IELTS Tips: Using the "Right" Vocabulary
Today’s topic is one of the core areas of study for a lot of an IELTS student: vocabulary. This is a topic that can get very detailed, so today we’re going to keep it simple and answer a single question that students often ask: “What kind of words should I use in the test?”
Have you ever wondered about that? What kind of vocabulary you should use for the IELTS test? Some students try to use highly academic vocabulary throughout the test, but this isn’t always the right choice for the situation.
In order to achieve a Band 7, IELTS test takers need to be flexible in how they use their vocabulary.
So, what does it mean to use vocabulary flexibly? Well, this definitely does not mean using the most academic vocabulary for every question. If you only use formal, academic language, you are not being flexible. Instead, it’s important to decide which situations require different kinds of language.
Here are two example questions:
1. What do you remember most about your childhood?
2. At what age do children become adults?
Clearly, the first question is a personal one about your life. This is the kind of question a friend might ask you. If you use academic vocabulary to respond, it may sound strange.
“When I ruminate on my experiences as a pre-adolescent, my mind lingers on education.”
Great vocabulary words, right? But in this situation, it’s too stiff and formal; it doesn’t sound realistic for a person to speak that way in this situation. Instead, try this:
“When I think of those days, I always remember my elementary school.”
This is a much better answer because it responds to the question in a personal tone that connects to the idea of looking back on your memories.
Now let’s look at question #2. This question is asking about children in general, and lets you talk about your opinions instead of your experiences. Here we have an opportunity to use advanced vocabulary and being too casual might sound strange.
“I guess it’s different everywhere. In some places it’s fifteen, in some places it’s twenty-one.”
This answer might be a bit too casual for the situation. Try exploring the topic in more depth to use a bit more vocabulary.
“I suppose that’s subjective. I mean, it’s different for every culture. In some countries, kids are considered adults after their fifteenth birthday. In other areas, it’s not until they turn twenty-one.”
This answer uses some more advanced vocabulary, and it fits very well into the situation of analysing a question that people have different opinions about.
There are a lot of ways to be more flexible with your vocabulary, and we will continue to talk about those in future posts. For now, I hope you’ve learned a bit about deciding what questions require advanced vocabulary and what questions don’t.
Check out the sample questions below and decide what kind of vocabulary you would use if you were asked these questions. Post your answers in the comments below!
§ Who are you closest to in your family?
§ Are there many different types of family in your country?
§ What characteristics do elder siblings often have?
§ What is more important to you, family or friends?
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