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A review & download link for a nice PDF version of Academic Vocabulary In Use

If you are looking to enhance your academic English for IELTS preparation, "Academic Vocabulary In Use" is an indispensable resource. This book will provide you with an advanced vocabulary source, along with effective application skills for academic texts. Let's explore the "Academic Vocabulary In Use" book together with PREP!

I. Introduction to Academic Vocabulary In Use

1. General information

"Academic Vocabulary In Use" is a specialized book on vocabulary. Throughout the book, readers will be guided on how to use academic vocabulary for various purposes, from basic to advanced, especially for the IELTS Writing test.

Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Author: Michael McCarthy & Felicity O’Dell
Name: Academic Vocabulary In Use
Year of publication: First published in 2008
Content: Provide academic vocabulary

2. Targeted learner

"Academic Vocabulary In Use" targets individuals who want to enhance their vocabulary, improve their knowledge, and develop skills in using academic vocabulary, especially those who are preparing for the IELTS exam. This book is not intended for beginners or those with a weak foundation in English because it requires learners to have a solid grasp of a certain number of common and basic words, which can then be transformed into more academic usage. Therefore, the suitable audience for this book would be individuals at an IELTS band level of 4.0 or higher.

II. A review on the content of Academic Vocabulary In Use

The book Academic Vocabulary In Use includes 8 following parts:

Part	Content
Part 1: Basic Academic Vocabulary (9 units)	In this section, the author discusses the unique features of English academic vocabulary and introduces basic academic vocabulary based on word types (nouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, phrasal verbs), basic expressions of quantity, polysemous words, implicit words, and idioms. The words are presented in sentences or paragraphs with detailed explanations of their meanings. This allows learners to understand how to use vocabulary in context more effectively. Additionally, there are comparison tables between common vocabulary and more formal academic vocabulary for readers to refer to and recognize the differences.
Part 2: How Academic Vocabulary Combines, Prefixes, and Suffixes (7 units)	The author presents how vocabulary words combine based on word types (words that go with nouns, words that go with verbs, noun-adjective combinations, prepositional phrases, etc.). The theoretical content in each unit is presented in a tabular form, consisting of three columns: the main word, commonly combined phrases with that word and examples. The book "Academic Vocabulary In Use" requires learners to deduce the usage and function of vocabulary in given paragraphs. Bolded word combinations and their specific meaning annotations are provided for learners to compare with their own predictions
Part 3: How to Use Academic Vocabulary in High-Academic Contexts (6 units)	This section of the book "Academic Vocabulary In Use" focuses on the practical application of academic vocabulary. Words and phrases are presented within academic topics such as university admissions applications, and courses. The texts can be diverse and more realistic. In addition to explanatory paragraphs, learners will also encounter dialogues, emails, or first-person narratives.
Part 4: Academic Vocabulary Used to Interpret Various Entities such as Data, Causes, Results... (8 units)	Learners of the book "Academic Vocabulary In Use" will explore different ways of expressing the origins of sources, data, charts, statistical information, causes, and results... Learners will engage with authentic academic texts to observe how data is logically and effectively presented. Especially in IELTS Writing Task 1, the book "Academic Vocabulary In Use" provides a significant amount of academic vocabulary used to describe and analyze information on charts. In general, vocabulary from Unit 23 to Unit 29 supports Writing Task 1, and Unit 30 will be useful for Writing Task 2, which focuses on Causes and Effects.
Part 5: Academic Vocabulary Used for Evaluating and Analyzing Opinions (7 units)	The book "Academic Vocabulary In Use" provides phrases used to discuss opinions and viewpoints expressed by others, along with vocabulary that indicates the degree of certainty.
Part 6: Academic Vocabulary Classified by Function (Organizing Ideas, Making Comparisons, Describing Changes...) (13 units)	Part 6 provides vocabulary based on the functions of words and phrases. This is also the longest and most detailed section in the entire book. The vocabulary is used to express and organize ideas, as well as to perform argumentative operations such as classification, linking ideas, making comparisons, describing issues, indicating processes, and drawing conclusions... This helps learners use more diverse and flexible language when writing Writing Task 2 because Task 2 requires the writer to present their arguments and provide evidence.
Part 7: Reading comprehension tests in the academic context (6 units)	This part is for everyone to review the knowledge that has been learned while improving new vocabulary through test exercises based on academic texts.
Part 8: Answers and reference content (6 units)	This part provides reference information related to academic vocabulary such as measurement units and symbols, formal and common vocabulary, word formation, etc. It provides answers to the exercises in the book.

III. The pros & cons of Academic Vocabulary In Use

1. Pros

The content of the Academic Vocabulary In Use book is suitable for both Tasks in IELTS Writing.
The organization of sections and lessons is scientific and logic with clear, detailed theoretical knowledge presentation.
It emphasizes application through many sentence examples and academic texts for students to practice and review.
Vocabulary classification based on function allows students to freely choose to focus on the function they want to practice, rather than having to learn in order from beginning to end.
There are comparison tables and comparisons to help readers distinguish the differences between academic and common vocabulary functions.

2. Cons

The Academic Vocabulary In Use book is written entirely in English, which can be difficult for first-time users.
The illustrative images are not rich yet, and the dense text content presentation can be boring.
Requiring students to research and analyze vocabulary usage independently can be discouraging, especially for self-studying at home. Furthermore, self-searching for meanings of academic vocabulary can lead to misunderstanding without support or guidance.

IV. How to use Academic Vocabulary In Use effectively

The Cambridge Academic Vocabulary in Use book provides advanced and quality vocabulary sources for IELTS Academic test takers. To use the book most effectively, PREP provides the following guidance:

First, you need to briefly review the entire book and study sequentially according to the instructions. In addition to learning vocabulary, students should focus on phrases, tips, and common errors to have a solid understanding.
When studying, you should prepare a dictionary such as the Cambridge Dictionary or look up words online from reliable sources when you need to check word meanings.
Right after finishing each lesson, you should take notes of key vocabulary, memorable phrases, and grammar points in your notebook, then apply them to your speaking and writing to help remember them longer. You should also note synonyms or antonyms to avoid falling into "traps" during Listening and Reading tests.

Some easy and understandable ways to take note vocabulary are Word bubbles or Word forks as shown in the images below:

How to use Academic Vocabulary In Use effectively

V. Download Academic Vocabulary In Use (PDF) for free

To help students learn effectively, PREP has collected free download links for the Academic Vocabulary In Use PDF book in nice versions. Hurry up and download it to start studying!

Purchase link	Cambridge University Press
Download link	Download Academic Vocabulary In Use (PDF)

So that's a detailed review of the Academic Vocabulary In Use book from PREP! Hopefully, this article will be useful for you in preparing for IELTS in particular and learning English in general!

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Master Tu Pham

Founder/CEO at Prep

Founder of Prep Smart Test Preparation Platform. With over 10 years of experience in teaching and test preparation, Mr. Tú has helped thousands of students achieve high scores in the IELTS exam. In addition, Mr. Tú Phạm is also a consulting expert in British Council programs and a speaker at many leading educational events, programs, and conferences.