Academic Style & Tone EAP Worksheets

EAP Limiting Generalisations Worksheet - Reading, Vocabulary and Writing Exercises: Categorising, Identifying, Table Completion, Gap-fill, Rewriting Sentences, Matching, Writing a Paragraph In this limiting generalisations worksheet, students learn how to avoid very general statements by adding time, place, frequency, and group words and phrases, then use these to write clearer sentences with supporting ideas. First, students read a short introduction and then identify each sentence as 'General' or 'Limited'. Next, students underline two limiting words or phrases in each sentence they marked as 'Limited'. After that, students complete a table of language that makes statements more specific using the words or phrases they underlined. Students then complete each sentence with a limiting word or phrase from the table. Following that, students rewrite each sentence using two limiting expressions. Next, students match each limited sentence to its corresponding supporting idea. After that, students discuss possible supporting ideas for their sentences with a partner. They then choose one sentence and write it along with a supporting sentence. Finally, students choose a topic and write one carefully limited sentence with a supporting idea. show less

EAP Neutral Academic Tone Worksheet - Reading, Vocabulary and Writing Exercises: Identifying, Table Completion, Matching, Gap-fill, Writing and Rewriting Sentences In this free neutral academic tone worksheet, students identify exaggerated, emotional and promotional language in short academic-style statements and rewrite the claims in a more neutral, cautious way. First, students read a short introduction to academic style and tone. Students then underline two words or phrases in each sentence that make the language sound too strong or not neutral. Next, students complete a table with two examples of each language type using the words and phrases they underlined. After that, students match each word or phrase to its most appropriate neutral alternative. Students then complete each sentence with one neutral alternative from Exercise C. Following that, students rewrite the sentences in a more neutral academic style. Finally, students write a sentence on an academic topic using exaggerated language. Then, they swap worksheets with a partner and rewrite each other's sentences in a neutral style. show less

EAP Academic Qualifiers Worksheet - Reading, Vocabulary and Writing Exercises: Categorising, Table Completion, Rewriting Sentences, Gap-fill, Short-answer Questions, Paragraph Writing In this academic qualifiers worksheet, students learn to make statements more precise by choosing academic expressions of degree, frequency, and quantity and applying them in controlled sentence practice and short academic writing. Students begin by reading sentences and marking them as 'Too Vague or Informal' or 'Acceptable'. Students then complete a table with the expressions they marked as 'Acceptable'. Next, students rewrite the 'Vague' sentences using suitable expressions from the table. After that, students complete each sentence using an appropriate academic expression. Students then rewrite sentences to make them more precise and academic. Following that, students choose a topic and answer questions, including expressions of degree, frequency, and quantity where appropriate. Finally, students use their ideas to write three academic sentences about their topic. show less

EAP Concise Writing Worksheet - Reading and Writing Exercises: Identifying, Matching, Ordering, Rewriting Sentences, Rewriting a Paragraph In this concise writing worksheet, students identify common sources of wordiness and then practise tightening sentences and editing a paragraph to meet a word limit. First, students read each sentence and underline one unnecessary word or phrase, suggesting replacements as needed to keep each sentence grammatically correct. Students then discuss their answers with a partner. Next, students read a paragraph about wordiness in academic writing. After that, students match each type of wordiness error to an extract from Exercise A. Students then order sentences from most concise to least concise. Following that, students rewrite sentences to remove unnecessary language while keeping the meaning the same. Finally, students rewrite a paragraph, removing or changing the unnecessary language. show less

EAP Signposting Language Worksheet - Reading, Vocabulary and Writing Exercises: Identifying, Matching, Gap-fill, Rewriting Sentences, Writing a Paragraph In this signposting language worksheet, students analyse a short model text to see how signposting phrases guide the reader through an argument and then use the same phrases to write more organised, appropriately academic paragraphs. First, students read a short introduction about signposting language in academic writing. Students then read two short paragraphs, answer questions and then discuss their answers with a partner. Next, students match each signposting phrase with its function. After that, students complete each sentence using a signposting phrase. Students then rewrite short paragraphs using signposting language to improve academic style and tone. Finally, students use the notes to write an academic paragraph using at least four signposting phrases. show less

EAP Cautious Language Worksheet - Vocabulary, Reading and Writing Exercises: Identifying, Matching, Categorising, Gap-fill, Rewriting Sentences, Rewriting a Paragraph In this cautious language worksheet, students practise spotting overly strong claims and rewriting them in a more cautious, neutral academic style. First, students underline opinionated or overly strong language in six sentences and then match the neutral alternatives to each sentence. Students then categorise the phrases in bold in Exercise A into a table, according to their functions. Next, students complete each sentence using a phrase from the table. After that, students rewrite sentences to make claims more balanced and neutral. Finally, students rewrite a paragraph, improving academic style and tone. show less

EAP Nominalisation Worksheet - Reading, Vocabulary and Writing Exercises: Binary Choice, Identifying, Table Completion, Gap-fill, Rewriting Sentences, Rewriting a Paragraph In this nominalisation worksheet, students compare informal and more academic sentence options and then use a small set of common nominalisations to make their own writing more concise and formal. First, students read each pair of sentences and tick the one that sounds more formal and concise. Next, for each sentence they ticked, students underline the nominalised noun and the preposition that follows it. After that, students complete a table with the noun forms and prepositions they identified. Students then underline the correct noun to complete each sentence. Following that, students complete sentences with nouns from a box. Next, students rewrite each sentence using one nominalisation. After that, students rewrite a paragraph using four nominalisations. Finally, students check their paragraph using three questions and make any necessary changes. show less

EAP Academic Register Worksheet - Reading, Vocabulary and Writing Exercises: Identifying, Matching, Gap-fill, Table Completion, Dictionary Work, Rewriting a Paragraph In this academic register worksheet, students identify informal language in sentences and a paragraph, then practise replacing it with more formal, academic alternatives. First, students read sentences and underline the informal word or phrase in each one. Students then discuss formal alternatives with a partner and write one alternative for each word or phrase. Next, students complete a table with the sentence number in Exercise A that matches each error type. After that, students complete sentences with formal alternatives from a box. Students then read a paragraph and underline eight informal words or phrases. Following that, students complete a table with the words and phrases they identified and possible formal alternatives. Finally, students rewrite the paragraph using their formal alternatives to create a more formal academic style and tone. show less