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1) Formality
1. Use more formal words with the same meaning The graph shows a decrease in smoking It is not easy to get research funding Most accidents happen between 8 and 10 pm Textbooks can be bought online We cannot reply to this e-mail The walking school bus idea originated in 1998 The present study was carried out In two rural and two urban places Compared with earlier generations The popularity of camera phones, has made it more and more tricky to prevent people from taking photos of things they shouldn’t record, e.g military equipment. But now there’s a system that can find out any camera phones and send out rays of light to mess up any pictures they take
2) The passive constructions
2. Rewrite the following as passive constructions
People used the North Star as a navigation aid You can even see Venus in the middle of the day They outlawed smoking in public places in 2003 Someone has found a new galaxy circling the Milky Way Researchers repeated the tests a year later They are testing a nasal spray which may cure Alzheimer’s disease
3) It-constructions
3. Change the following phrases to passive constructions with it
Most people agree that Scientists think that volcanic eruptions may have destroyed dinosaurs Nowadays we know that exercise can reverse many symptoms of ageing Researchers have found that sun bathing is addictive In the past people used to think that bed rest was goof for people with weak hearts Some people might argue that sending young offenders to jail is counterproductive -2-
4) General nouns
4. Choose suitable general nouns from the list below to complete the sentences using singular or plural forms as appropriate.
Activity, device, problem, purpose, benefit, effect, reason, trend, change, issue, result, type
1. The country is facing a range of ______including inflation and high unemployment 2. Cinema attendance has fallen steadily in recent months and this______looks set to continue. 3. The subject of discrimination will be among several other______to be discussed. 4. The new mayor promised to crack down on drug dealing and other illegal______/ 5. Nouns can be countable and uncountable and each ______has its own grammatical rules/ 6. Members get free entry to exhibitions as well as other ______such as a regular newsletter 7. Unfortunately an E grade wasn’t the ______he had been hoping for 8. Washing machines and other labour-saving ______have transformed our lives
5) Noun combinations
5. Explain the meaning of the following noun combinations.
1. fossil fuel 2. sports centre 3. business correspondent 4. bottle bank 5. laser surgery 6. sign language
6. Which noun combinations match the following definitions?
1. The time of the day when traffic is at its heaviest 2. the time of year when there are most tourists in a place 3. the enjoyment you get from doing your work 4. the buying and selling of military weapons 5. the cheapest type of seats in a plane 6. angry or violent behaviour by drivers towards other drivers -3-
6) Noun phrases/noun phrases with of
7. Rewrite the following sentences replacing the words in italics with a suitable noun phrase. Most, but not all are noun phrases with of.
1. The report had not recognised how severe global warming would be this century The report had underestimated ______this century. 2. The only way to diagnose the disease accurately is to obtain a blood sample A (n) ______depends on obtaining a blood sample. 3. Many countries are dangerously dependent on oil as a source of energy. Many countries have ______as a source of energy. 4. You can insure yourself of losing your income if you become unemployed, There is______caused by ______5. Piaget is known for his studies of the way children developed intellectually. Piaget is known for his studies of______
7) Hedging
8. Compare sentences a) and b) below. Underline the two additional words which qualify the statement in sentence b). Which statement are you more likely to believe? Why? a) Cancer drugs serve as an unexpected new weapon against deadly antibiotic-resistant bacteria. b) Cancer drugs may serve as an unexpected new weapon against some deadly antibiotic- resistant bacteria.
9. Underline the words which are used to qualify the following statements.
1. The decline in sea ice cover in the Amundsen Sea appears to be linked to the warming of West Antarctica 2. Logging companies are sometimes asked to protect certain areas of undamaged habitat to compensate for the damage their operations do. 3. Extra doses of a molecule that helps to protect lung cells from the damage caused by smoking might one day reduce some of the dangers associated with the habit.
