Examiners do not count rare words — they listen for natural word partnerships, called collocations: “heavy rain,” not “strong rain.” Learn vocabulary in topic sets, the way IELTS topics repeat, and always learn the whole phrase, never a single word alone.
Topic set 1 — Environment
- carbon emissions — “Governments should tax carbon emissions.”
- renewable energy — solar, wind, and water power.
- pose a threat to — “Plastic waste poses a threat to marine life.”
- environmentally friendly — products and habits that do little harm.
Topic set 2 — Education
- academic achievement — success in study.
- distance learning — studying online from home.
- acquire knowledge — a formal way to say “learn.”
- a well-rounded education — an education covering many areas, not one subject.
Topic set 3 — Technology
- cutting-edge technology — the newest technology.
- rely heavily on — “We rely heavily on our phones for directions.”
- keep in touch with — stay in contact with people.
- state-of-the-art — using the very latest ideas and technology.
Topic set 4 — Health
- a sedentary lifestyle — a life with very little movement.
- a balanced diet — eating a healthy variety of food.
- suffer from stress — be badly affected by stress.
- take regular exercise — exercise as a habit, not an event.
How to make the words stick
Write one sentence about your own life for each phrase, say it out loud, and reuse the same phrases in Speaking and Writing practice for a week. Four phrases used accurately beat forty phrases used wrongly.
Your practice task: pick one topic set and write four sentences about your own country or your own life — one sentence per phrase. Go deeper with Band 7+ vocabulary: Learn words by topic, not by list →