ACADEMIC WORDS

LIST [AWL]
 ACADEMIC WORDSLIST [AWL]
• The Academic Word List (AWL) is a compilation of words that are
commonly used in academic texts across various disciplines.
• It was developed by Averil Coxhead in 2000 to help students improve
their academic English vocabulary.
• The list contains 570 word families which were selected because they
appear with great frequency in a broad range of academic texts.
• These words are typically found in academic writing but may not be
as common in everyday conversation.
• Mastering these words can greatly help students understand and
produce academic texts more effectively.
 ACADEMIC WORDSLIST [AWL]
• The AWL is divided into 10 sublists based on word frequency.
• The words in Sublist 1 are the most frequently used in academic
texts, while the words in Sublist 10 are the least frequent but still
important for academic writing.
 Breakdown of the sublists of AWL
• Sublist 1: Most common academic words (e.g., analyze, approach,
concept, data, establish)
• Sublist 2: Second most common academic words (e.g., achieve,
acquire, assist, complex, secure)
• Sublist 3: (e.g., alternative, circumstance, considerable, contribute,
corporate)
• Sublist 4: (e.g., access, annual, cycle, debate, domestic)
• Sublist 5: (e.g., academy, adjust, alter, amendment, capacity)
 Breakdown of the sublists of AWL
• Sublist 6: (e.g., abstract, accurate, acknowledge, aggregate, assign)
• Sublist 7: (e.g., adapt, advocate, channel, classical, comprehensive)
• Sublist 8: (e.g., abandon, accompany, appreciate, arbitrary, automate)
• Sublist 9: (e.g., accommodation, analogy, anticipate, assure, behalf)
• Sublist 10: Least common academic words in the list (e.g., adjacent,
albeit, assemble, collapse, conceive)
 Sublist 1 (Most frequent)

• Analyze: To examine in detail.

• Researchers analyze data to draw meaningful conclusions.
• Approach: A method or way of doing something.
• This study uses a new approach to solving the problem.
• Benefit: An advantage or profit gained from something.
• One benefit of this method is increased efficiency.
• Concept: An abstract idea.
• The concept of sustainability is central to environmental science.
• Data: Facts and statistics collected for reference or analysis.
• The experiment provided valuable data for the study.
 Sublist 2

• Achieve: Successfully reach a desired goal.

• Students strive to achieve academic excellence.
• Complex: Consisting of many different and connected parts.
• The issue is more complex than it initially seemed.
• Secure: To obtain or ensure something.
• The company secured funding for the new project.
• Acquire: To obtain or gain possession of something.
• He acquired new skills during the internship.
• Assist: To help or aid.
• The professor assisted the students with their research.
 Sublist 3

• Alternative: Available as another possibility or choice.

• The team explored alternative approaches to the issue.
• Circumstance: A fact or condition connected with an event.
• Under different circumstances, the outcome might have been better.
• Contribute: To give or supply in order to help achieve something.
• She contributed valuable insights to the discussion.
• Considerable: Large in size, amount, or extent.
• The new policy resulted in considerable improvements.
• Corporate: Relating to a large company or group.
• The corporate structure was reorganized to improve efficiency.
 Sublist 4

• Access: The means or opportunity to approach or enter a place.

• Students need access to reliable resources for research.
• Annual: Occurring once every year.
• The company published its annual report last week.
• Cycle: A series of events that are regularly repeated in the same order.
• The water cycle is a key concept in environmental science.
• Debate: A formal discussion on a particular matter.
• The debate on climate change continues to intensify.
• Domestic: Relating to home or internal affairs of a country.
• Domestic policies were discussed during the meeting.
 Sublist 5

• Academy: A place of study or training in a special field.

• The academy focuses on advancing knowledge in the arts.
• Adjust: To alter or move something slightly to achieve the desired result.
• She adjusted the focus on the microscope.
• Amendment: A change or addition designed to improve a text or legislation.
• The amendment to the bill was passed by the senate.
• Capacity: The maximum amount that something can contain or produce.
• The factory is working at full capacity.
• Consult: To seek information or advice from an expert.
• The students consulted their professor about the project.
 Sublist 6

• Abstract: A summary of the contents of a book, article, or speech.

• The abstract provides a brief overview of the research study.
• Accurate: Free from errors; precise.
• It is important to provide accurate measurements in experiments.
• Acknowledge: To accept or recognize the truth or existence of something.
• The researcher acknowledged the contributions of her team.
• Aggregate: A whole formed by combining several elements.
• The aggregate data were analyzed to identify patterns in the study.
• Assign: To allocate a task or responsibility to someone.
• The professor assigned each student a topic for their final paper.
 Sublist 7

• Adapt: To adjust to new conditions.

• Scientists must adapt their methods to accommodate new technologies.
• Advocate: To support or recommend a particular cause or policy.
• The organization advocates for policy changes to combat climate change.
• Channel: A means of communication or expression.
• The company used social media as a channel to engage with customers.
• Classical: Relating to ancient Greek or Roman culture or traditional, formal style.
• Classical music has influenced many contemporary composers.
• Comprehensive: Complete and including everything that is necessary.
• The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the data
 Sublist 8

• Abandon: To give up completely; to leave something behind.

• The researchers abandoned the project due to lack of funding.
• Accompany: To go with someone or something.
• The chart accompanies the text and provides visual context.
• Appreciate: To recognize the full worth of something.
• The committee appreciates the student's hard work and dedication.
• Arbitrary: Based on random choice or personal whim.
• The decision to select the participants seemed arbitrary.
• Automate: To operate or control something using machines or computers.
• The company plans to automate its production process to increase efficienc
 Sublist 9

• Accommodation: A place to live or stay, or an adjustment for a need.

• The university provides accommodation for international students.
• Analogy: A comparison between two things, typically for the purpose of explanation.
• The analogy between the brain and a computer is often used in cognitive psychology.
• Anticipate: To expect or predict.
• The scientists anticipated that the results would confirm their hypothesis.
• Assure: To make someone confident about something.
• The manager assured the team that their efforts were appreciated.
• Behalf: In the interest or support of someone.
• The lawyer spoke on behalf of the defendant.
 Sublist 10

• Adjacent: Next to or adjoining something else.

• The library is adjacent to the main campus building.
• Albeit: Although or even though.
• The results were promising, albeit preliminary.
• Assemble: To gather people or things together.
• The team assembled the equipment needed for the experiment.
• Collapse: To fall down or fail suddenly and completely.
• The bridge collapsed due to structural weakness.
• Conceive: To form or devise an idea or plan.
• The researchers conceived a new approach to studying the phenomenon.
 The Academic Word List

• Below link is a complete copy of the Academic Word List.

• It shows headwords, sublist, and individual word forms.
• There are hyperlinks giving definitions.
• There is an alternative version of the list, with frequency information
for individual word forms, on another page.

• https://www.eapfoundation.com/vocab/academic/awllists/