10. Use hedging language from the table below to qualify the following statements where appropriate. Example New evidence shows that early dinosaurs crawled on all fours before learning to stand upright New evidence suggests that some early dinosaurs may have crawled on all fours before learning to stand upright 1. Olive oil has a similar anti-inflammatory effect to the drug ibuprofen, which explains why the Mediterranean diet protects against cancer and other diseases. 2. The earth beneath our feet contains 100 times as many species of bacteria as we thought. According to recent research, one gram of soil harbours up to a million microbial species 3. Skeletons recently discovered in Scotland indicate that ancient Britons practised the art of mummification at the same time as the Egyptians. 4. The floods caused by Hurricane Theo will create the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes, which transmit West Nile virus, and it will be at least a month before we know the scale of the risk to public health. Conversely, the hurricane will also have the opposite effect and get rid of the disease altogether.
Key hedging language
Effect Language Example Saying things are more or less Modal auxiliary will, may, might, can, could certain or probable Adverb or noun certainly, possibly, perhaps. There is a possibility that … Verb It shows/indicates that… It seems/appears that… This suggests that… It tends to… Adjective It is certain, likely, probable that …. Time expression (very) soon, at some point, one day Saying things are more or less Frequency adverb always, sometimes, often, common or general rarely Quantifier all, most, many, some, certain
8) Signposting
11. Underline the main linking expressions in the test below.
There are two fundamental problems of knowledge at the centre of the book. First, we have the problem of induction that is the fact that although we are only able to observe a limited number of events, science nevertheless advances unrestricted universal statements. Second is the problem of demarcation, which demands a separating line between empirical science and non-science. This book makes a major contribution to the philosophy of science and is therefore essential reading for anyone interested in the field.
12. Academic English uses all the main types of linking expressions to show the connections between ideas or facts. Match the following linking expressions to their functions in sentences.
Although in addition overall As a result including similarly By/in comparison in other words such as Consequently in spite of (that) then Due to meanwhile whereas Eventually moreover while Finally on the other hand yet Furthermore in the first place to sum up 1. Addition; 2. Reason/Result; 3. Giving examples/restating; 4. Contrast; 5. Sequence/Listing; 6. Summary
13. Choose the most suitable expression to complete the sentences below.
1. At 500 metres, Earth’s tallest sand dunes are already huge, in other words/yet they are set to grow even bigger as the world warms. 2. Water will be scarce, and therefore/similarly food production will need to be far more efficient. 3. Large parts of the earth’s biodiversity will vanish including/because species won’t be able to adapt quickly enough to higher temperatures. 4. Marks left by a criminal’s tools can reveal important evidence. The use of a screwdriver to prise open a window, for example/in addition leaves scratches unique to the tool. 5. Music has been created by every known society although/and it is consistently rated as the most popular art form in surveys. However/Consequently the origins pf music mystify scientists.
14. Choose suitable expressions from the box to complete the text below
But However such as for example Furthermore that is to say
An exchange of smiles, in a shop or between a parent and child, 1……………….., seems to be s simple act. 2………………., within those individuals, a smile can have powerful physical and emotional effects 3…………………a reduction in stress-related cardiovascular response. 4……………., smiling creates a sense of trust and social wellbeing which spreads outward to others. Smiling may not solve the world’s problems, 5 ………….it is the foundation of something that will outlast them, 6……………the co-operative basis of human society.
9) Attributive Adjectives
Classifying adjectives These adjectives classify a noun according to type , e.g. a digital camera, a natural material.
15. Many very common classifying adjectives in academic English fall into contrasting pairs. It is essential to know and be able to use these confidently. Fill in the opposites in the list below.
Same/different f)………………(=earlier)/following Full/a)………. Simple/g)…………….. General/b…….. h) ……………/negative c)……………/secondary public/i)………….. d)……………/final Major/e)……………
16. Choose from the list in ex. 15 to complete the sentences.
1. In……………..generations, elderly parents usually lived with their children’s family. 2. An improved diet can have a very …………….effect on young children’s behaviour. 3. The research is only……in the early stages but the……………..results have been encouraging. 4. It was a very…………..operation which took several hours to perform. 5. The new law bans smoking in restaurants and other …………. places. 6. The findings of the research are likely to be of …………..interest to psychiatrists.
