-1-

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 shouldnt record, e.g military equipment.
But now theres 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 Alzheimers 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

-24) 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 wasnt 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.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

fossil fuel
sports centre
business correspondent
bottle bank
laser surgery
sign language

6. Which noun combinations match the following definitions?

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

The time of the day when traffic is at its heaviest

the time of year when there are most tourists in a place
the enjoyment you get from doing your work
the buying and selling of military weapons
the cheapest type of seats in a plane
angry or violent behaviour by drivers towards other drivers

-36) 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 antibioticresistant 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
Modal auxiliary
Adverb or noun
Verb

Adjective
Time expression
Frequency adverb
Quantifier

Example
will, may, might, can, could
certainly, possibly, perhaps.
There is a possibility that
It shows/indicates that
It seems/appears that
This suggests that
It tends to
It is certain, likely, probable
that .
(very) soon, at some point, one
day
always, sometimes, often,
rarely
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 the
correct sections of the table opposite.
Although
As a result
By/in comparison
Consequently
Due to
Eventually
Finally
Furthermore

in addition
including
in other words
in spite of (that)
meanwhile
moreover
on the other hand
in the first place

overall
similarly
such as
then
whereas
while
yet
to sum up

13. Choose the most suitable expression to complete the sentences below.
1. At 500 metres, Earths 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 scare, and therefore/similarly food production will need to be far more
efficient.
3. Large parts of the earths biodiversity will vanish including/because species wont be able
to adapt quickly enough to higher temperatures.
4. Marks left by a criminals 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 sciences.
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 3a reduction in stress-related cardiovascular response.
4., smiling creates a sense of trust and social wellbeing which spreads outward to
others. Smiling many not solve the worlds problems, 5 .it is the foundation of
something that will outlast them, 6the 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 classifying adjectives in academic English fall into contrasting pairs. It is
essential to know and be able to use these confidently. Fill in the opposities in the list
below.
Same/different
Full/a).
General/b..
c)/secondary
d)/final
Major/e)

f)(=earlier)/following
Simple/g)..
h) /negative
public/i)..

16. Choose from the list in ex. 15 to complete the sentences.

1. In..generations, elderly parents usually lived with their childrens family.
2. An improved diet can have a very .effect on young childrens 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.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

science:.research
religion:beliefs
countryside (as opposed to the town: the..economy
town (as opposed to countryside).areas
farming:..land
history: a place ofinterest
relating to people (as opposed to animals or machines):nature
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 places.
good important special right
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

The survey is helpful because it provides a ..indication of students concerns.

Environmentalists say the increase in fuel tax is a step in the.. direction.
It is now known that ice sheets play a(n) role in climate change.
Business owners should maintain..communication with all staff.
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) factoring 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.
Executives 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
b)
d)

Adverb/adjective
Several very large prehestoric
c)
sudden

Headword
a)
insight
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
1 prepositional phrase (in,
of, with, etc.) Says where,
when, what for
2 past participle clause (-ed,
etc.)= Short relative clause
(passive meaning)
3 present participle clause
(ing)= Short relative clause
(active meaning)
4 relative clause (that, who,
etc.)

Headword
excavations

Example
a) in

snakes

b) thought

rock formations

c) dating

animals

d) that

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 worship
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 students 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.