The Best Strategies for Learning Academic Vocabulary
Academic vocabulary is the language of lectures, textbooks and essays: words like analyse, significant, consequently and framework. Knowing these words well improves your reading speed, writing quality and exam scores.
Strategies that work
Learn word families: analyse, analysis, analytical, analytically.
Learn collocations: conduct research, play a role, draw a conclusion.
Learn from your reading: pick words from articles in your field, not random lists.
Use spaced review: revisit words after one day, three days, a week and a month.
Use words actively: write a sentence with each new word about your own subject.
Where to find the right words
Academic word lists used in university preparation.
Articles and abstracts in your field.
Model IELTS or TOEFL essays and reading passages.
A simple weekly routine
Monday to Friday: learn five words a day from your reading.
Saturday: write a short paragraph using that week's words.
Sunday: review all words from the past month.
Common mistakes
Memorising translations without context.
Learning rare words instead of frequent academic ones.
Never using new words in writing or speaking.
London College UK offers Basic Academic Writing and Advanced Academic Writing. See also how to improve your academic writing.
Frequently asked questions
How many academic words should I learn a day?
Five to ten, reviewed regularly, is more effective than long lists.
Do flashcard apps help?
Yes, especially with spaced review, but add example sentences.
Does academic vocabulary help with IELTS?
Yes, especially in Reading and Writing Task 2.
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