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In international surveys, the results of Swedish students in natural science indicate a negative trend. In TIMSS, the results have decreased between 1995-2007. The aim of the study described in this paper is to investigate the importance of language skills in the subjects of natural science, more particularly in chemistry. In order to make conclusions on students' language skills, a study on language use in grade 8 in chemistry was carried out. The study compared characteristic language features in natural science, focusing on students language related to productive skills, to language features in chemistry text books. The result of the study indicates a correlation between high-achieving students and the use of the characteristic language features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]