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Formal Academic Style

1 Academic Writing 2 Research Paper Structure 3 Academic Precision 4 Formal Academic Style

C1 Writing System 6 min read Hard

Formal Academic Style

Q: Får man aldrig använda 'jag'?

I vissa ämnen, som pedagogik eller sociologi, kan `jag` användas om forskarens roll är viktig. Men i naturvetenskap bör det undvikas.

Q: Vad är 'substantivsjuka'?

Det är när man använder för många substantiv så att texten blir tungläst. Exempel: `Genomförandet av undersökningen av förbättringen...`

Q: Är s-passiv bättre än bli-passiv?

Ja, i akademisk text är `s-passiv` (t.ex. `gjordes`) nästan alltid att föredra framför `bli-passiv` (`blev gjord`).

Q: Hur låter jag mer objektiv?

Använd fraser som `Det kan konstateras`, `Studien visar` eller `Resultaten tyder på` istället för `Jag tror`.

Q: Vilka är de viktigaste sambandsorden?

Några viktiga är `dessutom`, `däremot`, `följaktligen`, `emellertid` och `i synnerhet`.

Q: Är akademisk svenska samma sak som gammal svenska?

Nej, akademisk svenska är modern men formell. Gammal svenska använder omodern stavning och grammatik som inte används idag.

Q: Varför nominaliserar man?

Det gör att man kan packa in mer information och fokusera på processen snarare än personen som gör något.

Q: Hur lär jag mig detta bäst?

Genom att läsa vetenskapliga artiklar och öva på att skriva om enkla meningar till formella.

Q: Vad betyder 'föreliggande'?

Det betyder 'denna' (t.ex. `föreliggande studie` = `denna studie`) och är mycket vanligt i inledningar.

Q: Kan jag använda slang i en formell uppsats?

Absolut inte. Det förstör din trovärdighet som skribent.

Think like a scientist: focus on the action and the facts, not the person doing them.

Mark as Learned

Practice it

Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Academic Swedish prioritizes objectivity and precision by using nominalization, passive voice, and formal linking words instead of personal pronouns.

Replace verbs with nouns (nominalization) to sound more objective: 'Vi undersökte' becomes 'Undersökningen av'.
Use the s-passive to remove the subject: 'Man ser resultatet' becomes 'Resultatet kan utläsas'.
Avoid 'jag' and 'man'; use impersonal constructions like 'Det framgår att' or 'Studien visar'.

Noun-heavy + Passive Voice + Formal Connectors = 🎓 Academic Excellence

Overview

## Overview of Academic Swedish

Academic Swedish, or akademisk sakprosa, is not just about using 'fancy' words; it is a fundamental shift in how information is structured. At the C1 level, you must move beyond simple narrative structures where a person does an action. In academic writing, the action itself or the result of that action becomes the subject. This style is essential for university-level essays, research papers, and formal reports. It values objectivity, which means the writer's personal feelings are hidden behind a wall of evidence and logical reasoning. You will notice a high degree of lexikal täthet (lexical density), meaning there are more content-carrying words (nouns, adjectives) per sentence compared to spoken Swedish. Mastering this style allows you to participate in the Swedish scientific community and communicate complex ideas with authority. It is the difference between saying 'I think the weather is changing' and 'Observationer indikerar en pågående klimatförändring'. The latter sounds professional, grounded in data, and ready for peer review.

## How to Form Academic Sentences

To form academic sentences, you primarily use three tools: nominalisering (nominalization), passivformer (passive forms), and sambandsord (connectives).

1Nominalization: Take a verb like undersöka (to investigate) and turn it into a noun undersökning (investigation). Instead of writing 'Vi undersökte hur barn leker', you write 'Undersökningen av barns lek'. This allows you to add more descriptors: 'Den omfattande undersökningen av barns sociala lek'.

1Passive Voice: Use the -s suffix on verbs to create the passive voice. Instead of 'Man samlade in data', use 'Data insamlades'. This removes the vague 'man' and focuses on the data.

