid
put put put
run ran run
say said said
see saw seen
sell sold sold
send sent sent
set set set
sit sat sat

speak spoke spoken
spend spent spent
stand stood stood
take took taken
teach taught taught
tell told told
think thought thought
understand understood understood
wear wore worn
win won won
write wrote written
Be sure to revise these verbs regularly and when you learn a new verb, make a note of all of
its forms. You might like to record them like this in your vocabulary notebook:
New Verbs

The Academic Word List Guide

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