IELTS topics vocabulary

16 common exam themes, from education to the economy. 96 words to learn and practise.

0 / 96 learned0 due for review

Practice mode

0 due for review · 96 new words

Word list: IELTS topics

96 words

curriculumnounb2
Education
the subjects taught in a school or course
“Coding should be part of the school curriculum.”
Similar: syllabus
Common phrases: national curriculum
tuitionnounb2
Education
teaching, or the fees paid for it
“University tuition has become very expensive.”
Similar: fees
Common phrases: tuition fees · private tuition
literacynounb2
Education
the ability to read and write
“Adult literacy rates have improved.”
Common phrases: literacy rate · digital literacy
vocationaladjectiveb2
Education
preparing for a specific job
“Vocational courses teach practical skills.”
Common phrases: vocational training
compulsoryadjectiveb2
Education
required by law or rules
“Education is compulsory until 16.”
Similar: mandatory, obligatory
Common phrases: compulsory education
academic performancenounb2
Education
how well a student does at school
“Sleep affects academic performance.”
Common phrases: improve academic performance
emissionsnounb2
Environment
gases sent into the air
“Cars produce harmful emissions.”
Common phrases: carbon emissions · reduce emissions
renewableadjectiveb2
Environment
naturally replaced, not running out
“Solar power is a renewable energy source.”
Similar: sustainable
Common phrases: renewable energy
deforestationnounb2
Environment
cutting down large areas of forest
“Deforestation threatens many species.”
Common phrases: tropical deforestation
biodiversitynounb2
Environment
the variety of living things in an area
“Wetlands support rich biodiversity.”
Common phrases: loss of biodiversity
conservationnounb2
Environment
protection of nature
“Conservation projects protect endangered animals.”
Similar: preservation
Common phrases: wildlife conservation
sustainableadjectiveb2
Environment
able to continue without damaging the environment
“We need sustainable farming methods.”
Similar: eco-friendly
Common phrases: sustainable development
breakthroughnounb2
Technology
an important new discovery
“Scientists made a breakthrough in cancer research.”
Similar: advance
Common phrases: major breakthrough
obsoleteadjectiveb2
Technology
no longer used because something newer exists
“Many older phones are now obsolete.”
Similar: outdated
Common phrases: become obsolete
reliancenounb2
Technology
depending on something
“Our reliance on smartphones is growing.”
Similar: dependence
Common phrases: heavy reliance on
cutting-edgeadjectiveb2
Technology
the most modern and advanced
“The lab uses cutting-edge equipment.”
Similar: state-of-the-art
Common phrases: cutting-edge technology
surveillancenounb2
Technology
careful watching of people
“Cities are increasing video surveillance.”
Similar: monitoring
Common phrases: mass surveillance
connectivitynounb2
Technology
being connected to the internet or others
“Rural areas need better connectivity.”
Common phrases: internet connectivity
life expectancynounb2
Health
how long people are expected to live
“Life expectancy has risen in most countries.”
Common phrases: average life expectancy
healthcarenounb2
Health
services for treating illness
“Healthcare should be free for everyone.”
Similar: medical care
Common phrases: healthcare system · access to healthcare
preventiveadjectiveb2
Health
intended to stop something happening
“Preventive medicine saves money.”
Similar: preventative
Common phrases: preventive measures
epidemicnounb2
Health
a disease spreading quickly among many people
“The country faced an epidemic of flu.”
Similar: outbreak
Common phrases: obesity epidemic
chronicadjectiveb2
Health
lasting a long time
“She suffers from chronic back pain.”
Similar: long-term
Common phrases: chronic illness
sedentary lifestylenounb2
Health
a way of life with little physical activity
“A sedentary lifestyle increases health risks.”
Common phrases: lead a sedentary lifestyle
workforcenounb2
Work and careers
all the people working in a country or company
“Women make up half of the workforce.”
Similar: labour force
Common phrases: skilled workforce
job securitynounb2
Work and careers
confidence that you will keep your job
“Many young people lack job security.”
Common phrases: offer job security
flexible workingnounb2
Work and careers
choosing when or where you work
“Flexible working improves staff morale.”
Common phrases: offer flexible working
unemploymentnounb2
Work and careers
the state of not having a job
“Youth unemployment is a major concern.”
Similar: joblessness
Common phrases: high unemployment · unemployment rate
work-life balancenounb2
Work and careers
balance between job and personal life
“Remote work can improve work-life balance.”
Common phrases: achieve a work-life balance
remunerationnounb2
Work and careers
payment for work
“Remuneration should reflect responsibility.”
Similar: pay, salary
Common phrases: fair remuneration
offendernounb2
Crime and law
a person who has committed a crime
“Young offenders need education, not just punishment.”
Similar: criminal
