For many Malaysian researchers, the greatest barrier to a Scopus Q1 publication is not at all the data. It is the “Linguistic Gap.” You have spent years mastering your field, yet when you sit down to write, your English feels “simple,” “clunky,” or “non-native.”

You might receive reviewer feedback like: “The manuscript requires a native English speaker’s polish,” or “The tone is too informal for a high-impact journal.”

This is frustrating. However, writing like a native speaker is not about having a massive dictionary in your head; it is about understanding the mechanics of academic tone. Native academic writing relies on specific patterns of vocabulary, the art of “hedging,” and strategic signposting.

This guide is your masterclass in transitioning from “ESL English” to “Professional Academic English.”

1. Beyond the Basics: Replacing “Simple” Vocabulary

The first sign of an ESL writer is the use of “General English” words. In a daily conversation, words like good, bad, show, and find are perfect. In a research paper, they lack the precision required for scientific rigor.

The “Academic Upgrade” List

To write like a native speaker, you must replace high-frequency, “lazy” verbs with precise academic alternatives.

Avoiding Phrasal Verbs

Native academic writers rarely use phrasal verbs (verbs made of two words). They almost always choose the single-word Latinate equivalent.

• Informal: “The researchers looked into the problem.”
• Academic: “The researchers investigated the problem.”
• Informal: “We need to set up the experiment.”
• Academic: “We need to establish the experimental parameters.”

2. The Art of “Hedging”: How to Sound Objective

One of the most common mistakes ESL writers make is being too certain. In science, we rarely “prove” anything; we provide evidence that “suggests” a conclusion. Native speakers use a technique called Hedging to protect their claims from criticism.

Why Hedging Matters

If you write: “This drug cures cancer,” and a reviewer finds one person it didn’t cure, your entire paper is invalidated.

If you write: “The data suggests that this drug may contribute to the successful treatment of certain cancers,” you are being scientifically responsible.

Common Hedging Techniques:

1. Modal Verbs (The Power of “May” and “Could”)

• Direct: “This result is caused by X.”
• Hedged: “This result could be attributed to X.”

2. Tentative Verbs

• Direct: “The data proves that…”
• Hedged: “The findings indicate that…” or “The results suggest that…”

3. Adverbs of Frequency/Probability

• Direct: “Malaysian SMEs always struggle with digital adoption.”
• Hedged: “Malaysian SMEs frequently encounter challenges regarding digital adoption.”

4. Admission of Limitations

• Direct: “This method is the best.”
• Hedged: “Within the scope of this study, this method appears to offer the most robust solution.”

3. Complex Sentences: Maintaining Clarity

Many ESL researchers believe that “Academic English” means writing very long, complicated sentences. This is a myth. While native speakers do use complex structures, they prioritize Clarity.

The “One Idea per Sentence” Rule

If your sentence is longer than three lines, it is likely a “Run-on Sentence.” This confuses the reader.

• The ESL Error (The “And” Trap): “The experiment was conducted in June and the temperature was 30 degrees and the samples were collected every hour and this led to a high yield.” (Too many ideas).
• The Native Correction: “The experiment was conducted in June at a constant temperature of 30°C. Hourly sample collection resulted in a high yield.” (Divided logically).

Using Relative Clauses Safely

Relative clauses (sentences using which, that, who) are essential for academic depth, but they must be placed correctly.

• Clunky: “The software which was developed by the team at UTM that uses AI was fast.”
• Polished: “The AI-driven software, developed by the UTM research team, demonstrated high processing speeds.”

4. Signposting: The “GPS” of Your Research Paper

Native speakers use Signposting Words to tell the reader where the argument is going. Without signposting, your paper feels like a list of random facts.

Signposting for Different Purposes:

A. To Add Information:

• Furthermore, Moreover, In addition, Additionally.
• Example: “The strategy reduced costs. Furthermore, it improved employee morale.”

B. To Show Contrast (The “But” Replacements):

• However, Conversely, On the other hand, In contrast.
• Example: “Previous studies suggested X. However, our findings indicate Y.”

C. To Show Cause and Effect:

• Consequently, Therefore, Thus, As a result.
• Example: “The sample was contaminated. Consequently, the results were excluded from the final analysis.”

5. Transitioning Between Results and Discussion

One of the hardest transitions for ESL writers is moving from “What happened” (Results) to “What it means” (Discussion). Native speakers use specific “Comparing Words” to link their findings to previous research.

• Agreement: “These findings are consistent with the observations of Ali (2023).”
• Disagreement: “Our results diverge from the findings reported by Tan (2024).”
• Support: “This data lends support to the theory that…”
• Contradiction: “This outcome contradicts the conventional belief that…”

[Read More: Transition Words for Comparing Results and Discussing Implications]

Continuing from our masterclass on academic writing, Part 2 focuses on the structural flow, technical vocabulary, and the common grammatical “potholes” that Malaysian and other ESL researchers frequently encounter.

To write like a native speaker, you must move beyond just choosing the right words—you must master the rhythm of the English language.

