In reports, swap casual get and start for formal verbs: obtain permission, funding or data, acquire skills built up over time, commence to begin.
Formal verbs for get and start
Not ""Students obtain new skills through practice."" — say ""Students acquire new skills through practice."". Acquire is for skills gained over time; obtain suits things you get from a source, such as permission, funding or data.
Try it: Ira: Can we start filming in the library next week? Hiroshi: Only if we ___ the director's approval first. Choose the word for the blank. (obtain / acquire / commence) Answer: obtain — Approval is something you formally request, so obtain fits; acquire is for skills gained over time.
Word
Pronunciation
Example
obtain
/əbˈteɪn/
Participants must obtain written permission before entering the archive.
acquire
/əˈkwaɪər/
Students acquire new skills through guided practice over the term.
commence
/kəˈmɛns/
The trial will commence next Monday once the paperwork is filed.
Casual words, tightened up
Formal reports replace casual words: investigate for look into, approximately for about, and present challenges for cause problems.
Try it: Hiroshi: The heating keeps failing in the reading room. Ira: I'll ask the facilities team to ___ the cause this week. Choose the word for the blank. (investigate / approximate / acquire) Answer: investigate — Investigate means to examine a problem carefully, which is what finding the cause of a fault needs.
Word
Pronunciation
Example
investigate
/ɪnˈvɛstəˌɡeɪt/
The panel will investigate the complaint before announcing a remedy.
approximately
/əˈprɑksəmətli/
The new trail is approximately six miles long.
present challenges
/prɪˈzɛnt ˈtʃælɪndʒɪz/
Winter weather can present challenges for the cycling club.
Problems and doubts, formally
In complaints and replies, write rectify for fix, have reservations for doubts about a plan, and dissatisfaction for being unhappy.
Try it: Ira: The board seemed unsure about the new opening hours. Hiroshi: Yes, the minutes say several members ___ about them. Choose the words for the blank. (had reservations / had reserves / made reservations) Answer: had reservations — Have reservations means to have doubts; make reservations means to book something.
Word
Pronunciation
Example
rectify
/ˈrɛktəˌfaɪ/
The clinic acted quickly to rectify the mistake in the appointment list.
have reservations
/hæv ˌrɛzərˈveɪʃənz/
Several neighbors have reservations about the new bike lane.
dissatisfaction
/ˌdɪsˌsætɪsˈfækʃən/
The survey showed growing dissatisfaction with the parking rules.
Causes, harm and staff
In reports, attributable to names a cause, adverse means harmful, and workforce means all the people who work for an organization.
Not ""The trip was canceled due to averse weather."" — say ""The trip was canceled due to adverse weather."". Adverse means harmful; averse means unwilling, as in averse to risk.
Try it: Hiroshi: Why did fewer people visit the gallery this spring? Ira: The report says the drop was ___ the roadworks outside. Choose the words for the blank. (attributable to / attributed by / responsible for) Answer: attributable to — Attributable to links a result to its cause, and here the roadworks caused the drop.
Word
Pronunciation
Example
attributable to
/əˈtrɪbjətəbəl tu/
The rise in visitors is attributable to the new trail map.
adverse
/ædˈvɜrs/
The new medicine has very few adverse effects.
workforce
/ˈwɜrkˌfɔrs/
Most of the hotel's workforce lives a short bus ride away.
What are the common mistakes?
Incorrect
Correct
Why
"Students obtain new skills through practice."
"Students acquire new skills through practice."
Acquire is for skills gained over time; obtain suits things you get from a source, such as permission, funding or data.
"The trip was canceled due to averse weather."
"The trip was canceled due to adverse weather."
Adverse means harmful; averse means unwilling, as in averse to risk.