ULTIMATE

VOCABULARY
GUIDE FOR

IELTS
Reading
Writing

Listening

Speaking
Ultimate Vocabulary Guide for IELTS
• Vocabulary is key to scoring high in your IELTS. It is also important to
know that each section of IELTS requires a different vocabulary. In this
ultimate guide we'll discuss the vocabulary that should be used in
listening, reading, writing, and speaking. We'll also look at the
vocabulary that deals with different topics.

• In the last section, I have listed some topics that students usually
come across in IELTS. I have also mentioned some words that you
should use when attempting a question on that topic. Finally, I have
provided a few exercises that will improve your vocabulary.

IELTS Listening

Ultimate IELTS Reading

Vocabulary
Guide for
IELTS IELTS Writing

IELTS Speaking

01
 Section 1
IELTS LISTENING VOCABULARY

• Although IELTS Listening has a variety of topics, one thing they all
have in common is that they are conversations. Even the speeches in
listening are spoken as if they're being given to a live audience. Since
the audios are conversations, they have a conversational vocabulary.

• Some of the most common topics in IELTS listening are work, travel,
family, and school life.

Work

• Work is a very common topic in listening. Here are a few words that
you might come across when listening to an audio on this topic.

Career

• “Career” refers to a category of work that someone does and

describes a long-term commitment. “Occupation”, on the other hand,
refers to a single job that you have done. This job is included in your
career. In fact, any job that you have done related to the same
category falls under your career. For example, “In my writing career, I
have written affiliate review articles, blog posts, product listings,
and web content.” In this example, my career was 'writing'. However,
any type of writing that I did, were my occupation. I had worked for
a short-term as an affiliate review writer, blog post writer, product
listing writer, and a web content writer. However, these are all
under the same category, so, they are all a part of my writing
career, which was long-term

Shift Work

• Shift work refers to work that has a scheduled time where the worker
must be in the workplace. The scheduled time is called a shift. The
usual shift is 8 hours but it may be shorter. Shift workers are
commonly paid hourly.
02
Salary Work

• Salary workers have a scheduled time, a shift where the worker will be
in the office. They also a fixed salary paid monthly or weekly.
However, the schedule is not strict. The worker may have to work
shifts longer than the time he was required on a given day. He may
even have to come in on the weekends. Despite that, he will only be
paid the amount that was fixed. On the other hand, a salary worker
has more freedom to leave early or even work for shorter hours than
the schedule. Even then, he will still be paid the same fixed salary.

Unskilled/Skilled

• Unskilled work is that which requires little or no training. Some

examples of unskilled workers are sweepers, grocery clerks, janitors,
and fast-food workers. This type of work is usually the lowest-paying.
They may or may not require physical activities or strength.
Regardless, it doesn't require any special training for one to do it well.
Skilled work requires a person to go through special training,
diplomas, or degrees to be good at them. These are higher paying
than unskilled jobs. Some examples of skilled workers are engineers,
doctors, software developers, and even plumbers. Skilled work may or
may not require labor. Some examples of laborious skilled work are
plumbers, engineers, soldiers, and paramedics.

Manual Labour

• Manual labor work is one that is very physical and requires strength.
They include both unskilled and skilled work.

03
Travel and Places

• This is yet another common topic discussed in listening. It is also

discussed in some solo speeches.

Accommodation

• 'Accommodation' has two meanings. One meaning is the place

where you live. You're likely to come across this in your speaking
test. The second meaning of 'accommodation' is the place where
people stay when travelling, such as hotels, inns, and hostels. When
talking about travel in listening, the word 'accommodation' will
mostly be used in the second context.

Transport

• 'Transport' refers to the way people go from one place or another

other than walking. In this topic, it can be used to talk about long
distances such as trains and planes, or short distances within a city
like cars, bikes, cycles or buses.

City centre

• The city centre is the business district found in the middle of a city. It
is also referred to as “downtown”.

Main square

• The 'main square' is the most central area of the city centre or a
business district outside of the city centre. Some examples of the
main square are Times Square in New York and Harvard Square in
Cambridge.

Attractions

• When this word is used in the travel topic, it refers to a tourist

attraction. If you don't know what that is, a tourist attraction is a
place that tourists find unique and fascinating so they often visit
those places.

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High rise

• A “high rise” is a very tall building. They are common in and around
the main square or the city centre.

Storey

• A “storey” is a single level of a building, often referred to as a 'floor”.

High rise buildings usually have more than ten floors. They can even
have hundreds of floors. 'Storey' can also be used to describe your
house such as “A two-storey home” or “A flat in a fifteen storey
building.”

Traditional/Quaint

• These words are used to describe a neighbourhood, town, or a

house that looks very “old fashioned”. They usually have the
characteristics that are similar to the ones that existed in the past;
therefore it looks like one that existed at that time.

Character

• If a community, town, or neighbourhood has a positive feeling and

environment, it is said to have a “character”. This word is used to say
that the place is interesting and enjoyable in a special way.

Family

• There are many different names for different members of a family.

First, we'll discuss your immediate family members. After that, we'll
move on to the extended family.

Immediate Family

Spouse

• There are many different names for different members of a family.

First, we'll discuss your immediate family members. After that, we'll
move on to the extended family.

