These are words 1 to 25 of the top 400 words of the New Academic Word List: words that appear again and again in university texts and in the Academic IELTS Reading and Writing tasks. For each word, read the example, try to guess the meaning, then reveal it and mark honestly how you did. Then say the word aloud, record yourself and compare it with the model voice. When you have finished, try the gap quiz and save your results.
The New Academic Word List was compiled by Charles Browne, Brent Culligan and Joseph Phillips (2013) from academic texts, and its words are ranked by the authors. We teach the top 400 in rank order. How the list was made
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The words
1
repertoire
noun
The singer has a wide repertoire of folk songs.
collocationsa wide repertoire · build a repertoire · repertoire of skills
all the songs, plays or skills that a person or group can perform or use
Watch out: Stress the first syllable; the ending -oire is said /wɑː/: /ˈrepətwɑː/.
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2
obtain
verb
You must obtain a visa before you travel.
collocationsobtain permission · obtain results · obtain information
to get something, usually by asking, trying or paying for it
Watch out: Obtain is more formal than get. Use it in writing, not in casual speech.
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3
distribution
noun
The distribution of wealth is uneven in many countries.
collocationsthe distribution of wealth · food distribution · a normal distribution
the way things are shared or spread across a group, an area or a period
Watch out: The verb is distribute, with the stress on the second syllable: /dɪˈstrɪbjuːt/.
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4
parameter
noun
The study had clear parameters for age and income.
collocationsset the parameters · within the parameters · key parameters
a fixed limit or measurable factor that sets how something works or is done
Watch out: Do not confuse parameter with perimeter, which is the distance around a shape.
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5
aspect
noun
Cost is an important aspect of the plan.
collocationsan important aspect · every aspect of · the legal aspect
one part or feature of a situation, idea or problem
Watch out: Say it with the stress on the first syllable: /ˈæspekt/.
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6
dynamic
adjective
The city has a dynamic economy.
collocationsa dynamic economy · dynamic change · a dynamic leader
full of energy and change; always developing
Watch out: As a noun, dynamics is plural in form: group dynamics.
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7
impact
noun
The new road had a big impact on local shops.
collocationshave an impact on · a positive impact · environmental impact
the strong effect that something has on a person, a thing or a situation
Watch out: Say have an impact on, not have impact to.
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8
domain
noun
Medicine is outside my domain.
collocationsthe public domain · in the domain of · a specific domain
an area of knowledge, activity or control
Watch out: In IELTS you can use domain to avoid repeating field or area.
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9
publish
verb
The journal will publish her study in May.
collocationspublish a book · publish research · publish a report
to make a book, article or report available for the public to read
Watch out: Publish means to release work to the public. It does not mean to edit it.
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10
denote
verb
A red light denotes danger.
collocationsdenote a change · symbols denote · denote the number of
to be a sign of something, or to have a particular meaning
Watch out: Denote is formal. In speaking, use mean or show.
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11
authority
noun
The local authority approved the building plans.
collocationslocal authority · have authority · a leading authority
the official power to make decisions, or an organisation that has this power
Watch out: An authority on a subject is an expert. The authorities are the officials.
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12
semantic
adjective
There is a semantic difference between big and large.
collocationssemantic meaning · a semantic field · semantic change
connected with the meaning of words and sentences
Watch out: Semantic is about meaning. Do not confuse it with syntactic, which is about grammar.
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13
par
noun
His latest essay is not up to par.
collocationsup to par · on a par with · below par
the usual or expected standard
Watch out: The common phrases are on a par with and up to par.
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14
ion
noun
Salt breaks into ions when it dissolves in water.
collocationsa positive ion · a negative ion · ion exchange
an atom or small group of atoms with an electric charge
Watch out: The first syllable sounds like the word eye, not like the word ee.
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15
matrix
noun
The data were arranged in a matrix.
collocationsa matrix of · a data matrix · a matrix of options
a grid of numbers or items in rows and columns
Watch out: The plural is usually matrices: /ˈmeɪtrɪsiːz/.