1Formal Connectives: Replace everyday words like men (but) and också (also) with academic equivalents like däremot (on the other hand), dessutom (furthermore), or i synnerhet (in particular).

1Sentence Structure: Academic Swedish often uses long subordinate clauses and prepositional phrases to specify conditions and contexts. However, clarity remains paramount; avoid 'substantivsjuka' (noun sickness) where sentences become so heavy with nouns they are impossible to read.

## When to Use Academic Style

This style is strictly reserved for formal contexts. You will encounter it in university textbooks, scientific journals, and government white papers (SOU-utredningar). In a job interview for a high-level position, you might use elements of this style to sound more professional, but be careful not to sound like a robot. In social media or texting, this style would be perceived as cold, arrogant, or even sarcastic. However, in professional emails to authorities or when writing a formal complaint, using academic-adjacent language can increase your credibility. For example, instead of saying 'Jag är arg för att tåget var sent', you might write 'Jag önskar framföra ett klagomål rörande den bristande punktligheten i tågtrafiken'. This signals that you understand the formal norms of Swedish society and expect a professional response. It is also the standard for PM-skrivande in the Swedish school system and for the TISUS exam.

## Common Mistakes to Avoid

The most frequent mistake is 'substantivsjuka' (noun sickness). This happens when a writer uses so many nouns and prepositional phrases that the verb—the engine of the sentence—gets lost. For example: 'En utredning av möjligheterna för en förbättring av kommunikationerna...' is too heavy. Better: 'Man bör utreda hur kommunikationerna kan förbättras'. Another mistake is mixing registers. Using a slang word like kolla in the same sentence as analysera creates a stylistic clash. Thirdly, many learners overuse the word man. While man is common in Swedish, in high-level academic prose, it is often better to use a passive construction or an impersonal 'det'-phrase. Finally, avoid 'jag' (I) unless you are writing a reflective piece or in specific fields like qualitative sociology where the researcher's position is relevant. Even then, use it sparingly.

## Academic vs. Journalistic Style

It is easy to confuse academic style with journalistic style (tidningssvenska). While both are formal, journalistic style aims for accessibility and impact. A journalist might write: 'Forskare har hittat en ny metod för att bota cancer', using active verbs and a clear subject. An academic writer would write: 'En ny metod för behandling av maligna tumörer har identifierats'. The academic version is more precise (specifying 'maligna tumörer' instead of just 'cancer') and uses the passive voice to focus on the discovery rather than the researchers. Journalistic style often uses shorter sentences and more emotive language, whereas academic style is neutral and cautious, frequently using 'hedging' words like torde, tänkbart, and indikerar to avoid making over-stated claims. Understanding this difference is key to succeeding in different types of Swedish writing tasks.

## CEFR-Level Explanations

A1: At this level, you don't need to write academically. Just focus on simple sentences like 'Jag studerar på universitetet'. Academic style is too hard right now. Just know that books sound different than people talking.

A2: You can start using simple formal words. Instead of 'bra', you can say 'viktig'. You might see sentences like 'Det är viktigt att studera'. You don't need to use the passive voice yet, but you might see it in signs or simple instructions.

B1: You are starting to write reports. You should use 'man' instead of 'jag' sometimes. You can use words like 'dessutom' and 'därför'. You are learning to describe things more objectively, but your sentences are still quite simple and follow a subject-verb-object pattern.

B2: You can now use the s-passive and nominalization. You understand that 'Undersökningen visar' is better than 'Jag har tittat på'. You can use more complex linking words like 'trots att' and 'eftersom'. You are starting to sound professional in your writing, but you might still make mistakes with word choice or 'noun sickness'.

C1: You must master the academic register. This involves using precise terminology, complex sentence structures, and a completely impersonal tone. You should be able to nominalize verbs effortlessly and use the s-passive to create objective distance. Your writing should show a high degree of cohesion through advanced connectives and logical structuring. You are expected to handle abstract concepts and nuanced arguments without relying on personal opinion.

