Academic English

What you'll learn

By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to write academic English: cautious claims, nominalised style and precise logical connectors.

When do I use it?

Academic writing is formal, precise and cautious. Its hallmarks:

Hedging: "It could be argued that...", "The data suggests...", "This tends to be the case."
Nominalisation: "The analysis of the results reveals..." instead of "We analysed the results and saw...".
Passive: "The experiment was conducted over two weeks."
Formal connectors: "furthermore", "however", "therefore", "in contrast", "consequently", "in conclusion".
Impersonal tone: avoid "I think"; use "It is believed that...".

How do I form it?

Structure

hedged claim + nominalised subject + passive + formal connector

The findings suggest that the hypothesis may be correct.
A significant increase was observed after the treatment.
Furthermore, the data support the original theory.
It is argued that further research is needed.
In conclusion, the results are consistent with previous studies.

Common mistakes for Spanish speakers

Warning

Spanish academic writing is heavy, so translating word-for-word produces overly dense English — break long noun chains. "I think that..." in an essay is too informal; use "It is argued that..." or "The results suggest that...". Do not use exclamation marks, rhetorical "?" or "really/very" in academic text. Also, "investigation" for a small study is too grand — "study" or "research" is safer. Hedge appropriately: "may", "might", "suggests" protect your claims.

Hint

Hedge your claims, nominalise, use the passive and formal connectors, and stay impersonal.

Practice

Multiple Choice

Which sentence is appropriately cautious for academic writing?

Fill in the Blank

The experiment conducted over two weeks.

Hint: Academic style prefers the passive: 'was conducted'.

Find the Error

Click on the incorrect word:

Sentence Transformation

Original

We analysed the data and saw a clear pattern.

Task: Rewrite in academic style with nominalisation

Hint: Nominalise: 'the analysis of the data revealed...'

Practice Speaking

Apply what you've learned in a real conversation with AI feedback.

Level: C1

Learning Objectives

Recommended before this lesson