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Vocabulary

Academic vocabulary that raises your band

36 high-frequency academic words — exactly the register PTE rewards in Speaking and Writing. Learn the meaning, notice the example, then use each word in a sentence of your own.

Tier 1 · Core academic words

12 words

The highest-frequency words across every subject — master these first.

analyseverb

to examine something in detail to understand or explain it

Researchers analyse the data before drawing any conclusion.

approachnoun

a particular way of dealing with a problem or task

The study takes a practical approach to language learning.

assessverb

to judge the quality, value, or importance of something

Examiners assess both fluency and pronunciation.

conceptnoun

an abstract idea or general notion

The concept of supply and demand is central to economics.

contextnoun

the situation or surrounding words that give meaning

You can often guess a word's meaning from its context.

deriveverb

to obtain or develop something from a source

Many English words derive from Latin roots.

establishverb

to set up or prove something firmly

The company was established over a century ago.

evidentadjective

clear and obvious; easily seen or understood

It was evident from the results that the method worked.

factornoun

one of several things that influence a result

Cost is a major factor in the decision.

significantadjective

large or important enough to have an effect

There was a significant rise in temperature.

similaradjective

alike but not exactly the same

The two theories are broadly similar.

varyverb

to differ or change from one case to another

Prices vary considerably between regions.

Tier 2 · Linking & argument words

12 words

Words that structure an essay or spoken answer — perfect for Write Essay & Re-tell Lecture.

consequentlyadverb

as a result of something

Demand fell; consequently, prices dropped.

furthermoreadverb

in addition to what has been said (adds a point)

The plan is costly; furthermore, it is slow to implement.

neverthelessadverb

in spite of that; however

The evidence is limited; nevertheless, the trend is clear.

emphasisnoun

special importance given to something

The lecturer placed emphasis on early planning.

constituteverb

to be or form the parts of something

Water constitutes most of the human body.

indicateverb

to show or point to something

The graph indicates a steady decline.

consistverb

to be made up of (used with 'of')

The course consists of lectures and workshops.

rangenoun

the extent or variety between limits

The library offers a wide range of journals.

consequencenoun

a result or effect of an action

One consequence of warming is rising sea levels.

sufficientadjective

enough for a particular purpose

There was not sufficient evidence to prove the claim.

adequateadjective

good enough; satisfactory in amount or quality

The funding was barely adequate for the project.

criterionnoun

a standard used to judge or decide (plural: criteria)

Accuracy is the main criterion for scoring.

Tier 3 · High-band words

12 words

Precise, impressive vocabulary that lifts a Speaking or Writing score.

arbitraryadjective

based on random choice, not reason or system

The deadline felt arbitrary rather than justified.

coherentadjective

logical, clear, and well organised

A coherent essay guides the reader from point to point.

explicitadjective

stated clearly and in detail, leaving no doubt

The instructions were explicit about the word limit.

feasibleadjective

possible and practical to do

It is not feasible to finish the study in a week.

inherentadjective

existing as a natural or permanent part of something

There is an inherent risk in any experiment.

plausibleadjective

seeming reasonable or probably true

She offered a plausible explanation for the error.

pragmaticadjective

dealing with problems in a practical, sensible way

They took a pragmatic approach to the budget.

rigorousadjective

extremely thorough, careful, and demanding

The findings survived rigorous testing.

subsequentadjective

coming after something in time; following

The theory was refined in subsequent studies.

viableadjective

capable of working successfully

Solar power is now a viable alternative to coal.

discrepancynoun

a difference between things that should match

There was a discrepancy between the two reports.

synthesisnoun

the combining of ideas or parts into a whole

The essay is a synthesis of several viewpoints.

How to use these: in Write Essay and Re-tell Lecture, swapping a plain word for a precise academic one (e.g. “shows”“indicates”) is one of the fastest ways to lift your vocabulary score. Keep a notebook and add every new word with your own example.