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In the realm of academia, language is not merely a tool; it is a precise instrument of expression. Effective communication of complex ideas depends significantly on mastering academic vocabulary. Proficiency in academic vocabulary enhances the ability to read academic texts and refines one´s academic writing and presentation style. This engaging and interactive course offers plenty of e-learning activities to practice and develop academic vocabulary, helping learners to avoid non-academic words and phrases.

This part begins by introducing common features of language as a starting point for exploring academic vocabulary. It then delves into the use of foreign borrowings, which, when used judiciously and selectively, can noticeably enhance the expressiveness of one´s writing. Finally, it covers the use of abbreviations, an increasingly important feature of contemporary English.

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1.1 Language features

The following table shows nouns with the explanations that are used to describe common features of language. Complete the table with the missing ones using the following expressions:

Ambiguity	the state of having more than one possible meaning
Anecdote	a story told to illustrate a situation or idea
	an idea or phrase that has been used so much that it lacks freshness
Euphemism	a word of phrase used to avoid saying an unpleasant or offensive word
	making something seem larger, more important, better, or worse than it really is
Idiom	a group of words whose meaning is different form the meanings of the individual words
	an imaginative way of describing something by referring to something else which is the same in a particular way
Paradox	a situation that involves two or more facts or qualities which seem to contradict each other
	a well-known phrase or sentence giving advice or saying something that is generally true
Saying	a well-know phrase or sentence that expresses something about life that most people believe is wise and true
	a comparison of two things, using the words like or as
Slogan	a short phrase that is easy to remember
Statement	a rather formal comment on a situation
	a summary of a longer piece of writing or work
Understatement	a statement that makes something seem less important, impressive, or serious than it really is

Task 1

Study the sentences in the table and complete them by adding the features below each sentence illustrates.

Saying	Don´t count your chickens before they´re hatched.
	Sarah´s parents were over the moon when she received a scholarship to her dream university.
	The Taste of Joy.
	The murderer killed the student with a book.
	Action speaks louder than voice.
	The more I learn, the less I seem to know.
	I´m sorry to hear that your grandmother passed away.
	This memorandum is to inform all employees about the upcoming company-wide training session scheduled for next Monday.
	A stitch in time saves nine.
	The queue at the coffee shop was so long that I aged ten years waiting for my turn.
	Her voice was a soothing melody that enveloped the room like a warm embrace.
	The traffic during rush hours is slightly inconvenient.
	The water in the lake was as clear as crystal, reflecting the blue sky above.