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16
linear
adjective
The relationship is linear, not curved.
collocationslinear growth · a linear model · linear order
in a straight line, or increasing by equal steps
Watch out: The opposite is nonlinear, which describes curved or uneven change.
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17
cognitive
adjective
Reading improves cognitive skills in children.
collocationscognitive skills · cognitive development · cognitive ability
connected with thinking, learning, memory and understanding
Watch out: Pronounce the g clearly: /ˈkɒɡnətɪv/.
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18
graph
noun
The graph shows sales over five years.
collocationsdraw a graph · a line graph · the graph shows
a diagram that shows how two sets of numbers are related
Watch out: In Task 1 you can say the graph shows, but also use chart or diagram for variety.
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19
correlation
noun
There is a correlation between sleep and exam results.
collocationsa strong correlation · a correlation between · show a correlation
a link between two things, so that when one changes the other tends to change
Watch out: A correlation is not always a cause. Say correlation between A and B.
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20
linguistic
adjective
She has strong linguistic ability.
collocationslinguistic skills · linguistic diversity · linguistic features
connected with language or the study of languages
Watch out: A linguist studies language. It does not mean someone who speaks many languages.
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21
acid
noun
Lemon juice contains a weak acid.
collocationsacid rain · a strong acid · citric acid
a sour chemical that can burn or dissolve other materials
Watch out: Acid rain is a popular IELTS environment topic.
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22
induce
verb
The drug can induce sleep.
collocationsinduce sleep · induce a change · induce stress
to cause something, or to persuade someone to do something
Watch out: After induce, name the result: induce sleep, induce fear.
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23
velocity
noun
The velocity of the wind increased during the storm.
collocationshigh velocity · wind velocity · the velocity of
the speed of something in a particular direction
Watch out: Velocity includes direction. Speed does not.
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24
interval
noun
There was a short interval between the two lectures.
collocationsat regular intervals · a short interval · time interval
a period of time or a space between two events or things
Watch out: In British English the break in a play or film is called the interval.
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25
discourse
noun
Public discourse about health has changed.
collocationspublic discourse · academic discourse · political discourse
spoken or written language used in a connected way, or serious discussion
Watch out: As a noun the stress is on the first syllable.
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Gap quiz
Each sentence has one gap. Drag a word into the gap, or tap a word and then tap the gap. The words are the ones you have just practised, and some of them have changed shape (for example, is or made).
A pianist with a large can play hundreds of different pieces from memory.
You must a visa from the embassy before you travel, so apply early.
The of wealth shows how money is shared among the people of a country.
Before running the model, the team entered the allowed minimum and maximum for each .
Housing is one of city life; transport and education are two others.
The company is , adapting quickly each time the market changes.
The new road had a big on local shops, and many of them closed.
Law is outside my of expertise; please ask someone who works in medicine.
The journal will her study next month, so everyone will be able to read it.
In a chemistry table, the letter O is used to oxygen.
The local approved the building plans and gave the builders a start date.
It is a difference of meaning only, not of grammar, so we call it a difference.
His latest essay is not up to : it is weaker than the work he normally writes.
An atom that loses an electron becomes a positively charged .
The numbers were arranged in a with five rows and four columns.
Growth is when the amount rises by the same step every year.
A test of memory, attention and problem solving measures a person's ability.
The line in the report shows how sales rose steadily over five years.
There is a strong between hours of sleep and exam results: students who sleep more tend to score higher.
A person who studies the structure and history of languages has a great deal of knowledge.
Lemon juice and vinegar taste sour because they each contain a weak .
Some medicines sleep, so doctors warn patients not to drive after taking them.
The of the car is thirty metres a second towards the north.
There was a short between the two lectures, so we had time for coffee.
Political has become more aggressive, and public debate is often angry.
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Word list: New Academic Word List 1.2 by Charles Browne, Brent Culligan and Joseph Phillips (2013), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. The list gives the words and their order; the meanings, examples and exercises on this page are our own.
