Assessments are written using academic vocabulary. Use these banks to help boost the vocabulary you use in your own work.
Types of Language
Language of Representation
This language is used to signify how a text represents the world. It signifies the relationship between words/images and the things or ideas they represent. Often this language means ‘to tell’ or ‘show’ or ‘make’.
| demonstrates | implies | foreshadows |
| juxtaposes | tells | portrays |
| enhances | conveys | constructs |
| exemplifies | explain/s | depicts |
| foregrounds | show/s | simulates |
| suggests | illustrates | symbolises |
| says | means |
Language of Time & Sequence
This language is used to order a text cohesively. It could be used when explaining, recounting and/or writing procedures. It is often used to order events or to indicate a sequence of events or stages.
| eventually | frequently | following |
| succeeding | linear | at the outset |
| continues | occasionally | gradually |
| sustained | preceding | subsequently |
| introduced | in addition | meanwhile |
| following | between | then |
| until | originally | furthermore |
| initially | originated | throughout |
| finally | once | from... to... |
| percursor |
Language of Instruction
This language is used to convey a command, warning, suggestion or advice.
| observe | calculate | construct |
| position | modify | record |
| consider | continue | devise |
| distribute | develop | predict |
| allocate | download | copy |
| suggest | throw | place |
| cut | maintain | saturate |
| make | light | direct |
| observe | modify | stretch |
Language of Cause & Effect
This language connects ideas together when one factor causes the other factor to occur.
| have brought about | will culminate in | contribute to |
| makes | because | results in |
| affects | implies | therefore |
| provoked | gives rise to | produces |
| due to | creates | allows |
| confirms | stemmed from | provided |
| engenders | generates | arose from |
| induces | fosters | indicates |
| as a consequence of | enables | repercussions of |
| derived from | influenced by | leads to |
| accounts for | validates |
Language of Comparison & Contrast
This language is used to identify similarities and differences. With comparison, we deal with the similarity or dissimilarity of things. With contrast, we tend to refer to the extreme differences or opposites of things.
| a significant difference | in spite of | nevertheless |
| dissimilar | even if | as well as |
| in contrast to | althoug | alternatively |
| whilst | notwithstanding | distinguishable |
| most significant | distinction between | as are |
| unlike | equivalent | similarly |
| either | like | in both cases |
| is different from | less practised | instead of |
| most serious of which | likewise | neither |
| despite | comparable | elsewhere |
Language of Judgement, Opinion & Evaluation
This language is used to express people’s thoughts, perceptions and point of view. Language of opinion can be used when presenting or evaluating an argument, when explaining, when responding to source materials or case studies.
| presumably | harmful | essential |
| easily | considerable | minor |
| indubitably | reasonable | more efficient |
| necessary | substantially | notably |
| dramatically | understandably | relatively |
| imperatively | general perception | somewhat unreliable |
| underpins | extremely relevant | fundamental |
| undeniably | questionable | difficult to ascertain |
| ambiguously suggested | can not be underestimated | inconclusive |
| crucial |
Language of Description
This language is used to tell what something or someone looks like or is like, in terms of behaviour or other characteristics.
The Language of Description makes use of complex noun groups - the noun plus the adjective that describe it and adverbs with the verb and adverbial phrases. The language of description can include technical language but may also include everyday language.
Examples include:
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In all of these examples the noun has been enhanced to provide the audience (the reader) with greater detail to the noun or verb.