The IELTS exam is a comprehensive test that evaluates your English skills across Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. A strong vocabulary is essential for each of these sections, enhancing both comprehension and expression to help you tackle a variety of questions and topics effectively. Developing a wide range of vocabulary early in your preparation can give you a valuable edge, boosting both clarity and confidence. Let’s explore how building your vocabulary can make a difference in your IELTS journey.
Importance of Vocabulary in IELTS Exam
Having a strong vocabulary is a huge asset in the IELTS exam, as it directly impacts your ability to communicate your thoughts clearly and accurately—essential elements for scoring well. The IELTS test tests your vocabulary; in fact, 25% of the total marks in the IELTS Speaking test and IELTS Writing test sections cover IELTS vocabulary. While this is a general observation, it is also true that the IELTS Listening test and IELTS Reading test sections also test vocabulary. It is important to note that IELTS vocabulary is about more than just using fancy/rare words but about using appropriate vocabulary words for IELTS that communicate the context effectively.
Here’s why vocabulary is so crucial for the IELTS exam:
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Reading Comprehension
A broad vocabulary helps in quickly understanding the main ideas and the writer’s intent. It allows candidates to make educated guesses about unfamiliar words, keeping them from getting stuck.
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Listening Skills
A strong vocabulary aids in comprehending spoken language, even when it includes idioms or complex phrases, which is especially useful in detailed discussions.
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Speaking Confidence
A varied vocabulary allows you to express thoughts clearly and respond smoothly without relying on basic words, demonstrating effective communication.
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Accuracy Matters
Accurate word choice is essential, as examiners notice mistakes. Choosing the correct words avoids errors and shows strong language skills, positively impacting your score.
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Appropriateness
Vocabulary is about using words that fit the context well, showing the examiner your ability to select words that enhance clarity and precision.
Vocabulary Collection: How Much Vocabulary Is Enough For IELTS?
There’s no set number of words you need to know for the IELTS exam, but aiming for a broad vocabulary is essential. You must have a collection of around 6000 to 7000 most used vocabulary words as an IELTS Vocabulary. Also, be sure that these words cover every aspect of nature, so that you can articulate about any topic.
Vocabulary plays a big role in your IELTS score, making up a significant portion of your score in both the Writing and Speaking sections. A strong vocabulary allows you to express your ideas clearly to the examiner and avoids the need to repeat basic words, which can make your answers sound more fluent and natural.
Having a wide vocabulary also benefits you in the Reading and Listening sections. It helps you understand passages more easily, follow complex ideas, and interpret specific terms or idiomatic expressions. The broader your vocabulary, the more equipped you’ll be to handle the challenges of each section confidently and effectively.
Topic-Wise Vocabulary Words for IELTS
Here’s a table with the vocabulary words for each topic:
| Topic | Vocabulary Words |
| Education | – Curriculum
– Pedagogy – Tutoring – Scholarship – Academic – Dissertation – Syllabus – Thesis – Enrollment |
| Environment | – Sustainability
– Biodiversity – Conservation – Pollution – Renewable resources – Ecosystem – Climate change – Habitat – Deforestation |
| Health | – Epidemic
– Obesity – Prevention – Vaccination – Well-being – Nutritional value – Mental health – Diagnosis – Treatment – Healthcare |
| Technology | – Innovation
– Artificial intelligence (AI) – Automation – Cybersecurity – Digitalization – Robotics – Data privacy – Cloud computing – Network |
| Government & Society | – Democracy
– Policy – Civil rights – Corruption – Urbanization – Immigration – Legislation – Equality – Taxation – Social welfare |
| Culture | – Tradition
– Heritage – Diversity – Multiculturalism – Integration – Ritual – Globalization – Custom – Ethnicity – Language |
| Economy | – Inflation
– Unemployment – Investment – Debt – Monetary policy – Global market – Recession – Stock market – GDP – Taxes |
| Crime | – Criminal justice
– Punishment – Law enforcement – Offender – Rehabilitation – Victim – Prevention – Theft – Fraud – Homicide |
| Work & Employment | – Freelancer
– Job satisfaction – Career advancement – Work-life balance – Telecommuting – Entrepreneurship – Unskilled labor – Contract – Promotion |
| Travel & Tourism | – Tourist attraction
– Sustainable tourism – Cultural exchange – Backpacking – Sightseeing – Ecotourism – Hospitality – Visa – Resort – Itinerary |
Idioms for IELTS Vocabulary
Here are some idioms that could be useful for IELTS vocabulary, along with their meanings:
| Idiom | Meaning |
| A blessing in disguise | Something that seems bad at first but results in something good. |
| Bite the bullet | To do something unpleasant or difficult that you’ve been avoiding. |
| Burn the midnight oil | To work late into the night. |
| A penny for your thoughts | A way of asking someone what they are thinking. |
| Break the ice | To start a conversation or activity in a social setting, making people feel more comfortable. |
| The ball is in your court | It’s your turn to take action or make a decision. |
| Cry over spilled milk | To be upset over something that has already happened and cannot be changed. |
| Hit the nail on the head | To describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem. |
| Let the cat out of the bag | To accidentally reveal a secret or information. |
| Cost an arm and a leg | Something that is very expensive. |
| Under the weather | To feel ill or unwell. |
| In the same boat | To be in the same situation as others, especially a difficult one. |
| Pull someone’s leg | To tease or joke with someone in a playful way. |
| The tip of the iceberg | A small, visible part of a much larger problem or issue. |
| Once in a blue moon | Something that happens very rarely. |
| Burn bridges | To destroy a relationship or opportunity, often irreparably. |
| Go the extra mile | To make a special effort to achieve something. |
| Throw in the towel | To give up or admit defeat. |
| Speak of the devil | When the person you are talking about appears unexpectedly. |
| Jump on the bandwagon | To join or support something that is popular or gaining momentum. |
How to Improve Your Vocabulary for IELTS 2024?