05
Sibling

• Your brother or sister

Sibling Rivalry

• A feeling of friendly competition among siblings. It can be on

anything such as who's the favourite child, etc

Extended Family

Aunt

• The sister of your father or mother

Uncle

• The brother of your father or mother

Niece

• The daughter of your sibling

Nephew

• The son of your sibling

In-laws

• This word is used to describe the relatives of your spouse. Your

spouse brother would be your brother-in-law and their sister would
be your sister-in-law. The same would go for your spouse's parents
and so on.

Some words that you're less likely to hear are:

Step

• Like “in-laws”, this word is used to describe the relatives of your

spouse from their previous marriage. For example, if a man marries a
woman that has children from her previous marriage, her children

06
Great Grandparents

• The parents of your grandparents

Great Grandchildren

• The children of your grandchildren

School Life

• You might come across this common topic in your IELTS. However,
school life doesn't refer to your elementary, middle, or high school
life. Rather, it usually refers to your university life. Here are some
words you should know the meanings of, in case you hear them.

Counselor

• If a student ever faces any problem, they can meet with the
counsellor. The counsellor will provide solutions for those problems
to help students in dealing with stress. However, counsellors also
help students with their personal problems and provide assistance to
them. Think of a counsellor as a therapist that can solve both
academic and personal problems.

Administrator

• An administrator is a person who heads a department in the

university. You might come across a person identifying themselves
as a university administrator.

Office Hours

• Each university faculty member has fixed hours on certain days of

the week. In these fixed hours, students can meet with the faculty
even without an appointment.

07
Centre

• A centre is a place on campus where faculty and staff group engage

in educational activities. For example, a university can have a physics
research centre. This centre can be either a small room or an entire
building. In this centre, faculty members will be conducting
researches on different avenues of physics.

Service

• A service in a university is a sort of department that provides

assistance to students and others. A service that often comes up in
IELTS is “IT services”. “IT” stands for information technology, meaning
that this service helps you with any technology-related problems.
Other common services that you might hear of are the dining
services and the counselling services.

Institute

• Institute is another word for a university or a campus. If it comes up

in IELTS, it's most probably being used in this context

Course

• This word often confuses students. The reason behind this confusion
is that “course” can have two meanings. The first meaning of
“course” is a single class that a student enrols in. However, the
second meaning of it can refer to an entire degree. For example, a
bachelor's degree can be called a four-year-long course. In Northern
English, the word course means a single class. However, IELTS is a
U.K based exam. Therefore, whenever the word “course” is used in
IELTS, it always refers to an entire degree.

Module

• A module is an individual unit of study or training that can be

con=mined in several ways to form a complete course at a college
or university.

08
Workshop

• A workshop is a special activity where students can develop special

skills. These can be a part of a course or a semester. However, in
IELTS, a workshop is not a part of regular university. Instead, it refers
to a separate event held by a counselling centre or an academic
conference

Tutorial

• Tutorial in IELTS refers to a lesson between a teacher and one or

more student. It can be a one on one meeting between a teacher
and a student. It can be a meeting between a teacher and more than
one student. These are usually arranged by student clubs or
university support centre. It can even be one session in a semester.
However, in Northern English, this word refers to an instructional
video or a booklet. Since IELTS is U.K based, it will be used in the first
context.

Sit

• When talking about university learning, “sit” refers to completing a

course or an exam. If you fail in the,, it is said that you need to “resit”
a course or exam. This means you'll have to retry or make another
attempt to pass them.

09
 Section 2
IELTS READING VOCABULARY

• This section features the most advanced and complex vocabulary

you'll see on your IELTS. There will be many different advanced
words for different academic topics. However, you might wonder,
how can someone possibly know the meanings of all the words?
Well, you don't need to. Instead, you can follow these simple
strategies to make things easier.

Strategies to Understand Complex Vocabulary

• English is a vast language, so vast in fact, that it's impossible to know

the meanings of each and every word. The reason IELTS includes
such advanced vocabulary is not to test your vocabulary range.
Instead, it is to assess your skills at reading passages strategically
and then interpreting the meanings of unfamiliar words. So no
matter how hard you study, there will always be words that you
don't know the meaning of in IELTS reading. Below, I have given
some simple strategies to help you figure out the meanings of
difficult words.

Looking at the Word Form

• Each word has a prefix and a suffix. You can use these to your
advantage to figure out the meaning of a word, or at least get a hint
of what it meaning. Prefixes are placed before a word. Take, for
example, the word “microbe”. The prefix “micro” means very small.
This tells us that the word may be describing the size of something.

• Suffixes are placed after the word. An example is the word,

“biology”. The suffix “logy” means the study of something, so, we
know that “biology” is the study of something.

10
Looking at Context

• While prefixes and suffixes can be helpful, they can be deceiving at

the same time. For example, in “overboard”, the prefix is “over”. This
might be suggesting the position of something.

• However, overboard, could have been used metaphorically in that

sentence. If the passage is talking about ships and sailors,
“overboard” could mean a person going from the ship into the
water. However, it can also be used to show a person going to
extremes. If something is being thrown “overboard”, it means that
the object has been discarded.

• To accurately navigate your way to the meaning of a word, you must

always look at the context in which the word is being used. Let's look
at the word “biology” again. We know that “bio” means living things.
We also know that “logy” means the study of something. Hence, we
can find out the meaning of this word. “Biology” means the study of
living things.

