Academic Language-Critical Verbs

1. Analyze: Break something down into its parts 

2. Articulate: Express clearly 

3. Cite: giving credit to a source

4. Compare: Find likenesses 

5. Comprehend: Understand; find meaning 

6. Contrast: Find differences 

7. Delineate: Describe precisely/ line by line 

8. Demonstrate: Show clearly 

9. Describe: Tell the facts, details 

10. Determine: Decide 

11. Develop: Elaborate or expand 

12. Distinguish: Set apart from other like things 

13. Draw: bring out by way of response; as in a conclusion

14. Evaluate: Find value; judge 

15. Explain: Make plain or define 

16. Identify: point out/recognize 

17. Infer: Deduce; conclude 

18. Integrate: Put together 

19. Interpret: Explain the meaning of 

20. Locate: Find 

21. Organize: Arrange; classify 

22. Paraphrase: Put in different words 

23. Refer: look at again; mention briefly 

24. Suggest: Put forth; to say 

25. Summarize: Condense something larger into something smaller/concise 

26. Support: use evidence; strengthen/reinforce claims

27. Synthesize: Combine to form a more complex product 

28. Trace: Follow the course of step by step