Think about these questions, or answer them aloud.
Most C1 learners know words such as significant, analyse and evidence when they read them. In a lecture, the same words are easy to miss, for three reasons.
The practical solution is to learn academic vocabulary as chunks with their sound, not as single words with their translation.
| Function | Collocations |
|---|---|
| Doing research | conduct / carry out a study; collect / gather data; a representative sample; a long-running study |
| Talking about evidence | a growing body of evidence; compelling evidence; the evidence suggests; lend support to; cast doubt on |
| Cause and effect | give rise to; play a key role in; a contributing factor; account for (explain, or make up) |
| Results | draw a conclusion; preliminary findings; statistically significant; robust results; shed light on |
| Problems | pose a challenge; address an issue; a major obstacle; undermine the validity of |
| Degree | to a large extent; to some degree; a substantial proportion; in the vast majority of cases |
| Verb | Noun | Adjective |
|---|---|---|
| ANalyse | aNAlysis | anaLYtical |
| conTRIbute | contriBUtion | conTRIbutory |
| SIGnify | sigNIficance | sigNIficant |
| hyPOthesise | hyPOthesis | hypoTHEtical |
| eCOnomise | eCOnomy | ecoNOmic |
| oRIginate | ORigin | oRIginal |
Match each chunk from a lecture to its meaning. There is one meaning you do not need.
| Chunk heard | Meaning in this lecture | What it helps you predict |
|---|---|---|
| collect data from the same group | gather information | a description of the method |
| establish… a correlation | show that two things are linked | a limitation: link ≠ cause |
| shed light on the sequence of events | help to explain the order | a benefit of the design |
| lends considerable support to… casting doubt on… | makes some explanations more likely, others less | a pair: support vs doubt |
| poses some significant challenges | creates difficulties | a list of problems |
| substantial and reliable funding | a lot of money that continues | problem 1: cost |
| attrition | participants dropping out | problem 2, and a definition |
| no longer representative… undermine the validity | the sample no longer reflects the population, so the conclusions are weaker | why attrition matters |
| address this | deal with the problem | solutions |
| accounts for a considerable proportion of the uncertainty | explains (is the cause of) much of the uncertainty | an evaluation |
| justify the investment | make the cost worthwhile | the lecturer's conclusion |
Chunks announce what comes next. Poses some significant challenges tells you a list of problems is coming, and to address this tells you that solutions follow. You can move to the next part of your notes before the content arrives.
Pairs are common. Lends support to some explanations while casting doubt on others balances a positive and a negative. If you catch one half, expect the other.
Definitions follow technical terms. What's known as attrition is followed at once by the meaning (participants move house, lose interest…). In IELTS Part 4, the technical word itself is often the answer, so its spelling matters.
One verb, two meanings. Account for can mean explain (attrition accounts for the uncertainty) or make up a part of (women account for 60% of the sample). Use the context to decide.
Complete the notes. Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer. Spelling counts.
Listen and type each sentence. Focus on the academic collocations and spell them carefully.
Listen once and take notes. Then choose the best answer to each question.
Complete the summary with words you heard in the keystone species talk. Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer. Spelling counts.
Save words to review them later with flashcards.
“The longitudinal study followed the same children for twenty years.”
“Attrition was high because many participants moved away.”
“After so many dropped out, the sample was no longer representative.”
“The new data shed light on the order of events.”
“These results cast doubt on the earlier explanation.”
“French influence gave rise to a pattern in food vocabulary.”
“Attrition accounts for much of the uncertainty.”
“Borrowing is a phenomenon found in every language.”
“French words had prestige in medieval England.”
“It's a common misconception that borrowing harms a language.”
“Otters have a disproportionate effect on the kelp forest.”
“The claim needs rigorous evidence before it is accepted.”
