In spoken English we often use a verb + preposition in sentences. For example, "I looked at how students plan their writing." However, in formal English, we often use a single verb that came from Latin. For example, "I examined how students plan their writing."
Exercise: Choose a verb from the list at the beginning to replace the underlined verbs in the sentences. You may need to change the tense.
|
assist |
establish |
create |
investigate |
raise |
|
reduce |
increase |
determine |
fluctuate |
eliminate |
- Teachers can help out students by explaining a text.
- This programme was set up to help slow learners.
- Education expenses have gone up to nearly ¥100 billion.
- The use of computers should cut down the amount of marking for teachers.
- Researchers have found out that students know this.
- Schools cannot get rid of bullying completely.
- Researchers have been looking into this problem.
- Overtime pay was brought up during the discussion.
- Teachers must come up with fair assignments.
- Examination results have been going up and down.
Check your answers here.
Adapted from J.M. Swales & C.B. Feak Academic Writing for Graduate Students. The University of Michigan Press, 1994.