Common phrases: repeat offender
deterrentnounb2
Crime and law
something that discourages an action
“Heavy fines act as a deterrent.”
Similar: disincentive
Common phrases: effective deterrent
rehabilitationnounb2
Crime and law
helping someone return to normal life
“Prisons should focus on rehabilitation.”
Common phrases: rehabilitation programme
legislationnounb2
Crime and law
laws made by a government
“New legislation bans smoking indoors.”
Similar: law
Common phrases: introduce legislation
juvenileadjectiveb2
Crime and law
relating to young people
“Juvenile crime has fallen.”
Similar: youth
Common phrases: juvenile offender
enforceverbb2
Crime and law
make sure a law is obeyed
“Police enforce speed limits.”
Similar: impose
Common phrases: enforce the law
coveragenounb2
Media and advertising
the reporting of news
“The election received wide media coverage.”
Similar: reporting
Common phrases: media coverage
biasnounb2
Media and advertising
an unfair preference for one side
“Some newspapers show political bias.”
Similar: prejudice
Common phrases: media bias
misinformationnounb2
Media and advertising
false information
“Misinformation spreads quickly online.”
Common phrases: spread misinformation
target audiencenounb2
Media and advertising
the people a product or message is aimed at
“Teenagers are the target audience for this advert.”
Common phrases: reach a target audience
persuasiveadjectiveb2
Media and advertising
able to make people believe or do something
“Adverts use persuasive language.”
Similar: convincing
Common phrases: persuasive techniques
consumerismnounb2
Media and advertising
a focus on buying goods
“Advertising encourages consumerism.”
Similar: materialism
Common phrases: rise of consumerism
multinationaladjectiveb2
Globalisation
operating in several countries
“Multinational companies employ millions.”
Similar: international
Common phrases: multinational corporation
homogenisationnounb2
Globalisation
making things the same
“Globalisation can lead to cultural homogenisation.”
Common phrases: cultural homogenisation
interdependencenounb2
Globalisation
depending on each other
“Trade creates interdependence between nations.”
Common phrases: economic interdependence
outsourcingnounb2
Globalisation
paying other companies, often abroad, to do work
“Outsourcing has cut costs for many firms.”
Common phrases: outsourcing jobs
free tradenounb2
Globalisation
trade without taxes or limits between countries
“Free trade agreements lower prices.”
Common phrases: free trade agreement
cross-culturaladjectiveb2
Globalisation
involving different cultures
“Cross-cultural communication is vital in business.”
Similar: intercultural
Common phrases: cross-cultural understanding
urbanisationnounb2
Cities and urbanisation
the growth of towns and cities
“Rapid urbanisation creates housing shortages.”
Common phrases: rapid urbanisation
infrastructurenounb2
Cities and urbanisation
basic systems like roads, power and water
“The city must invest in infrastructure.”
Common phrases: transport infrastructure
congestionnounb2
Cities and urbanisation
too much traffic
“Congestion charges reduce traffic in city centres.”
Similar: traffic jam
Common phrases: traffic congestion
overcrowdedadjectiveb2
Cities and urbanisation
with too many people
“Many city schools are overcrowded.”
Similar: packed
Common phrases: overcrowded housing
amenitiesnounb2
Cities and urbanisation
useful facilities like parks and shops
“The area has excellent amenities.”
Similar: facilities
Common phrases: local amenities
sprawlnounb2
Cities and urbanisation
the spread of a city into the countryside
“Urban sprawl destroys farmland.”
Common phrases: urban sprawl
commuternounb2
Transport
someone who travels regularly to work
“Commuters face long delays every morning.”
Common phrases: daily commuter
public transportnounb2
Transport
buses, trains and trams for everyone
“Cities should invest in public transport.”
Common phrases: use public transport
fuel-efficientadjectiveb2
Transport
using little fuel
“Fuel-efficient cars are cheaper to run.”
Similar: economical
Common phrases: fuel-efficient vehicle
pedestriannounb2
Transport
a person walking in the street
“The centre is now for pedestrians only.”
Similar: walker
Common phrases: pedestrian zone · pedestrian crossing
tollnounb2
Transport
money paid to use a road or bridge
“Drivers pay a toll to cross the bridge.”
Similar: charge
Common phrases: road toll
gridlocknounb2
Transport
a traffic jam where nothing moves
“The storm caused gridlock across the city.”
Common phrases: total gridlock
ecotourismnounb2
Tourism
tourism that protects nature
“Ecotourism supports local communities.”
Common phrases: promote ecotourism
heritagenounb2
Tourism
traditions and buildings from the past
“The old town is a world heritage site.”
Similar: legacy
Common phrases: cultural heritage · heritage site
influxnounb2
Tourism
many people arriving
“The island sees an influx of tourists in summer.”
Similar: inflow
Common phrases: an influx of visitors
hospitalitynounb2
Tourism
the business of hotels and restaurants
“She works in the hospitality industry.”
