Academic+Style

= = = Academic style examples taken from Academic style exercises above =

Make sure you are aware of the features of Academic English which is characterized by fairly ** formal grammar ** and ** vocabulary. **
**It normally** ** avoids colloquial expressions, contractions, ** **such as "isn't", "don't"** **It is generally** ** impersonal ** **with** ** few personal pronouns ** **such as** ** I, we ** **and frequent use of the** ** passive voice. **

1 Formal words

 * demonstrate** (instead of "show")
 * obtain** (instead of "get")
 * occur** (instead of "happen")
 * purchase** (instead of "buy")
 * respond** (instead of "reply")
 * conduct** (instead of "carry out')
 * locations** (instead of "places")
 * previous** (instead of "earlier")

** 2. Passive constructions **
The North star **was used** as (instead of "People used the North Star as a navigation aid") Venus **can be seen** (instead of "You can even see Venus in the middle of the day" Smoking **was outlawed** (instead of "They outlawed smoking in public places in 2003") A new galaxy **has been found** (instead of "Someone has found a new galaxy circling the Milky Way) The tests **were repeated** (instead of "Researchers repeated the tests a year later") A nasal spray **is being tested** (instead of "They are testing a nasal spray which may cure Alzheimer's disease")

3. It-constructions

 * It is thought that** (instead of "Scientists think that volcanic eruptions may have destroyed dinosaurs"
 * It is known that** (instead of "Nowadays we know that exercise can reverse many symptoms of aging")
 * It has been found that** (instead of "Researchers have found that sun bathing is addictive|
 * It used to be thought** **that** (instead of "In the past people used to think that bed rest was goof for people with weak hearts")
 * It might be argued that** (instead of "Some people might argue that sending young offenders to jail is counterproductive")

4. General nouns

 * activity**
 * device**
 * problem**
 * issue**
 * purpose**
 * benefit**
 * effect**
 * reason**
 * trend**
 * change**

5. Noun combinations

 * traffic problems**
 * public transport**
 * city center**
 * rush hours**
 * information technology**
 * on-line work**
 * distance learning facilities**
 * trash removal**
 * trash disposal**
 * waste laws**
 * waste problems**

6. Noun phrases with prepositions

 * the severity of global warming** (instead of "severe global warming")
 * accurate diagnosis of the disease** (instead of " diagnose the disease accurately")
 * a dangerous dependence on** (instead of "dangerously depend on")

7 Hedging language-key language used to show how sure your are about something
-New evidence **suggests** that **some** early dinosaurs **may have crawled** on all fours before learning to stand upright (** instead of ** ) New evidence **shows** that early dinosaurs **crawled** on all fours before learning to stand upright)

8. Signposting
An exchange of smiles, in a shop or between a parent and child, **for example**, seems to be s simple act. **However**, within those individuals, a smile can have powerful physical and emotional effects **such as** a reduction in stress-related cardiovascular response. **Furthermore**, smiling creates a sense of trust and social wellbeing which spreads outward to others. Smiling may not solve the world’s problems, **but**.it is the foundation of something that will outlast them, **that is to say,** the co-operative basis of human society.

9. Attributive adjectives
public places particular/specific interest scientific research rural economy urban areas industrial countries human nature

Information can be added after the headword

 * 1) Excavations** __in an open-pit coal mine__

** prepositional phrase ** __-__ ** __says where, when, what for__ **
2) Excavations in an open-pit coal mine have uncovered the remains of several very large prehistoric **snakes**, __thought to be the largest ever to have lived on Earth.__  **3)** The fossils, found in **rock formations** __dating back 60 m years__ 4) The fossils give scientists an unprecedented insight into the giant ** animals ** __that ruled the tropics after the sudden disappearance of the dinosaurs 65 m years ago__.
 * past participle clause with passive meaning **
 * present participle with active meaning **

Information can be added before the headword
__several very large prehistoric__ ** snakes ** __an unprecedented__ **insight** __the sudden__ **disappearance**