Lesson 1: The Academic Word List & Formal Alternatives

Lesson 1: The Academic Word List & Formal Alternatives
Welcome to B2! When writing university essays or professional business emails, relying on casual, everyday words is often not enough to make a strong impression. Today, we are upgrading our vocabulary to formal alternatives. We will learn how to replace everyday verbs like "get", "buy", and "help" with powerful academic equivalents such as acquire , purchase , and assist , and why you should avoid phrasal verbs in formal writing. Vocabulary List: Acquire (instead of get) - To obtain or get something. Purchase (instead of buy) - To buy something. Assist (instead of help) - To help someone. Commence (instead of start) - To begin or start. Common Mistake: Phrasal Verbs in Essays In spoken English, we use phrasal verbs like 'look into'. In formal writing, use single academic verbs like 'investigate'. Please enable JavaScript to view the interactive flashcards, take the quiz, and download the audio resources.