Academic phrasebank

74 sentence frames for essays, theses and research papers, grouped by what they do in your argument. Search, copy with one click, and save your favourites on this device.

Search phrases

Introducing the topic

Opening paragraphs: establish why the topic matters.

X has become a central question in the study of Y.
Over the past two decades, interest in X has grown considerably.
X plays an important role in Y.
Despite its importance, X remains poorly understood.
A persistent problem in the field of X is Y.
This essay examines the relationship between X and Y.
The aim of this paper is to evaluate X.
This study seeks to address the following question: X?

Identifying a gap

Showing what previous research has not done.

Few studies have examined X in the context of Y.
Little attention has been paid to X.
Previous research has focused mainly on X, leaving Y largely unexplored.
It remains unclear whether X applies to Y.
The evidence on X is limited and often contradictory.
No study to date has directly compared X and Y.
However, these studies share an important limitation: X.

Referring to sources

Reporting what other authors found or argued.

X (2020) found that Y.
According to X (2019), Y.
X argues that Y, a view shared by Z.
Several studies have reported X (e.g., A, 2018; B, 2021).
X’s (2017) analysis suggests that Y.
In a large-scale survey, X observed that Y.
This finding is consistent with earlier work by X.
X challenges the assumption that Y.

Describing methods

Methods sections: what was done and why.

Data were collected through X.
Participants were recruited from X.
A mixed-methods design was adopted in order to X.
X was chosen because it allows Y.
The questionnaire consisted of X items measuring Y.
Interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded thematically.
All analyses were conducted using X.
To reduce bias, X.

Reporting results

Results sections: stating findings without interpreting them.

The results indicate that X.
X was significantly higher in Y than in Z.
No significant difference was found between X and Y.
As shown in Table X, Y.
The majority of respondents (X%) reported Y.
X was positively correlated with Y.
Contrary to expectations, X.
These data reveal a clear pattern: X.

Being cautious (hedging)

Qualifying claims so they match the strength of the evidence.

These findings suggest that X.
It is possible that X.
X may be partly explained by Y.
This appears to indicate that X.
One plausible explanation is that X.
The evidence tentatively supports X.
X is likely to be a contributing factor.
To some extent, X.

Comparing and contrasting

Showing similarity, difference or tension between ideas.

In contrast to X, Y.
Whereas X emphasises Y, Z focuses on W.
Similarly, X.
X differs from Y in two important respects.
Although X, Y.
On the other hand, X.
Both X and Y share the assumption that Z.
Unlike earlier studies, the present work X.

Discussing implications

Discussion sections: what the findings mean.

These results have important implications for X.
This finding supports the view that X.
One implication of this is that X.
The present findings extend previous work by X.
This may help to explain why X.
From a practical perspective, X.
Taken together, these results suggest X.

Acknowledging limitations

Stating what the study cannot show.

Several limitations should be noted.
The sample size was relatively small, which limits X.
Because the data were self-reported, X.
The cross-sectional design does not allow causal conclusions.
These findings may not generalise to X.
Future research should examine X.

Concluding

Final paragraphs: summarise and look forward.

In conclusion, X.
This paper has argued that X.
Overall, the evidence indicates that X.
The main contribution of this study is X.
These findings underline the need for X.
Further work is needed to establish whether X.

Why frames help

Academic genres are predictable on purpose. Readers of a research article expect a gap statement near the end of the introduction, cautious verbs in the discussion, and a limitations paragraph before the conclusion. Using conventional frames in those places signals that you know the genre, leaving the reader’s attention free for your ideas.

Match the verb to your evidence. “The results show” claims more than “the results suggest”, which claims more than “the results may indicate”. The hedging group exists because over-claiming is one of the most common comments examiners write. Check the finished paragraph with the tone checker.

Questions

What is an academic phrasebank?

A collection of reusable sentence frames organised by what they do in a paper: introducing a topic, reporting sources, describing methods, hedging claims, and so on. The best-known is the University of Manchester’s Academic Phrasebank by John Morley. The phrases on this page are original templates written for this site.

Is using academic phrases plagiarism?

No. Generic frames such as “The results indicate that…” are the shared vocabulary of academic English and are not anyone’s intellectual property. Plagiarism is copying someone else’s ideas, data or distinctive wording without credit.

How should I use the X and Y slots?

Replace X and Y with your own content, then adjust grammar and tense to fit. A frame is a starting point; reading your sentence aloud afterwards catches awkward fits.

Where are my saved phrases stored?

Only in your browser’s local storage on this device. Nothing is sent anywhere. You can remove them one by one or clear everything from the privacy page.