Joy English
Joy English

C1 Vocabulary

C1Academic English20 min

Academic verbs and collocations

Learn precise verbs and fixed phrases such as underpin, corroborate, shed light on and give rise to for essays, reports and discussions.

Advanced academic writing relies on precise verbs rather than general ones. Instead of saying that a study shows something or leads to something, writers choose verbs that signal exactly how evidence supports an argument, weakens it or opens new questions. Many of these verbs have strong collocations, so learn each one together with the words it usually keeps company with.

underpinverb
form the basis of an idea, theory or system and support itThree basic assumptions underpin the whole model.
corroborateverb
confirm a claim or finding by providing additional evidenceIndependent witnesses were able to corroborate her account.
undermineverb
weaken something gradually, especially confidence or an argumentRepeated errors in the data began to undermine the study's credibility.
allude tophrasal verb
mention something indirectly, without naming itThe author alludes to an earlier dispute but never explains it.
substantiate a claimphrase
prove that a statement is true by giving evidenceThe report fails to substantiate its claim that costs fell.
draw a distinctionphrase
point out a clear difference between two thingsHer essay draws a careful distinction between privacy and secrecy.
shed light onphrase
help to explain something that was unclearThe new fossils shed light on how early birds learned to fly.
yieldverb
produce a result, finding or amountYears of fieldwork yielded some remarkable results.
account forphrasal verb
explain the reason for something, or make up a particular amountImports account for nearly a third of the total.
cast doubt onphrase
make people less sure that something is true or reliableSeveral critics have cast doubt on the reliability of the survey.
give rise tophrase
cause something to begin or exist, often something unexpectedRapid urbanisation can give rise to new health concerns.
warrantverb
deserve or justify a particular response or actionThe anomaly is striking enough to warrant further investigation.

Exercise 1 of 2

Choose the best word or phrase

Choose the option that completes each sentence correctly.

  1. The researchers could not _____ their claim with any hard data.

  2. Her second study used a different sample and _____ the earlier findings, which strengthened confidence in them.

  3. The writer only _____ the scandal in a footnote, never naming it directly.

  4. The team found an unusual pattern in the results, and it was striking enough to _____ further investigation.

  5. What does the phrase cast doubt on mean?

  6. The new satellite data _____ light on why the glaciers retreated so quickly.

  7. Unplanned growth in the region has _____ rise to a host of transport problems.

  8. Labour costs _____ for roughly forty per cent of the company's expenses.

0 of 8 answered

Exercise 2 of 2

Type the missing word

Type the word that completes each sentence. Use each word once: account, allude, cast, corroborate, distinction, underpin, undermine, yield. Change the form of the verb if necessary.

  1. Three simple principles the whole theory.

  2. Constant interruptions began to her confidence in the project.

  3. Years of fieldwork finally some remarkable results.

  4. The author draws a careful between honesty and bluntness.

  5. Two independent witnesses were able to her account of what happened.

  6. How do you for the sudden fall in sales last spring?

  7. The poem to ancient myths without ever naming them.

  8. Several critics have doubt on the reliability of the survey.

0 of 8 answered

Source

Original lesson by Joy English.

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