Please note: The list below is by no means complete but “in the making”. Please feel free to add and let me know! Thank you. 
Anna Csaki
Colloquial Expressions	Formal/Academic Register (Depending on collocation)	
a lot of / lots of	many / a great number/numerous	
any	no …	
any more	no longer	
awesome	groundbreaking	
awful	negative / detrimental …	
bad	negative	
enough	a sufficient number/ adequate	
everybody / somebody / nobody	everyone / someone / no one	
everything 	features / aspects / issues …	
get 	obtain / receive…	
great	considerable	
help	aid	
of course	clearly	
pretty	very	
pretty good	encouraging	
pros and cons	advantages and disadvantages	
problem	difficulty	
put at risk	jeopardize	
really	extremely	
thing	point/consequence	
		
Phrasal Verbs	Single Verbs	
bring about	generate	
bring up	raise	
build up	accumulate	
come out	are consequences of /result in	
come up with	create / develop	
cut down	reduce	
do over	repeat/continue	
find out	determine	
get rid of	eliminate	
go up	increase	
go up and down	fluctuate	
help out	assist	
look at	observe	
look into	investigate	
meet with	encounter	
over the top	excessive	
pick up	detect	
set up	establish	
spring up	arise from	

Do NOT:
Use 1st person
Use 2nd person
Contract

Sources
Common student mistakes
John M. Swales and Christine B. Feak (1994) Academic Writing for Graduate Students: Essential Tasks and Skills. The University of Michigan Press.
www.otago.ac.nz/mofy/otago042496.pdf