Did you know that IELTS Speaking and Writing are graded on four key criteria, each contributing 25% to the total score? One of these, Lexical Resource (vocabulary), plays a crucial role, making up 25% of your score in both sections. Therefore, expanding your vocabulary can directly boost your score in Writing and Speaking, while also enhancing your ability to understand paraphrased words and synonyms in the Listening and Reading sections.
Learn more about IELTS Exam.
Vocabulary Words for IELTS Writing
IELTS Writing is divided into two sections – Writing Task 1 and Writing Task 2.
In Writing Task 1, you are asked to analyze visual data like graphs and bar charts and describe or summarize them in at least 150 words. Furthermore, you will be asked to write a letter based on a given situation.
In Writing Task 2, you will be asked to write an essay of at least 250 words, where you need to present your opinion or argument on a given topic.
Vocabulary plays a critical role in both tasks as it helps in describing trends effectively and enhancing the logical flow of the arguments in the essay.
IELTS Writing Task 1 (Graphs and Charts)
| Words | Meaning |
| Increase | Go up a lot |
| Soar | Rise quickly |
| Surge | A sudden increase |
| Rocket | To increase rapidly |
| Climb | To go up steadily |
| Peak | To reach the highest point |
| Rise | A general increase |
| Fluctuate | To rise or fall irregularly |
| Oscillate | To move back and forth between two points |
| Dip | A small decrease |
| Drop | To go down or decline |
| Decrease | To become smaller in number |
| Decline | A slow and steady fall |
| Plummet | To fall suddenly |
| Plunge | A rapid decrease |
| Fall | A general downward movement |
| Level off | To stop rising or falling and become stable |
| Stabilize | To remain constant |
| Remain steady | To stay at the same level |
| Plateau | To reach a stable level after a change |
| Gradually | Slowly and over a long period |
| Steadily | In a regular and constant way |
| Sharply | Suddenly and intensely |
| Dramatically | Significantly and noticeably |
| Significantly | To a large extent |
IELTS Writing Task 2 (Essay Writing)
| Words | Meaning |
| It appears that | Used to introduce a point that seems to be true based on evidence. |
| It may seem that | Something looks a certain way but may not be entirely accurate. |
| This essay will show that | A way to introduce the main argument of an essay. |
| This essay will argue that | States that the essay will offer a certain point of view. |
| To examine this issue, this essay will | Introduces a method the essay will take to analyze the topic. |
| Firstly, this essay will | Presenting a point in a structured manner |
| First of all | Used to introduce the first point in an argument. |
| In addition | Adds extra information |
| For example | Introduces a specific example |
| For instance | Introduces a specific case |
| Conversely | Shows contrast |
| However | Introduces contrast to the previous statement |
| Finally | Introduces the last point |
| To summarise | Used to restate the main points |
| In the end | Indicates the final discussion of the topic |
| On balance | This means considering all arguments |
| Therefore | Show logical results based on previous points |
| Significant | Important |
| Undoubtedly | Without a doubt |
| There is no denying that | Something cannot be disputed |
| Apparently | It seems that |
| According to me | As far as I believe |
| It is often said that | Something is repeated frequently |
| In my opinion | A person’s point of view |
| Personally speaking | Expressing something through personal experience |
Also read: Master Vocabulary with curated list of synonyms for IELTS.
Vocabulary Words for IELTS Speaking
IELTS Speaking is a face-to-face interview of 11 – 14 minutes. The Speaking section is divided into three parts – Introduction, Topic discussion, and Questions & Answers.
| Part | Description | Focus Areas |
| Introduction | Examiner asks you to introduce yourself. | Fluency, vocabulary, and grammar |
| Cue Card | The examiner offers a cue card containing a topic. The candidate has to speak on the topic. | Vocabulary, Sentence formation, ability to expand ideas, coherence, and grammar |
| Discussion | Discussion on the topic with the examiner. | Critical thinking, fluency, and vocabulary |
List of Vocabulary Words – Introduction
| Words | Meaning |
| Hometown | The place where you live |
| Passionate about | Having strong feelings |
| Leisure time | Free time |
| Upbringing | The way someone is raised |
| Ambition | A desire to achieve something |
| Role model | Someone to look up to in life |
| Work-life balance | Maintaining a good balance between work and family |
| Gregarious | Friendly |
| Lucrative | A lot of money |
| Monotonous | Boring |
List of Vocabulary Words – Cue Card
| Words | Meaning |
| Remarkable | Worth noticing |
| Breathtaking | Extremely impressive |
| Unforgettable | An experience that is so good |
| Once in a lifetime | A very rare opportunity |
| Eye-opening | Something surprising |
| Cherish | To deeply appreciate |
| Engrossing | Something interesting |
| Exhilarating | Thrilling |
| Incredible | Difficult to believe but amazing |
| Picturesque | Beautiful |
| Memorable | Worth remembering |
| Fascinating | Captivating |
| Heartwarming | Making you feel happy |
| Astonishing | Very surprising |
| Mind-blowing | Shocking |
| Overwhelming | A strong emotional feeling |
| Thought-provoking | Something that makes you think |
List of Vocabulary Words – Discussion
| Words | Meaning |
| In my opinion | A phrase used to introduce a viewpoint |
| From my perspective | A moral way to express your opinion |
| To be honest | To introduce an honest viewpoint |
| As far as I’m concerned | A phrase used to concentrate on a personal stance |
| If I’m not mistaken | A polite way to confirm something |
| That’s an interesting question | A phrase used to give yourself some time to think |
| I completely agree/disagree | A direct way to show agreement or disagreement |
