Vocabulary assessment in IELTS accounts for 25% of your total score in the writing and speaking sections, making it a crucial component. While aspirants know that vocabulary is very important to crack the IELTS, they might not necessarily don’t understand how to learn it effectively.
Firstly, you must remember that IELTS is fundamentally an English test, and people get so caught up in exam strategies that they forget this essential fact. You can still convey important ideas even if you don’t know grammar. For example, if you said ‘water,’ it is understandable that you need/want water. Of course, ‘I need water’ is more effective, but the vocabulary alone is the most important fact. In IELTS, one needs a balance of vocabulary and grammar. However, to crack IELTS, you do need to know the grammatical rules and vocabulary. In this article, you will learn important vocabulary for IELTS, tips to improve your vocabulary, phrasal verbs, idioms, and collocations for IELTS Vocabulary.
Let us start with some tips to help you ace your IELTS test.
There are various means by which one can improve his vocabulary and this differs on an individual basis. Some of the tips to improve the vocabulary have been enlisted below :
Start by learning at least ten new words every day and make this a part of your daily schedule
Make a note of these words in a diary and revisit these words on a daily basis
Watch English movies and web series with subtitles to enrich your vocabulary
Make the newly learnt words a part of your daily conversation and while answering the questions belonging to the speaking section
Read a wide range of literary material; books, novels, magazines, newspapers, and articles.
Make use of GRE words dictionary and applications like Magoosh, pictorial dictionary, etc., to build your vocabulary
These are some general tips that you can follow to build your vocabulary for the IELTS exam. However, there are some additional tips that can help you score well in the IELTS Listening These tips are ;
For IELTS Listening
Here are some tricks that you can use to improve your IELTS Listening vocabulary;
There are umpteen YouTube tutorials to get the pronunciation of vocabulary words right. Some of the popular youtube channels you can refer to are IELTS Liz and Fastrack IELTS. You can refer to any of them depending on your interests.
Doing this exercise on a daily basis will enhance your listening vocabulary for IELTS. There are several podcasts on Spotify that you can listen to for learning useful tips. Some of these podcasts are Magoosh IELTS, IELTS podcast and IELTS with Fiona.
Now that you have gone through the tips to enhance your listening vocabulary that further increases your chances to score better in IELTS. Let’s start by learning some new words.
The below table consists of different categories that include some commonly used words to build your English vocabulary skills.
Category
Words
Example
Educational Vocabulary
Graduate: Completing a first university degree
Curriculum: A group of subjects that we study in school, college, etc.
Qualification: An official statement of completion of a course
Coursework: Work involved in completing a course.
Cheating: To act unethically or gain something through wrongful means.
Literacy : Competency in reading or writing.
Illiterate : Someone not having the ability to read or write.
Education : A process of learning and exchange of knowledge.
Data Science graduates are highly in demand in the USA.
Colleges should have an excellent curriculum.
An MBA qualification brings better job opportunities.
MBA course has a challenging coursework
If you cheat in your studies, it can have severe future consequences.
Low literacy rate is one of the biggest challenges in India
Illiterate people face many difficulties in life.
Education is necessary to become a good citizen.
Crime Vocabulary
Deter: Demotivate or discourage someone from carrying out an activity
Offender: Someone who breaks a law or is guilty of committing a crime
Legislation : A collection of laws passed by the parliament and enforced by the judicial system
Crime : An act that goes against the legislation and brings harm to a part of society
Victim: Someone who suffers due to the result of criminal actions of someone else
Convict : A person who has been found guilty of a crime in a court of law
Probation : An opportunity for a criminal to behave well and stay away from crime to avoid being sent to prison
The strong police presence deters criminals from frequenting this place.
He is a serial offender and has been involved in some kidnappings.
Some changes in the legislation were introduced in the last month.
Bribery happens to be an often-overlooked crime in many developing countries.
Victims of violent crimes often need to go through post-traumatic counseling.
We need to transport the convict to a prison facility.
He has been breaking the terms of his probation by meeting his old criminal friends.
Fitness, Diet and Health Vocabulary
Obesity : A health issue where a person is extremely overweight or fat
Nutrients : Nourishing substances required by the body to grow and live.
Harmful: Something that has an ill effect.
Allergy: A severe or mild reaction in the body due to exposure to certain substances.
Diet: Collection of food and drinks eaten by an individual.
Obesity is considered as the root cause of many ailments.
A meal that is lacking in essential nutrients is not useful for the body.
UV rays are considered harmful for human skin.
He has a life-threatening peanut allergy.
His diet consists majorly of grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Work Vocabulary
Employee : An individual who is paid to work.
Employer : Someone who pays others to work on their behalf.
Career : Professional progression of an individual from one job role to another.
