Academic English
Elements of Academic English
————————————————
1. Formality
Formal language = language appropriate for professional or academic settings
● Do’s:
○ Clear, accurate language
○ Strong verbs (weak: “studies said…”, strong: “studies indicates…”)
○ Specific nouns (vague: “one thing”, specific: “one benefit”)
○ Signposting language (connection, liking, transition)
○ Respectful of rules (grammar, APA, assignment)
● Don’ts
○ Conversational language
■ Second person language (you, your, yours)
■ Conversational language (slang, colloquial phrase, clichés)
■ Contractions (don’t, can’t, shouldn’t)
■ Nonstandard English (less people, the most clearest, etc.)
■ (Rhetorical) Questions (How is this accomplished?)
■ Coordinating conjunctions at beginning of sentences (and, but, so, or)
○ Generic “we”
○ Phrasal verbs (look over, put off, break down)
○ Literary devices
■ Metaphors (Chatbots are the future.)
■ Sarcasm (Consumers just love having to read hundreds of online
reviews.)
■ Hyperbole (Everyone has watched a YT video.)
2. Precision
● Reduce ambiguity & confusion
● Communicate intended meaning
Imprecise Precise
Search terms were used to find materials. Three terms (“ASMR”, “gentle whispering”
(vague) and “tapping sounds”) were selected as
search terms for identifying potential
videos.
Recently, YouTube changed so that dislikes In November 2021, YouTube changed their
would no longer be visible. (ambiguous) policy so that dislikes would no longer be
visible to users.
Colloquial language is often perceived as Teachers often perceive colloquial
incorrect (incorrect) language as incorrect.
, 3. Conciseness (beknopt)
● Not redundant (overbodig)
● Not unnecessary (onnodig)
● Not verbose (uitgebreid)
● Active voice
Not concise Concise
Also, an additional benefit is… (redundant) An additional benefit is…
Forty online reviews were collected for this Forty online reviews were collected.
study. (unnecessary)
Due to the fact that… (verbose) Because…
In order to… (verbose) To…
Significant improvements to essays were Students receiving automated writing
observed by students who received feedback demonstrated significant
automated writing feedback (passive) improvements in their essays. (active)
4. Objectivity
● Unbiased
● Not influenced by personal feelings, opinions or interpretations
● Based on (perceived) facts
● Avoid subjective language:
○ Implied value judgements (e.g., good, bad, great, terrible, superior)
○ Intensifiers (very, really, extremely, quite)
○ Exclamations!
○ Personal preferences or experiences (e.g,. I believe, I have found, In
my opinion)
○ First person (e.g., I, we)
○ Non-inclusive language (gender, race, age)
Subjective Objective
This result is very informative. This result is informative.
Thirty females participated in the study. Thirty women participate in the study.
However, assuming students will not use However, assuming students will not use
generative AI is foolish. generative AS may not be realistic.
Studies have found that young people tend Studies have found that people between
to prefer asynchronous communication the ages of 13 and 25 tend to prefer
asynchronous communication.
Elements of Academic English
————————————————
1. Formality
Formal language = language appropriate for professional or academic settings
● Do’s:
○ Clear, accurate language
○ Strong verbs (weak: “studies said…”, strong: “studies indicates…”)
○ Specific nouns (vague: “one thing”, specific: “one benefit”)
○ Signposting language (connection, liking, transition)
○ Respectful of rules (grammar, APA, assignment)
● Don’ts
○ Conversational language
■ Second person language (you, your, yours)
■ Conversational language (slang, colloquial phrase, clichés)
■ Contractions (don’t, can’t, shouldn’t)
■ Nonstandard English (less people, the most clearest, etc.)
■ (Rhetorical) Questions (How is this accomplished?)
■ Coordinating conjunctions at beginning of sentences (and, but, so, or)
○ Generic “we”
○ Phrasal verbs (look over, put off, break down)
○ Literary devices
■ Metaphors (Chatbots are the future.)
■ Sarcasm (Consumers just love having to read hundreds of online
reviews.)
■ Hyperbole (Everyone has watched a YT video.)
2. Precision
● Reduce ambiguity & confusion
● Communicate intended meaning
Imprecise Precise
Search terms were used to find materials. Three terms (“ASMR”, “gentle whispering”
(vague) and “tapping sounds”) were selected as
search terms for identifying potential
videos.
Recently, YouTube changed so that dislikes In November 2021, YouTube changed their
would no longer be visible. (ambiguous) policy so that dislikes would no longer be
visible to users.
Colloquial language is often perceived as Teachers often perceive colloquial
incorrect (incorrect) language as incorrect.
, 3. Conciseness (beknopt)
● Not redundant (overbodig)
● Not unnecessary (onnodig)
● Not verbose (uitgebreid)
● Active voice
Not concise Concise
Also, an additional benefit is… (redundant) An additional benefit is…
Forty online reviews were collected for this Forty online reviews were collected.
study. (unnecessary)
Due to the fact that… (verbose) Because…
In order to… (verbose) To…
Significant improvements to essays were Students receiving automated writing
observed by students who received feedback demonstrated significant
automated writing feedback (passive) improvements in their essays. (active)
4. Objectivity
● Unbiased
● Not influenced by personal feelings, opinions or interpretations
● Based on (perceived) facts
● Avoid subjective language:
○ Implied value judgements (e.g., good, bad, great, terrible, superior)
○ Intensifiers (very, really, extremely, quite)
○ Exclamations!
○ Personal preferences or experiences (e.g,. I believe, I have found, In
my opinion)
○ First person (e.g., I, we)
○ Non-inclusive language (gender, race, age)
Subjective Objective
This result is very informative. This result is informative.
Thirty females participated in the study. Thirty women participate in the study.
However, assuming students will not use However, assuming students will not use
generative AI is foolish. generative AS may not be realistic.
Studies have found that young people tend Studies have found that people between
to prefer asynchronous communication the ages of 13 and 25 tend to prefer
asynchronous communication.