Ignoring the Word

• If you still can't figure out the meaning of the word after checking
prefixes, suffixes and the context, then simply ignore the word and
continue reading the rest. However, you must be careful while using
this strategy. If you happen to ignore any important words, the
meaning of the passage might change. How can you avoid this?
Read on to find out.

• Do me a favour. Find some IELTS Reading or any other passage, and

print it out. Now, cross out all the words you think are unimportant.
Then, re-read the entire passage without the crossed-out words and
check whether the meaning has changed or not. If it has, put some
of the crossed-out words back until the passage makes sense again.
This will help you figure out which words are important and which
aren't, avoiding the mistake of ignoring important words.

11
 Section 3
IELTS WRITING VOCABULARY

IELTS General Training Task 1 Vocabulary

• The vocabulary in this test is conversational, pretty much like the

vocabulary in IELTS Listening. You have to write a letter to a friend, or
a conversational email to a co-worker. These would usually have
conversational language when written in real life. Therefore, you
must do the same in IELTS.

IELTS Academic Task 1 Vocabulary

• In this version of the first task, you are given a chart, table, or graph.
What you're supposed to do is to write a report that describes the
information that is given in the chart, table, or graph. To tell the
information, you should use reporting verbs. These verbs are used in
the starting of the sentence. Some reporting verbs are, reveals,
provides, illustrates, presents, depicts, and indicates. Some phrases
to start the sentences can be, “The bar graph illustrates...”, “The
chart reveals...”, and “This table provides...”

• You must also use adverbs in your report. Adverbs modify our verbs
and provide more information on them. Using adverbs will not only
make your report more interesting, but it'll also show that you have
a wide range of vocabulary. Some great adverbs are, approximately,
dramatically, exactly, specifically, gradually, significantly, slightly,
slowly, steadily abruptly, and roughly.

13
Here are some words you can use to show information:

To Show Trend

In cre a se

V e rb F o rm N o u n F o rm

e .g th e fig u re rise s fro m e .g th e g rap h se e s a rise

....to ... fro m ....to ...

· clim b · an in cre ase

· le ap · a le ap
· sky ro cke t · a ju m p
· ro cke t · an im p ro ve m e n t
· u psu rg e · an u p w ard tre n d
· so ar · a g ro w th

D ec re a s e

V e rb F o rm N o u n F o rm

· fa ll · a d o w n w a rd
· d e c lin e te n d e n c y
· p lu m m e t · a d e c lin e
· p lu n g e · a d o w n fa ll
· c o lla p se · a re d u c tio n
· d iv e · a fa ll

14
 S t a b ilit y

V e rb F o rm N o u n F o rm

· le v e l(e d ) o ff · n o ch an g e
· re m a in (e d ) · fla t
co n sta n t · a p la t e a u
· s t a y (e d ) u n ifo rm · a c o n s is t e n c y
· re a c h (e d ) a p la t e a u

Fluctuations

Type of change Verb Form Noun Form

· wave · fluctuations
· fluctuate · oscillations
Ups and downs · oscillate · vacillations

To Represent the Highest and Lowest Points in Graphs

Type Noun Verb

· peaked · the highest point

· climaxed · an/the apex
Highest Point · reached the peak · the summit
· touched the · a/the pinnacle
highest point · a/the acme
· reach the
vertex/apex
· touch the lowest · the lowest point
point · the all -time low
Lowest Point · get the lowest · the bottom
point

15
To show rate of change

Adverb for Verb Form Adjective for Adverb Form

Type of e.g the graph rises e.g the graph sees a dramatic rise from
Change dramatically from ....to... ....to...

· dramatically · dramatic
· rapidly · rapid
· sharply · sharp
· quickly · quick
· swiftly · swift
· significantly · significant
Rapid
· considerably · considerable
Change · substantially · substantial

· moderately · moderate
· gradually · gradual
Moderate · progressively · progressive
Change · sequentially · sequential

· slightly · slight
· slowly · slow
Slight · mildly · mild
Change · marginally · marginal

· erratically · erratic
· sporadically · sporadic
ups and · irregularly · irregular
downs

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Vocabulary for IELTS Writing Task 2

• The second task of IELTS Writing is all about transitions. The main
purposes of transitions are to, give opinions, add new information,
compare and contrast ideas, make conditional statements, give
examples, and describe results. Here is some vocabulary to make
each of these transitions:

Opinion Vocabulary

These are used to show your personal opinion:

• I think/feel/believe that...
• Personally, I feel that...
• As far as I'm concerned
• From my point of view

Addition Vocabulary

These are used when you want to add even more information within
one sentence:

• Moreover...
• Furthermore...
• In addition...
• Additionally...
• Likewise...
• On top of that...
• Besides...
• Another point worth noting is...
• Another factor to consider is...
• Not only ... but also ...

17
Comparison Vocabulary

These are used when you want to compare and contrast ideas:

• However, ...
• In contrast, ...
• Meanwhile, ...
• On the other hand, ...
• On the contrary, ...
• Nevertheless, ...
• Nonetheless, ...
• Alternatively, ...
• Although, ...

Notice that when using these words, there is always a comma after it.

