🎯 Objective
To help learners master 10 academic English vocabulary words including their meanings, pronunciation, parts of speech, and usage in context through definitions, examples, and practice exercises.
📝 Today's Vocabulary Words
These 10 academic words are frequently used in sociology, anthropology, research, and formal writing. Mastering them will enhance your academic communication and reading comprehension.
| Word | Part of Speech | Pronunciation | Key Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| distinctive | adjective | /dɪˈstɪŋk.tɪv/ | unique, characteristic |
| gender | noun | /ˈdʒen.dər/ | social identity, sex category |
| observe | verb | /əbˈzɜːrv/ | watch, notice, follow |
| social structure | noun phrase | /ˈsoʊ.ʃəl ˈstrʌk.tʃər/ | organization of society |
| establish | verb | /ɪˈstæb.lɪʃ/ | create, set up, prove |
| generally | adverb | /ˈdʒen.ər.əl.i/ | usually, in most cases |
| previously | adverb | /ˈpriː.vi.əs.li/ | before, earlier |
| extended family | noun phrase | /ɪkˈsten.dɪd ˈfæm.əl.i/ | relatives beyond parents/children |
| intense | adjective | /ɪnˈtens/ | very strong, extreme |
| replace | verb | /rɪˈpleɪs/ | substitute, take the place of |
📚 Complete Vocabulary Guide
1. DISTINCTIVE /dɪˈstɪŋk.tɪv/ (adjective)
📖 Definition
Primary meaning: Having a quality that makes something easily recognizable or different from others
Related forms: distinction (noun), distinct (adjective), distinguish (verb)
💡 Example Sentences
• Each culture has its own distinctive traditions and customs.
• The building's distinctive architecture makes it easy to spot.
• She has a distinctive way of speaking that everyone recognizes.
2. GENDER /ˈdʒen.dər/ (noun)
📖 Definition
Primary meaning: The social and cultural roles, behaviors, and identities associated with being male or female
Academic context: Often distinguished from biological sex in social sciences
💡 Example Sentences
• Gender roles vary significantly across different cultures.
• The company promotes gender equality in the workplace.
• Researchers study how gender affects career choices.
3. OBSERVE /əbˈzɜːrv/ (verb)
📖 Definition
Primary meaning: To watch carefully; to notice or perceive
Secondary meaning: To follow or comply with (rules, customs)
Related forms: observation (noun), observer (noun), observable (adjective)
💡 Example Sentences
• Scientists observe animal behavior in their natural habitat.
• I observed that students work better in small groups.
• Many families observe religious traditions during holidays.
4. SOCIAL STRUCTURE /ˈsoʊ.ʃəl ˈstrʌk.tʃər/ (noun phrase)
📖 Definition
Primary meaning: The organized pattern of social relationships and social institutions that together compose society
Academic context: Key concept in sociology and anthropology
💡 Example Sentences
• The social structure of medieval Europe was based on feudalism.
• Education plays a crucial role in maintaining social structure.
• Economic inequality affects a country's social structure.
5. ESTABLISH /ɪˈstæb.lɪʃ/ (verb)
📖 Definition
Primary meaning: To create and organize something intended to last
Secondary meaning: To prove or demonstrate the truth of something
Related forms: establishment (noun), established (adjective)
💡 Example Sentences
• The university was established in 1885.
• We need to establish clear rules for the project.
• The research established a link between diet and health.
6. GENERALLY /ˈdʒen.ər.əl.i/ (adverb)
📖 Definition
Primary meaning: In most cases; usually; as a rule
Usage note: Used to make generalizations while acknowledging exceptions
Related forms: general (adjective), generalize (verb)
💡 Example Sentences
• Students generally perform better when they get enough sleep.
• The weather is generally mild in this region.
• People generally prefer face-to-face communication for important matters.
7. PREVIOUSLY /ˈpriː.vi.əs.li/ (adverb)
📖 Definition
Primary meaning: At an earlier time; before the present time or before a particular time
Related forms: previous (adjective)
💡 Example Sentences
• She had previously worked as a teacher before becoming a lawyer.
• The building was previously used as a factory.
• As previously mentioned, the deadline is next Friday.
8. EXTENDED FAMILY /ɪkˈsten.dɪd ˈfæm.əl.i/ (noun phrase)
📖 Definition
Primary meaning: A family unit that includes not only parents and children but also other relatives such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins
Contrast: Nuclear family (parents and children only)
💡 Example Sentences
• In many cultures, the extended family lives together in one household.
• Extended family members often help with childcare and elder care.
• Holiday gatherings usually include the entire extended family.
9. INTENSE /ɪnˈtens/ (adjective)
📖 Definition
Primary meaning: Very strong, extreme, or concentrated in degree or quality
Related forms: intensity (noun), intensely (adverb), intensify (verb)
💡 Example Sentences
• The athlete underwent intense training for the Olympics.
• There was intense debate about the new policy.
• The intense heat made it difficult to work outside.
10. REPLACE /rɪˈpleɪs/ (verb)
📖 Definition
Primary meaning: To take the place of something or someone; to substitute
Secondary meaning: To put something back in its original position
Related forms: replacement (noun), replaceable (adjective)
💡 Example Sentences
• Digital books may eventually replace traditional printed books.
• The company decided to replace the old computer system.
