Academic Writing

3.8 Prepositions
1
Using prepositions
purpose of/development of/in Catalonia/over the period/contributed to/valuable for/
In conclusion/sets out/relationship between/decline in/supply of/in the factory context
Verb + prep = contributed to
Adj + prep = valuable for
Phrasal verb = sets out
Place = in Catalonia/in the factory context
Time = over the period
Phrase = In conclusion
2
Practice A
(b) adjective + preposition
(f) phrase
(c) verb + preposition
(g) preposition of place
(d) preposition of place
(h) preposition of time
(e) noun + preposition
3
Prepositions and nouns
(a) of
(c) of
(e) in
(b) in
(d) to
(f) on
4
Prepositions in phrases
(a) on
(d) in
(g) in
(b) of
(e) of
(h) of
(c) of
(f) on
274
ANSWERS

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5
Prepositions of place and time
(a) Among
(e) in, at
(b) from, to/between, and
(f) on, between
(c) in, of
(g) around, of/on
(d) in, in
6
Practice B
(a) out
(f) from/in
(k) between
(b) of
(g) between
(l)
in
(c) in/to
(h) in
(m) in
(d) to/in
(i)
of
(n) of
(e) among/in
(j)
in/over
(o) to/in
8
Practice C
(a) focused on/concentrated on
(e) divided into
(b) pointed out
(f) blamed for
(c) specialising in
(g) believed in
(d) associated with
3.9 Synonyms
1
How synonyms work
Word/phrase
Synonym
oil
hydrocarbon
company
firm
in the world
global/internationally
people
employees
2
Common synonyms in academic writing
(NB: Some of these pairs are approximate synonyms)
Nouns
Verbs
area
field
accelerate
speed up
authority
source
achieve
reach
behaviour
conduct
alter
change
beliefs
ethics
analyse
take apart
benefit
advantage
assist
help
category
type
attach
join
component
part
challenge
question
concept
idea
claim
suggest
controversy
argument
clarify
explain
drawback
disadvantage
concentrate on
focus on
expansion
increase
confine
limit
ANSWERS
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Nouns
Verbs
feeling
emotion
develop
evolve
framework
structure
eliminate
remove
goal
target
evaluate
examine
hypothesis
theory
found
establish
interpretation
explanation
maintain
insist
issue
topic
predict
forecast
method
system
prohibit
ban
option
possibility
quote
cite
quotation
citation
raise
increase
results
findings
reduce
decrease
statistics
figures
respond
reply
study
research
retain
keep
trend
tendency
show
demonstrate
output
production
strengthen
reinforce
3
Practice A
(Others are possible)
(a) Professor Hicks challenged the results of the study.
(b) The figures demonstrate a steady increase in applications.
(c) The institute’s forecast has caused a major debate.
(d) Cost seems to be the principal disadvantage to that method.
(e) They will focus on the first possibility.
(f) After the lecture, she tried to explain her theory.
(g) Three topics need to be evaluated.
(h) The structure can be kept, but the aim needs to be modified.
(i)
OPEC, the oil producers’ cartel, is to reduce output to increase global prices.
(j)
The tendency to smaller families has accelerated in the last decade.
4
Practice B
UK – British – this country
agency – organisation – body
advertising campaign – publicity programme – advertising blitz
to raise – to improve
to cut – reduction
before eating – prior to meals
5
Practice C
(Example answers – others possible)
build/make vehicles
car makers
principal problem
obstacle
automobile producers
challenges
forecast
276
ANSWERS

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3.10 Time Markers
3
Practice A
(a) Recently
(d) Last month
(f) Since
(b) until
(e) by
(g) During
(c) for
4
Practice B
(a) Last
(d) for
(g) until
(b) During/On
(e) ago
(h) Currently/Now
(c) By
(f) later
5
Practice C – Eating out
(a) In/Over
(d) recently
(f) by
(b) Since
(e) Currently
(g) since
(c) ago
6
Practice D – Napoleon
(Example answer)
Napoleon entered military school at the age of 15, five years before the French Revolution began.
In 1793, he was promoted to brigadier-general, and when only 27 he became commander of the
army in Italy, and also married Josephine. On his return from Egypt in 1799, he became the First
Consul of France, and by 1807 France was in control of most of Europe. Three years later, he divorced
Josephine and married Marie-Louise, the Austrian emperor’s daughter. But in 1812 Napoleon and
his army were forced to retreat from Russia, and in 1814 he was exiled to Elba. After his defeat at
the battle of Waterloo a year later, he was again exiled, to St Helena, where he lived until his death
in 1821.
PART 4
4.1 Case Studies
1
Using case studies
A case study has the advantage of providing a concrete experience/example.
The disadvantage is that it is limited in place and time.
Topics
Case studies
Methods of teaching dyslexic children
An experimental approach to reading difficulties with 
under-8s in Singapore
Improving crop yields in semi-deserts
Using solar power to operate irrigation pumps in 
Ethiopia
Reducing infant mortality
A programme to cut smoking among pregnant 
women in a Greek clinic
Building earthquake-resistant bridges
The lessons from Chile – how three structures 
withstood the 2010 quake
ANSWERS
277

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Topics
Case studies
Dealing with reoffending among 
Work and learning – how a Brazilian scheme 
prisoners
encouraged convicts to stay out of jail
Improving recycling rates in large cities
The Berlin experiment: increasing public participation
in collecting and sorting waste
2
Model case study
(Additional answers are possible here)
(a) Store layouts match Chinese apartments
Products linked to New Year celebrations
Reduced prices by sourcing production locally
Produces thinner but more frequent catalogues
Uses local characters in adverts
Attempts to provide better service
(b) Competition from rivals offering free delivery
Some products (e.g. single beds) not suited to Chinese tastes
(c) More financial details of IKEA’s sales and profits in the Chinese market