Condition Vocabulary

These are used when you want to show a condition:

• If
• Unless...
• On the condition that...
• Provided that...
• As long as...
• Supposing that...
• Otherwise...

Example Vocabulary

These are used when you want to provide an example of the concept
you are explaining:

• For example...
• For instance...
• Such as...
• A very good example is...
• The best example is...

18
• To give an example...
• To cite an example...
• As evidence...
• To illustrate...

Result Vocabulary

These are used to describe the result of something:

• As a result, ...
• As a consequence, ...
• As an effect, ...
• Consequently, ...
• Accordingly, ...
• Therefore, ...
• On the account that, ...
• For that reason, ...
• Thus ...
• The reason why ...
• Because of ...
• Hence ...
• Eventually ...

Notice that when using these words, there is always a comma after it.

Introduction: General Statement

You can use these phrases to introduce the reader to your paragraph:

• It is often said that...regardless of...

• There is no denying that...
• Many/some people claim/opine/believe that...
• It is universally accepted that...
• It goes without saying that...
• People are divided in their opinion that...

19
Developing an Argument

• People seem to either ... or ...

• People's opinion differs on whether or not ...

Thesis Statement

• I strongly agree ...

• I completely agree ...
• I agree with the opinion that ... to some extent ... but I would also ...
• I accept that ...
• I approve the idea ...
• I am quite inclined to the opinion that ...

Thesis Statement with Argument

• While there are some strong arguments against .., I still believe that...
• I can understand the two points of view; ... and...
• While I understand/accept ... I believe that...
• While a school of thought believes..., I support...

Paragraph Bodies

There are several reasons why people might argue that...

• Firstly,
• Secondly,
• Finally,

Despite the above arguments, I support the view that...

• The main benefit of
• For example,
• In my view,

I believe that...
• Having + past participle (personal example)
• In my view,

20
The first and most obvious...

• One consequence of
• A second negative
• This may lead, for example, to

Paragraph led by an Example

• Perhaps the best example of this would be ..., and ...

Writing the Main Idea of the Paragraph

• There are many reasons why ... is worth it.

• When it comes to...
• It is no exaggeration to say that...
• It is the truth that...
• Although, ... there are still many ways to...

Sequencing

• Firstly...
• Secondly...
• Thirdly...
• Next...
• After that...
• And...
• Besides...
• Finally...
• Last but not least...

To End Paragraph

• To sum up...
• In short...
• Nevertheless...
• Thus...
• Needless to say...
• After all...

21
Conclusion

• All in all...
• In general...
• To summarize...
• To conclude...
• Overall...
• To draw the conclusion...
• All things considered...

22
Tips for Paraphrasing
• In both the writing task 1 and task 2, you must show the examiner
that you can paraphrase, and that means using synonyms. However,
some students end up making even more mistakes when they try to
use synonyms. Although there are many options to choose from,
using the wrong one will result in the sentence meaning something
else.

Paraphrasing for Writing Task 1

• Here's an example, “The amount of energy consumed...” We can

paraphrase this using the synonym “use”. Here's how it looks after
being paraphrased, “The amount of energy used...” This sentence is
perfect as both the verb and the synonym of it are referring to the
same action.

• However, changing the noun will change what the verb is referring to.
So, if the noun is different, we must look at the context in which the
verb is being used. Here's the same example with a different noun,
“The amount of sugar consumed...” In this sentence, the verb
consumed refers to eat, so, the noun is being eaten.

• On the other hand, if this sentence was to be written with the verb
“used”, it would mean something else. The reason is that when the
synonym “used” is used with this noun, a completely different action
is being performed with the noun. This changes the meaning of the
sentence; therefore, it hasn't been paraphrased correctly.

• This sentence would be correctly paraphrased as, “The amount of

sugar eaten...” Now, it makes sense because the noun and verb go
with each other. To avoid this mistake, we should always look at the
noun, and see whether the synonym can be used with it or not.

23
Paraphrasing for Writing Task 2

• Like in writing task 1, we must look at the topic being discussed in

the sentence. Take, for example, this sentence, “The 1920s to 1950s
renderings of what people thought the future would look like were
full of things like personal jetpacks and flying cars.”

• One might think, 'human' is a synonym for 'people', right? So they

might paraphrase this sentence as, “The 1920s to 1950s renderings of
what humans thought the future would look like were full of things
like personal jetpacks and flying cars.” However, this is completely
wrong. Let's take a look at why.

• The word 'human' is only used when the topic might include a
species other than humans. We use it when the action performed in
the sentence was done by both humans and animals, and we only
want to talk about humans. Overall, we use 'human' when we think
the reader might get confused between humans or animals.

• In the sentence above, the topic is about what humans in the past
predicted or imagined about the future. These actions couldn't
possibly be done by another species. Therefore, using 'human' would
be incorrect. Instead, we can use the synonym, 'individuals'.

• Let's take another example, “The growth in teenage crime” Two

synonyms that come to mind are, adolescent and youth. This
sentence can be paraphrased as, “The growth in adolescent crime”
However, “The growth in youth crime” would be incorrect. To
correctly use this synonym, we will have to change the structure of
the sentence. This sentence can be paraphrased using this synonym
as, “The number of youths committing a crime has grown”

24
• In this topic, we learnt that we must always look at the topic, and
then choose the synonym. We also learnt that in some instances, to
use a synonym, we must change the sentence structure. There's a lot
that goes into paraphrasing. It isn't just about knowing the meanings
of them. It's about knowing collocations; which noun goes with which
verb. It's about learning grammar; about when we need to change
the sentence structure. It's also about which synonym we can use and
which synonym we can't.

