Academic Language

Academic Language

What is Academic Language?

Academic = school So "academic language" is a more formal style of writing that is used in a school setting--like in college!

+ INFO

Use the real subject

Change to 3rd person

There is/are/was/were

2nd person you

// Avoiding informal language

Take notes about what to avoid, how to avoid it, and the examples of each.

What to AVOID

Contractions

how to avoid

Separate the words

Formal Quantifiers

Change the Structure

Informal Quantifiers

Starting a sentence with FANBOYS

// Avoiding informal language

Take notes about what to avoid, how to avoid it, and the examples of each.

What to AVOID

Simple Language

how to avoid

Higher Level Words

I prefer living in small cities for two main reasons. First, small cities are usually close to larger cities so that I still have access to a lot of things to do. It's usually only a 10-15 minute drive to whatever I need. For example, my smaller city, Fairborn, doesn't have a mall. But I can go to a nearby city, Beavercreek, that does, and it only takes 10 minutes. If you want to see a baseball game or visit a museum, it's only a 20 or 30 minute drive to Dayton where I can do both. Additionally, smaller cities are usually safer. We don't live in a big city like Dayton because many areas of Dayton are known for not being very safe. With smaller cities, although there is certainly still crime, it's easier to know the safer areas to live in, and it's easier to find quiet and peaceful neighborhoods. For example, in Fairborn, our street never has any issues with crime, and the neighbors are generally nice and quiet. In conclusion, convenience and safety are the reasons that I prefer to live in a smaller city.

Find the informal language.

When you think you have found an example of informal language, click on it to check!

+Info

Good! How would you fix it?

Good! How would you fix it?

Good! How would you fix it?

Good! How would you fix it?

Good! How would you fix it?

Separate the Words =

• cannot
• it is
• do not
• are not

In academic writing, it is generally not okay to use contractions, so do not forget to go back and check your writing.

Good! How would you fix it?

Good! How would you fix it?

Good! How would you fix it?

Guided Notes Reminder!

Don't forget to be filling in your Guided Notes as you work through this lesson.

Sorry! That doesn't look like informal language.

How many did you find? Write your number at the end of your Guided Notes. Bonus: Many of the example fixed sentences on the previous pages have more examples of informal language. At the end of your Guided notes, fix all of the example sentences so that they are completely formal.

Good! How would you fix it?

More formal choices

1. [name the stuff/thing]
2. positive / negative / major / extremely / quite / completely

1. Many circumstances can affect your learning, but if you are prepared before they happen, then you can limit the effect that those events have on you.
2. In academic writing, we want our writing to be extremely clear, but simple words like you learned when you first started learning English are not completely academic.

NOTE

Instead, use the name of the group of people you are writing about and switch to the third person pronouns:

• he
• she
• they (preferable)

• If students want to do well in school, they need to put time and effort towards learning.

Simple Language =

1. stuff / thing
2. good / bad / very / really / big / totally

1. Many things can affect your learning, but if you are prepared before they happen, then you can limit the effect that that stuff has on you.
2. In academic writing, we want our writing to be really clear, but simple words like you learned when you first started learning English are not very academic.

Good! How would you fix it?

​​​​Contractions =

• can't
• it's
• don't
• aren't

In academic writing, it's generally not okay to use contractions, so don't forget to go back and check your writing.

Good! How would you fix it?

Change the structure by

1. making it a compound sentence
2. turning one sentence into a dependent clause to combine the two ideas
3. using a formal transition instead

1. Students sometimes miss class, which is okay, but it's not okay if they don't make up the work or miss too often.
2. Even though it's okay if students sometimes miss class, it's not okay if they don't make up the work or miss too often.
3. Students sometimes miss class, which is okay. However, it's not okay if they don't make up the work or miss too often.

Don't start a sentence with FANBOYS:

• for
• and
• nor
• but
• or
• yet
• so

• Sometimes students miss class, which is okay. But it's not okay if they don't make up the work or miss too often.

Good! How would you fix it?

Good! How would you fix it?