17. Topical adjectives, which classify a noun according to subject area, are common in academic English, e.g political theory. Think of adjectives which have a meaning connected with the following:
1. science:……………….research 2. religion:………………beliefs 3. countryside (as opposed to the town: the…………………..economy 4. town (as opposed to countryside)………………….areas 5. farming:……………..land 6. history: a place of………………interest 7. relating to people (as opposed to animals or machines):…………nature 8. industry:……………………..countries
Evaluative adjectives
These adjectives express a judgment of some kind, e.g. interesting news, good advice
18. Some evaluative adjectives occur very frequently with certain common headwords (main nouns) in academic English, so these word partners are useful to know. Choose the appropriate adjective to complete the noun phrases. good important special right
1. The survey is helpful because it provides a …………..indication of students’ concerns. 2. Environmentalists say the increase in fuel tax is a step in the………….. direction. 3. It is now known that ice sheets play a(n) ……………role in climate change. 4. Business owners should maintain…………..communication with all staff. 5. Law Reviews are a(n)…………..case among research journals because they are edited by law students rather than qualified professionals. 6. 45 percent of people say that price is a(n) …………factor in considering a purchase.
10) Nouns and Noun Phrases
19. The main elements of the message in the sentence below are underlined a) what is the message and b) what additional information is given?
Soaring greenhouse gas emissions, driven by a surge in coal use in countries such as China and India, threaten dramatic temperature rises.
Additional information can be added before the headword (e.g. dramatic temperature rises) or after it (e.g. greenhouse gas emission driven by a surge in coal use)
20. One way of providing information before the headword is by adding another noun to make a noun + noun combination. Find three examples in the sentence above.
21. Another way to add information before the headword is with determiners (a, the, this, some, e.t.c), adjectives and adverbs. Read the following extract and complete the table below. Excavations in an open-pit coal mine in Colombia have uncovered the remains of several very large prehistoric snakes, thought to be the largest ever to have lived on Earth. The fossils, found in rock formations dating back 60 m years, give scientists an unprecedented insight into the giant animals that ruled the tropics after the sudden disappearance of the dinosaurs 65 m years ago.
Determiner Adverb/adjective Headword Several very large prehestoric a) b) c) insight d) sudden e)
22. There are also several ways of conveying information after the headword. Complete the examples in the table below using words from the text in ex. 3.
Type Headword Example 1 prepositional phrase (in, excavations a) in of, with, etc.) Says where, when, what for 2 past participle clause (-ed, snakes b) thought etc.)= Short relative clause (passive meaning) 3 present participle clause rock formations c) dating (ing)= Short relative clause (active meaning) 4 relative clause (that, who, animals d) that etc.)
23. Match each underlined section a)-d) in the text below to one of the four constructions in exercise 4.
Gold bullion a) said to be worth $ 1bn has been located among the wreckage of the warship HMS Victory. According to the company b) that led the search, the ship was also carrying important naval artillery when it sank in 1744. A huge bronze cannon c) weighing four tons has already been recovered, and this is the only gun d) of the size and type still in existence.
24. Academic English often prefers to use shorter noun phrases rather than longer relative clauses. Rewrite the underlined parts of these sentences as noun phrases.
1. Six companies that supply energy have announced that they are reducing prices. 2. Scientists who are involved in the study say that the process produces some by-products that are not desirable. 3. It is an electronic thermometer which reacts fast and has a three digit LED screen. 4. The company has paid millions of dollars in fines for activities that were against the law.
25. Rewrite the extract from a student’s essay to make more impersonal and academic, using all the formal types of language you have studied.
I think that energy is very important in our life. I came from a country with very cheap electricity but in the UK it is very expensive. We should try to save as much as we can. We must turn on the light only in the room that we are using and try to use the washing machine as little as we can to save electricity. Language facts:
1. There are typically three to four times as many nouns as verbs in academic writing. By contrast, nouns and verbs are equally frequent in conversation. 2. “Of” is the second most common word in English after “the”. This reflects the importance of “of” in noun phrases 3. The most common use of modal verbs in academic writing is to express possibility 4. Attributive adjectives are more frequent in academic writing than in any other type of English. 5. In an electronic corpus, containing over I million words of University Management Studies texts, the phrase “In my opinion” occurred only once.