Academic Verbs & Noun Phrases Toolkit (Writing)
This toolkit upgrades vague language to precise academic style. Learn high value verb families, build compact noun phrases, and combine both into clear sentences for essays and reports. All items are band safe and ready to use. The drills help you replace weak verbs, reduce wordiness, and avoid repetition. Use the 10 minute practice plan to fix habits fast and keep your writing concise, accurate, and formal.
Outcome Map
Clarity: choose an exact verb.
Precision: anchor with a focused noun phrase.
Economy: say the point in one clean sentence.
Verb Families with ready frames
| Family | Core verbs | Model sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Reporting | show, suggest, argue, highlight, indicate, demonstrate | The data indicate a steady rise in rural internet access. |
| Change | increase, decrease, decline, rise, fall, stabilise, fluctuate | Prices stabilised after 2022. |
| Cause–Effect | cause, lead to, result in, drive, generate, foster | Automation leads to gains in efficiency. |
| Comparison | exceed, lag, match, differ, resemble | Female participation exceeded male participation in 2024. |
| Evaluation | improve, undermine, strengthen, hinder, facilitate | Subsidies facilitate small business growth. |
| Method | collect, analyse, measure, estimate, model | The study analysed 500 survey responses. |
Upgrade weak pairs
do → conduct, perform
get → obtain, receive
make → produce, create
put → place, set
show up → appear, emerge
Noun phrase frames that sound academic
- the + adjective + noun + of + noun
- the rapid expansion of urban areas
- head noun + preposition chain
- a rise in energy demand among households
- quantifier + of + noun + in + time/place
- a majority of respondents in 2024
- V-ing as subject
- Increasing tuition fees affects enrolment
- Nominalisation pair
- X leads to Y → the effect of X on Y
Use nominalisations selectively. Prefer a clear verb when possible.
- X leads to Y → the effect of X on Y
Compact swaps
a lot of problems → numerous problems
very big impact → significant impact
people who live in cities → urban residents
Sentence blueprints
- Claim + evidence:
Research shows X. This pattern is evident in Y. - Contrast:
While A increases, B remains stable. - Cause → effect:
Policy X results in lower emissions.
Noun phrase version: the reduction in emissions following policy X. - Recommendation:
Governments should allocate funds to address shortages.
Collocation bank
conduct a study | provide evidence | draw a conclusion
pose a risk | exert pressure | reach a consensus
address a challenge | allocate resources | mitigate impact
trigger debate | fuel demand | curb growth
deliver benefits | incur costs | yield results
Use these exactly as pairs for natural tone.
Common mistakes and quick fixes
- Overusing very: replace with a precise adjective.
- Stringing too many of phrases: keep only the essential one.
- Repeating the same verb: rotate within the family.
- Making subjects too long: move heavy detail after the verb.
Example fix
Long: The rapid and significant rise in prices in many cities has caused problems.
Clean: Prices rose sharply in many cities, creating problems.
Mini drills with answers
A. Replace the weak verb
- The graph does a comparison of three sectors.
- Many students get support from loans.
- The policy made changes to the tax rate.
Answers:
- The graph compares three sectors.
- Many students receive support from loans.
- The policy revised the tax rate.
B. Build a compact noun phrase
Prompt: growth + online retail + Asia + 2023
Model: rapid growth of online retail in Asia in 2023
C. Combine two sentences
A rose by 15 percent. B stayed the same.
Model: While A rose by 15 percent, B remained unchanged.
Task focused lines you can paste
Task 1 (charts)
- The proportion of solar power increased steadily, reaching 18 percent by 2024.
- Household spending on food declined, whereas transport grew modestly.
Task 2 (essays)
- Advocates argue that free public transport would reduce congestion by shifting commuters from cars to buses.
- However, limited budgets may hinder implementation in smaller cities.
Quick checklist
- Exact verb selected
- One clean noun phrase, not a chain
- Cause or contrast expressed once
- Wordy pairs trimmed
- Collocation used naturally
Ten minute daily plan
Minute 1–3: swap five weak verbs in yesterday’s writing.
Minute 4–6: create three noun phrases from news headlines.
Minute 7–8: write one contrast sentence and one cause sentence.
Minute 9–10: read aloud and cut extra of phrases.
Pocket list: band safe verbs
show, suggest, indicate, increase, decrease, fluctuate, stabilise, cause, lead to, result in, exceed, differ, improve, undermine, facilitate, collect, analyse, estimate, model, allocate, mitigate
Use this toolkit as a cycle: pick a verb, build the noun phrase, apply one blueprint, then edit for economy.