Uncountable Nouns
What are Uncountable Nouns?

• Nouns that can be counted in numbers are called countable nouns,

such as one car/two cars. When using a countable noun in its singular
form, we have to put either of the articles “a” or “an”. An example is,
“a car” or “a bridge”. However, when using a countable noun in its
plural form, instead of using an article, we put “s” after the noun. For
example, “two cars” or “two bridges”.

• On the contrary, uncountable nouns are those which cannot be

counted in numbers, for example, one water or two food. It can never
be plural so we don't put an “s” and we never use any article.

Uncountable Nouns and Grammar

• When asking a question about the quantity of a countable noun, we

ask “How many...?” However, since uncountable nouns can't be
quantified, we vaguely ask about the approximate quantity by asking
“How much...?” When talking about a countable noun, we say
“These...” On the other hand, when talking about an uncountable
noun, we say “This...”

To express a number of uncountable nouns, we must use words such as:

• Some information: “A piece of information”

• Some clothing: “one item of clothing / two items of clothing”
• Some equipment: “A piece of equipment / two pieces of equipment”

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List of Common Uncountable Nouns

• Advertising
• Advice
• Business
• Cash
• Damage
• Energy
• Fire
• Grammar
• Health
• Importance
• Justice
• Knowledge
• Labour
• Management

Irregular Uncountable Nouns

• Some nouns can be both countable and uncountable. An example is

the noun “room”. This word has two meaning. One meaning is a
room in a house or a hotel. When used in this context, this noun is
countable. However, it's other meaning is when it is relating to
space, such as “There isn't much room here” When used this way,
this noun is uncountable.

• Another noun that can be both countable and uncountable is “hair”.

Although this noun doesn't have two meanings, it can still be used
as both types of nouns. When we are talking about single strands of
hair, such as “There is a hair in my food” it is countable. However,
when we talk about hair in a collective form, such as “He had a lot of
hair” it is uncountable.

26
 Section 4
IELTS SPEAKING VOCABULARY
• Now, we move on to the final part of your IELTS, the speaking test. In
speaking, you'll be using a lot of 'function' words. These words are
used when you are exchanging information. Following that, I'll show
you some sample answers to some questions with important
vocabulary highlighted.

• You'll also be making transitions, so we'll discuss some important

transition words later on as well. Finally, I will tell you about some
important vocabulary that you can use in common topics.

• But first things first, let's see the 'function' words you'll be using to
exchange information.

Vocabulary to Exchange Information

Asking for Information

Describe…

• This word will commonly come up in the question. It will be used to

begin the question so when you see it, be prepared to provide some
information about yourself. The questions will be like “Describe your
best friend.”

Would you say that...?

• This phrase is usually a follow-up question to the IELTS topic card. An

example of such a question is, “Describe the house you grew up in.”
The follow up would be “Would you say that it was a nice place to
grow up?”

27
I need to know...

• This type of question sounds more like a statement, which is why it's
easily missed. It's more commonly used in Listening. It is used when
a person is asking someone about something.

Can you tell me...?

• This is another way to start a question. Instead of saying 'describe' or

a wh-word, the question is started using this phrase. For example,
this question “Describe the house you grew up in” could be asked as
“Can you tell me about the house you grew up in?”

Could you explain more...?

• This is another follow-up question phrase that you should listen for.
This follow-up will be used when the examiner wants to know more
information or details about something. For example, if you're telling
the examiner that your childhood house was very beautiful, the
examiner could ask, “Could you explain more about what made you
find the house beautiful?”

Confirm you have Gotten Information

I got it.

• This phrase is used to confirm that you understand the information

provided by the other person. You can use it to confirm to the
examiner that you understand the instructions.

You say that...

• This is another common way to confirm information and introduce a

follow-up question. However, it usually follows a follow-up question.
This phrase is used to emphasise the part on which the follow-up
question is based. This phrase can be heard in listening as well. For
example, a person told an examiner while describing the closest
friend, that they're always helpful. The examiner might respond with,
“You say that your closest friend is always helpful. Could you explain
more about how they help you?”
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We've been talking about...

• Like “I got it”, this phrase can be used to confirm information, and
move on to another one. In speaking, this phrase is used to
introduce a new follow-up question regarding the same topic. For
example, “We've been talking about environmental problems and
the necessary preventive measures. Would you say that these
measures will still be effective or is it too late to stop global
warming?”

You mentioned...

• This is similar to “We've been talking about,” but this phrase

mentions a specific detail that you said, instead of referring to a
general topic. An example would be, “You mentioned that you plan
to move to Australia for studying. Will you return back to your home
country afterwards or stay there and build a family?”

As you know...

• This phrase is a bit unique from the others. That is because it can be
used to confirm a fact that both the speaker and interviewer know
but it hasn't been mentioned in any conversation yet. One example
is, “As you might know, I'll be handing you a topic card on which
you'll have to speak for up to 2 minutes.”

You mean...?

