As you've probably guessed, there is a difference between Academic and General English. Even if you're a competent user of English, developing your Academic English skills and vocabulary is a good idea if you're currently studying.
Academic English Meaning
Academic English (AE) is the specific 'branch' of English we use to read, study, and write about academic subjects. AE typically has its own style, tone, vocabulary, and structure than can differ from everyday English use.
Although Academic English often contains complex vocabulary and sentence structures, good academic writing should still be clear, concise, and easy to read. After all, who really wants to read a sentence that looks like this:
"It has been unequivocally deliberated for millennia the precise inception of 'language' amongst scholars and linguists alike, for whom the answer appears ineffable."
Nobody. That's who!
An important consideration of Academic English and academic writing is the audience. Generally, when writing an academic piece (e.g., an essay), the intended audience is knowledgeable in the field and is familiar with Academic English. Good academic writers utilize academic vocabulary and structures they believe their readers to be comfortable with and guide them through and explain new or unknown terms and topics.
Using vocabulary such as framework or paradigm is encouraged and need not be explained in detail within the essay. On the other hand, essay-specific vocabulary, such as sociolect or English as a lingua franca, should be explained.
Not only does this guide and inform your reader, but it also shows that you fully understand what you're talking about.
Academic vocabulary can differ across disciplines, and while some vocabulary is shared across all subjects, some are more subject-specific.
Fig. 1 - Your academic writing should still be enjoyable to read.
When To Use Academic English
Using Academic English isn't always appropriate. For example, you wouldn't ask your friends to "Examine the sample results from the group chat and deduce who may be attending the gathering that evening" - that would just sound odd.
We usually use Academic English in academia (surprise!). Example include:
Research and reports
Proposals
Essays
Presentations
Books
Journals
Dissertations
Features Of Academic English
Although AE can differ across disciplines, some features of Academic English should always be followed. They are:
Formal
Avoids contractions, e.g., don't, can't, isn't
Avoids colloquialisms and slang
Written in the 3rd person, e.g., The linguist David Crystal stated he believed ...
Avoids personal pronouns, e.g., I
Use of passive voice, e.g., Research was undertaken
Cautious and objective, i.e., using hedging words to show how most things are not 100% certain, e.g., could, might, may
Evidenced and cited, e.g., There are currently more non-native English speakers than native English speakers (Crystal, 2011).
Critical i.e., explores gaps and bias in the knowledge and evidence
Explicit, i.e., follows an objective and purpose rather than creativity
Linear, i.e., follows a structured plan
Balanced, i.e., doesn't contain a lot of emotive language or biased opinions
Referenced - most examples of academic writing are accompanied by a reference list
Academic English Examples
Before we look at an example passage of Academic English, let's first see some examples of Academic English words and phrases.
Academic English Words
Here are some examples of Academic English vocabulary. For a complete list of academic vocabulary, take a look at The Academic Word List (AWL) - a comprehensive compilation of English words often found in academia.
Cohesive Devices (linking words that show the relationship between ideas) - however, therefore, furthermore, moreover, equally, by comparison, firstly
Reporting verbs - depicts, shows, suggests, proposed, posited, persuaded, clarifies, disputes, uncovers
Action verbs - define, interpret, analyze, indicate, compare, contrast, discuss, summarize, synthesize
Hedging words (to show lack of certainty) - appears to, seems to, may, might, could
Research - source, method, framework, paradigm, brief, quantitative, qualitative, deduce, data
General academic words - approach, concept, context, sector, discipline, discriminate, figure, glossary
Subject-specific academic words - linguistics, discourse, dialect, semantics, denotative, connotative, dialogue, etymology, exposition, perspective
Academic English Phrases
Using the correct phrases can help add structure and meaning to your academic writing. Here are some phrases you can use based on your intended purpose.
Being Critical
The journal/paper fails to analyze/specify/explain/distinguish ...
It might have been beneficial to ...
A key weakness in this study is ...
- Being Cautious
- It could be suggested that ...
- It has been reported that ...
- Recent research suggests ...
- Giving Examples
- A notable example of X is ...
- Evidence of this can be seen ...
- This is evident in ...
Showing transition
With regards to X ...
As previously stated,
Let us now consider ...
Fig. 2. - Use different phrases throughout your writing to keep it interesting and varied.
Sample Of Academic English
Take a look at the following sample and highlight the features of Academic English.
As previously stated, there are now more non-native English speakers worldwide than native speakers (Crystal, 2011). Therefore, it could be argued that non-native English speakers are having a more significant impact on the future of the English language than native speakers. Research conducted by the linguist Kirpatrick (2018) found that a large number of non-native speakers in Thailand were more concerned with being understood by other non-natives than communicating with native speakers. Compared with the data Crystal collected in 1992, it is apparent that there has been a shift in non-native English speakers' attitudes towards their language learning.
English For Academic Purposes
English for Academic Purposes (EAP) is a program or course of study designed to prepare non-native English speakers for their academic studies. EAP is a branch of English Langauge Teaching (ELT) and English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and is often taught to students prior to them starting a university course.
EAP courses teach academic vocabulary and appropriate grammar, syntax, and punctuation. It also covers academic skills, such as analysis, planning, notetaking, researching, and criticality.
Although EAP courses are generally aimed toward non-native English speakers, many colleges run pre-sessional courses for all students that focus on developing academic skills.
Academic English Vs. General English
Here is a handy table outlining the key differences between General English and Academic English:
| General English | Academic English |
| Can contain figurative language, such as metaphors and similes | Should never contain figurative language |
| Often contains contractions, e.g., don't | Should never contain contractions |
| Contains emotive language | Should be balanced, non-biased, and contain little emotive language |
| Contains slang, colloquialisms, and idioms | Shouldn't contain slang, colloquialisms, or idioms |
| Can be formal or informal | Should always be formal |
| Often contains personal pronouns, e.g., I, we | Should be written in 3rd person |
Academic English - Key Takeaways
- Academic English (AE) is the specific 'branch' of English we use to read, study, and write about academic subjects
- Good academic writing considers the audience and uses academic vocabulary whilst guiding the reader through new or unknown terms
- Key features of Academic English include: formality, written in 3rd person, avoiding slang and colloquialisms, avoiding contractions, being objective and structured, referenced
- Academic phrases can help add structure and meaning to our academic writing
- English for Academic Purposes (EAP) is a program designed to prepare non-native English speakers for their academic studies
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