C2: At this level, you have near-native mastery of academic rhetoric. You can play with the style, using subtle nuances and varying your sentence structure to maintain the reader's interest while remaining strictly formal. You understand the historical roots of 'kanslisvenska' and can navigate the most complex legal or scientific texts. You can write with elegance, avoiding the pitfalls of overly dense prose while maintaining total precision and authority.

Meanings

Formal academic style in Swedish is a register used in higher education and research, characterized by high lexical density, complex sentence structures, and an impersonal tone.

Nominalization

Turning verbs or adjectives into nouns to pack more information into a single sentence and sound more objective.

“Genomförandet av experimentet krävde noggrann planering.”

Impersonalization

Removing the human agent (I, you, we) to focus on the data or the process.

“Det kan konstateras att resultaten är signifikanta.”

Lexical Precision

Using specific, often Latin- or Greek-derived terms instead of common Germanic verbs.

“Analysen indikerar en korrelation mellan variablerna.”

Common Nominalization Suffixes

Verb	Suffix	Noun (Academic)	English
undersöka	-ning	undersökning	investigation
genomföra	-ande	genomförande	implementation
analysera	-ing	analysering	analyzing
diskutera	-ion	diskussion	discussion
förändra	-ing	förändring	change
utveckla	-ing	utveckling	development
beskriva	-ning	beskrivning	description
konstatera	-ande	konstaterande	finding/statement

Reference Table

Reference table for Formal Academic Style
Feature	Informal/Neutral	Academic/Formal
Subject	Jag/Vi	Studien/Uppsatsen
Verb Form	Aktiv (vi gjorde)	Passiv (gjordes)
Word Choice	Kolla/Titta på	Analysera/Granska
Connectives	Men/Också	Däremot/Dessutom
Precision	Saker/Grejer	Aspekter/Faktorer
Hedging	Kanske	Torde/Eventuellt
Structure	Korta meningar	Komplexa meningar
Tone	Personlig	Objektiv/Impersonell

Formality Spectrum

Formal

Att analysera resultaten

Att analysera resultaten (Research process)

Neutral

Att titta på resultaten

Att titta på resultaten (Research process)

Informal

Att kolla på resultaten

Att kolla på resultaten (Research process)

Slang

Att checka läget med resultaten

Att checka läget med resultaten (Research process)

The Pillars of Academic Swedish

Akademisk stil

Grammar

Nominalisering Nominalization
S-passiv S-passive

Vocabulary

Precision Precision
Sambandsord Connectives

Active vs. Passive vs. Nominalized

Active

Vi undersökte saken. We investigated the matter.

Passive

Saken undersöktes. The matter was investigated.

Nominalized

Undersökningen av saken... The investigation of the matter...

Examples by Level

Jag läser en bok.

I am reading a book.

Skolan är bra.

The school is good.

Här får man inte röka.

One is not allowed to smoke here.

Tåget kommer nu.

The train is coming now.

Det är viktigt att läsa.

It is important to read.

Vi måste studera mer.

We must study more.

Boken handlar om historia.

The book is about history.

Många människor bor i staden.

Many people live in the city.

Man kan se att resultatet är positivt.

One can see that the result is positive.

Dessutom finns det andra problem.

Furthermore, there are other problems.

Syftet med texten är att informera.

The purpose of the text is to inform.

Det är svårt att dra en slutsats.

It is difficult to draw a conclusion.

Undersökningen genomfördes under våren.

The investigation was carried out during the spring.

Det finns en tydlig skillnad mellan grupperna.

There is a clear difference between the groups.

Trots motståndet fortsatte projektet.

Despite the resistance, the project continued.

Resultaten tyder på en ökning.

The results suggest an increase.

Föreliggande studie avser att belysa korrelationen mellan variablerna.

The present study intends to highlight the correlation between the variables.

Implementeringen av de nya riktlinjerna har stött på hinder.

The implementation of the new guidelines has encountered obstacles.