• Please replace the book on the shelf when you're finished.
💡 Usage Tips and Common Mistakes
✅ Correct Usage:
- Gender: "Gender roles" (social) vs "biological sex" (physical)
- Observe: "observe behavior" (watch) vs "observe rules" (follow)
- Establish: "establish a company" (create) vs "establish facts" (prove)
- Replace: "replace with" (substitute) vs "replace on shelf" (put back)
❌ Common Mistakes:
- Wrong: "I general like coffee" → Correct: "I generally like coffee"
- Wrong: "Previous I lived there" → Correct: "Previously I lived there"
- Wrong: "Very distinctive" → Better: "Highly distinctive"
- Wrong: "Intense person" → Better: "Intense personality/character"
🧩 Academic Vocabulary Quiz
Test your understanding of the 10 academic vocabulary words. Choose the best answer or complete the sentence.
1. What makes something "distinctive"?
2. Complete the sentence: "Scientists need to _______ animal behavior carefully before drawing conclusions."
3. Which sentence uses "previously" correctly?
4. What does "extended family" include?
5. Complete: "The university was _______ in 1885 and has been operating for over 130 years."
6. What does "generally" mean?
7. Complete: "The _______ heat during summer makes it difficult to work outdoors."
8. Which is an example of studying "social structure"?
9. Complete: "Digital technology may eventually _______ traditional textbooks in schools."
10. In academic writing, "gender" typically refers to:
✅ Quiz Answer Key & Explanations
1. ✅ Correct Answer: b) It has unique characteristics that make it recognizable
Explanation: "Distinctive" means having qualities that make something easily recognizable or different from others. It's about unique characteristics, not price, age, or popularity.
2. ✅ Correct Answer: observe
Explanation: Scientists "observe" animal behavior, meaning they watch carefully and systematically to gather data and information.
3. ✅ Correct Answer: b) Previously, I worked in marketing.
Explanation: "Previously" means "at an earlier time" and is used to refer to something that happened before the current situation.
4. ✅ Correct Answer: b) Parents, children, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins
Explanation: "Extended family" includes relatives beyond the nuclear family (parents and children), such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
5. ✅ Correct Answer: established
Explanation: "Established" means created and organized. Universities, companies, and institutions are "established" on specific dates.
6. ✅ Correct Answer: c) Usually, in most cases
Explanation: "Generally" means "usually" or "in most cases." It acknowledges that there may be exceptions to the statement.
7. ✅ Correct Answer: intense
Explanation: "Intense" means very strong or extreme. Intense heat is very strong heat that makes activities difficult.
8. ✅ Correct Answer: a) Examining how society is organized into different classes
Explanation: "Social structure" refers to how society is organized, including social classes, institutions, and relationships between groups.
9. ✅ Correct Answer: replace
Explanation: "Replace" means to take the place of something. Digital technology may take the place of traditional textbooks.
10. ✅ Correct Answer: b) Social roles and cultural identities
Explanation: In academic contexts, "gender" refers to social and cultural roles and identities, distinguished from biological sex.
🏆 Advanced Academic Usage Examples
📖 Sociology and Anthropology Context:
- "Anthropologists observe how different cultures organize their social structures."
- "Gender roles within the extended family vary significantly across cultures."
- "Researchers aim to establish patterns in family organization across societies."
- "Each society has distinctive customs that reflect its social structure."
🎓 Academic Research Context:
- "The study previously focused on nuclear families but will now include extended family networks."
- "Researchers generally agree that social structure influences individual behavior."
- "The intense analysis revealed distinctive patterns in family dynamics."
- "Modern technology may replace traditional methods of studying family structures."
📊 Research and Analysis Context:
- "Scientists observe social behavior to establish theories about human interaction."
- "Previously unknown patterns emerged from the intense data analysis."
- "The distinctive characteristics of each culture generally remain stable over time."
- "New research methods may replace outdated approaches to studying gender roles."
🔗 Word Families and Related Academic Terms:
- Observe: observation, observer, observatory, observational
- Establish: establishment, established, establishing
- Distinctive: distinction, distinct, distinguish, distinguished
- Intense: intensity, intensely, intensify, intensification
- Replace: replacement, replaceable, irreplaceable
📚 Academic Collocations:
- Observe: observe behavior, observe patterns, observe closely, systematic observation
- Establish: establish facts, establish connections, establish principles, well-established
- Social structure: hierarchical social structure, traditional social structure, complex social structure
- Gender: gender roles, gender identity, gender equality, gender studies
- Extended family: extended family system, extended family support, extended family networks
📖 Formal Writing Examples:
- "This research aims to establish the relationship between social structure and individual behavior."
- "Previously conducted studies generally focused on nuclear rather than extended family units."
- "The distinctive patterns observed in this culture may replace existing theoretical models."
- "Intense analysis of gender roles reveals significant cultural variations."
Why These Academic Words Are Essential:
- ✅ Research literacy: Essential for understanding academic texts
- ✅ Critical thinking: Enable precise analysis and discussion
- ✅ Academic writing: Required for essays and research papers
- ✅ Professional communication: Used in academic and professional contexts
- ✅ Social sciences: Fundamental concepts in sociology and anthropology
- ✅ Advanced proficiency: Demonstrate sophisticated academic English