• When a person wants to confirm the information they've just been

given, they use the phrase “You mean...?” For instance, in listening,
you may hear someone in an interview ask, “You mean I need to
come into work for 8 hours every day?” This phrase can even be
used in speaking. You can use it when you want to make sure about
the instructions given, such as “Do you mean I have time to prepare
for the question?

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Sorry,...

• This word can be used as a short for the sentence, “Sorry, I didn't
understand what you said?” It is used when you couldn't understand
something and want the speaker to repeat. It is spoken in a
questioning tone like, “Sorry?” When a person says this, the other
person can understand that they should repeat themselves.

Common Questions and Vocabulary Keywords

• You'll be asked many throughout your IELTS Speaking interview.

However, some questions are especially likely to come up. So, here
are some questions that you'll probably be asked. Along with that, I
have also mentioned some important vocabulary keywords you
should use when answering them. The important keyword will be
marked in bold. Following it will be some ways to either initiate a
related sentence or some alternative phrases. Either way, they will
help you answer such questions.

What do you think the benefits of being able to speak more than
one language are?

• Benefits: The main advantages, one of the most positive aspects,

being able to speak more than one language is extremely beneficial.

Can you give me some examples?

• Examples: For instance, a good example, The best example would

be.

Can you describe a person or incident that made an impression on

you?

• Made an impression on me: influenced me, had an enormous

impact on me, had a lasting effect on me, changed the way I look at
things.

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What type of activities do you like to do in your free time?

• Activities: Some examples of the preposition 'in' are, fall in, get in,
drop in, rise in, etc.

Can you describe something that you own that is very important to
you?

• Important: significant, indispensable, valuable

Transition Phrases in Speaking Part 2

• In the second part of IELTS Speaking, the examiner will give a topic
card and will give you some time to prepare. Your task is to speak on
the topic for 1-2 minutes. However, no one can ask you for
clarification, so you need to be clear about everything. For this, you
can 'mark' your points using transition words and phrases. Below are
some common reasons for using transitions, following a few example
words and phrases.

• Giving Examples: for example, for instance, to give an example, such

as, to name a few

• Adding Ideas or Details: in addition, furthermore, moreover, not

only/but also, next

• Cause and Effect: so, thus, because of, as a result, which caused, this
caused

• Clarifying: by this I mean, in other words, which is to say, or to put it

in another way, I mean... and not...

• Contrasting: unlike, as opposed to, on the other hand, even though,

although, having said that, on the contrary.

• Restating/Summarizing: as I mentioned, like I said, in short, all in all,

to sum up

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• Emphasis: even more, above all, in fact, truly, indeed

• Exceptions: however, sometimes, still, except for, unless

Transitions in Speaking Parts 1 and 3

• In the conversational parts of IELTS, transitions take place in the form
of verbal pauses. These pauses are used so that the speaker can take
a minute to gather their thoughts, and decide what to say next.

• Real-life conversations are often disorganized. These pauses will help

prevent the speaker from blabbering irrelevant words, making the
conversation smooth and fluid. Below are a few verbal pauses that
will help you in both the first and last part of your IELTS.

Verbal Pauses:

• Um…/Well…/Hmm…
• That's a tough/interesting/good question
• Hmm… That's difficult
• Wow, I really don't know.
• Offhand, I'd say…
• Let's see…
• Good question!
• Well, I suppose…

Introductory Transitions

While verbal pauses are important, another thing worth noting is an

introductory phrase. These phrases are used to introduce new ideas to
your speech. Here are some introductory phrases you can use to do so.

• First, Second, etc…

• First of all…
• For one…
• How about…? (to offer an example or introduce a new topic)
• For a start…
• So, what about…?

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Concluding Phrases

• These phrases are used by a speaker after they've made a statement.

For example, “You know what I mean?” However, this question is
rhetorical and is not meant to be answered by the listener. Some
other phrases for the same thing are:

• …understand what I mean?

• …, you know?
• Does that make sense?
• …, right?

Vocabulary for Common Speaking Topics

Here are some common topics that you might come across in speaking.
Followed by the topics, are some common words you should use in
your speech and know the meanings of.

School

Primary

• The beginning grade levels of school, for young children. These are
elementary school and middle school.

Secondary

• The schooling taken just before university; high school

Discipline

• Either an academic field of study or guidance or punishment given

to students

Marks

• The scores or grades a student gets based on their performance in

an assessment, exam, or assignment

Major

• The scores or grades a student gets based on their performance in

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Weather

Chilly

• The beginning grade levels of school, for young children. These are
elementary school and middle school.

Muggy

• Very hot and humid

Balmy

• Balanced weather with some gentle wind and the outdoor

temperature is comfortable

Sleet

• When it snows and rains at the same time

Mist

• fog; tiny water droplets in the air close to the ground

Travel

Itinerary

• A planned trip, usually planned by a travel agency, airline or other

travel-services company

Vacation Package

• A package which contains all expenses a person would have when

travelling such as hotel fees, plane tickets, and food expenses. This
needs to be purchased. These are offered by travel agencies or other
travel-service companies. Each offer is different in aspects such as
cost or the expenses being covered, depending on the companies.

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Abroad

• A country other than the persons home country

Local

• Local people are those who belong to the same country. Local travel
is travelling in the same home country.

