Vocabulary for IELTS - Mastering academic and everyday words

In the competitive world of IELTS, vocabulary is king. It's not just about knowing words; it's about using them strategically to demonstrate your language proficiency.

This essential skill accounts for a significant portion of your speaking and writing scores. In this guide, we'll explore the importance of vocabulary in IELTS and provide you with practical tips to build a powerful word arsenal.

So, let’s get started..

Importance of learning vocabulary for IELTS

A strong vocabulary is essential for mastering the English language. Having a good vocabulary skill can help you to express your thoughts and impressions with greater clarity. It also assists in communicating with precision and avoids miscomprehension.

A broader vocabulary enhances your understanding of spoken and written English, allowing you to effortlessly observe and track conversations.

Additionally, a rich vocabulary aids you in using a variety of words to create a more captivating, convincing, and informative written composition to convey your message effectively.

A strong vocabulary is the most vital element for academic success, especially in subject fields like English literature, history, and political science. It simplifies the understanding of complex ideas and is the pillar for the construction of well-structured essays and research papers.

Moreover, a well-learned vocabulary can open doors to numerous career opportunities, specifically in fields like teaching, journalism, law, and business, where effective communication is required.

In short, a strong vocabulary acts as the main basis for English language proficiency, preparing you to communicate effectively and understand complex expressive thoughts.

Vocabulary for IELTS

Vocabulary is an essential element for scoring higher in the IELTS exam. It enables you to articulate your thoughts clearly and concisely, both verbally and in writing, which is crucial for achieving high scores in the Writing and Speaking sections.

A broader vocabulary enhances your comprehension of complex texts and spoken language, making it easier to navigate the Reading and Listening sections and respond accurately to questions. IELTS examiners assess your "lexical resource," or your vocabulary range and usage, which can significantly impact your overall score.

Using a diverse vocabulary can make your speech and writing more fluid and coherent, positively influencing your performance in all four sections of the IELTS test. By dedicating time to vocabulary development, you can substantially improve your chances of achieving your target IELTS score.

Top tips to learn new vocabulary

1. Learn words in their natural context

• Choose words that can be used in lots of different situations.
• Try to work out what they mean from the context.
• Practice using them over and over again until you can use them naturally.

2. Read what you find interesting

Reading various subject-related books on a regular basis can greatly improve the number of topic-related words in your arsenal. If you are reading random books and do not find interest in reading then it is likely that your vocabulary skills will develop slower.

Finding interest is important for learning something new in an effective manner. So, read on a topic that interests you.

Finding new words to learn while reading books is an efficient way of improving vocabulary. When reading the topic on your interest area, you can mark specific words and expressions and practice on circumstances where they may fit.

Reading storybooks, newspapers, magazines, comics, and articles can help you identify new and complex words. If you find these sources of English materials not within your reach, digital platforms such as E-book readers, online news portals and digital digest reading can be a great alternative for improving vocabulary.

If you stumble upon words that u do not understand, you can always head to an online dictionary or search the word on Google or other search engines for a quick explanation.
 

3. Make note of the words you find

It is a good habit to record words that you learn on notebooks or digitally. Because making notes of words helps you revise them later. This is an effective method to memorize words for longer and apply them appropriately.

There are several aspects of a word or a sentence that you should record in your notebook.

Meaning

To articulate a sentence, you must know how to properly apply words. For that, you should have knowledge on the exact meaning of words and their use in different scenarios.

So finding the meaning is the first thing that you should do when learning new words.

Pronunciation

Another aspect of improving your English vocabulary is to practice proper pronunciation. If you do not pronounce words clearly, then chances of misunderstanding may arise from the other end. Having clear and precise  Practicing to pronounce properly also helps you to make fewer spelling mistakes when writing and construct words with ease.

Even in the IELTS speaking exam, proper pronunciation plays a crucial part when evaluating your speaking ability by the examiner.

Synonyms

To expand your vocabulary ability, there is no better alternative to learning synonyms of words that you learned. Synonyms are words that mean exactly the same or similar to other words or phrases in the same language.

For English language skill development, you must have ideas about synonyms of a specific word. Because two words with the same or similar meaning can have different outcomes or have totally different meanings when applied to a sentence.

Learning and using different words with similar meanings helps you avoid repetition and makes your language more engaging. Using a variety of synonyms in writing and speaking is sure to make your presentation look more polished and professional, which is important for understanding  IELTS exam questions more effectively.

