Home · YDS Preparation · Unit 14
Unit 14
Academic Words 1: Verbs of Cause & Change
20 high-frequency YDS/YDT verbs
How to Study These Words
These are words that appear again and again in YDS, YDT and YÖKDİL vocabulary, cloze and reading questions. Learn each word together with its typical partner words (e.g. impose a tax, comply with a rule) — in the exam, these partners are often the clue that decides the answer.
Study the table, cover the Turkish meanings and test yourself, then solve the two tests. Return to the list a few days later: spaced repetition is the most effective way to remember new vocabulary.
Word List
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| alter | change something, usually slightly | The new findings may alter our understanding of the disease. |
| diminish | become or make smaller or less | The pain diminished after a few days. |
| undermine | gradually weaken something | Constant criticism can undermine a child's confidence. |
| trigger | cause something to start suddenly | Stress can trigger headaches. |
| foster | encourage the development of something | Schools should foster creativity. |
| impose | officially force a rule or tax on people | The government imposed a new tax on sugar. |
| restore | bring back to a former condition | The old palace has been carefully restored. |
| accelerate | happen or make happen faster | Rising temperatures have accelerated the melting of glaciers. |
| induce | cause a particular state or condition | Some medicines can induce sleep. |
| eliminate | remove completely | The aim is to eliminate extreme poverty. |
| facilitate | make an action or process easier | The new software facilitates communication. |
| compensate (for) | make up for a loss or problem | Hard work can compensate for a lack of talent. |
| exceed | be greater than a number or limit | Demand exceeded supply. |
| yield | produce a result, profit or crop | The experiment yielded surprising results. |
| curb | control or limit something harmful | New measures aim to curb inflation. |
| provoke | cause a strong reaction | The decision provoked anger among students. |
| boost | increase or improve something | The campaign boosted sales by 20 percent. |
| reinforce | make stronger or more certain | Regular revision reinforces learning. |
| disrupt | prevent something from continuing normally | The strike disrupted train services. |
| mitigate | make something bad less severe | Trees can mitigate the effects of heat waves. |