Academic English uses many words from Greek and Latin that can be challenging to pronounce. This guide covers the vocabulary you'll encounter in university lectures, papers, and presentations.
Research Terms
Analysis and Critique
Phenomena and Data
Criteria and Standards
Presentation Words
Commonly Mispronounced Academic Words
Latin Phrases Used in Academia
Greek/Latin Plural Forms
| Singular | Plural | Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| thesis /ˈθiːsɪs/ | theses /ˈθiːsiːz/ | -is → -es |
| crisis /ˈkraɪsɪs/ | crises /ˈkraɪsiːz/ | -is → -es |
| phenomenon /fəˈnɑːmɪnən/ | phenomena /fəˈnɑːmɪnə/ | -on → -a |
| criterion /kraɪˈtɪriən/ | criteria /kraɪˈtɪriə/ | -on → -a |
| curriculum /kəˈrɪkjələm/ | curricula /kəˈrɪkjələ/ | -um → -a |
| appendix /əˈpendɪks/ | appendices /əˈpendɪsiːz/ | -ix → -ices |
Practice for Presentations
Read this paragraph aloud:
"My thesis examines the phenomenon of social media influence. The methodology includes both qualitative and quantitative analyses. The data suggest that our initial hypothesis was correct, albeit with some nuances. Using multiple criteria, we can establish a new paradigm for understanding these phenomena."