Understanding the AWL Sublist
What is the AWL Sublist?
The Academic Word List (AWL), developed by Averil Coxhead in 2000, is a collection of 570 word families that frequently appear in academic texts across various disciplines. To make learning manageable, these 570 word families are divided into 10 sublists, ranked by frequency and importance.
The sublists help learners prioritize their vocabulary learning by focusing on the most common and essential academic words first. Sublist 1 contains the most frequently used words, while Sublist 10 includes less common, but still useful, academic terms.
Structure of the Sublist
Each sublist contains a specific number of word families.
Sublist 1
Contains 60 word families, such as analyze, approach, assess, and assume. These are the most widely used academic words.
Sublist 2
Includes 60 word families, such as achieve, acquire, and administrate.
Sublist 10
Contains 30 word families, such as adjacent, albeit, and assembly. These words are less frequent but still relevant in academic contexts.
Each word family includes a base word and its derivatives. For instance, the family for “analyze” includes analyzed, analyzing, and analysis.
Benefits of Using the AWL Sublist
Prioritization
Learners can start with Sublist 1 to quickly build a strong academic vocabulary base and gradually work through the remaining sublists as they advance.
Wide Applicability
The AWL words are not specific to any one field, making them relevant for disciplines like science, engineering, humanities, and business.
Efficiency
By focusing on high-frequency academic words, learners maximize their vocabulary learning efforts without being overwhelmed by less useful terms.
Tips for Learning AWL Words
Use Contextual Examples
Study AWL words in context by reading academic articles or textbooks. This helps understand how they are used in real-life academic writing.
Group by Sublist
Focus on one sublist at a time. For example, master Sublist 1 before moving on to Sublist 2.
Practice Writing
Incorporate AWL words into essays or reports to reinforce learning.
Use Flashcards or Apps
Tools like Anki or Quizlet can help review AWL words efficiently.
