8 topics · 40 swaps · 16-question drill
IELTS vocabulary by band
Band 6learn a lotBand 7 to 8acquire a broad range of skills
Word partneracquire skills
Students who take part in debates acquire a broad range of skills, from research to public speaking.
Band 6very importantBand 7 to 8essential
Word partneran essential part of
Reading for pleasure is an essential part of a child's language development.
Band 6get good marksBand 7 to 8achieve high grades
Word partnerachieve grades
She needs to achieve higher grades in science to apply for medicine.
Band 6students who are not interestedBand 7 to 8disengaged students
Word partnerbecome disengaged
Lessons built only on memorisation can leave students disengaged.
Band 6go to universityBand 7 to 8pursue higher education
Word partnerpursue a degree
Rising fees may discourage some school leavers from pursuing higher education.
What Lexical Resource rewards
| Band | What the examiner looks for |
|---|---|
| Band 6 | An adequate range of vocabulary for the task. Meaning is generally clear despite some wrong word choices. |
| Band 7 | Enough range for some flexibility and precision. Some less common words, used with awareness of style and collocation. |
| Band 8 | A wide range used fluently and flexibly for precise meaning. Uncommon words used skilfully, with only rare slips. |
Precision beats rarity. A plain word used exactly is safer than an unusual one used nearly right.
Put them to work
Questions people ask
What vocabulary gets band 7 or 8 in IELTS?
Precise words used with their natural partners. Band 7 asks for some less common words used with awareness of style and collocation; band 8 a wide range used flexibly, with rare slips. Rare words used wrongly lower your band.
How much is vocabulary worth in IELTS?
Lexical Resource is one of the four criteria examiners use in Writing and in Speaking. In Reading and Listening, vocabulary decides whether you recognise paraphrases of the answer.
What is a collocation?
Words that naturally go together: take measures, commit a crime, narrow the gap. Examiners notice wrong partners such as do a crime even when every single word is correct.
Should I memorise word lists?
Learn phrases, not single words: the verb with its noun, used in a sentence of your own. A short list you can use correctly is worth more than a long one you cannot.
Which topics come up in Writing Task 2?
Education, environment, technology, health, work, crime, cities and society appear again and again. Each set here covers one.
Sources
- 1IELTS, Academic test format: WritingChecked 13 October 2026.
- 2IELTS, Academic test format: SpeakingChecked 13 October 2026.
- 3IELTS, IELTS scoring in detailChecked 13 October 2026.