Det torde vara uppenbart att ytterligare forskning krävs.

It should be obvious that further research is required.

Analysen baseras på ett omfattande empiriskt material.

The analysis is based on extensive empirical material.

Diskursen kring ämnet präglas av en påtaglig begreppslig förvirring.

The discourse surrounding the subject is characterized by a noticeable conceptual confusion.

Härav följer att de kausala sambanden måste omvärderas.

From this it follows that the causal relationships must be re-evaluated.

I ljuset av ovanstående framstår hypotesen som föga trovärdig.

In light of the above, the hypothesis appears hardly credible.

Denna problematik låter sig inte enkelt sammanfattas.

This problem does not allow itself to be easily summarized.

Easily Confused

Formal Academic Style vs S-passiv vs. Bli-passiv

Learners don't know which one is more formal.

Formal Academic Style vs Man vs. Det

Overusing 'man' makes the text feel repetitive and slightly informal.

Formal Academic Style vs Substantivsjuka

Thinking more nouns always equals better Swedish.

Common Mistakes

✗

Jag är bra på svenska.

✓

Mina kunskaper i svenska är goda.

A1 uses 'bra', C1 uses 'goda kunskaper'.

✗

Boken är rolig.

✓

Boken är intressant.

Avoid 'rolig' (fun) in formal contexts.

✗

Man ser det i texten.

✓

Det framgår av texten.

Use 'framgår' instead of 'man ser'.

✗

Vi ska göra en test.

✓

Ett test ska genomföras.

Use passive voice and 'genomföra'.

✗

Jag tycker att resultatet är konstigt.

✓

Resultatet framstår som avvikande.

Avoid 'jag tycker' and 'konstigt'.

✗

Det finns också en annan sak.

✓

Därtill bör ytterligare en aspekt beaktas.

Use formal connectives and 'aspekt'.

✗

En undersökning av möjligheterna för en förbättring av kommunikationerna.

✓

Man bör undersöka hur kommunikationerna kan förbättras.

Avoid 'substantivsjuka' (noun sickness).

✗

Studien kollar på hur folk pratar.

✓

Studien undersöker språkbruk.

Avoid slang like 'kollar' and 'folk'.

Sentence Patterns

Syftet med denna ___ är att ___.

Det kan ___ att ___ har en ___ inverkan på ___.

I ljuset av ___ framstår ___ som ___.

Genom att ___ kan man ___.

Real World Usage

University Essay constant

Uppsatsen syftar till att undersöka...

Job Interview occasional

Jag har erfarenhet av att implementera...

Official Letter common

Härmed ansökes om...

LinkedIn Profile common

Specialiserad inom analys av...

News Report very common

Enligt källor har beslutet fattats...

Texting a friend never

Analysen av vår fika indikerar...

Scientific Journal constant

Data korrelerar med tidigare fynd.

Government Website very common

Riktlinjer för hantering av...

🎯

Use 'Därtill' instead of 'Också'

Small word changes like this instantly elevate your text to a higher CEFR level.

⚠️

Watch out for Noun Sickness

If your sentence has no clear verb, it's hard to read. Make sure something is actually *happening*.

💡

Read 'Svenska Dagbladet'

The 'Under strecket' section is a goldmine for high-level academic-style Swedish.

💬

Be Cautious

Swedish academics love 'kanske' words like 'torde' and 'tänkbart'. Don't be too certain unless you have 100% proof.

💡

Nominalize with Care

Use nominalization to group ideas, but return to verbs for the main argument.

Smart Tips

Replace it with 'Det kan argumenteras för att...' or 'Resultaten tyder på...'.

Jag tycker att skolan är dålig. → Det kan argumenteras för att skolsystemet uppvisar brister.

Check if you have too many nouns ending in -ning or -ande. Turn one back into a verb.

En undersökning av möjligheterna för en förbättring av... → Man bör undersöka hur man kan förbättra...

Switch to 'dessutom', 'ytterligare', or 'därtill'.

