Academic Writing & Argument
Academic Writing & Argument — 20 high-frequency words, with pronunciation, collocations, false friends and four interactive exercises.
📌 Lesson contents
🎯 Lesson aim
The twenty expressions that instantly raise the register of an essay ✍️ and that Cambridge examiners look for: position verbs (contend, concede), structure markers and softening phrases. It is the lesson you need for Writing Part 1 of CAE and CPE. 🚀
🗂️ Word Bank
Tap 🔊 to hear the British pronunciation. The IPA transcription is under each word.
📖 Words in context
Anatomy of an argumentative paragraph · tap a highlighted word to hear it.
A strong academic paragraph does four things, in order.
It states a position: *Proponents contend that remote learning widens access.* It supports that position with evidence that can substantiate the claim, not merely illustrate it. It then anticipates the objection — and here the best writers concede something real: *It must be conceded that outcomes vary considerably by household income.* Weak writers ignore counterarguments; strong writers absorb them and remain compelling.
Finally it resolves the tension. Note that the resolution is rarely absolute: the evidence supports the claim insofar as certain conditions hold, and one caveat usually remains. Yet, notwithstanding the limitations, a nuanced conclusion is more persuasive than a confident one, because examiners reward control of qualification. A tenuous link stated boldly loses marks; a modest claim, carefully bounded and clearly underpinned by evidence, gains them. Hedging, in conclusion, is not weakness — it is precision.
🔗 Collocations & chunks
Words are learned in pairs, not alone: memorise the whole chunk.
| Chunk / collocation | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| it could be argued that | a careful way to give an opinion | It could be argued that the reverse is true. |
| a body of evidence | a large amount of proof | A growing body of evidence supports this. |
| draw a distinction between | to see the difference between | We must draw a distinction between the two. |
| with the exception of | except for | With the exception of Norway, all countries declined. |
| to a certain extent | partly; not completely | This is true to a certain extent. |
| the aforementioned | the thing already mentioned | The aforementioned studies reached similar results. |
⚠️ Tricky Words and Traps
| English word | Real meaning ✅ | Common trap ❌ |
|---|---|---|
| eventually | finally, in the end | It doesn’t mean “possibly” → that is possibly / where appropriate |
| actually | in fact, really | It doesn’t mean “at present” → that is at present |
| argument | reasoning; a case for or against something | It isn’t a subject you write about → that is topic / subject matter |
| sensible | assennato | It doesn’t mean “easily upset” → that is sensitive / appreciable (of data) |
🎚️ Register: when to use them
| Expression | Register | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| I think this is wrong. | informal | unacceptable in an academic essay |
| This view is questionable. | neutral-formal | acceptable in a B2 essay |
| This interpretation is open to challenge. | academic | the register expected at C1 |
| Such a reading arguably overstates the case. | advanced academic | CPE level: caution and precision together |
🚫 Common mistakes to avoid
| Mistake ❌ | Correct ✅ |
|---|---|
| In this essay I will speak about… | This essay examines… |
| Albeit he was tired, he continued. | Although he was tired, he continued. |
| Concluding, I want to say that… | In conclusion, the evidence suggests that… |
| I am agree with the first opinion. | I agree with the first view. |
🎮 Vocabulary gym
Four ways to practise the same 20 words. Your progress is saved on this device.
Tap the card to flip it.
Tap an English word, then its meaning. Eight pairs per round.
Complete the ten sentences with the right word. The short hint is your clue.
- Some scholars that the opposite is true.💡 Some scholars claim that the opposite is true.
- One must that the data are limited.💡 We have to admit that the data are limited.
- The paper attempts to that claim.💡 The article tries to prove that claim wrong.
- The argument is difficult to .💡 The argument is hard to support with evidence.
- Two assumptions the whole model.💡 Two assumptions form the base of the whole model.
- A more reading is required.💡 A more subtle reading is needed.
- She offers a counterargument.💡 It gives a counterargument that is hard to resist.
- The link is at best .💡 At best, the link is very weak.
- The results improved, marginally.💡 The results improved, although only a little.
- these limitations, the study matters.💡 Despite these limits, the study matters.