Y10W29VC Word Roots — -tend / -tens- (stretch / strain)
The roots -tend- and -tens- derive from Latin and carry the core meaning of ‘to stretch’ or ‘to strain’. They appear in words that describe extending, maintaining effort, or the tension that builds within systems and arguments. This module explores six Academic Vocab words built on these roots, plus three further examples in the Word Families section.
Word Families
These words are built from the root -tend / -tens-, which carries the idea of 'stretch / strain'. Notice how that root meaning helps each word express a more precise idea.
contend
/kənˈtend/
con‑tend
verb | [contend – contended – contended]
To contend means to assert a position, particularly in the face of opposition or competing views, or to struggle with a difficulty.
Word Breakdown: con- (prefix meaning ‘together’ or ‘against’)
Example: The researcher contends that existing models of economic development fail to account for the social costs of inequality.
Synonyms: argue, maintain, assert
Collocations: contend that, contend with, widely contended
extensive
/ɪkˈsten.sɪv/
ex‑ten‑sive
adjective
Extensive describes something that is large in scope, range, or amount, covering a wide area or dealing with many aspects of a subject.
Word Breakdown: ex- (prefix meaning ‘out’ or ‘beyond’)
Example: The review drew on an extensive body of research spanning five decades and three continents.
Synonyms: wide-ranging, comprehensive, broad
Collocations: extensive research, extensive analysis, extensive knowledge
tension
/ˈten.ʃən/
ten‑sion
noun
Tension refers to a state of mental or emotional strain, or in analytical writing, an unresolved conflict or opposition between two forces, ideas, or values that cannot be easily reconciled.
Word Breakdown: -ion (suffix indicating a state)
Example: There is a productive tension in the novel between the characters’ desire for individual freedom and their obligation to their community.
Synonyms: conflict, strain, opposition
Collocations: narrative tension, creative tension, tension between
Academic Vocab
interrogate
/ɪnˈter.ə.geɪt/
in‑ter‑ro‑gate
verb | [interrogate – interrogated – interrogated]
To interrogate means to examine something rigorously and critically, questioning its basis rather than accepting it at face value.
Word Breakdown: inter- (prefix meaning ‘between’)
Word family: interrogation (n.)
Example: The essay interrogates the assumption that progress is both inevitable and universally beneficial.
Synonyms: question, examine, scrutinise
Collocations: interrogate assumptions, interrogate the text, through interrogation
deconstruct
/ˌ diː.kənˈstrʌkt/
de‑con‑struct
verb | [deconstruct – deconstructed – deconstructed]
To deconstruct means to analyse something by breaking it down to reveal hidden assumptions, contradictions, and power structures within it.
Word Breakdown: de- (prefix meaning ‘undo’ or ‘reverse’)
Word family: deconstruction (n.)
Example: Post-colonial critics deconstruct the language of empire to show how it legitimised conquest as civilisation.
Synonyms: analyse, break down, examine
Collocations: deconstruct an argument, deconstruct the text, deconstruct assumptions
problematise
/ˈprɒb.lə.mə.taɪz/
prob‑lem‑a‑tise
verb | [problematise – problematised – problematised]
To problematise means to reveal the hidden complexities, contradictions, or assumptions within something, rather than accepting it as straightforward.
Word Breakdown: -ise (suffix meaning ‘to make or treat as’)
Word family: problematisation (n.)
Example: The theorist problematises the concept of neutrality, showing that all supposedly objective perspectives reflect particular interests.
Synonyms: question, complicate, challenge
Collocations: problematise the idea of, problematise assumptions
critique
/krɪˈtiːk/
cri‑tique
verb (also noun) | [critique – critiqued – critiqued]
To critique means to evaluate something analytically, identifying both its strengths and weaknesses with reasoned judgement.
Word family: critical (adj.), critic (n.)
Example: Feminist scholars have critiqued the way in which canonical literature has historically marginalised women’s voices and experiences.
Synonyms: evaluate, assess, analyse
Collocations: critique the argument, feminist critique, offer a critique
scrutinise
/ˈskruː.tɪ.naɪz/
scru‑ti‑nise
verb | [scrutinise – scrutinised – scrutinised]
To scrutinise means to examine something very carefully and critically, looking for problems, inconsistencies, or hidden issues.
Word Breakdown: scru- (from Latin scrutari, meaning ‘to examine’)
Word family: scrutiny (n.), scrutinised (adj.)
Example: All government expenditure during the crisis period was scrutinised by an independent auditor.
Synonyms: examine, inspect, analyse
Collocations: scrutinise closely, under scrutiny, scrutinise evidence
through interrogation
/θruː ɪnˌterəˈɡeɪʃən/
through in‑ter‑ro‑ga‑tion
academic writing phrase
The phrase ‘through interrogation’ is used in academic writing to describe a method of critical analysis in which assumptions, texts, or systems are rigorously questioned and examined rather than accepted.
Example: Through interrogation of the dominant narrative, the researcher reveals the silences and exclusions that shape what counts as legitimate knowledge.
Synonyms: through critical analysis, through rigorous questioning, through examination
Collocations: through interrogation of, through careful interrogation, through sustained interrogation
Confusing Words
therefore vs hence / thus
These three adverbs all signal a conclusion or logical result that follows from what has just been argued, but they differ in register, formality, and precise usage.
- therefore — Therefore is the most general and widely used: it introduces a conclusion or consequence that follows from prior reasoning or evidence. It is appropriate in all academic registers and can appear at the start of a sentence or after a semicolon.
- hence — Hence is more formal and slightly archaic, often used in mathematical, philosophical, or technical writing. It signals a direct logical inference and can be used in the same position as therefore, but it is less common in general academic prose.
- thus — Thus is used to summarise or state the conclusion in a way that is concise and formal. It is often used to introduce a brief restatement or logical summary of what has been argued, and is particularly common in scientific and philosophical writing.
- consequently / thereby — consequently' means as a result, while 'thereby' means by that action or by that means. Choose the word that matches the exact job you need it to do in the sentence.
Memory rule: A practical guide: use therefore for a general conclusion; use hence in formal, technical, or mathematical contexts where a direct inference is being drawn; use thus to introduce a concise, formal summary or conclusion, particularly when restating a finding in a compressed form.
- Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.
- Opens in a new window.