Common synonyms in academic writing
Task 5: Match the academic synonyms in each list.
Nouns Verbs
area advantage a accelerate change a
1-f 1-p
authority part b achieve help b
2-g 2-m
behaviour argument c alter question c
3-k 3-a
beliefs disadvantage d analyse suggest d
4-n 4-g
benefit tendency e assist explain e
5-a 5-b
category field f attach evolve f
6-u 6
component source g challenge examine g
7-b 7
concept emotion h claim establish h
8-iv 8
controversy target i clarify insist i
9-c 9-e
drawback explanation j concentrate on speed up j
10-d 10-iiv
expansion conduct k confine take apart k
11-iii 11-v
feeling topic l develop join l
12-h 12-f
framework possibility m eliminate reach m
13-v 13-iv
goal ethics n evaluate decrease n
14-i 14
hypothesis production o found demonstrate o
15-ii 15-h
interpretation research p maintain increase p
16-j
16-i
issue theory ii predict cite i i
17-l 17-iiiv
method increase iii prohibit reinforce i i i
18-w 18-u
option idea iv quote remove i v
19-m 19-ii
quotation citation iiv raise focus on i i v
20-iiv 20
results figures iiiv reduce forecast i i i v
21-x 21-v
statistics type u respond ban u
22-iiiv 22-x
study structure v retain limit v
23-p 23-w
trend system w show keep w
24-e 24-o
output findings x strengthen reply x
25-o 25-iii
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Task 6: Find synonyms for the words and phrases underlined, re-writing the sentence
where necessary.
(a) Professor Hicks questioned the findings of the research.
__________________________________________________________
Professor Hicks disapproved with the study's conclusions.
(b) The statistics show a steady expansion in applications.
__________________________________________________________
Statistics demonstrate a consistent increase in applications.
(c) The institute’s prediction has caused a major controversy.
__________________________________________________________
The institute's forecast has sparked a lot of debate.
(d) Cost seems to be the leading drawback to that system.
__________________________________________________________
Cost seems to be the main disadvantage of that system.
(e) They will concentrate on the first option.
__________________________________________________________
They'll focus on the first possibility.
(f) After the lecture she tried to clarify her concept.
After the lecture she tried to define her idea .
__________________________________________________________
(g) Three issues need to be examined.
__________________________________________________________
Three issues must be addressed.
(h) The framework can be retained but the goal needs to be altered.
__________________________________________________________
The structure can be kept, but the target must be changed.
(i) OPEC, the oil producers’ cartel, is to cut production to raise global prices.
__________________________________________________________
OPEC, the oil producers' cartel, plans to reduce output in order to boost global prices.
(j) The trend to smaller families has speeded up in the last decade.
__________________________________________________________
In the last decade, the trend toward single parents has accelerated.
Task 7: Identify the synonyms in this text by underlining them and linking them to the
word they are substituting for.
Example: agency – organization
The chairman of the UK’s food standards agency has said that a national advertising campaign
is necessary to raise low levels of personal hygiene. The organisation is planning a £3m
publicity programme to improve British eating habits. A survey has shown that half the
population do not wash before eating, and one in five fail to wash before preparing food. There
are over six million cases of food poisoning in this country every year, and the advertising blitz
aims to cut this by 20 per cent. This reduction, the food body believes, could be achieved by
regular hand washing prior to meals.
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____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Task 8: In the following text, replace all the words or phrases in bold type with suitable
synonyms.
Many motor manufacturers are currently planning to start making electric cars. Their plan is to
make cars that are cheaper and less polluting. But the motor manufacturers face several key
difficulties. One key difficulty is the limited range of the battery, while another difficulty is its
cost and weight. But the motor manufacturers predict that these difficulties will soon be
overcome and predict that 10 per cent of cars will be powered by electricity in five years’ time.
____________________________________________________________________________
Their goal is to produce cars that are cheaper and less polluting.
____________________________________________________________________________
But automakers face several key difficulties
O____________________________________________________________________________
ne major challenge is the battery's limited range of the battery, while another issues is
its cost and weight.
____________________________________________________________________________
B____________________________________________________________________________
ut the auto industry predicts that these challenges will soon be overcome and believe
that 10 per cent of cars will be powered by electricity in five years’ time
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