ACADEMIC WRITING

Language Focus:
Formal grammar & Style
1. Avoid Contractions
Weve completed the project successfully. X
We have completed the project successfully.

Theyre going to finance the construction. X

They are going to finance the construction.

Exporters wont pay the tax. X

Exporters will not pay the tax.
 Language Focus:
Formal grammar & Style
2. Use the more appropriate formal negative
form
The analysis didnt yield any new results. X
The analysis yielded no new results.

The problem doesnt have many viable solutions.

X
The problem has a few viable solutions.

The government didnt allocate much funding. X

The government allocated little funding .
 Language Focus:
Formal grammar & Style
3. Use the passive voice (avoid you and I)

You can see the results in Table 1.

The results can be seen in Table 1.

We did the research under the supervision of

WHO.
The research was done under WHOs
supervision.
 III. Language Focus:
Linking Verbs and Phrases
Exercise 3: Use linking words or phrases to
combine these sentences

Nuclear accidents can happen. Nuclear

power plants must have strict safety
controls.
Solar heating systems are economical
to operate. The cost of installation is
very high.
Ecologists know that burning fossil
fuels causes holes in the ozone layer.
People continue to do it.
 IV. Language Focus:
References
Writers often use pronouns when they
do not want to use the same noun
more than one time in a sentence.
People go to libraries when they need
information.
Some families have long histories,
while others knows very little about
their ancestors.
 Language focus:
this + summary word
Lecturers know that students need to
understand the difference between formal
and informal language. However, this
understanding cannot usually be acquired
quickly.
In recent years the number of students
applying to Ph.D. programs has increased
steadily, while the number of places
available has remained constant. This
situation has resulted in intense
competition for admission.
 PRINCIPLES OF
PARAGRAPH WRITING (1)
A paragraph is a series of sentences
concerning one idea called the topic.
Usually a paragraph begins with a
general sentence that introduces the
topic. This sentence is called the
topic sentence. The topic sentence
tells the reader what the paragraph
is about.
 The function of the topic
sentence:
Introduce the topic
State the main idea of the paragraph
Focus the paragraph

Example of topic sentence:

Computers can make some jobs easier.
(What jobs? How do they make them
easier)
 Topic sentence?
Bill Gates owns Microsoft.

Thanksgiving is celebrated on the last Thursday

in November.
?
Bill Gates has not only made himself rich but
also has provided employment for many people.

Although thanksgiving is celebrated on the last

Thursday in November, when exactly this
tradition started is not known.
 PRINCIPLES OF
PARAGRAPH WRITING (2)
Supporting sentences

To add details to the topic sentence that
are relevant to the topic sentence

Facts
Examples
Physical description
Personal experience
 PRINCIPLES OF
PARAGRAPH WRITING (3)
Patterns of Organization
Comparison/Contrast
Cause/Effect
Classification
Process
Definition/Clarification
Argumentation
PRINCIPLES OF ESSAY WRITING (1)
 Thesis statement
Generally located at the end of the
introduction, the thesis statement is
the most general, most important
sentence in the essay. It is usually
one sentence that gives the purpose
of the essay.
 Describing trends
Trends: changes or movements
Numerical items:
costs
production volume
growth
 Trends
Three basic trends:
upward downward
stable/constant
Bar Graph
Pie Chart
Line Graph
Language of trends
Describing the degree of
change
Describing the speed of
change
 Adjective or Adverb?
Adjective Adverb

slight slightly

sharp sharply

dramatic dramatically

steady steadily

constant constantly