Master the Academic Word List (AWL) to boost your IELTS band score across Reading, Writing Task 1 & 2, Listening, and Speaking. This comprehensive guide explains what the AWL is, how to study it, and provides examples, collocations, and practice exercises.
Updated for current IELTS preparation. Suitable for self-study and classroom use.
What is the Academic Word List (AWL)?
The Academic Word List (AWL) is a research-based collection of the most frequent and useful academic word families found across university textbooks and journals. It excludes basic everyday words but includes vocabulary that appears often in academic contexts (e.g., assess, derive, factor, significant).
- It contains 570 word families grouped into 10 sublists (from most to least frequent in academic texts).
- It is highly relevant to IELTS Academic and very useful for IELTS General Training written tasks and reading texts that mimic academic style.
Why the AWL matters for IELTS
Reading
- Improves comprehension speed and accuracy for passages with academic tone.
- Helps infer meaning from context in True/False/Not Given and Matching Headings tasks.
Writing Task 1 & 2
- Provides precise, formal lexis for describing data (trend, fluctuate, percentage, estimate) and building arguments (policy, principle, evidence).
- Boosts Lexical Resource by using appropriate collocations (assess the impact, establish a framework).
Listening & Speaking
- Recognize academic words in lectures/interviews.
- Speak more coherently and formally in Parts 2 & 3 using AWL collocations.
How to study the AWL effectively
- Learn word families: record verb–noun–adjective forms (assess → assessment → assessable).
- Group by function: e.g., describing cause/effect (derive, factor), reporting data (estimate, percent).
- Study collocations: conduct research, establish a policy, significant proportion.
- Use spaced repetition: review after 1 day, 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks.
- Activate in writing and speaking: set micro-tasks (e.g., “use 5 AWL words in a 150-word summary”).
- Quality over quantity: master meanings & usage rather than memorizing long lists without context.
AWL Sublist 1 — Master List with Meanings, Collocations & Examples
Start with Sublist 1 because it contains the most frequent academic words. Learn meanings, collocations, and example sentences that mirror IELTS contexts.
| Word family | Core meaning | Common collocations | IELTS-style example |
|---|---|---|---|
| analyse / analyze | examine in detail | analyse data; analyse results | This report analyses the factors behind rising urban rents. |
| approach | method; come near | research approach; alternative approach | An interdisciplinary approach can improve healthcare outcomes. |
| area | region; field of study | rural area; area of expertise | Funding in this area has increased over the last decade. |
| assess | evaluate | assess risk; assess performance | The study assesses the environmental impact of tourism. |
| assume | suppose without proof | commonly assumed; assume responsibility | We cannot assume that online learning suits every student. |
| authority | power; expert | local authorities; an authority on | Authorities introduced stricter pollution controls. |
| available | ready for use | publicly available; readily available | All datasets are available on the university website. |
| benefit | advantage | bring benefits; benefit from | Urban green spaces benefit both health and biodiversity. |
| concept | abstract idea | key concept; conceptual framework | The concept of sustainability guides policy design. |
| consist | be made up of | consist of; consist in | The sample consists of 500 first-year undergraduates. |
| constitute | form; make up | constitute a threat; constitute evidence | These findings constitute strong evidence for reform. |
| context | circumstances; setting | historical context; contextual factors | Results must be interpreted within the context of the study. |
| contract | agreement; become smaller | sign a contract; contractual obligations | Graduates often work on short-term contracts. |
| create | make; produce | create jobs; create a framework | The initiative will create incentives for innovation. |
| data | facts; statistics | collect data; data set; data analysis | The data indicate a steady decline in smoking rates. |
| define | state meaning | clearly defined; define terms | Success is defined by long-term learning outcomes. |
| derive | obtain; come from | derive from; derive benefits | Many English words derive from Latin. |
| distribute | give out; spread | distributed evenly; distribution network | Income is unevenly distributed across regions. |
| economy | system of production | global economy; economic growth | The digital sector drives the modern economy. |
| environment | surroundings; conditions | learning environment; environmental impact | Noise pollution harms the urban environment. |
| establish | set up; prove | establish a link; establish a policy | The research establishes a clear causal relationship. |
| estimate | roughly calculate | conservative estimate; estimate costs | We estimate emissions will fall by 12% by 2030. |
| evident | clear; obvious | evident from; make evident | It is evident that training improves retention. |
| export | send goods abroad | export markets; export revenue | Food exports rose despite supply disruptions. |
| factor | element; cause | key factor; contributing factor | Diet is a major factor in public health. |
| finance | money management | public finances; finance a project | Governments must finance essential services. |
| formula | rule; method | mathematical formula; proven formula | The formula measures growth relative to GDP. |
| function | purpose; role | primary function; functional role | Transport’s main function is to connect people to jobs. |
| identify | recognize; name | identify patterns; identify needs | The survey identified three barriers to access. |
| income | money received | household income; income inequality | Income volatility affects consumption. |
| indicate | show; suggest | indicate that; indicator of | Results indicate a positive correlation. |
| individual | single person; separate | individual differences; individual rights | Individual motivation strongly predicts performance. |
| interpret | explain; translate | interpret data; interpret results | Findings must be interpreted cautiously. |
