58 academic word families from the Coxhead Academic Word List. High-frequency academic words used across arts, science, and social science texts. Focus: achievement, community, evaluation.
IELTS Academic Word List
Tap any word to open its flashcard, forms, collocations, and linked exercises. Use the study tools to test yourself, run a flashcard deck, or take a quick quiz.
Sublist 2 — Essential Academic Nouns. High-frequency academic words used across arts, science, and social science texts. Focus: achievement, community, evaluation.
Successfully reach a goal through sustained effort, skill, or talent
The programme achieved its target of reducing unemployment by 12%.
A group of people living in the same area or sharing common interests
Social capital is built through strong community networks and shared institutions.
Judge or calculate the quality, importance, or value of something carefully
The committee was asked to evaluate the long-term impact of the policy.
A powerful effect that something has on a situation, person, or thing
Climate change has a significant impact on agricultural productivity in arid regions.
Something that can be used to achieve a goal, such as money, materials, or staff
Limited financial resources constrain the scope of the research programme.
A plan of action designed to achieve a long-term aim or overall purpose
The government adopted a long-term strategy to address housing inequality.
Get or gain something, especially knowledge, skills, or property
Children acquire language most rapidly during the first three years of life.
Manage and organise the affairs of a company, institution, or program
The grant is administrated by a central body that oversees distribution across all partner institutions.
Have an effect on something or change it in some way
Chronic noise pollution affects cognitive performance, particularly in tasks requiring sustained attention.
Suitable or right for a particular purpose, person, or situation
Researchers must select an appropriate statistical method given the distributional properties of their data.
A particular part or feature of something, especially something complex
One key aspect of the intervention is the emphasis on peer-led support rather than top-down instruction.
Help someone, especially by doing a share of the work or providing advice
Trained community health workers assist patients in navigating complex healthcare systems.
A separate section of a book, usually with a number or title
The opening chapter situates the research within a broader theoretical framework of social mobility.
Difficult to understand because of having many parts or interrelated details
The relationship between poverty and health outcomes is more complex than earlier models suggested.
Calculate a result, total, or value using a formula or specialised software
The algorithm computes the optimal solution in polynomial time regardless of input size.
Decide that something is true after considering all the available information
The authors conclude that early intervention yields significantly better outcomes than delayed support.
Organise and carry out a particular activity, especially research or an investigation
The trial was conducted over 18 months across six hospitals in three countries.
Following as a direct result of something that has happened or been done previously
The policy change and its consequent effects on employment are examined in the final chapter.
Build, make, or form something by putting separate parts together
"Social class" is treated as a theoretical construct rather than a fixed empirical category.
Use a supply of something such as fuel, time, or food in order to function
Urban households consume significantly more energy per capita than their rural counterparts.
Recognition or praise given for an achievement, contribution, or successful action
The decline in mortality rates is largely credited to improvements in public sanitation and vaccination coverage.
The customs, beliefs, art, and ways of life of a particular group or society
Organisational culture plays a significant role in determining how employees respond to change.
Plan how something will look or work before it is made or built
The study design ensures that confounding variables are controlled across all experimental conditions.
Clearly different in nature or quality from something else of a similar type
The researchers identified three distinct patterns of behaviour within the adolescent sample.
A part of something larger such as a system, set, or compound
Peer review is a critical element of the quality assurance process in academic publishing.
Consider one thing to be the same as or equal in value to another
Critics argue that we should not equate academic success with test scores alone.
An important, interesting, or typical part of something
A key feature of the new curriculum is its emphasis on critical thinking over rote memorisation.
Coming at the end of a series of events, processes, or stages
The final chapter synthesises the findings from all four empirical studies conducted during the project.
The thing or activity that receives the most attention or concentration
The study focuses on the relationship between parental education level and children's reading outcomes.
Cause physical harm or damage to someone, often in an accident
Workers in manual occupations are significantly more likely to be injured than those in office roles.
An organisation set up for a specific purpose, especially research or education
The government moved to institute mandatory reporting requirements for all publicly funded research.
Put money, time, or effort into something with the aim of gaining a benefit
Nations that invest heavily in early childhood education tend to show stronger long-term economic outcomes.
A single object or article that forms part of a larger group or list
Each test item was reviewed by two independent experts to ensure content validity.
A serious magazine or newspaper that publishes articles for specialists in a field
The findings were published in a peer-reviewed journal with an impact factor above 4.0.
Cause or enable a condition or situation to continue at the same level
Schools in high-income districts are better equipped to maintain consistent educational standards.
Conforming to a standard, usual, typical, or expected pattern
It is normal for participants to report some initial discomfort during the adaptation phase.
Get something that you want, especially through effort, skill, or formal request
Ethical approval was obtained from the university review board prior to data collection.
Take part in an activity or event together with other people
Students who participated in extra-curricular activities showed significantly higher engagement scores.
Become aware of something through the senses, or interpret it in a particular way
Participants perceived the intervention as highly relevant to their day-to-day professional practice.
Hopeful, confident, or feeling sure that something good will happen
The intervention had a positive effect on reading fluency across all three age groups tested.
Capable of becoming or developing into something in the future
The study identifies potential barriers to vaccine uptake among rural communities.
Existing or happening before something else in time or order
The results contradict previous findings and suggest a need for further investigation.
Most important, main, or first in importance, time, or order
The primary objective of the study is to determine the long-term effectiveness of the intervention.
Buy something, especially something expensive or important
The data record when and why households purchase organic food over conventional alternatives.
A set of similar things or the limits within which something can vary
Participants' ages ranged from 18 to 65, ensuring a representative cross-section of the adult population.
A large area of land or part of a country with particular characteristics
Health outcomes vary dramatically by region, reflecting inequalities in resource allocation.
Control an activity or process, especially by means of rules or systems
Financial institutions are regulated by national bodies to prevent systemic risk and protect consumers.
Closely connected or appropriate to what is being discussed or considered
Only studies relevant to the primary research question were included in the systematic review.
Live in a particular place, especially for a long period of time
Children who reside in areas with high pollution levels show elevated rates of respiratory illness.
Limit the size, amount, or range of something to a particular level
Stringent eligibility criteria restrict the generalisability of the findings to broader populations.
Get something that you have been trying to obtain, or feel safe and confident
Access to stable housing is essential for individuals to feel secure enough to participate in employment.
Try to find, obtain, or achieve something through deliberate effort
The study seeks to determine whether cultural context mediates the effects of the intervention.
Choose carefully from a group of similar items or options
Participants were selected using stratified random sampling to ensure demographic balance.
A place where something is, was, or will be located, especially a building
Data were collected from three rural sites chosen to represent distinct ecological and social conditions.
A set of questions used to collect information from a group of people
A national survey of 5,000 adults was used to assess attitudes toward climate change policy.
Written or printed words in a book, document, or on a screen
The researchers analysed a corpus of academic texts published between 2000 and 2020.
A belief, custom, or way of doing something that has existed for a long time
The study draws on the tradition of critical pedagogy developed by Freire in the 1970s.
Move someone or something from one place, position, or situation to another
The skills developed in training workshops did not always transfer readily to the workplace.
Ready to apply these words? Practice with IELTS vocabulary exercises →