REGISTER IN ACADEMIC WRITING
(remember to type your answer out +YOUR NAME)
SHOULD:
A. Longer, more complex sentences
B. Academic, formal words
No. ❌ ✅
1. Lucky Fortunate
2. Mad Insane
3. Next Subsequently
4. Throw away Discard
5. Again and again Repeatedly
6. Ask out Invite
7. At once Immediately
8. A lot of/ Lots of Numerous, many, much, a large
amount of, numerous, a great
number of, a great deal of
9. Afraid Fearful
10. Sorry Apologize
11. Really, Very Definitely
12. Can Capable of
13.
❌ Good architecture requires lots of money. However, others would argue that a
pleasant working environment is good for people’s moods.
✅ Good architecture requires considerable investment. However, others would
argue that a pleasant working environment has a positive impact on people’s
moods.
C. Academic, formal linking words
No. ❌ ✅
1. Anyways Nevertheless
2. Plus/Also Moreover/Furthermore/In
addition/Additionally
3. But However/ Conversely
4. So Therefore/Thus
5. I think In my opinion,
6. To sum up, In conclusion,
7. Anyway Notwithstanding/Despite/ In
spite of
8. All right Acceptable
9.
❌ Architects create the design of all of the buildings we see every day so they play
an important role in our communities.
✅ Architects create the design of all of the buildings we see every day. For this
reason, they play an important role in our communities.
AVOID:
A. Colloquial and slang expressions
No. ❌ ✅
1. Bad Negative
2. Smart Intelligent
3. Cheap Inexpensive
4. Awesome/Good looking Attractive
5. Happy Pleased
6.
❌ A pleasant working environment is really awesome for people’s mood.
✅ A pleasant working environment has a positive impact on people’s mood.
B. Phrasal verbs (unless there is no alternative word)
No. ❌ ✅
1. In charge of Responsible
2. Hit out at Criticize
3. Look for Seek
4. Look like Resemble
5. Look into Investigate
6. Look at Regard
7. Point out Indicate
8.
❌ Institutions have to work out whether high costs go up in the long term.
✅ Institutions have to calculate whether high costs soar in the long term.
C. First person personal pronouns
❌ I, We, me, my, our, us, myself, ourselves
❌ I am sure that the initial cost is critical.
✅ Undoubtedly the initial cost is critical.
D. Exclamation points (!)
❌A recent survey in a multinational IT company suggested that 75% of employees
took this survey. That’s a lot of people!
✅ A recent survey in a multinational IT company suggested that 75% of employees
took this survey. This supports the accuracy of this notion.
E. The terms et cetera or etc. or […]
❌Others would argue that a pleasant working environment has a positive impact on
people’s moods, and therefore, their productivity, …
✅ Others would argue that a pleasant working environment has a positive impact on
people’s moods, and therefore, their productivity, and their desire to work
effectively.
