IELTS Vocabulary
Lexical Resource is 25% of your Writing and Speaking score. Examiners reward a range of accurate, natural vocabulary and collocations — not memorised “big words”. Learn words in topic groups and always with their common collocations.
High-frequency topic vocabulary
| Topic | Useful words & collocations |
|---|---|
| Education | tuition fees, higher education, vocational training, academic performance, drop out |
| Environment | carbon emissions, renewable energy, deforestation, sustainable, ecological footprint |
| Technology | digital literacy, automation, cutting-edge, screen time, data privacy |
| Health | sedentary lifestyle, mental well-being, life expectancy, preventive care, obesity |
| Work | work–life balance, remote working, job satisfaction, unemployment rate, skilled labour |
Linking words (use sparingly and correctly)
- Adding: moreover, furthermore, in addition
- Contrasting: however, whereas, nevertheless, on the other hand
- Cause/effect: consequently, therefore, as a result
- Examples: for instance, to illustrate, namely
Golden rule: one wrong collocation is more noticeable than a plain word used correctly. When in doubt, choose accuracy over ambition.
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