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Academic Verbs of Purpose

Purpose                                    Verbs
To show analysis                 analyse, appraise, define, diagnose, explore, identify, investigate, observe
To summarize                       assess, conclude, feature, highlight
 
To indicate control
(to be stable or
to maintain at a level)     constrain, control, govern, influence, inhibit, limit, maintain, prohibit, regulate, secure
 
To discuss findings            attest, confirm, contend, demonstrate, document, indicate, reveal
 
To state                                    comment, convey, elaborate, establish, identify, propose
 
To show increase               advance, development, enlarge, exceed, extend, facilitate, improve, increment, 
                                                      maximise
To show decrease             alleviate, cease, decline, depress, descent, deteriorate, minimize, subside, reduce
 
To show change                 alter, accommodate, difference, evolve, fluctuate, generate, transform, transition, vary
To indicate
information
in a figure                               depict, display, illustrate, portray, reveal
To indicate
information
in a table                                 classify, enumerate, gives, lists, presents, summarizes
 
To stress that
a task has been
performed in-depth        adequately, comprehensively, exhaustively, extensively, thoroughly
 
To show parts                      comprise, compose of, constitute, encompass, include, incorporate
 
To indicate a
negative stand                    challenge, contradict, disagree, dispute, reject, question
 
To indicate a
positive stand                     confirm, compliment, corroborate, substantiate, support, uphold, validate, verify
 
To show
approximation                  approximate, estimate, resemble, predict
 
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