Academic English 101: The Ultimate Guide to Writing Like a Native Speaker for ESL Researchers (Part 2)

6. Mastering Signposting: The “GPS” of Your Research Paper

Native speakers use Signposting Words to act as a GPS for the reader. Without them, your paper feels like a list of random facts. In a 10,000-word thesis, the reader can easily get lost. Signposting ensures they know exactly where they are in your argument.

Transitioning Between Paragraphs

A common ESL mistake is starting a new paragraph without linking it to the previous one. A native speaker uses “Bridge Sentences.”

• Clunky (No Bridge): [End of Para 1: Discussing Solar Energy]. [Start of Para 2: Wind energy is also important.]
• Polished (With Bridge): “While solar energy offers significant potential for tropical climates, it is equally important to consider the role of wind energy in the broader renewable landscape.”

The Transition Word Toolkit

Use these specific words to signal your logic:

• To Show Sequence: Primarily, Subsequently, Consecutively, Finally.
• To Show Exception: Despite, Notwithstanding, Regardless of, Albeit.
• To Highlight/Emphasize: Notably, Significantly, Of particular interest, Crucially.

7. The Academic Word List (AWL): Your Secret Weapon

The Academic Word List (AWL) is a collection of 570 “word families” that appear with high frequency in academic texts across all disciplines. Native speakers use these words instinctively; ESL researchers must learn them intentionally.

Instead of using common verbs, use AWL Verbs:

• Don’t say “Change.” Say Modify or Alter.
• Don’t say “Give.” Say Attribute or Distribute.
• Don’t say “Check.” Say Evaluate or Assess.

Transforming “Simple” Sentences into “Academic” Sentences

Notice how the sentence becomes more “native” by simply swapping common words for AWL equivalents:

• Simple: “The team looked at the parts of the data to find the problem.”
• Academic: “The research team analyzed the components of the dataset to identify the anomaly.”

8. Common Grammatical Pitfalls for Malaysian Researchers

Even with high-level vocabulary, small grammatical “potholes” can alert a reviewer that the author is a non-native speaker. For Malaysian researchers (Manglish speakers), these three areas are the most common traps.

A. The “Article” Problem (A, An, The)

In Bahasa Melayu, articles are used differently or not at all. In English, they are mandatory.

• The Error: “Researcher conducted experiment in laboratory.”
• The Correction: “The researcher conducted an experiment in the laboratory.”
• Rule of Thumb: If it’s a singular noun you can count, it almost always needs an article.

B. Subject-Verb Agreement (SVA)

This is the most common reason for a “Proofreading Required” comment.

• The Error: “The results of the study shows that…”
• The Correction: “The results (plural) of the study show that…”
• The Correction: “The finding (singular) of the study shows that…”

C. Preposition Precision

Prepositions (in, on, at, of, with) are notoriously difficult because they don’t follow a logical rule—they follow Collocation (words that naturally live together).

• Wrong: “The study focuses on…” (Correct)
• Wrong: “The study focuses to…” (Incorrect)
• Wrong: “In accordance with…” (Correct)
• Wrong: “In accordance to…” (Incorrect)

9. Maintaining Clarity in Complex Sentences

Native academic writing is not about using the longest sentence possible. It is about Density. You want to pack as much information as possible into a clear structure.

The “S-V-O” Anchor

To keep a long sentence from collapsing, keep the Subject, Verb, and Object close together.

• Confusing (Vague): “The increase, which was observed by the team during the second phase of the trial that lasted three months, was 10%.” (The subject ‘increase’ is too far from the verb ‘was’).
• Native Style: “A 10% increase was observed during the second three-month phase of the trial.” (Direct and dense).

Using “That” vs. “Which”

• That (Restrictive): Use this for information that is essential to the sentence.
  • “The samples that were contaminated were discarded.” (Only the contaminated ones).
• Which (Non-restrictive): Use this for extra information (always use a comma).
  • “The samples, which were stored at 4°C, were analyzed.” (By the way, they were stored at 4°C).

10. The “Polishing” Checklist: 5 Minutes Before You Submit

Before you send that manuscript to a Scopus journal, run this final linguistic check:

1. Search for “Get”: Replace every instance of “get” with obtain, acquire, or achieve.
2. Search for “Very”: Academic writing doesn’t need “very.” Replace “very big” with massive, or “very important” with pivotal.
3. Check your “I’s”: Unless you are in a field that encourages the first person, change “I found” to “The study found” or “It was observed.”
4. Count your words per sentence: If a sentence is longer than 35 words, split it in two.
5. Look for “There is/There are”: These are often weak openings.
   • Weak: “There are many reasons for X.”
   • Native: “Multiple factors contribute to X.”

Final Word: From ESL to Expert

Writing like a native speaker is a skill, not a gift. By focusing on Hedging to sound objective, using Signposting to guide the reader, and replacing Simple Vocabulary with academic equivalents, you will find that your papers receive fewer language-based rejections and higher citation rates.

Academic English is a global language. It belongs to anyone who masters its mechanics.

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