Improving IELTS vocabulary is not something that you can achieve overnight. The earlier you start practicing, the better it will get. Here are a few tips to help you improve your vocabulary for IELTS:
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Discover New Words
Look for new words in your everyday activities like when you read the newspaper, watch a movie, or listen to someone speaking; watch out for those words you may have not heard before. And when you do, do not jump into the dictionary right away. Take the time to derive the meaning of the term from its context, and then double-check your answer using the dictionary.
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Start with Common IELTS Topics
Begin by focusing on words related to common IELTS topics like education, technology, environment, health, and culture. Get to know the keywords and phrases in these areas. This will help you prepare for reading passages, listening exercises, and speaking questions during the exam. Familiarity with these topics will make it easier to understand and respond to the questions you encounter.
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Create a Vocabulary Journal
Keep a notebook or digital document where you list new words. For each word, list out all the new words in a notebook with their meanings, synonyms, collocations, antonyms, and pronunciation. Reviewing your vocabulary journal regularly helps reinforce what you’ve learned.
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Learn Words in Context
Instead of just memorizing words on their own, it’s better to learn them in context. Read articles, watch videos, or listen to podcasts about different topics. This way, you can see how words are used in real-life situations, making it easier to remember them. You’ll understand their meanings better when you see them in sentences.
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Look for the Meaning of the Learned Words
Look up the new words in an online dictionary. Note down the meaning beside each word. You can draw pictures, write an example sentence or two, collocations, synonyms, antonyms, and pronunciation, whatever that helps you to remember the word.
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Practice with Flashcards
Flashcards are a fun way to practice new words. You can use apps or make your own flashcards. Write the word on one side and its meaning, synonyms, and an example sentence on the other side. Go through them every day to help remember the words.
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Use New Words in Writing and Speaking
To effectively remember new vocabulary, use them when you talk or write. Try using them in conversations, writing exercises, or practice IELTS tests. The more you use the words, the easier it will be to use them during the actual exam.
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Take Practice Tests
Taking regular practice tests helps you explore the kind of language used in the IELTS exam. When you find unfamiliar words, write them down and add them to your vocabulary journal. Practicing in a simulated test setting will also make you feel more comfortable with the vocabulary you will see on the IELTS.
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Set Achievable Goals
Try to learn a small number of new words each day, like five to ten. This way, you won’t feel overwhelmed and can make steady progress. Small, consistent efforts will help your vocabulary grow a lot over time.
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Review Your New Words
Practice using them in a sentence and daily conversation. Keep reviewing the new words after one week, two weeks, and then one month. By Following this simple plan for 5 days a week you will have more than 300 new words in your notebook just after 1 month. This plan will help you learn almost 2000 new words within 6 months.
Collocations for IELTS: Understanding Word Combinations
Collocations are word combinations that native speakers commonly use together. Mastering these combinations can help improve your fluency and accuracy, which is crucial for achieving a higher band score in IELTS.
Understanding collocations improves your Lexical Resource score, a key part of your IELTS performance. Knowing how words naturally group together will help you express yourself more effectively.