Common phrases: hospitality sector
off the beaten trackidiomb2
Tourism
away from popular places
“We stayed in a village off the beaten track.”
Similar: remote
Common phrases: travel off the beaten track
overtourismnounb2
Tourism
too many tourists for a place
“Overtourism is damaging historic cities.”
Common phrases: tackle overtourism
cultural identitynounb2
Culture and the arts
the sense of belonging to a culture
“Language is central to cultural identity.”
Common phrases: preserve cultural identity
subsidiseverbb2
Culture and the arts
pay part of the cost
“The government subsidises theatres.”
Similar: fund
Common phrases: heavily subsidise
masterpiecenounb2
Culture and the arts
an excellent piece of art
“The painting is considered a masterpiece.”
Common phrases: a literary masterpiece
contemporaryadjectiveb2
Culture and the arts
modern, of the present time
“The gallery shows contemporary art.”
Similar: modern
Common phrases: contemporary music
aestheticadjectiveb2
Culture and the arts
relating to beauty
“The building has little aesthetic value.”
Similar: artistic
Common phrases: aesthetic appeal
preserveverbb2
Culture and the arts
keep in its original state
“We must preserve traditional crafts.”
Similar: protect, conserve
Common phrases: preserve culture
peer reviewnounc1
Science and research
evaluation of research by other experts
“The study has passed peer review.”
Common phrases: undergo peer review
fundingnounc1
Science and research
money given for a purpose
“Research funding has been cut.”
Similar: financing
Common phrases: government funding
ethicaladjectivec1
Science and research
relating to right and wrong
“Animal testing raises ethical questions.”
Similar: moral
Common phrases: ethical issues · ethical concerns
replicateverbc1
Science and research
repeat an experiment with the same results
“Other teams could not replicate the results.”
Similar: reproduce
Common phrases: replicate a study
pioneeringadjectivec1
Science and research
being the first to develop something
“She did pioneering work on vaccines.”
Similar: groundbreaking
Common phrases: pioneering research
adventnounc1
Science and research
the arrival of something important
“The advent of the internet changed everything.”
Similar: arrival
Common phrases: the advent of
welfarenounc1
Government and society
help given by the state to people in need
“Welfare spending has increased.”
Similar: social security
Common phrases: welfare state
taxationnounc1
Government and society
the system of taxes
“Higher taxation could fund better schools.”
Common phrases: progressive taxation
inequalitynounc1
Government and society
unfair differences between groups
“Income inequality is growing.”
Similar: disparity
Common phrases: social inequality
bureaucracynounc1
Government and society
complicated official rules and processes
“Small businesses complain about bureaucracy.”
Similar: red tape
Common phrases: cut bureaucracy
allocateverbc1
Government and society
give resources for a purpose
“The council allocated funds to parks.”
Similar: assign
Common phrases: allocate resources
civicadjectivec1
Government and society
relating to citizens and a town
“Voting is a civic duty.”
Common phrases: civic responsibility
upbringingnounb2
Family and relationships
the way a child is raised
“Her strict upbringing shaped her character.”
Common phrases: a happy upbringing
nuclear familynounb2
Family and relationships
parents and their children only
“The nuclear family is now less common.”
Common phrases: traditional nuclear family
extended familynounb2
Family and relationships
a family including grandparents, aunts and cousins
“She grew up surrounded by her extended family.”
Common phrases: live with extended family
generation gapnounb2
Family and relationships
differences between older and younger people
“Technology has widened the generation gap.”
Common phrases: bridge the generation gap
siblingnounb2
Family and relationships
a brother or sister
“Siblings often compete for attention.”
Common phrases: sibling rivalry
role modelnounb2
Family and relationships
someone people admire and copy
“Parents are children’s first role models.”
Common phrases: positive role model
recessionnounb2
Economy and money
a period when the economy shrinks
“Many businesses closed during the recession.”
Similar: downturn
Common phrases: economic recession
inflationnounb2
Economy and money
a general rise in prices
“Inflation reached 8% last year.”
Common phrases: high inflation · rate of inflation
disposable incomenounb2
Economy and money
money left after taxes and bills
“Young people have little disposable income.”
Common phrases: increase disposable income
affluentadjectiveb2
Economy and money
wealthy
“Affluent areas have better schools.”
Similar: wealthy, prosperous
Common phrases: affluent society
povertynounb2
Economy and money
the state of being very poor
“Millions still live in poverty.”
Similar: hardship
Common phrases: live in poverty · reduce poverty
consumer spendingnounb2
Economy and money
money spent by the public on goods
“Consumer spending rose over the holidays.”
Common phrases: boost consumer spending