ACADEMIC VOCABULARY SERIES

Adjectives and Adverbs in Academic Writing

Academic texts depend heavily on adjectives (which modify nouns and noun
phrases) and adverbs (which modify verbs, adjectives and other adverbs) in
order to communicate meaning effectively.
The most obvious long-range benefit from the fission process is the potential to
provide a source of power that would assure a higher standard of living in those
countries that do not have adequate reserves of fossil fuel.
Excerpt from: Eisenhud, M., &Gesell, T. (1997). Environmental Radioactivity. San Diego: Academic Press.

Adjectives
The following adjectives are commonly used in academic texts. Try using them
in your assignments in place of the more informal, colloquial expressions you use
in conversation.
Common Academic
Adjectives

Examples of use with nouns*

most commonly found in
academic texts

Relating to
importance

important / salient
necessary
significant

salient feature
significant subsidy

Relating to
size/ amount
/ intensity /
frequency

high / increasing
low / declining
adequate / sufficient
prime / main / primary / major
only / sole
annual / hourly
indiscriminate

sole indicator
primary consideration
only restriction
indiscriminate consumption
declining interest
increasing birthrate
annual evaluation

Relating to
quality

new / innovative
economical
consistent
sustainable
abstract
hierarchical

innovative strategy
economical estimate
consistent representation
sustainable solution
abstract concept
hierarchical organization

Relating to
variation

different / alternative
variable

alternative options
variable dimensions

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Relating to
probability

likely / possible
sure / definite / inevitable
impossible

likely paradigm
possible scenario
inevitable outcome

* Note that these nouns are very common in academic texts. If you do not know their
meanings, and how to use them, refer to the Examples Bank in the Longman Dictionary
of Contemporary English software. Then try using them in your writing where
appropriate.

Adverbs
Academic texts generally contain fewer adverbs than adjectives. Those adverbs
that are most commonly used across all disciplines generally fall into the
following four categories.

Category
Intensifiers

Most common
Examples of use
adverbs
More/ very / extremely / Surviving the extremely cold conditions
required more perseverance than even
even / quite
the seasoned hunters were prepared
for.

restrictives

Only / particularly

Female students, particularly those

who are fair-skinned, need to take extra
precaution to protect themselves when
participating in the outdoor project.

hedges

Usually / sometimes /
generally / probably /
relatively / perhaps

This procedure is perhaps one of the

most complicated one in medical
history; it is usually carried out by
highly experienced teams with very
sophisticated equipment.

additives

Further / also

It was further argued that fair pricing

was another area that needs to be
considered as a substantive measure.

References:
Biber, D., Johansson, S., Leech, G., Conrad, S., & Finegan, E. (1999). Longman grammar of
spoken and written English. Harlow, Essex: Pearson.
Coxhead, A. (2000). The new academic word list. TESOL Quarterly, 34 (2), 213-238.
Dr. Elaine Khoo, 2005. The Writing Centre, University of Toronto at Scarborough. See terms and
conditions for use at http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/~ctl/twc/terms.htm