The documents contain study material related to IELTS and general English grammar. It also contains practice worksheets and an academic phrase bank book which the learners can use to polish their language skills.
The Academic Phrasebank is a
general resource for academic
writers. It makes explicit the more
common phraseological ‘nuts and
bolts’ of academic writing.
Academic
Phrasebank
A compendium of commonly
used phrasal elements in
academic English in PDF format
2021 enhanced edition
Personal Copy
The enhanced PDF version of Academic Phrasebank is for the sole use of the individual who has downloaded it from
www.phrasebankresearch.net. Distribution of the enhanced PDF version of Academic Phrasebank by electronic (e.g. via
email, web download) or any other means is strictly prohibited and constitutes copyright infringement.
The enhanced version of Academic Phrasebank is only available on this website: http://www.phrasebankresearch.net as a
PDF file or on the Kindle store (search “Academic Phrasebank” in your regional Kindle store). If you see this enhanced
version of Academic Phrasebank made available anywhere else, please contact john.morley@manchester.ac.uk
immediately.
, Preface
The Academic Phrasebank is a general resource for academic writers. It aims to provide the
phraseological ‘nuts and bolts’ of academic writing organised according to the main sections of a
research paper or dissertation. Other phrases are listed under the more general communicative
functions of academic writing.
The resource was designed primarily for academic and scientific writers who are non-native speakers
of English. However, native writers may still find much of the material helpful. In fact, recent data
suggest that the majority of users are native speakers of English.
The phrases, and the headings under which they are listed, can be used simply to assist you in
thinking about the content and organisation of your own writing, or the phrases can be incorporated
into your writing where this is appropriate. In most cases, a certain amount of creativity and
adaptation will be necessary when a phrase is used.
The Academic Phrasebank is not discipline specific. Nevertheless, it should be particularly useful for
writers who need to report their empirical studies. The phrases are content neutral and generic in
nature; in using them, therefore, you are not stealing other people's ideas and this does not
constitute plagiarism.
Most of the phrases in this compendium have been organised according to the main sections of a
research report. However, it is an over-simplification to associate the phrases only with the section in
which they have been placed here. In reality, for example, many of phrases used for referring to
other studies may be found throughout a research report.
In the current PDF version, additional material, which is not phraseological, has been included at the
end of the document. These additional sections should be helpful to you as a writer.
Dr John Morley, 2021
2|Page
, Contents
About Academic Phrasebank ……………………………………………..……..….................. 4
Major Sections
Introducing Work ……………………………………………..……….................... 7
Reviewing the Literature ……………………………………………..…………................. 32
Describing Methods ……………………………………………..……….................... 47
Reporting Results ……………………………………………..……….................... 57
Discussing Findings ……………………………………………..……….................... 65
Writing Conclusions ……………………………………………..……….................... 73
General Functions
Being Cautious ……………………………………………..……….................... 84
Being Critical ……………………………………………..……….................... 88
Classifying and Listing ……………………………………………..……….................... 99
Comparing and Contrasting ……………………………………………..……….................... 102
Defining Terms ……………………………………..………..……….................. 106
Describing Trends ………………………………………..……..……….................. 111
Describing Quantities …………………………………………..…..……….................. 113
Explaining Causality ……………………………………………....……….................. 115
Giving Examples as Support ……………………………………………….……….................. 119
Signalling Transition ……………………………………………..…..…….................. 121
Indicating Shared Knowledge ……………………………………………..……..….................. 125
Writing about the Past ……………………………………………..……..….................. 127
Writing Abstracts ……………………………………………..……….................... 129
Writing Acknowledgements ……………………………………………..……….................... 132
Notes on Academic Writing
Academic Style ……………………………………..………..……….................. 135
Style in Presentations ………………………………………..……..……….................. 138
British and US Spelling …………………………………………..…..……….................. 141
Punctuation ……………………………………………....……….................. 142
Using Articles ……………………………………………….……….................. 143
Sentence Structure ……………………………………………..…..…….................. 145
Paragraph Structure ……………………………………………..……..….................. 147
Tips on the Writing Process ……………………………………………..……….................... 148
Useful Lists
Connecting Words ……………………………………………..……….................... 151
Commonly Confused Words ……………………………………………..……….................... 152
Commonly Used Verbs ……………………………………………..……….................... 154
3|Page
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