IELTS

IELTS Vocabulary

IELTS measures English proficiency for study, work, and migration purposes. The Academic version requires strong vocabulary for reading complex texts and writing essays. Band 7+ scores demand precise, varied vocabulary with correct collocations. Words are curated from official British Council preparation materials.

3570
Words
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Why vocabulary matters for the IELTS

IELTS band descriptors explicitly score lexical resource — your range and accuracy of vocabulary. In Writing, using varied and precise vocabulary is the difference between Band 6 and Band 7+. In Reading, academic passages assume familiarity with formal English and topic-specific terms. In Speaking, examiners listen for natural, accurate word choice. Vocabulary isn't one part of the IELTS — it's scored across every section.

Study tips for IELTS vocabulary

  • Learn vocabulary by IELTS topic themes — environment, technology, education, health, and urbanization appear frequently.
  • Practice paraphrasing — the IELTS rewards using synonyms and varied phrasing rather than repeating question language.
  • Focus on academic word families — knowing all forms of a word (noun, verb, adjective, adverb) increases flexibility.
  • Read quality newspapers and journals to naturally absorb the register and vocabulary level expected at Band 7+.
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All 3570 IELTS words

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abide
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abnormal
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aboard
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abolition
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abort
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abortion
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abrupt
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absence
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absent
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absolute
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absolutely
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absorb
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absorption
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abstract
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absurd
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absurdity
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abundant
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abuse
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academic
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academy
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acceleration
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access
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accident
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accidental
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accidentally
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accommodate
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accompaniment
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accompany
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accomplish
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accomplishment
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account
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accountable
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accountant
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accounting
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accumulation
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accuracy
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accurate
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accusation
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accuse
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accused
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achieve
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acid
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acknowledge
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acquaintance
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acquire
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acquisition
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activate
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actively
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acute
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adapt
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