Academic vocabulary · Grade 8
Academic vocabulary is the set of words used in essays, textbooks and exam questions in every subject: analyse, evaluate, significant, consequently. Knowing them helps you understand questions and write clearly.
Key facts
- Command words in questions tell you what to do: analyse (look at the parts in detail), evaluate (judge how good or important), justify (give reasons), summarise (give the main points briefly).
- Describing words: significant (important or large enough to notice), relevant (connected to the topic), crucial (extremely important), approximately (roughly).
- Linking words to add a point: furthermore, moreover, in addition. To show a contrast: however, nevertheless, whereas.
- Linking words to show a result: consequently, therefore, as a result, thus.
- Research words: hypothesis (an idea to test), method (how you do it), evidence (facts that show something is true), conclude (decide from the facts). British spelling: analyse, emphasise; American: analyze, emphasize.