How is academic vocabulary different from regular vocabulary? My English is just fine when I speak to my friends.
Have you noticed that when we read and write in a university or professional setting, the language that we use is very different from that used in everyday conversation?Look at this sample college essay on divorce. You will find many words used in this essay that we do not often use in everyday conversation. What are some examples? Whereas? Incidence? Substantial increase? Do you use these terms regularly when speaking with friends?
For a side by side comparison, and more information about why some words are considered more formal than others, take a look at the is helpful Penn State reference.
Remember: "academic discourse" is a different language- one that all college students must learn to succeed.
How can I expand my formal vocabulary, and what are the best ways to study?
The Academic Word list is a list compiled by linguistics researchers and educators that contains the 570 words most often encountered in English-speaking universities (mainly in textbooks, but also in lectures). For more information about who created it and how it's organized, visit this helpful reference page from the Oxford Learner's Dictionary.The Academic Word List would thus be a perfect place to start your vocabulary study!
- Buy a good vocabulary book for multilingual writers (on Amazon or other discounted website), such as Vocabulary Power 2, or Vocabulary Power 3 (from Pearson) or one of the Townsend Publisher vocabulary series. The book should contain clear definitions and multiple exercises in each chapter.
- Search exercises and lists from the internet (Google "Academic Word List exercises or lists" or "Vocabulary Power 3 exercises"). Quizlet is a particularly good practice site. Here are a few to get you started:
If you are looking for mobile apps, there are many good free vocabulary practice options available, including "Academic Word List," Vocabulary Builder," "TOEFL English Vocabulary," "Oxford 450 TOEFL Vocabulary," "IELTS 4000 Academic," and "SAT Vocabulary." Just visit your app store and find one that has features that you like!
I know a lot of words...but I don't use them. What should I do next?
The next step- after broadening the base of words that you understand- is to focus on learning how to use them correctly, which is essential is college writing. "Close enough" isn't worth much if no one can understand what we are trying to say- no matter how many formal words we put in a sentence!
To do this, you need to find lots of good, clear model sentences for a word. Good vocabulary books contain these, but you can also find them by searching "(the word you are studying) in a sentence."
For example, if we are studying the word "ABSTRACT" and we did this search (ABSTRACT IN A SENTENCE), this is what we would find. We could then visit this site, which lists lots of examples of the word in a sentence.
While reviewing, pay attention to common "patterns" in use, and note subtle differences. For example:
- What preposition(s) commonly follow your verb or adjective? (e.g. interested IN, suspected OF
- What verbs are most commonly used with your noun? (e.g.: EXPERIENCE comprehension, HAVE good comprehension, EVALUATE one's comprehension, etc.)
- Does your word connect ideas to another sentence? How? (e.g.: nevertheless)
- Is the verb followed by a "THAT" clause? (e.g. We suggested THAT he study more.)
- Is your adjective commonly used with certain nouns?
Finally, try creating similar sentences about familiar contexts, based on the models and patterns that you have found. The more real and less abstract your examples, the more likely the words are to "stick" and become part of your working vocabulary.
Keep a vocabulary notebook or electronic document to organize--- and review--- your notes. The best review is meaningful (thoughtful and connected to real life- "how can I use this word today?") and repeated at increasing intervals (once a week, etc.). For more reading about learning and study intervals, check out the book Make It Stick: the Science of Successful Learning, by Peter Brown.