Raod Trip

• A long journey covered in a car

Friends

Get on

• When a person enjoys someone's company, it is said that they both

get on

Night Out

• A fun evening spent in a public area

Meet

• To get to know someone for the first time, such as “How did you two
meet?” Another meaning is when two or more people join each
other for any activity or event, for example, “Let's meet at the coffee
house”

Casual

• When referring to friends, it means that they are not very good
friends or are just acquainted with each other, like “I don't know
much about him, we're just casual friends.”

Close

• When referring to friends, it means that they know each other very
well, for instance, “We spend most of our day together, we're very
close friends.”
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Shopping

Sale

• An event where a store sells their products for a price lesser than the
actual price.

Discount

• The act of selling a certain product or item at lower than usual price

Bargain

• The act of convincing someone to sell any item at a lower price

Haggle

• To negotiate the price of something with someone. It is almost the

same as bargaining.

Spree

• An event where a person does a lot of shopping and buys more

things than a person usually would

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 Section 5
Common Topics, Vocabulary, and Exercises
• Congratulations on learning all about improving your vocabulary. In
this final section for the Ultimate Vocabulary Guide for IELTS, I'll be
telling you some topics you're likely to come across in your IELTS. I'll
also be showing the vocabulary you might hear or should use when
needed.

• In the end, I've given some exercises you should attempt. These
exercises will help you figure out where there is room for
improvement as well.

Common Topics and Vocabulary

• Here are some common topics and the vocabulary you're likely to
face in the topics.

Crime and Law

Abduction

• A kidnapping

Arson

• Setting a place on fire to harm someone

False Imprisonment

• Restraining someone without legal authority

Hijacking

• Illegally taking control of an aircraft, car or any other vehicle

Human Trafficking

• Illegally transporting people, usually for slave labour or commercial

sexual exploitation
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Smuggling

• Illegal import or export

White-Collar Crime

• A non-violent crime committed by a worker for financial reasons

Jaywalking

• Crossing a road at an undesignated spot

Vandalism

• Purposely damaging or destroying a building

Forfeiture

• Confiscation of property

House Arrest

• Being imprisoned in a person's own house instead of a prison

Non-Custodial Sentence

• A sentence that is not done in prison

Death-Penalty

• Punishment of death

Corporal Punishment

• Physical punishment given by a teacher, headteacher or any other

figure of authority in a school

Jury

• A group of people that decide based on the evidence whether a

person (defendant) is guilty or not

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Defendant

• The person arrested on the accusation of committing a crime. A trail

then takes place in court to decide whether they are guilty or not

Prosecutor

• The lawyer against the defendant

Defence

• The lawyer protecting the defendant

Trial

• A session that takes place in court where the defence and

prosecution present their case. At the end of a trial, it is determined
by the jury whether the person is guilty or not.

Circumstantial Evidence

• Something that connects a person indirectly to the crime

Life Sentence

• The punishment of being imprisoned for the rest of their lives

Premeditated Murder

• A murder that is planned beforehand

Rehabilitation

• To restore someone through education or therapy

Minor Crimes

• Crimes such as speeding, jaywalking, and shoplifting are considered

minor crimes

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Court

• The place where a trial takes place

Licenses

• A type of certificate that makes someone eligible to perform a

certain activity. An example is a driver license which makes a person
eligible to drive

Environment

Acid Rain

• The rain which is polluted by chemicals. Acid rain is called so

because it has a lower ph making it

• More acidic than normal rain. This causes different environmental

hazards.

Deforestation

• Large areas in forests being cut down

Loss of biodiversity

• Species becoming extinct

Ozone Layer Depletion

• The ozone layer getting damaged and becoming thinner

Land Degradation

• Soil and land pollution as well as desertification

Resource Depletion

• Lack of natural resources globally

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Climate Change

• Negative changes to the weather in the world

Air Pollution

• Air that contains harmful gases and chemicals

Marine Pollution

• The pollution of different water bodies

Overpopulation

• Increasing of the population to the extent where resources start

lacking

Biodegradable

• Decomposable

Science and Technology

Gadget (informal)

• Tool, device

Gizmo (informal)

• Gadget or a device

Unbound

• Liberated

Ego

• Self-esteem

Ego-Booster (informal)

• Something that enhances one's self-esteem

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Funky (informal)

• Cool, trendy

Do the trick (informal)

• Do exactly what is needed

Function-laden (informal)

• Full of functions

Fidget

• Perform any action repeatedly due to nervousness

Stress buster (informal)

• Something that reduces one's stress

To be after something (informal)

• To want something

To be full of oneself

• To be over-confident and have a lot of self-esteem

Breakthrough

• A sudden, important discovery

Cutting edge

• Highly advanced technology. It is also known as bleeding-edge

Wear and tear

• Damage done to something over time

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Education

Higher Education

• University education

Post Graduate Education

• University for students studying beyond degree level

Lab Work

• Experiments conducted in a laboratory

Dissection

• Cutting up animals to study their body parts

Algebra

• Formulas and equations in mathematics

BA/BSc

• Bachelor of Arts Degree/Bachelor of Science Degree

MA/MSc

• Masters of Arts/Masters of Science

PhD

• Doctorate

Undergraduate

• Someone currently doing their first degree

Graduate

• Someone who has completed a degree course

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To enrol on a Degree Course

• To complete a degree course or to finish university

Scholarship

• A discount on fee given to a student as a reward for performing well

Literate

• To be able to read and write

Student Loan

• Money taken by a student to help pay their fees. The student must
pay this money back later on

Gap Year

• To take a year out between high school and university

Comprehensive Education

• A broad education covering a variety of subjects

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Vocabulary Exercises

• In this part, I have provided multiple example questions. Grab a

pencil and paper and write down your answers! Ready? Let's begin!

