Academic Vocabulary

Academic Vocabulary

Analyze

• Break something down to understand it

better.

Argue

• Give reasons to support your opinion.

Assess or Evaluate

• Judge something to decide its value or

importance.

Assume

• To take something as true without proof.

Cite

• Mention where you got your information.

Claim

• A statement you believe to be true.

Compare

• Show how two things are alike.

Contrast

• Show how two things are different.

Conclude

• Make a decision or judgment based on

evidence.

Context

• The background or situation that helps explain

something.

Demonstrate

• Show something clearly.

Describe

• Tell what something is like using details.

Determine

• Decide something after thinking about it

carefully.

Develop

• Expand or make something stronger over

time.

Distinguish

• To show the difference between two or more

things.

Evidence

• Proof that supports an idea or claim.

Identify

• Point out or recognize something.

Illustrate

• Show or explain something using examples.

Infer

• Figure out something that isn’t directly stated.

Interpret

• Explain the meaning of something.

Justify

• Give reasons or evidence to support a decision

or opinion.

Narrative

• A story or an account of events.

Paraphrase

• Restate something in your own words.

Predict

• Guess what will happen next based on

information you have.

Reflect

• Think deeply about something.

Revise

• Change something to make it better.

Summarize

• Give a short version of something, covering

only the main points.

Support

• Provide facts or evidence to back up an idea.

Synthesize

• Combine different ideas to form a complete

understanding.

Theme

• The main idea or message in a story or text.

Thesis

• The main point or argument of a text.

Tone

• The author's attitude toward the subject in a

text.

Transition

• A word or phrase that connects ideas

smoothly.