Transcript 22A The AWLx

Academic Word List
Academic English
Vanessa Russell
Vanessa Russell
What is AWL?
 Averil Coxhead
 570 words from 3,500,000 list
 From journals, textbooks, course workbooks, lab
manuals and course notes.
 Divided into sub-lists from the most frequent
 60/sub-list
 Sub-list 10 = 30
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Why learn AWL?
 Academic words used across disciplines
 Used in newspapers, magazines and novels
 Used in televisions, movies and conversations
 ESL learners
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Advantages of
AWL (Subtechnical) Words
 You can improve the level of your writing by
choosing words that are clear and specific.
 Academic Words will help you express increasingly
complex thoughts in a precise and interesting way.
 Increase your vocabulary exponentially by
familiarizing yourself with the word forms.
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Examples of Precise Word Choices
for the Writer
Non-Academic
Words
Live
Try
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Academic Words
(AWL)
Survive
Persist
What differences do academic words add
to these sentences?
While hiking alone in Utah, Aron Ralston, of 127
Hours, was hit by a falling boulder which pinned his
right arm and trapped him for five days.
 In order to live, he
amputated his own
arm.
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 In order to survive (the hiking
accident), he amputated his
arm.
 He is a survivor.
 His survival is remarkable.
What differences do academic words
add to these sentences?
In 2005, Brian O’Driscol, captain of the Irish rugby
team, was spear tackled in a game in New Zealand
leaving him with a dislocated shoulder. He
desperately wanted to be back in shape again to be
able to play in the coming World Cup.
 After the injury, he
 Since the injury he
has tried to train
his shoulders with
intensity to
strengthen the
muscles.
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persisted in training his
shoulders with intensity to
strengthen the muscles.
 He was very persistent
about strengthening his
shoulder muscles.
 His persistence has made
him one of the best rugby
players of his time.
Practice
 Select 1 word from the following AWL
words. Write 3 sentences with this word.
-analyze
-assume
-define
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-occur
-compatible
-require
Word Forms
 Most academic words can take prefixes and suffixes
that alters meaning – that is they can have different
meaning with slight change.
 Example: Analyze (v), analyzable (adj), analyzer (n),
analysis (n).
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Word Forms
Noun
Verb
Analyzer/analysis
Analyze
Adverb
Adjective
analyzable
Assume
Define
Occur
Compatible
Require
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