Det finns också ett problem till. → Därtill bör ytterligare ett problem beaktas.

Use the s-passive to keep the focus on the action.

Vi gjorde testet tre gånger. → Testet genomfördes vid tre tillfällen.

Pronunciation

Lower pitch, slower tempo.

Formal Prosody

In formal presentations, the melody is flatter and more controlled than in casual speech.

Emphasis on Nouns

UNDERSÖKNINGEN visar...

Highlighting the subject of the research.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Remember 'P.O.N.D.': Precise vocabulary, Objective tone, Nominalized verbs, Detached perspective.

Visual Association

Imagine a scientist in a white lab coat looking through a microscope. They don't say 'I see a bug'; they say 'A specimen is being observed'. The microscope is the academic style that filters out the person.

Rhyme

Nouns are high, 'jag' must die, passive voice will reach the sky.

Story

A student named Sven wrote 'I think the data is good'. His professor turned into a giant noun and ate the 'I'. Now Sven only writes 'Dataanalysen indikerar gynnsamma resultat'.

Word Web

analysmetodresultatslutsatsteoriempiridiskurs

Challenge

Take a simple sentence like 'I like this book because it is easy to read' and rewrite it in academic Swedish.

Cultural Notes

The 'Du-reform' of the 1960s made Swedish very informal, but academic writing remains a 'safe haven' for formal structures.

Swedish academics value 'saklighet' (objectivity). Being too emotional in your writing is seen as unprofessional.

Old-fashioned 'kanslisvenska' (chancery Swedish) is being replaced by 'klarspråk' (plain language), but academic style still keeps some complexity.

Swedish academic style was heavily influenced by Latin and later German 'Kanzleistil' (chancery style) during the 17th and 18th centuries.

Conversation Starters

“

Vilka slutsatser kan dras av materialet?

“

Hur skulle du definiera det här begreppet?

“

Vad är syftet med din undersökning?

“

Kan du redogöra för resultaten?

Journal Prompts

Sammanfatta en nyhetsartikel med ett akademiskt språkbruk.

Skriv en inledning till en fiktiv forskningsrapport om kaffekonsumtion.

Argumentera för eller emot distansarbete med formella sambandsord.

Beskriv en historisk händelse utan att använda 'jag' eller 'vi'.

Test Yourself

Fyll i rätt form av ordet 'undersöka' för att göra meningen akademisk.

___ av resultaten visar på en tydlig trend.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Undersökningen

Nominalization (turning the verb into a noun) is required here.

Vilken mening är mest formell? Multiple Choice

Välj det mest akademiska alternativet.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Det kan anföras att detta är av stor vikt.

This uses impersonal construction and formal vocabulary ('anföras', 'av stor vikt').

Hitta felet i denna akademiska mening. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Studien kollar på hur klimatet förändras.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: kollar på

'Kollar på' is too informal. Use 'undersöker' or 'analyserar'.

Gör om meningen till passiv form: 'Vi samlade in data.' Sentence Transformation

Data ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: insamlades

The s-passive 'insamlades' is the standard academic form.

Matcha det vardagliga ordet med det akademiska ordet. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 1-Däremot, 2-Dessutom, 3-Gynnsam

These are formal synonyms used in academic prose.

Är påståendet sant eller falskt? True False Rule

Man bör använda 'jag' så ofta som möjligt i en svensk vetenskaplig rapport.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Falskt

Academic Swedish prefers impersonal constructions over 'jag'.

Sortera orden från mest informellt till mest formellt. Grammar Sorting

Ord: 1. Analysera, 2. Kolla, 3. Titta på

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 2, 3, 1

Kolla (slang/informal) < Titta på (neutral) < Analysera (formal).

Välj det svar som passar i ett akademiskt seminarium. Dialogue Completion

Professor: 'Vad anser du om resultaten?' Student: '___'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Resultaten indikerar en signifikant förändring.

This uses precise, academic language appropriate for a seminar.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises