IELTS vocabulary list by topic

120 words and phrases for the topics IELTS keeps returning to, each with a plain definition and an example sentence.

Lexical Resource is a quarter of your Writing and Speaking score, and it rewards precision more than rarity. These words were chosen because they come up again and again in IELTS topics and are easy to misuse — every one has an original example sentence showing it in a natural context.

Vocabulary by topic

Education

The classroom-and-university words that anchor one of the most common IELTS themes.

curriculumnoun: The full set of subjects and content a school or course teaches.Critics argue the national curriculum leaves little room for creative subjects.
tuitionnoun: Teaching, especially paid teaching; also the fee charged for it.Many graduates spend a decade repaying their tuition fees.
compulsoryadjective: Required by rule or law; not optional.School attendance is compulsory until the age of sixteen.
undergraduatenoun: A university student who has not yet completed a first degree.Most undergraduates now combine study with part-time work.
vocationaladjective: Focused on the practical skills of a particular trade or job.Vocational training gives school leavers a direct route into skilled work.
literacynoun: The ability to read and write.Adult literacy programmes transformed employment rates in the region.
syllabusnoun: The planned list of topics a single course will cover.The examiner can only test what appears on the official syllabus.
plagiarismnoun: Presenting someone else's work or ideas as your own.Universities use detection software to identify plagiarism in essays.
scholarshipnoun: Money awarded to a student to pay for their studies.She attended the academy on a full scholarship.
assessmentnoun: The process of testing and judging a student's progress.Continuous assessment suits students who underperform in final exams.
extracurricularadjective: Outside the formal programme of lessons.Employers increasingly value extracurricular activities such as debating or sport.
rote learningphrase: Memorising by repetition rather than by understanding.Rote learning may pass exams, but it rarely builds problem-solving skills.

Environment

Climate, conservation and pollution vocabulary for essays, passages and Part 3 alike.

emissionsnoun: Gases or substances released into the air, especially by vehicles and industry.The city cut traffic emissions by expanding its tram network.
deforestationnoun: The clearing of forests over a wide area.Deforestation has pushed several species to the edge of extinction.
renewableadjective: Able to be replaced naturally and never used up, as with wind or solar power.Renewable sources now supply a third of the country's electricity.
biodiversitynoun: The variety of plant and animal life in a place.Wetlands support remarkable biodiversity despite their small area.
conservationnoun: The protection of nature and resources from loss or damage.The trust funds conservation projects on protected coastline.
contaminationnoun: The presence of harmful or unwanted substances in something clean.Testing revealed contamination of the groundwater near the factory.
habitatnoun: The natural home of an animal or plant.Road building fragmented the habitat of the red squirrel.
droughtnoun: A long period with too little rain.The reservoir fell to record lows during the summer drought.
ecosystemnoun: A community of living things interacting with their environment.Removing one predator can unbalance an entire ecosystem.
depletionnoun: The using-up or reduction of a resource.Overfishing has caused severe depletion of cod stocks.
sustainableadjective: Able to continue long-term without exhausting resources.Sustainable farming keeps the soil productive for future generations.
carbon footprintphrase: The total greenhouse gas produced by a person, product or activity.Flying less is the fastest way to shrink a personal carbon footprint.

Technology & society

The innovation-and-its-consequences words modern IELTS questions lean on.

automationnoun: The use of machines to do work previously done by people.Automation has eliminated many routine factory roles.
obsoleteadjective: No longer used because something newer has replaced it.Physical maps became almost obsolete within a decade of smartphones.
breakthroughnoun: A sudden important discovery or development.The vaccine was a genuine breakthrough in preventive medicine.
surveillancenoun: Close observation of people, often by cameras or data tracking.Constant surveillance in public spaces raises privacy concerns.
connectivitynoun: The state of being connected, especially to the internet.Rural areas still suffer from poor connectivity.
algorithmnoun: A set of rules a computer follows to solve a problem or make a choice.The platform's algorithm decides which stories users see first.
digital dividephrase: The gap between people with and without access to modern technology.Remote schooling widened the digital divide between rich and poor households.
cybersecuritynoun: Protection of computers and data from attack or theft.Banks spend heavily on cybersecurity after several high-profile breaches.
innovationnoun: A new idea, method or product — or the act of creating one.Competition between start-ups accelerates innovation.
virtualadjective: Existing on computers or online rather than physically.The museum offers virtual tours of its entire collection.
user-friendlyadjective: Easy for ordinary people to use.The redesigned booking system is far more user-friendly.
screen timephrase: Time spent using devices with screens.Paediatricians recommend limiting young children's screen time.

Health

Public-health and lifestyle vocabulary for one of the exam's favourite debates.

sedentaryadjective: Involving much sitting and little exercise.Office workers offset their sedentary routine with lunchtime walks.
nutritionnoun: The process of getting the food the body needs; the study of food and health.Poor nutrition in childhood affects performance at school.
epidemicnoun: A rapid spread of a disease — or, figuratively, of a harmful trend.Health officials warned of an obesity epidemic among teenagers.
immunitynoun: The body's ability to resist an infection.Vaccination gives lasting immunity against measles.
wellbeingnoun: The state of feeling healthy, comfortable and happy.Flexible hours improved staff wellbeing more than the pay rise did.
preventiveadjective: Intended to stop illness before it happens.Preventive care costs far less than emergency treatment.
prescriptionnoun: A doctor's written order for medicine.The antibiotics are only available on prescription.
therapynoun: Treatment intended to heal the body or mind.Talking therapy proved as effective as medication for mild depression.
chronicadjective: Lasting a long time; hard to cure.Chronic back pain keeps thousands of people out of work.
life expectancyphrase: The average number of years a person can expect to live.Life expectancy rose sharply once clean water became universal.
vaccinationnoun: Giving a vaccine to protect against disease.Routine childhood vaccination has almost eliminated polio.
junk foodphrase: Food high in calories but low in nutritional value.Several countries now tax junk food advertising aimed at children.

Work & careers

Employment vocabulary for GT letters, Part 1 questions and workplace essays.

recruitmentnoun: The process of finding and hiring new staff.The firm moved its recruitment entirely online.
redundancynoun: Loss of a job because the role is no longer needed.The factory closure led to three hundred redundancies.
promotionnoun: A move to a more senior position.She earned a promotion within her first year.
freelanceadjective: Working independently for different clients rather than one employer.He left the agency to do freelance design work.
workloadnoun: The amount of work a person is expected to do.Unrealistic workloads are the main cause of staff turnover.
internshipnoun: A short period of work experience, often for students.A summer internship gave her a foothold in publishing.
colleaguenoun: A person you work with.He credits a senior colleague with teaching him the trade.
retirementnoun: The period of life after stopping full-time work.Rising costs are pushing retirement later for many workers.
qualificationnoun: An exam passed or a course completed that proves your ability.The role requires a teaching qualification.
commuteverb: To travel regularly between home and work.Thousands commute into the capital every morning.
work-life balancephrase: The division of time between work and personal life.Remote work improved his work-life balance dramatically.
job securityphrase: The likelihood of keeping a job long-term.Permanent contracts offer job security that gig work cannot.

Cities & transport

Urbanisation and infrastructure words — a staple of maps, charts and essays.

congestionnoun: Overcrowding, especially of traffic.The toll charge halved congestion in the city centre.
infrastructurenoun: The basic systems a place needs — roads, power, water, transport.Ageing infrastructure struggles to cope with the growing population.
pedestriannoun: A person travelling on foot.The high street was closed to cars and given over to pedestrians.
urbanisationnoun: The growth of cities as people move from the countryside.Rapid urbanisation strained the city's housing supply.
amenitiesnoun: Useful facilities such as shops, parks and libraries.The new suburb lacks basic amenities within walking distance.
commuternoun: A person who travels regularly to work or study.Commuters faced long delays after the signal failure.
suburbnoun: A residential area on the edge of a city.Families moved to the suburbs in search of larger homes.
dwellingnoun: A place where someone lives; a house or flat.The scheme will add four thousand affordable dwellings.
densely populatedphrase: Having many people living in a small area.The island is one of the most densely populated places on earth.
outskirtsnoun: The outer parts of a town or city.The stadium was built on the outskirts, far from the centre.
cycle lanephrase: A road strip reserved for bicycles.Protected cycle lanes doubled the number of daily riders.
rush hourphrase: The busiest travel periods of the day.The metro runs every two minutes during rush hour.

Media & advertising

Press, broadcasting and marketing vocabulary for opinion essays and Part 3.

censorshipnoun: Official control over what may be published or broadcast.Strict censorship kept the scandal out of the newspapers.
consumerismnoun: A culture built around buying ever more goods.Critics blame advertising for fuelling consumerism among the young.
endorsementnoun: Public support for a product, often by a celebrity.The brand paid millions for the athlete's endorsement.
journalismnoun: The work of reporting news.Investigative journalism exposed the safety failures.
misleadingadjective: Giving a false impression, deliberately or not.The regulator banned the advert as misleading.
publicitynoun: Public attention given to something, especially by the media.The launch attracted worldwide publicity.
broadcastverb: To send out a programme on television, radio or the internet.The interview was broadcast to an audience of millions.
mass mediaphrase: Newspapers, television and other channels reaching large audiences.The mass media shapes public opinion on health issues.
target audiencephrase: The specific group a message or product is aimed at.Cartoons in the advert reveal its real target audience: children.
sensationalismnoun: Presenting news in a shocking, exaggerated way to attract attention.Sensationalism sells papers but erodes trust in the press.
impartialadjective: Not favouring one side; neutral.Public broadcasters are required to remain impartial during elections.
word of mouthphrase: Information spread by people telling each other.The café's popularity grew entirely by word of mouth.

Exam-skill vocabulary

Trend verbs for Task 1

The precise verbs that lift a chart report — movement, scale and cause.

fluctuateverb: To rise and fall irregularly.Prices fluctuated between forty and sixty dollars all year.
surgeverb: To increase suddenly and strongly.Online sales surged during the holiday period.
declineverb: To decrease gradually.Cinema attendance declined steadily after 2010.
plummetverb: To fall very quickly and steeply.The share price plummeted when the merger collapsed.
plateauverb: To stop changing after a period of growth.Membership plateaued at around two million.
peakverb: To reach the highest point.Energy use peaked in mid-winter before falling away.
constituteverb: To make up or form a part of a whole.Exports constituted nearly half of total revenue.
account forphrase: To form the stated share of a total.Road transport accounted for a fifth of all emissions.
overtakeverb: To become larger or more successful than something else.By 2015, mobile browsing had overtaken desktop.
trebleverb: To become three times as large.The student population trebled in two decades.
level offphrase: To stop rising or falling and become steady.Growth levelled off in the final quarter.
outnumberverb: To be greater in number than.By the end of the period, renters outnumbered homeowners.

Linking words & phrases

Cohesion signposts for essays and Part 3 answers — with the meaning each one signals.

consequentlyadverb: As a result of what was just said.The bridge closed for repairs; consequently, journey times doubled.
furthermoreadverb: Adds a second, reinforcing point.The scheme is expensive; furthermore, it benefits very few residents.
neverthelessadverb: Despite that; introduces a contrast with what came before.The evidence was thin; nevertheless, the theory gained support.
whereasphrase: Contrasts two facts within one sentence.Cities attract young workers, whereas rural areas keep older populations.
moreoveradverb: Adds an even stronger supporting point.Cycling is cheap; moreover, it improves public health.
in contrastphrase: Introduces an opposite situation.Northern regions grew rapidly. In contrast, the south stagnated.
as a resultphrase: Introduces the effect of a cause.Fuel taxes rose sharply. As a result, car use fell.
despitephrase: Introduces something that did not prevent the main event.Despite heavy investment, test scores barely moved.
provided thatphrase: Introduces a condition that must be met.Tourism benefits local people, provided that profits stay in the community.
in other wordsphrase: Restates an idea more simply.The tax is regressive — in other words, it hits the poor hardest.
to some extentphrase: Partially; introduces a limited agreement.To some extent, advertising does inform consumers.
on balancephrase: After weighing both sides; introduces a final judgement.On balance, the advantages of the policy outweigh its costs.

Spelling traps for Listening

Words students hear correctly and still spell wrong — every one costs a real mark.

accommodationnoun: A place to live or stay. Trap: double c AND double m.University accommodation is allocated in August.
restaurantnoun: A place where meals are served. Trap: the silent -au-.The restaurant seats eighty guests.
Wednesdaynoun: The third weekday. Trap: the silent d — Wed-nes-day.The seminar moved to Wednesday afternoon.
Februarynoun: The second month. Trap: the first r — Feb-ru-ary.Applications close in February.
receiptnoun: Proof of payment. Trap: e before i, plus a silent p.Keep the receipt in case the item is faulty.
questionnairenoun: A written set of survey questions. Trap: double n.Each visitor completed a short questionnaire.
temperaturenoun: How hot or cold something is. Trap: the -era- in the middle.Store the samples at room temperature.
governmentnoun: The group that runs a country. Trap: the n before -ment.The government announced new funding for colleges.
environmentnoun: The natural world around us. Trap: the n before -ment.The charity protects the local environment.
necessaryadjective: Needed; essential. Trap: one c, double s.Booking is necessary for groups of ten or more.
separateadjective: Apart; not joined. Trap: -par-, never -per-.Payment is made in two separate instalments.
definitelyadverb: Certainly; without doubt. Trap: -finite-, never -finate-.The tour will definitely run if six people book.

Reading a list is not the same as remembering it.

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Common questions

How many words do I need for IELTS?

There is no fixed number. What moves your Lexical Resource score is using topic words precisely and naturally — the right collocation, the right register — rather than knowing thousands of rare words. A few hundred well-used words across the common topics will do more for your band than a memorised list of 1,000.

Should I use advanced vocabulary in IELTS Writing and Speaking?

Use precise vocabulary, not showy vocabulary. Examiners reward less common words only when they are used correctly and in the right context; a rare word used slightly wrongly costs more than a common word used well. Every word on this page comes with an example sentence so you can see how it is actually used.

What is the best way to learn IELTS vocabulary?

Learn words in phrases and by topic, not as isolated items. Say the example sentence aloud, write one sentence of your own, and revisit the word a few days later. Spaced review — seeing a word again just before you would forget it — is far more efficient than rereading a long list.

Is this vocabulary useful for CD IELTS as well as paper IELTS?

Yes. The content and marking of computer-delivered IELTS are identical to the paper test, so the same vocabulary serves both. On the computer you will type your Writing answers, which makes the spelling-traps set particularly worth reviewing.