The Academic Word List (Averil Coxhead, 2000):

a list of 570 high-incidence and high-utility academic word families

for Secondary School, Higher Education, Career

There is a very important specialized vocabulary for learners intending to pursue academic studies in English at
the secondary and post-secondary levels. The Academic Word List, compiled by Coxhead (2000), consists of
570 word families that are not in the most frequent 2,000 words of English but which occur reasonably
frequently over a very wide range of academic texts. These 570 words are grouped into ten sublists that
reflect word frequency and range. A word like analyze falls into Sublist 1, which contains the most frequent
words, while the word adjacent falls into Sublist 10 which includes the least frequent (amongst this list of high
incidence and high utility words). The following ten sublists contain the headwords of the families in the
Academic Word List. In other words, the ten sublists contain the most frequent form of the word, more often
a noun or verb form, although there may be one or more important related word forms. For example, the
headword analyze would also include analyst, analytic, analytical and analytically in the word family.

The Academic Word List is not restricted to a specific field of study. That means that the words are useful
for learners studying in disciplines as varied as literature, science, health, business, and law. This high utility
academic word list does not contain technical words likely to appear in only one, specialized field of study such
as amortization, petroglyph, onomatopoeia, or cartilage. Two-thirds of all academic English words come from
Latin, French (through Latin), or Greek. Understandably, knowledge of the most high incidence and high utility
academic words in English can significantly boost a students comprehension level of school-based reading
material. Secondary students who are taught these high-utility academic words and routinely placed in
contexts requiring their usage are likely to be able to master academic material with more confidence and
efficiency, wasting less time and energy in guessing words or consulting dictionaries than those who are only
equipped with the most basic 2000-3000 words that characterize ordinary conversation.

Sources: Coxhead, Averil. (2000). A new academic word list. TESOL Quarterly, 34, 213-238.
Averil Coxheads website: http://language.massey.ac.nz/staff/awl/index.shtml

1. analyze approach area assess assume perceive positive potential previous primary
authority available benefit concept consist purchase range region regulate relevant
context constitute contract data define reside resource restrict secure seek
derive distribute economy environment select site strategy survey text tradition
establish estimate evident factor finance transfer
formula function income indicate individual
interpret involve issue labor legal legislate 3. alternative circumstance comment
major method occur percent period compensate component consent
principle proceed process policy require considerable constant constrain contribute
research respond role section sector convene coordinate core corporate
significant similar source specific correspond criteria deduce demonstrate
structure theory vary document dominate emphasis ensure
exclude fund framework illustrate
2. achieve acquire administrate affect immigrate imply initial instance interact
appropriate aspect assist category chapter justify layer link locate maximize minor
commission community complex compute negate outcome partner philosophy physical
conclude conduct consequent construct proportion publish react register rely
consume credit culture design distinct remove scheme sequence sex shift specify
equate element evaluate feature final sufficient task technical technique
focus impact injure institute invest item technology valid volume
journal maintain normal obtain participate
(Kinsella, San Francisco State University, 8/03)
4. access adequacy annual apparent media mode paradigm phenomenon priority
approximate attitude attribute civil code prohibit publication quote release reverse
commit communicate concentrate confer simulate sole somewhat submit successor
contrast cycle debate despite dimension survive thesis topic transmit ultimate
domestic emerge error ethnic goal grant unique visible voluntary
hence hypothesis implement implicate
impose integrate internal investigate job 8. abandon accompany accumulate
label mechanism obvious occupy option ambiguous appendix appreciate arbitrary
output overall parallel parameter phase automate bias chart clarify commodity
predict prior principal professional project complement conform contemporary
promote regime resolve retain series contradict crucial currency denote detect
statistic status stress subsequent sum deviate displace drama eventual exhibit
summary undertake exploit fluctuate guideline highlight implicit
induce inevitable infrastructure inspect
5. academy adjust alter amend aware intense manipulate minimize nuclear offset
capacity challenge clause compound conflict paragraph plus practitioner predominant
consult contact decline discrete draft prospect radical random reinforce restore
enable energy enforce entity equivalent revise schedule tense terminate theme
evolve expand expose external facilitate thereby uniform vehicle via virtual visual
fundamental generate generation image widespread
liberal license logic margin mental medical
modify monitor network notion objective 9. accommodate analogy anticipate assure
orient perspective precise prime psychology attain behalf cease coherent coincide
pursue ratio reject revenue stable style commence compatible concurrent confine
substitute sustain symbol target transit controversy converse device devote
trend version welfare whereas diminish distort duration erode ethic
found format inherent insight integral
6. abstract acknowledge accuracy intermediate manual mature mediate
aggregate allocate assign attach author medium military minimal mutual norm
bond brief capable cite cooperate overlap passive portion preliminary protocol
discriminate display diverse domain edit qualitative refine relax restrain revolution
enhance estate exceed expert explicit rigid route scenario sphere subordinate
federal fee flexible furthermore gender supplement suspend team temporary
ignorance incentive incorporate incidence trigger unify violate vision
index inhibit initiate input instruct
intelligence interval lecture migrate 10. adjacent albeit assemble collapse
minimum ministry motive neutral colleague compile conceive convince
nevertheless overseas precede presume depress encounter enormous forthcoming
rational recover reveal scope subsidy tape incline integrity intrinsic invoke levy
trace transform transport underlie utilize likewise nonetheless notwithstanding odd
ongoing panel persist pose reluctance
7. adapt adult advocate aid channel so-called straightforward undergo whereby
chemical classic comprehensive comprise
confirm contrary convert couple decade
definite deny differentiate dispose
dynamic equip eliminate empirical extract
file finite foundation globe grade
guarantee hierarchy identical ideology
infer innovate insert intervene isolate

(Kinsella, San Francisco State University, 8/03)