Profession : A field of work that requires a specialized skill.
Resign : To leave or to quit.
Overtime: Work hours exceeding the contractual obligation.
He has been a government employee since 2015.
Employers use various methods to measure productivity.
His career has been progressing well at the current company.
Many professions can be considered after finishing business school.
She resigned from her previous job due to personal reasons.
Working overtime at this company is not beneficial since it is unpaid.
Information Technology Vocabulary
Access : Authorization to reach out for certain information or system.
Connection : Act of joining or relating things.
Device : A machine or instrument designed for a particular purpose.
Innovation : Process of creating or designing something completely new.
Advanced : A developed form of a machine or technology.
Managers have been granted administrative access to the service tool.
The internet connection at the workplace is very unstable.
Mobile phones are popular communication devices these days.
Apple is a company that is well known for its innovation.
It is possible to buy even an advanced laptop at a decent budget these days.
Arts Vocabulary
Culture : Common behavior, values, attitudes, beliefs, knowledge, hierarchies, religion, etc., shared by a group of people.
Creativity : Ability to create something new or come up with an original idea.
Opera : A theater-based play where the musicians and singers perform classic dramatic works
Festival : A special event or celebration that can have a central theme.
Artifact : A decorative object or tool of historical significance.
American culture is an amalgamation of many cultures.
Leonardo Da Vinci was a famous artist and scientist, famous for his creativity.
Opera
Youngsters are not as interested in opera as the older generation.
We attended the music festival last month for five days.
Several artifacts unearthed at the local archaeological site are on display at the museum.
While these are some of the common vocabulary words for IELTS, you should go through many more words from different fields to enrich your vocabulary. This will increase your chances of getting a high band score in the IELTS test. While you can memorize new vocabulary words for IELTS writing and speaking, it is ideal to understand their meaning and usage well.
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Vocabulary List For IELTS
Some common vocabulary words used in several categories are given below
Category
Words
Example
Advertising
eye catching : appealing, attractive
subtle : indirect
catchy tune : appealing melody
memorable : something that stays in our mind for long
persuasive : compels us to think about or take action about something.
The headline of the ad must be eye-catching.
The idea about the campaign was subtle.
The jingle of the ad must start with a catchy tune
Tanishq's ad campaign had left a memorable impact on the audience.
The ad campaign should be persuasive.
Coronavirus
acute respiratory diseases
acute- severe
respiratory diseases : breathing issues
asthma : a respiratory condition caused due to inflammation of airways in the lungs.
contagious : able to spread from one individual to another by touching,
contaminated : infected
One of the side effects of coronavirus are acute respiratory diseases.
Having mild to severe asthma attacks are common symptoms of Coronavirus
People started taking safety measures after they came to know that COVID-19 is contagious.
COVID-19 transmits through contaminated surfaces.
Environmental problems
acid rain: rain that becomes acidic due to certain air pollutants
ozone layer depletion : thinning of ozone layer resulting in harmful UV radiation at the Earth's surface
land degradation: soil and land pollution
loss of biodiversity: extinction of species
Acid rain is the result of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOX) emitted into the atmosphere.
Chlorofluorocarbons are responsible for ozone layer depletion.
Extreme weather conditions are one of the causes of land degradation.
Climate change has led to the loss of biodiversity on earth.
Newspaper
tabloids : a newspaper that contains photographs and stories about well-known personalities.
periodical : a newspaper or magazine published at fixed intervals
quarterly newspapers: newspapers published once in every months
local/ regional newspapers: that serve a particular region or area.
national newspapers: newspapers that serves an entire nation
A tabloid is also known as a gossip newspaper.
This news is the lead story in Times of India’s last periodical.
The frequency at which quarterly newspapers are published is less than that of local newspapers.
Dainik Bhaskar is the most widely read regional newspaper in Rajasthan.
Hindustan Times is one of the most prominent national newspapers.
The IELTS Writing section consists of two questions : Task 1 and Task 2. To learn the most commonly used vocabulary we need to understand the format of each section first.
Task 1 Format
Introduction + Basic/ General Trends + Details Description + Summary. Each element of task 1 follows different vocabulary.
To examine this issue, this essay will focus on both ___and ____
Firstly, this essay will…and secondly, it will
Vocabulary for Body paragraphs
In addition / moreover
For example / instance
However
Vocabulary for conclusion
To conclude / summarize
Therefore
Phrasal Verb for IELTS vocabulary
A phrasal verb consists of two or three words from distinct grammatical groups and when all of them are used together, a different meaning is put forward. The IELTS vocabulary list includes phrasal verbs, which you can use to demonstrate your English language command. Before that, you should strive to understand the meaning of phrasal verbs because improper usage can lower your band score. Below is a list of phrasal verbs you can use:
Phrasal Verb
Meaning
Example
Pass over
Ignore, refuse to discuss
Let’s pass over what they just said and move on.