| To some extent | Used when partially agreeing with something |
| It depends on | It is used to introduce different factors to an opinion |
| Could you clarify what you mean by..? | A polite way to ask for an explanation |
| What I mean is… | To clarify your own statement |
| I refute | To argue against a statement |
| Having said that | A way to introduce opposite ideas |
| Generally speaking | To talk about a broad idea |
| To put it another way | To rephrase a statement |
| Without a doubt | To express certainty about something |
| On the other hand | To introduce a contrasting point |
Vocabulary Words for IELTS Listening
The listening section assesses your ability to understand spoken English in the audio and answer the questions accurately. Here are the areas in which vocabulary is important in the Listening section:
Understanding Synonyms and Paraphrasing
The Listening section frequently uses paraphrased words in the audio, and the questions use the synonyms of these words. Therefore, by learning vocabulary, you can better understand what exactly is being asked. Below are some of the common words and their paraphrased words used frequently in IELTS listening section:
| Paraphrased Word in the Recording | Word asked in the Question | Meaning |
| Purchase | Buy | To obtain something by using money |
| Affordable | Cheap | Within budget |
| Challenging | Difficult | Hard to understand |
| Assist | Help | To provide support |
| Occupation | Job | A person’s profession |
| Essential | Important | Crucial |
| Rise/Grow | Increase | To become larger |
| Decrease/Decline | Reduce | To lower something |
| Close to /Adjacent to | Nearby | Located at a short distance |
| Postpone | Delay | To put off something temporarily until a later time |
| Enthusiastic | Passionate | Showing excitement |
| Decreased | Declined | Reduced in size |
Recognizing Different Word Forms
The listening section uses different vocabulary word forms like nouns or adjectives. By learning different vocabulary word forms, you can understand the variations used in listening comprehension.
| Base Word | Noun Form | Adjective Form |
| Improve | Improvement | Improved |
| Decide | Decision | Decisive |
| Create | Creation | Creative |
| Communicate | Communication | Communicative |
| Develop | Development | Developmental |
| Employ | Employment | Employable |
| Expand | Expansion | Expansive |
| Benefit | Benefit | Beneficial |
| Reduce | Reduction | Reduced |
| Solve | Solution | Solvable |
| Achieve | Achievement | Achievable |
| Apply | Application | Applicable |
Topic-Specific Vocabulary
The Listening section uses a wide range of vocabulary for different topics, and by recognizing the words you can answer questions more accurately. Below are some of the common vocabulary words used for different topics:
Education
| Words | Meaning |
| Curriculum | The subjects in a course |
| Assignment | A task or piece of work given to someone |
| Lecture | A presentation given by a teacher |
| Tutor | A private teacher helping students with their studies |
Work
| Words | Meaning |
| Salary | A fixed amount paid to an employee |
| Internship | A training program or temporary work for new graduates |
| Job Application | A formal request for employment |
| Colleague | A person you work with |
Health
| Words | Meaning |
| Prescription | A written piece of paper from a doctor for medication |
| Vaccination | An injection protecting against diseases |
| Balanced Diet | A diet that contains a sufficient proportion of all essential nutrients |
Environment
| Words | Meaning |
| Pollution | Harmful particles that affect your health |
| Deforestation | Removing of trees |
| Renewable Energy | Energy from natural sources that are not depleted when used |
Vocabulary Words for IELTS Reading
The IELTS Reading test evaluates a candidate’s ability to understand texts and passages and answer questions accurately. To understand the text and passages, learning a variety of vocabulary can come in handy. Below are some of the common Reading vocabulary words:
| Word | Meaning |
| Abolish | To get rid of something |
| Abandon | To leave something behind |
| Abbreviation | A shortened form of a name |
| Abridge | Shortened |
| Bias | Favoritism |
| Comprehend | To fully understand |
| Infer | To conclude based on evidence |
| Illustrate | To explain with examples |
| Imply | To suggest something |
| Signify | To indicate something |
| Incredible | Amazing |
| Vivacious | High-Spirited |
| Celluloid | Motion picture |
| Swindler | Fraud |
| Intriguing | Fascinating |
| Serendipity | Fortunate discoveries |
| Amiable | Friendly |
| Felicity | Joy |
| Savoury | Salty or Spicy |
| Ineffable | Incapable of being expressed in words |
| Burgeon | Grow Rapidly |
Topic-Wise Reading Vocabulary Words
| Travel | Education | Information & Technology | Food & Diets Items |
| Itenary | Academic Year | Features | Abnormal |
| Accommodation | Credit | Commercial | Ache (Pain) |
| Transit | Vocational Training | Coupon | Genetics |
| Layover | Distance Learning | Eye-Catcher | Calorie Intake |
| Jet Lag | E-Learning | E-Commerce | Carbohydrates |
| Tourist Attraction | Literacy Rate | Digital Literacy | Food Additives |
| Backpacking | Academic Performance | Big Data | Malnutrition |
| Sightseeing | Higher Education | Innovation | Organic Food |
| Souvenir | Thesis | Programming | Processed Food |
| Travel Insurance | Tutorial | Artificial Intelligence | Sustainable Agriculture |
| Customs | Bursary | Gadget | Whole Grains |
| Visa | Dissertation | Search Engine | Protein-Rich Diet |
Conclusion
Building a strong IELTS vocabulary is not easy – it takes time and effort. However, with consistent practice, exposure to diverse vocabulary, and a clear understanding of word meanings, you can significantly improve your vocabulary and enhance your IELTS score.
FAQs
A strong understanding of vocabulary will help you understand recordings, interpret texts in writing, and express ideas clearly in speaking.
With consistent practice and effort, you can learn the words in a few weeks to a few months.