Common Collocation Patterns for IELTS
- Verb + Noun
- Verb + Adverb
- Adverb + Adjective
- Noun + Noun
- Verb + Prepositional Phrase
- Adjective + Noun
Here’s the table with the collocation types along with their respective examples:
| Type | Collocation | Sentence |
| Verb + Noun | make a decision | I had to make a decision quickly. |
| take a break | I need to take a break after working for hours. | |
| do a favor | Could you do me a favor and pick up my mail? | |
| make an effort | She made an effort to learn new skills. | |
| give a presentation | He had to give a presentation at the conference. | |
| take a chance | Sometimes, you need to take a chance to succeed. | |
| take a risk | She decided to take a risk and start her own company. | |
| provide feedback | He provided feedback on the report. | |
| take action | We need to take action to improve the process. | |
| reach a conclusion | They reached a conclusion after a lengthy discussion. | |
| Verb + Adverb | speak fluently | She speaks fluently in English. |
| run quickly | He runs quickly during practice. | |
| behave politely | It’s important to behave politely during meetings. | |
| think carefully | You need to think carefully before making a decision. | |
| act decisively | Managers need to act decisively in challenging situations. | |
| talk loudly | The teacher had to talk loudly to get everyone’s attention. | |
| listen attentively | She listens attentively during lectures. | |
| work hard | They work hard to achieve their goals. | |
| speak confidently | She spoke confidently at the seminar. | |
| move quickly | You need to move quickly if you want to catch the train. | |
| Verb + Prepositional Phrase | rely on someone | You can rely on me for support. |
| participate in a meeting | She was eager to participate in the meeting. | |
| focus on a task | I need to focus on this task for now. | |
| suffer from stress | Many students suffer from stress during exams. | |
| wait for approval | He was asked to wait for approval from the board. | |
| be in charge of a team | She is in charge of a team of designers. | |
| specialize in a subject | She specializes in modern art. | |
| be responsible for a project | John is responsible for the new project. | |
| take care of a problem | They took care of the problem immediately. | |
| rely on technology | Many businesses rely on technology for operations. | |
| Noun + Noun | job opportunity | He was offered a job opportunity in another city. |
| job market | The job market is very competitive these days. | |
| team spirit | The team spirit was amazing during the game. | |
| family relationship | Maintaining a healthy family relationship is crucial. | |
| environmental impact | The company’s environmental impact was under review. | |
| career growth | Continuous learning is key to career growth. | |
| business strategy | The business strategy needs to be revised. | |
| health problem | His health problem has worsened recently. | |
| marketing strategy | The marketing strategy helped boost sales. | |
| learning curve | There was a steep learning curve in the new software. | |
| Adjective + Noun | powerful influence | Her powerful influence helped me make the right choice. |
| strong argument | He presented a strong argument during the debate. | |
| significant impact | The new law has had a significant impact on the economy. | |
| high quality | They sell high quality products at affordable prices. | |
| close relationship | They have a close relationship with their colleagues. | |
| tough decision | It was a tough decision to make. | |
| deep understanding | He has a deep understanding of the subject. | |
| good example | She set a good example for others to follow. | |
| strong support | He gave strong support to his team during the competition. | |
| great potential | The team has great potential for success. | |
| Adverb + Adjective | extremely important | It is extremely important to stay focused during exams. |
| particularly challenging | The task was particularly challenging, but she completed it. | |
| highly recommended | The new restaurant is highly recommended by locals. | |
| really difficult | The exam was really difficult, but he managed to pass. | |
| deeply affected | He was deeply affected by the news of his friend’s accident. | |
| incredibly helpful | The online course was incredibly helpful in preparing for the exam. | |
| particularly useful | The guide was particularly useful for beginners. | |
| extremely useful | This tool is extremely useful for data analysis. | |
| highly effective | The new system proved to be highly effective in improving productivity. | |
| very effective | The new method has proven to be very effective in improving results. |
How to do IELTS Exam Preparation at Home?
This question comes to the mind of every second student preparing for the exam. The following are some promising tips that will not only help you but also elevate your IELTS preparation at home.
- Try to learn (At Least 10) new vocabulary Words Daily
- Make use of these words with your speaking partner or a friend
- Take help from IELTS exam books for some Good Vocabulary
- To broaden your interest, do a bit of a case study
- Do a bit of research on IELTS
- Try to save your Vocabulary Collection by writing new words in a book
- Revision of your vocabulary every day is a must
- You can even join an online IELTS Preparation Program
What You Should Not Do?
Making a long list of words and trying to memorize them would be a sure-shot recipe for disaster. Memorizing complicated words may help you use them, but if they are contextually incorrect, you may lose marks. Therefore, you must learn to use the words appropriately in the proper context.
It is said that the human mind can register 15 new words per day in a foreign language. Therefore, start building your IELTS vocabulary slowly but steadily so that when the time comes for the IELTS exam, you pass with flying colors!
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