TOEFL · Vocabulary · B2–C1

TOEFL Academic Vocabulary — Set 1

Core academic word list vocabulary that appears frequently across TOEFL reading passages.

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1. What does "substantial" mean in the sentence: "The study found a substantial increase in test scores"?

2. What does "constitute" mean in: "Women constitute nearly half of the workforce in that industry"?

3. What does "derive" mean in: "The word is derived from Latin"?

4. What does "consequently" mean in: "The bridge was closed; consequently, traffic was rerouted"?

5. What does "hypothesis" mean in: "The researchers tested their hypothesis in the lab"?

6. What does "denote" mean in: "The symbol denotes a chemical reaction"?

7. What does "invariably" mean in: "He invariably arrives ten minutes early"?

8. What does "contradict" mean in: "The new data contradicts the earlier findings"?

9. What does "arbitrary" mean in: "The deadline seemed completely arbitrary"?

10. What does "underlying" mean in: "The underlying cause of the problem was never addressed"?

Answer key — TOEFL Academic Vocabulary — Set 1

B — Large / significant. "Substantial" means large or significant in amount or degree.
B — Make up / form. "Constitute" means to make up or form a whole.
B — Obtained or developed from a source. "Derive" means to obtain or develop something from a particular source.
B — As a result. "Consequently" means "as a result" — it shows a cause-and-effect relationship.
B — A tentative explanation to be tested. A "hypothesis" is a proposed explanation that has not yet been proven, tested through further study.
B — Indicate / signify. "Denote" means to indicate or represent something.
C — Always / without exception. "Invariably" means always, without exception.
B — Is inconsistent with / opposes. "Contradict" means to be in direct opposition to, or inconsistent with, something else.
B — Random / not based on a clear system. "Arbitrary" means based on random choice rather than any reason or system.
B — Fundamental / basic but not immediately obvious. "Underlying" means forming the basis of something, often not immediately obvious.

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