PTE Academic Vocabulary List with Examples

accentuate verbC1

To make a feature more noticeable or prominent.

The second chart accentuates the widening gap between urban and rural incomes.

alienate verbC1

To make someone feel isolated or unsympathetic towards a group.

Heavy reliance on technology may alienate older citizens from public services.

allude verbC1

To refer to something indirectly or in passing.

The preface alludes to a methodological dispute that is never fully addressed.

appraise verbC1

To assess the quality, value, or significance of something.

Students must critically appraise at least ten peer-reviewed sources in their review.

constrain verbC1

To limit or restrict what someone or something can do.

Economic growth in the region is constrained by a shortage of skilled workers.

culminate verbC1

To reach a final or climactic point after a period of development.

The research programme culminated in a framework now used across the sector.

deduce verbC1

To reach a conclusion by reasoning from the available evidence.

From the speaker's tone, you can deduce that she disagrees with the government's policy.

deviate verbC2

To depart from an established course, rule or standard.

Results that deviate significantly from the average should be examined carefully.

digress verbC2

To move away from the main subject temporarily while speaking or writing.

The lecturer digressed briefly about her fieldwork, so leave that detail out of your summary.

disseminate verbC1

To spread information or findings widely.

The project disseminated its results through open-access articles and public workshops.

encapsulate verbC1

To express the essential features of something concisely.

The abstract encapsulates the paper's argument in fewer than two hundred words.

fluctuate verbC1

To rise and fall irregularly in number, amount or degree.

The study found that bird populations fluctuate markedly from year to year, complicating any estimate of decline.

implicate verbC2

To show that something is involved in causing a problem or effect.

Poor diet has been implicated in the rise of type 2 diabetes.

legislate verbC2

To make laws about a particular matter.

Some believe it is the state's duty to legislate against unhealthy food advertising.

necessitate verbC1

To make something necessary as a result or consequence.

The unexpected results necessitated a revision of the original methodology.

negate verbC1

To cancel out the effect of something or deny its existence.

The high dropout rate largely negates the gains reported in the first year.

optimise verbC1

To make something as effective or efficient as possible.

Cities can optimise energy use by installing smart street lighting.

pertain verbC2

To be connected with or relevant to something.

Include only details that pertain directly to the main idea of the passage.

precede verbC1

To come before something in time, order or position.

In the correct order, the sentence about funding must precede the one about results.

segue verbC2

To move smoothly from one topic or section to another.

The speaker segues from the history of trade to its impact on modern cities.

skew verbC2

To distort data or results so that they are not accurate.

The lecturer warned that a small sample can skew the findings of a survey.

supersede verbC1

To take the place of something older or less effective.

The revised taxonomy has largely superseded the classification proposed in the 1970s.

transcribe verbC1

To write down spoken words exactly as they are said.

In write from dictation, you must transcribe the sentence you hear with accurate spelling.

underlie verbC2

To be the real cause or basis of something.

Economic inequality may underlie many of the social problems described in the article.

adequacy nounC2

The state of being sufficient or good enough for a particular purpose.

Researchers raised concerns about the adequacy of the sample size.

coherence nounC1

The quality of being logical, consistent and clearly connected.

Linking words greatly improve the coherence of an academic essay.

intonation nounC1

The rise and fall of the voice in speaking.

Natural intonation in the read-aloud task helps raise your oral fluency score.

outlier nounC1

A result or case that differs greatly from the others in a set.

The speaker treated the unusually high figure for Iceland as an outlier.

plausibility nounC2

The quality of seeming reasonable or likely to be true.

Several experts questioned the plausibility of the author's central claim.

summation nounC2

A concluding summary of the main points of an argument or talk.

In her summation, the lecturer restated why early intervention matters most.

tenet nounC2

One of the main principles or beliefs of a theory or system.

The lecturer outlined the central tenets of behavioural economics.

heterogeneous adjectiveC2

Consisting of elements that differ markedly from one another.

Because the sample was so heterogeneous, the researchers hesitated to generalise their findings.

indiscriminate adjectiveC2

Done without careful judgement or selection.

The indiscriminate use of antibiotics has contributed to drug-resistant bacteria.

intelligible adjectiveC1

Able to be understood or comprehended.

The lecturer rendered quantum theory intelligible to an audience with no training in physics.

proportionate adjectiveC1

Corresponding in size or amount to something else.

Funding for each department should be proportionate to the number of students it serves.

crucially adverbC1

Used to introduce a point of decisive importance.

Crucially, the lecturer pointed out that the trial included no participants over sixty.

inextricably adverbC2

In a way that makes separation impossible.

Economic growth and environmental damage have long been inextricably linked.

irrevocably adverbC2

In a way that cannot be changed or reversed.

Deforestation has irrevocably altered many fragile ecosystems.

succinctly adverbC2

In a brief and clearly expressed way.

Summarise the speaker's position succinctly, keeping within the word limit.

verbatim adverbC2

Using exactly the same words as were originally spoken or written.

Avoid copying long phrases verbatim from the recording, as paraphrasing shows stronger vocabulary.