ABSTRACT
When reading a text, it is useful to identify and understand the main verb: this is often the key to understanding the whole sentence. This chapter looks at the more formal verbs used in academic writing, the verbs of reference used to introduce summaries, and outlines the use of adverbs. Academic writing tends to use rather formal verbs to express the writers meaning accurately: In the last decade the pace of change has accelerated. Referring verbs are used to summarise another writers ideas. They may also be used to introduce a quotation. Adverbs can be used to give information on time, such as "consistently", and degree, such as "considerably".
