Integrating Quotations with Signal Verbs (B2)

Your task

Fill in the gap in each sentence with the correct word or phrase.

0 / 15 answered

Your score

0 / 150%

Keep practising! Focus on the explanations below.

to Smith (2020), "global temperatures have risen by 1.2°C since 1900."

Correct answer: According

"According to" introduces a source before a quotation with no comma needed between "to" and the source name. This is the most neutral attribution signal — it presents information without implying the writer's agreement or disagreement. "According for" is incorrect; "according" is always followed by "to".

Jones (2019) that "the current policy is fundamentally flawed and must be reformed."

Correct answer: argues

"argues" signals that the author is making a debatable claim and the writer presents it as open to dispute — this is the most common signal verb for contentious academic claims. "States" would imply a more neutral, factual assertion. "Writes" is too generic when the content is clearly argumentative.

The report that "sales increased by 23% in the third quarter."

Correct answer: states

"states" or "notes" are appropriate for presenting a factual finding from a document or report. "States" is the more neutral, direct option and is appropriate here since the report is citing a clear statistic rather than making an interpretive argument. "Argues" would incorrectly imply the statistic is debatable.

Williams "the relationship between poverty and educational attainment is more complex than previously thought."

Correct answer: observes

"observes" signals that the author noticed and reported something — suitable for empirical findings or analytical comments. "Observes" is more nuanced than "says" and implies careful attention. A comma is typically placed after the author's name before the quoted material when no "that" is used.

Even critics of the theory that "the experimental data cannot be ignored."

Correct answer: acknowledge

"acknowledge" signals that even someone who typically disagrees is conceding a point — it is the ideal verb when the source is a critic making a concession. "Even critics... acknowledge" creates a powerful rhetorical move. "Argue" would undermine the concession. "State" is too neutral for a reluctant admission.

At the end of her study, Park that "further research is needed to determine causation."

Correct answer: concludes

"concludes" is the appropriate verb for the final judgment or recommendation of a study — it signals that this is the author's ending position. "Argues" would suggest the conclusion is still contested. "States" lacks the sense of finality. "Concludes" is precise and standard in academic writing.

The author that the current approach "ignores the social dimension entirely."

Correct answer: contends

"contends" signals that the author is putting forward a strong, debatable claim — similar to "argues" but with the connotation of asserting against opposing views. It is appropriate when the author is in disagreement with an existing position.

The researcher that "participants reported significantly lower stress levels after the intervention."

Correct answer: reports

"reports" is the standard verb for communicating the outcomes of an empirical study — it is neutral and accurate. "Argues" would incorrectly suggest the finding is debatable rather than empirical. "Finds" is also acceptable but "reports" is more common when the verb describes quantitative results.

Brown that "the evidence supporting this model is overwhelming and consistent across contexts."

Correct answer: asserts

"asserts" signals a strong, confident claim — the author is declaring something emphatically. It implies more certainty than "argues" and is used when the source is making a forceful, unequivocal statement. It is distinct from "contends," which implies opposition to other views.

The author that we must "reconsider our assumptions about language acquisition."

Correct answer: proposes

"proposes" is used when an author suggests a new idea, model, or course of action — it is forward-looking and constructive. "Argues" would work but "proposes" better captures the prescriptive, recommendation-based nature of "we must reconsider."

Lee "the gap between rich and poor continues to widen despite decades of intervention."

Correct answer: points out

"points out" signals that the author is drawing attention to an existing, observable fact — it implies the fact was always there and the author is highlighting it. "Points out" does not imply the claim is debatable (unlike "argues") but does give it more emphasis than "states".

Despite changing his theory twice, Chen that "the core principle remains valid."

Correct answer: maintains

"maintains" signals that the author continues to hold a position despite challenges or revisions — it implies persistence or stubbornness in a claim. It is the ideal verb here because Chen has changed his theory but still holds to a central principle.

In her introduction, the author that "previous studies have focused too narrowly on Western contexts."

Correct answer: notes

"notes" is appropriate for drawing attention to a limitation or observation in a measured, scholarly way. It is less forceful than "argues" and avoids overstating how contentious the observation is. "Notes" is widely used in academic writing for incidental or contextual observations.

to the WHO (2023) report, "at least 2 billion people lack access to safe drinking water."

Correct answer: According

"According to" is the standard formula for attributing a factual quotation to an institutional report. It is neutral and factual. "Due to" is causal, not attributive. "Referring to" would require "According to" as a reformulation. "Based on" implies you are drawing a conclusion, not directly quoting.

The study that "no significant correlation was found between diet and cognitive decline in this sample."

Correct answer: found

"found" (or "finds" in the historical present) is the standard signal verb for reporting the result of an empirical study. "Argues" is wrong for a null result — you can't argue for an absence of correlation. "Shows" is also acceptable. "Found" is the most natural past-tense choice for reporting an empirical outcome.

Please answer at least one question first.

Found an error in this exercise? Let us know.

Your task

Fill in the gap in each sentence with the correct word or phrase.

0 / 15 answered

Your score

0 / 150%

Keep practising! Focus on the explanations below.

to Smith (2020), "global temperatures have risen by 1.2°C since 1900."

Correct answer: According

Jones (2019) that "the current policy is fundamentally flawed and must be reformed."

Correct answer: argues

The report that "sales increased by 23% in the third quarter."

Correct answer: states

Williams "the relationship between poverty and educational attainment is more complex than previously thought."

Correct answer: observes

Even critics of the theory that "the experimental data cannot be ignored."

Correct answer: acknowledge

At the end of her study, Park that "further research is needed to determine causation."

Correct answer: concludes

The author that the current approach "ignores the social dimension entirely."

Correct answer: contends

The researcher that "participants reported significantly lower stress levels after the intervention."

Correct answer: reports

Brown that "the evidence supporting this model is overwhelming and consistent across contexts."

Correct answer: asserts

The author that we must "reconsider our assumptions about language acquisition."

Correct answer: proposes

Lee "the gap between rich and poor continues to widen despite decades of intervention."

Correct answer: points out

Despite changing his theory twice, Chen that "the core principle remains valid."

Correct answer: maintains

In her introduction, the author that "previous studies have focused too narrowly on Western contexts."

Correct answer: notes

to the WHO (2023) report, "at least 2 billion people lack access to safe drinking water."

Correct answer: According

The study that "no significant correlation was found between diet and cognitive decline in this sample."

Correct answer: found

Please answer at least one question first.

Found an error in this exercise? Let us know.