Measure against
Evaluate or judge by
comparison
The work could look more appealing if you measure it against what our competitor has done.
Limber up for
To get ready for something that
requires tremendous effort
They are limbering up for the fiscal year-end.
Kick back
Relax
Rather than going out tonight, we plan to kick
back and watch our favorite series.
Tee off
Launch or start an event
The new project will tee off next month.
Stick with
Not to change something
Our team should stick with the original idea.
Venture forth
To leave somewhere safe
We can venture forth if the storm has finished.
Salt away
Save money
The best thing about her is that she salts away her money rather than spending it.
Quarrel with
To disagree with something
I am not quarreling with his idea, but there are other possibilities.
Idioms for IELTS Vocabulary
Idioms help communicate ideas and thoughts more precisely and naturally. You must avoid using idioms without understanding their meaning, which will result in a mark deduction. You should only use it in tasks if you know its meaning and context.
Below is a list of idioms that can be used that will lead to a great band score:
Full of beans
A bad egg
Eager beaver
Fresh as a daisy
Couch potato
Put all your eggs in one basket
Blessing in disguise
Actions speak louder than words
I hit the ceiling
Once in a blue moon
Piece of cake
A drop in the ocean
To be like a dog with two tails
It makes my blood boil
Change one’s mind
Call it a day
To be on the top of the world
To be on cloud nine
If my memory serves me well
Over the moon
Collocations for IELTS Vocabulary
Collocations can be understood as the proper arrangement of words in a sentence or the combination of words that appear natural. They can be paired in this manner:
Verb & noun
Verb & adverb
Adverb & adjective
Adjective & noun
Noun & noun
For easier understanding, some examples are listed below:
Make someone’s bed
I have a preference for continental cuisine
I prefer reading
Parents can assist their children with financial responsibility
I have to take the test if I want to take the course
Conclusion
When it comes to acing the IELTS test, vocabulary is important. You should not concentrate on the traditional modes of rote memorizing. Instead, adopt a more dynamic approach to use your newly acquired language accurately and confidently. If you do this, you will have the best chance of getting a high band on the IELTS test.
Having good vocabulary skills can prove to be advantageous in many ways especially when you are an IELTS aspirant. In order to develop good vocabulary skills, a lot of work is needed from one’s end during the naive stage. In the case of the IELTS speaking test, you need to be good with the pronunciation part as well. Jotting down ten words on a regular basis and googling the pronunciation of those words along with using those vocabulary words in daily conversations will help you memorize those words better. Following the process over a period of 30 days or more will reap great benefits associated with improving your vocabulary for IELTS speaking.
How to improve your vocabulary for IELTS?
To improve your vocabulary for IELTS start by learning new words every day and revise them from time to time, listen to podcasts to get an idea of different accents, utilize some vocabulary building apps such as Vocab App, Common English Vocabulary, and IELTS Vocabulary Booster, watch YouTube tutorials.
How to improve vocabulary for IELTS Writing?
A good vocabulary is an inevitable part of the IELTS exam irrespective of any section. When it comes to the IELTS writing section, one needs to have clarity on the usage of the words. For instance, if you pick a word you need to know the role of the word in that particular sentence. The same vocabulary word may be used as an adjective or an adverb depending on the context of the sentence. Start your writing journey with basic sentences that include the use of vocabulary words. Later, as you become more familiar or confident with the usage of vocabulary words, introduce them in the essay you write and get them reviewed by your peers. Doing this exercise will help improve your vocabulary for the IELTS writing section.
Why is vocabulary building important for IELTS ?
When it comes to any language, vocabulary can act as an embellishment. A good vocabulary can make you stand out from the crowd. It can make you an eloquent speaker. Your IQ is also based on how good you are in your vocabulary. If we focus on the IELTS exam it helps you score decent bands in each section. Building your vocabulary before appearing for the exam will help you speak more fluently in the speaking section, and understand difficult words in the reading section and write more effectively in the writing section. So, these were some of the perks of having a good vocabulary.
How to improve your vocabulary for IELTS reading?
A good catch on vocabulary can help you score good bands in the IELTS Reading section. Some of the tips that you can follow in order to improve your reading vocabulary are; reading books and newspapers, playing word games, learning new words through flashcards, and so on.
Mrinal Mandal is a study abroad expert with a passion for guiding students towards their international education goals. He holds a degree in mechanical engineering, earned in 2018. Since 2021, Mrinal has been working with upGrad Abroad, where he assists aspiring students in realizing their dreams of studying abroad. With his expertise and dedication, he empowers individuals to navigate the complexities of international education, making their aspirations a reality.
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