adj · academic
empirical
/ɪmˈpɪrɪkəl/em·PIR·i·cal
Band 7+task2speaking
based on observation or experiment rather than theory
Examples
“The study provided empirical evidence that the new method improves memory recall.”
“In Task 2 you can argue from empirical data, for example surveys or lab results.”
“Many IELTS reading passages describe empirical research into social behaviour.”
Band 8 sentence
“The conclusion was convincing because it was grounded in empirical data collected over several years.”
Collocations
- empirical evidence
- empirical study/research
Word family
empirically advempiricism n
Common mistakes
use 'theory' instead of 'empirical'→empirical
Say it for a higher band
5observational→6practical→7+empirical
Synonyms
observational
experimental
Easily confused
experimental
“The researchers conducted experimental tests to compare the two teaching methods.”
Related words
Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.
In Sublist 7
Learn it with its set