| involve | include; require | involve in; involve doing | The project involves collaboration across departments. |
| issue | topic; problem | address an issue; controversial issue | Climate change is a complex issue. |
| labour / labor | workforce; work | labour market; manual labour | Automation reshapes the labour market. |
| legal | related to law | legal framework; legal rights | Tenants have legal protections against eviction. |
| legislate | make laws | legislate for; legislative reform | Parliament legislated to improve transparency. |
| major | important; large | major change; major factor | Urbanisation is a major demographic trend. |
| method | procedure; technique | research method; methodological approach | We used a mixed-method design. |
| occur | happen | commonly occur; occur when | Most errors occur during data entry. |
| percent | per hundred | percent increase; 20 percent | Unemployment fell by two percent. |
| period | length of time | time period; period of growth | Inflation rose over a five-year period. |
| policy | course of action | public policy; policy maker | Tax policy can reduce inequalities. |
| principle | fundamental rule | basic principle; ethical principles | The principle of fairness underpins the reform. |
| proceed | go forward | proceed with; proceed to | After approval, we can proceed to implementation. |
| process | series of actions | application process; processing time | The admissions process takes six weeks. |
| require | need; demand | require approval; required reading | Most courses require continuous assessment. |
| research | systematic study | conduct research; research findings | Further research is needed to confirm the trend. |
| respond | reply; react | respond to; respondent | Participants responded positively to the intervention. |
| role | function; part | play a role; key role | Parents play a crucial role in early education. |
| section | part; division | in this section; cross-section | This section outlines the methodology. |
| sector | part of economy/society | public sector; private sector | The technology sector continues to expand. |
| significant | important; noticeable | statistically significant; significant change | There was a significant improvement in scores. |
| similar | alike | similar to; in a similar way | Results were similar across regions. |
| source | origin; supplier | primary source; data source | All sources were cited appropriately. |
| specific | particular; precise | specific to; specific details | We need specific evidence to support the claim. |
| structure | arrangement; framework | social structure; structural change | The essay structure should be clear and logical. |
| theory | set of ideas | theoretical framework; theory and practice | The theory lacks empirical support. |
| vary | differ; change | vary widely; variation in | Attitudes vary according to age and income. |
Tip: Keep a “family notebook” (e.g., estimate → estimated (adj), estimation (n), overestimate/underestimate (v)).
Practice exercises (with answer key)
A. Complete the sentence with the correct AWL word
- Researchers the data to identify trends. (analyse/approach)
- A mixed-methods was adopted to increase reliability. (approach/area)
- Higher fuel prices are a key behind inflation. (factor/policy)
- The findings were in both small and large schools. (similar/specific)
- We cannot that all students have internet access. (assume/interpret)
- The government aims to new housing targets. (establish/occur)
- Income considerably between regions. (varies/derives)
- The report fails to its key terms. (define/section)
- The results that diet affects cognition. (indicate/respond)
- The new could reduce emissions by 15 percent. (policy/process)
B. Choose the best collocation
- (conduct / make) research on renewable energy.
- (assess / assume) the impact of social media usage.
- (establish / occur) a link between diet and sleep quality.
- (interpret / proceed) the results with caution.
- (define / distribute) the scope of the project clearly.
C. Paraphrase using an AWL word
- It is clear that exercise improves health. → It is that exercise improves health. (evident)
- The program was set up in 2015. → The program was in 2015. (established)
- They worked out the total cost. → They the total cost. (estimated)
Show Answer Key
A: 1 analyse, 2 approach, 3 factor, 4 similar, 5 assume, 6 establish, 7 varies, 8 define, 9 indicate, 10 policy.
B: conduct; assess; establish; interpret; define.
C: evident; established; estimated.
4-Week AWL Study Plan
Goal: Master Sublist 1 fully and start Sublist 2.
| Week | Focus | Daily tasks (30–45 mins) | Checkpoint |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Sublist 1 (words 1–20) | Learn meanings + 3 collocations each; write two 80-word summaries using 6 target words. | Quiz yourself to 90%+ accuracy. |
| Week 2 | Sublist 1 (words 21–40) | SRS review from Week 1; 10 fill-in-the-blank sentences/day. | Record yourself using 10 target words in Speaking Part 3 style answers. |
| Week 3 | Sublist 1 (words 41–60) | Write one Task-1 (150 words) and one Task-2 (250 words) with targeted collocations. | Peer/self mark for Lexical Resource band descriptors. |
| Week 4 | Spiral review + Sublist 2 (intro) | Mix all 60 words; create a “problem list” and fix weaknesses; learn 15 words from Sublist 2. | Mock test: aim for natural, accurate usage. |
Pro tip: Build a personal collocation bank (e.g., assess the feasibility, derive a benefit, establish a precedent).
Frequently Asked Questions
1) Do I need the entire AWL to get Band 7+?
No. Quality matters more than quantity. Mastering Sublist 1 and 2 with correct usage and collocations will significantly improve your Lexical Resource.
2) Should I learn British or American variants?
For IELTS, British English is standard (analyse, labour) but American variants (analyze, labor) are also understood. Be consistent.
3) How can I remember collocations?
Learn phrases, not single words: conduct research, pose a question, yield results. Review using spaced repetition and write mini-essays.
4) What’s the difference between AWL and GSL?
The General Service List (GSL) covers everyday core vocabulary; the AWL focuses on academic words frequent in higher education texts.
5) Can I use AWL words in Speaking?
Yes, but keep it natural. Use them when appropriate to the topic and avoid forced usage.
