What Is the Academic Word List?
AWL Teaching Strategies
Don't teach 'analyse' — teach 'analyse data,' 'analyse results,' 'subject to analysis,' 'analytical framework.' Each word needs its sentence partner.
The AWL is divided into 10 sublists by frequency. Sublist 1 words (analyse, approach, assess, concept, data, factor) appear far more often than sublist 10 words. Teach in frequency order.
Extract examples from actual academic articles, textbooks, and reports — not textbook examples. Authentic contexts reinforce register and natural collocations simultaneously.
Gap-fills, sentence completion, and word-family exercises (analyse / analysis / analytical / analyst) are all valuable. The word-family approach multiplies vocabulary gains per teaching unit.
Each AWL word should appear in at least 3-4 different learning situations before being considered acquired. Use it in reading, then in a writing exercise, then in discussion, then in a revision worksheet.
AWL Impact Statistics
10% of Academic Text
The AWL covers roughly 10% of all words in academic reading — enormous bang for learning investment
570 Word Families
Cross-disciplinary: these words appear in science, history, business, and humanities alike
Sublist 1 Priority
60 word families appear most frequently — teach these before any other AWL content
Teacher Tip
“Take a paragraph from your student's target reading domain (their textbook, their industry journal) and highlight every AWL word. Show them visually how many AWL words appear in real text they already encounter. The immediate relevance is motivating, and it gives you a personalized vocabulary teaching agenda.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the AWL relevant for business English, not just university?
Yes — while designed for academic contexts, the AWL overlaps significantly with professional English. Words like 'analyse,' 'assess,' 'indicate,' 'establish,' and 'significant' appear extensively in business writing and presentations.
Is there an updated version of the AWL?
The New Academic Word List (NAWL) by Browne, Culligan, and Phillips (2013) is an updated version based on newer corpora. It's worth consulting alongside the original AWL for a comprehensive coverage list.
How long does AWL mastery typically take?
For a focused learner with 2-3 lessons per week, Sublists 1-4 (the most frequent 240 families) can be functionally acquired in 6-9 months. Full AWL acquisition typically takes 12-18 months alongside regular academic reading.