Collocations

By integrating collocations into your vocabulary preparation, you can further enhance your language proficiency and aim for an improved  IELTS score. Collocations refer to the natural combination of words that native speakers commonly use together.

For example, we say "heavy rain" rather than "strong rain" or say “make a wish” instead of saying “do a wish”. There are numerous examples of collocations that u can find online. Doing a bit of research is always beneficial.

Grammar

Grammar and vocabulary go hand in hand in mastering a language, as it is mandatory for building solid English vocabulary. Learning grammar helps you to understand how words function in sentences, ensuring clear communication and proper usage.

Good grammar improves writing and speaking fluency, enhances reading comprehension, and boosts confidence. It’s crucial for exams IELTS, where grammar and vocabulary proficiency are assessed together.

Learn to paraphrase

Paraphrasing is another way to improve vocabulary for IELTS. By paraphrasing, you could simplify a passage or a sentence that is difficult to understand or further elaborately explain it.

Also to maintain the flow of the writing, paraphrasing can aid in explaining important ideas in a passage or source without interrupting the flow of the essay. Moreover, plagiarism is one thing that could be avoided by paraphrasing a sentence or paragraph. But make sure that the main context of the sentence is unchanged.

Make use of dictionaries

Another effective way to improve your vocabulary power is to follow multiple dictionaries. Oxford Dictionary is the most popular series among other competitors. But there is no restriction on choosing the right dictionary.

You need to find an officially published English dictionary and another dictionary with a translation into your native language. Whenever you are learning new words, looking up in the dictionary can provide you with definitions, pronunciations and examples of usage with that particular word.

You can also create a schedule and learn a handful of words every day from the dictionary. If you do not like carrying a dictionary book with you, online dictionaries and many dictionary apps are available on the app store which are mostly free, some require the internet and some are fully offline-based applications.

By incorporating the use of a dictionary into your study routine, you can systematically expand your vocabulary and improve your overall language skills If you really want to improve your vocabulary, then there are ample resources ready at your disposal.

Make use of online sources

Read online news portal

News articles expose you to a wide range of topics and introduce you to new words and phrases in various contexts. Regular reading helps you understand the usage and nuances of different words, enhancing your comprehension and retention.

Additionally, encountering formal and journalistic language in news articles can refine your writing and speaking skills, making your communication more effective and sophisticated.

Explore resourceful websites

Reading articles from various websites can greatly enhance your English vocabulary. Exposure to diverse topics and writing styles introduces you to new words and phrases in different contexts, helping you understand their meanings and usage.

Regularly reading such content improves comprehension, broadens your vocabulary, and refines your writing and speaking skills.

Use Mobile apps to practice

Mobile apps can be an incredibly effective tool for improving your English vocabulary. There are many popular mobile applications such as Duolingo, FluentU, Hello English, Mondly, ELSA (English Language Speech Assistant), Memrise, Busuu, Babbel, Anki, Grammarly, Jonny’s Grammer World Challenge, Learn English Grammer etc offering greater accessibility on the go, interactive features and contextual learning.

So, by incorporating mobile apps into your study routine, you can enhance your vocabulary learning in an engaging, flexible, and effective way.

Hear music and podcasts; watching movies

Another way to fortify your English vocabulary is to listen to music and podcasts. You can learn words and expressions while you enjoy music or listening to podcasts in your leisure time and while travelling can also contribute to your listening skills.

Watching English language-based dramas, thrillers, comedies and action films will make you accustomed to different English accents and dialects. You can also observe body language and expressions of different vocabulary that the actors use, sometimes portraying words and phrases that are applied in real-life situations.

Things to keep in mind

• Learning long lists of words is not sufficient to improve your IELTS score.
• Expanding your vocabulary takes time. It is not recommended to learn more than 15-20 words daily as the study suggests human beings tend to forget when learning too many new words. So take your time when learning new words; make sure you practice daily and revise.
• Many students preparing for IELTS have a misconception that using complex, high-thought, rare wordings can give you an edge over others. This is actually not true as there is no such thing as ‘golden words’ that will boost your score.
• Take extra care in improving your weak points. You need to score well on all four aspects of the IELTS exams.

In short, a building strong vocabulary skill not only enhances your understanding and communication skills but also serves as a powerful tool for improving on all four sections of the test: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. Gaining the ability on variety of advanced vocabulary demonstrates that you can use language flexibly and effectively, which is a must for achieving a good band score on the IELTS test.