Crime and Law

1. The …….. penalty is the strongest deterrent against crime.

2. All people accused of a crime should be given a fair …….. in a ……..

of law.

3. People who have been convicted for murder from only ……..
evidence should not receive a death penalty.

4. The motives of a crime should always be taken into consideration.

For example, there is a significant difference in the character of a
person who commits ……. murder and one who commits accidental
murder.

5. A ……..sentence is more humane than capital punishment.

6. Punishment should be the last resort. Instead, criminals should be

……..

7. People who commit ........ crimes, such as traffic offences, should

have their …….. revoked.

8. .…….. and the right to a fair …….. should be the right of every citizen.

9. Parents who inflict …….. punishment on their children are showing

children that …….. is an acceptable way to deal with problems.

Answers

1. Death 6. Rehabilitated
2. Trial/court 7. Minor/licenses
3. Circumstantial 8. Justice/trial
4. Premeditated 9. Corporal/violence
5. Life

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Clothes

Sort this list of clothing items into three sections, casual, formal, and
suitable for both.

• tie
• suit
• shorts
• t-shirt
• trousers
• suitcase
• dress
• flipflops
• shoes
• jacket
• waistcoat
• backpack
• briefcase
• pyjamas
• coat

Answers

Casual

• Shorts, t-shirt, flipflops, backpack, pyjamas

Formal

• Tie, suit, waistcoat, briefcase

Suitable for both

• Trousers, dress, shoes, jacket, coat, suitcase

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Technology

1. Men are always after the latest ……...

2. There's nothing worse than sitting next to a …….. person.

3. I wouldn't say he's lacking in …….. He's so full of himself.

4. If you can't get to sleep, try to avoid drinking caffeinated drinks after
5pm or not using any …….. such as tablets that have a bright screen
late at night. That should

Answers

1. Gadgets or gizmos
2. Fidgety
3. Ego
4. Gadget or gizmos/ do the trick

Education

1. People who have …….. from university stand a better chance of finding
a good job.

2. I hope to enrol…….. a degree in law next year in the UK.

3. There is a lot of competition to get a …….. but without it, I won't be

able to afford the university's fees.

4. One of the keys to successful …….. is knowing where to look for

information and how to judge which information is most current and
relevant. Knowing the best sources of material is essential.

Answers

1. Graduate
2. In/on
3. Scholarship
4. Research

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Uncountable Nouns

• Fill in the blanks with either of the following words: many / much / a
lot of

1. ........ wildlife is losing habitation due to deforestation.

2. I haven't heard …….. news about the recent events in Europe.

3. There aren't …….. sports lessons offered in the school curriculum.

4. I can't go out tonight because I've got …….. work.

5. …….. education policies are designed to protect students but ensure a

high level of learning

Answers

1. A lot of
2. Much
3. Many
4. a lot of
5. Many

• Fill in the blanks with either of the following: is / are

1. Silence …….. essential in libraries to ensure that people can

concentrate on what they're reading

2. There …….. a lot of company advertising during major sports events

3. High rise buildings …….. found in and around the main square of a
city

4. Sunlight …….. essential for plants to live

5. There …….. a lot of traffic in city centres during rush hour

6. A few of my favourite hobbies …….. gaming, drawing and exercising

7. I think that childhood …….. one of the best times of a person's life

48
8. A great way to stop global warming …….. to use renewable energy
resources, such as solar, hydro, and wind energy to generate
electricity. This …….. an easy solution for preventing air pollution.

9. The management procedures …….. difficult to understand

10.This guide …….. the best way to improve your vocabulary for IELTS

Answers

1. is

2. is

3. are

4. is

5. is

6. are

7. is

8. is / is

9. are

10. is

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Linking Words

• Fill in the blanks with either of the words provided in the brackets
before a blank

1. (Whereas / While / But) …….. individuals can make a considerable

difference to environmental problems, they ought to be dealt with
on a global scale to be solved effectively.

2. Global warming is a prominent issue these days (due to / owing to /

because) …….. it has a direct impact on the climate of countries all
over the world.

3. (As a result / Consequently / Thus) ........ of global warming, sea levels

are rising which threatens low lying lands.

4. One of the best ways to deal with global warming is to reduce the
emissions of fossil fuels, (specific / particularly / certainly) ........ from
the industry.

5. Global warming affects weather patterns and can cause extreme

weather (namely / as an example / like) …….. heat waves, droughts,
and floods.

Answers

1. While
2. Because
3. As a result
4. Particularly
5. Namely

Congratulations on finishing the Ultimate Vocabulary Guide for IELTS.

In this ultimate guide, we have covered everything, from common topics
and vocabulary to strategies for understanding complex vocabulary, to
making transitions. Now, just keep practising your vocabulary and you'll
be on your way to ace the IELTS exam.

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