Academic Vocabulary: AWL Sublist 1
The Academic Word List (AWL) Sublist 1 covers the 60 most frequent academic words in English: analyse, approach, area, assess, assume, authority, available, benefit, concept, consist, constitute, context, contract, create, data, define, derive, distribute, economy, environment, establish, estimate, evident, export, factor, finance, formula, function, identify, income, indicate, individual, interpret, involve, issue, labour, legal, legislate, major, method, occur, percent, period, policy, principle, proceed, process, require, research, respond, role, section, sector, significant, similar, source, specific, structure, theory, vary. Mastery of these words is the single most consequential vocabulary investment a B2+ learner can make.
This worksheet builds B2–C1 fluency with the AWL Sublist 1 in academic-register contexts.
Worksheet preview
What’s inside:
- AWL Sublist 1 word list with definitions, parts of speech, and example sentences
- Gap-fill in academic-text extracts targeting AWL words
- Word-family expansion: derive verb, noun, adjective, adverb forms from each root
- Register-shifting task: replace everyday words with AWL equivalents (show → indicate / demonstrate)
- Full Answer Key plus Teacher Notes on the AWL and its CAE/CPE relevance
Common challenges: Word-form precision is the central challenge — significant (adjective), significance (noun), significantly (adverb), signify (verb). Collocation accuracy: conduct research (not make), draw a conclusion (not take), raise a question (not ask). False friends: eventually (Eng: in time) vs eventualmente (Spanish: possibly); actually (Eng: in fact) vs actuellement (French: currently).
For: Adult and teenage learners (14+) at CEFR B2 to C1, in upper-intermediate and advanced classes, 1:1 lessons, or self-study — particularly learners preparing for academic study or C1 Advanced (CAE). AWL vocabulary is the band-discriminator in academic writing. Part of the Education & Academic collection — the natural next step is Describing Data: Charts and Graphs, which extends academic vocabulary into the quantitative-analysis dimension.
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