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IELTS Vocabulary: Vocabulary lists, exercises and free resources

Welcome to the IELTS Vocabulary page! If you’re preparing for the IELTS exam, you already know that a strong vocabulary is crucial for success.

Here we put together lists of topic-specific vocabulary and the way you can use them in the exam.

You’ll find detailed explanations and an IELTS vocabulary list to practice and improve your vocabulary.

ielts vocabulary

Table of Contents

 

Vocabulary or lexical resource is responsible for 25% of your final grade, in both the speaking and writing sections.

Here we have a list of the topics you can expect to find on the exam, we are updating it each week.

It’s common to be stuck with an IELTS exam score of 6.5 and believe in order to get a band 7 they need to improve their IELTS vocabulary.

However, without feedback, evaluation or expert exam help, it is difficult to pinpoint exactly which area you need to get help for.

 

How can I improve my vocabulary for IELTS?

Constantly build your passive vocabulary word lists by reading and listening. Then move these words into your active vocabulary by using them when speaking or writing.

To improve faster, when reading, listening or watching English material, try to capture new words in a phrasebook. If you have time add the context too.

The next time you write an essay, review it and look for opportunities to add the words from your list into your text.

Likewise, when speaking try to incorporate your new vocab into your conversations, don’t force them though because it will sound odd!

Idioms can be extracted from films and English podcasts, however, I’d recommend audio material because there are no visual clues, making listening a little harder.

Active reading is a great habit to develop and a vital exam preparation skill. Active reading is where you circle, underline and mark the text you are reading, so as to ease comprehension.

If you want to accelerate your learning, have a look at some tutorials about vocabulary acquisition. This page includes how to use a vocabulary phrase book and flashcards. 

Take a look at our article which will provide tips and strategies to improve your vocabulary.

Vocabulary for IELTS speaking topics

  1. Friends and family
  2. Food and nutrition
  3. Travel and tourism
  4. Modern technology
  5. Coronavirus vocabulary (new)
  6. Pollution and the environment
  7. People, personalities and characters
  8. Fitness and health
  9. School and education
  10. Work and careers
  11. University and student life
  12. Accommodation
  13. Books, film and art
  14. Climate change
  15. Working from home
  16. Social media
  17. Advertising
  18. Fashion and shopping

Vocabulary for IELTS Writing Task

IELTS vocabulary for the writing section refers to the academic style and word choice (lexical resource) when writing your essay.

Below we have put together tutorials with word lists to help you improve your IELTS score.

  1. Vocabulary about climate change (word list included)
  2. Vocabulary: the environment (with Ted Talk and list of collocations)
  3. Vocabulary: sports topics (with Ted Talk and list of collocations)
  4. Vocabulary: globalisation – with Ted Talk presentation
  5. Vocabulary about law and order (word list included)
  6. Vocabulary: technology
  7. Vocabulary: politics with Ted Talk presentation
  8. Vocabulary: language and culture – with Ted Talk
  9. Vocabulary: health with Ted Talk presentation
  10. Vocabulary: education topic with Ted Talk and list of collocations
  11. Vocabulary about crime
  12. Vocabulary about employment and equal pay
  13. Vocabulary about fossil fuels

 

What is a vocabulary collocation?

A collocation is a group of words that has an above-average possibility of being found together.

Using collocations in your writing and IELTS speaking helps to make your language sound more natural and fluent. This in turn makes your writing flow and helps you get a better scoring essay.

Important Vocabulary List to learn for IELTS

We have compiled a list of the most essential vocabulary words and phrases you need to know to perform well on the exam.

Our expertly curated list covers a range of topics commonly found on the IELTS exam, from education and technology to travel and the environment.

With our guide, you’ll be able to expand your vocabulary and improve your overall score on the IELTS.

Modern Technology

  • Labour-saving devices
  • State-of-the-art technology
  • Internet-enabled
  • Rocket scientist
  • Computer crashed
  • Shut down the computer
  • Wireless hotspots
  • Computer literate
  • Hacking into the Internet
  • Artificial intelligence

Global Warming

  • Political issue
  • Climate crisis
  • Green consumer
  • Carbon emissions
  • Historical average
  • Carbon footprint
  • Climate solutions
  • Current levels
  • Global warming
  • Environmental problems

Food and Nutrition

  • Nutritious food
  • Refined carbohydrates
  • Food preparation
  • Packed with vitamins
  • Home cooked meal
  • A balanced diet
  • Daily consumption
  • Savouring the food
  • Seasonal fruits
  • Homemade food

Travel

  • Travel abroad
  • Affordable travel
  • Holiday destinations
  • Out-of-season travel
  • Exotic destinations
  • Off the beaten track
  • Self-catering accommodation
  • Spectacular beaches and lush forests
  • Travelling light
  • Magnificent landscapes

Immigration

  • Middle-income countries
  • Western countries.
  • Public opinion
  • Increased movement
  • Refugee group
  • Multicultural society
  • Global situation
  • Developing world
  • International community
  • Immigration policies

What is the best way to learn topic-specific collocations?

The best way to learn topic-specific collocations is to look for them being used in context. We in the lists above, extracted collocations from Ted Talks, so you can identify how they are used in context.

Using topic-specific vocabulary, collocations and words from the academic vocabulary list will help considerably.

Below is a free PDF ebook of lexical resources with lots of vocabulary lists and examples to learn new vocabulary for your English language study. If you are still struggling then check out the Jump to Band 7 or its Free IELTS Course.

Click here for a free master list of collocations!

 

 

 

Other IELTS Vocabulary Lessons

Audio tutorial

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

 

To improve your vocabulary you could get feedback from an ex-IELTS examiner, our service offers very detailed IELTS essay feedback on your vocabulary and word choice.

However, if you are on a budget and need instant feedback then try our online IELTS writing evaluation, fast and free!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download