Enhance IELTS speaking vocabulary | Top 30 effective words!

IELTS speaking vocabulary | An overview

The speaking section of IELTS assesses the student’s English speaking skills. It is the same for both the academic and general tests, and candidates can take the module a week before or after completing other modules. There are a few parameters that candidates have to fulfill to score high in this section, some of which are fluency, grammatical accuracy, and pronunciation. Apart from this, one other parameter you must consider is vocabulary.

Often candidates get confused regarding the kinds of words to use. Advanced vocabulary can refine your answers, allowing you to score better marks. However, it is essential to know which words to use and the correct meaning of those words. So to help you out, here’s an exclusive blog on IELTS speaking vocabulary. Keep reading!

A little bit more about the IELTS speaking test!

The IELTS speaking test is a one-to-one, casual conversation with an IELTS examiner. The exam is broken into three sections — Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3, and overall, it takes 11 to 14 minutes to complete the test. Given below is the breakdown of the sections –

Part 1: Introduction and interview

In Part 1 of the IELTS speaking test, you must answer questions about yourselves, including family, work, hobbies, etc. The time allotted for this section is 4-5 minutes.

Part 2: Individual long term

Here, you are given a card, basis which you have to talk about a particular topic. You will be allotted a minute to prepare before speaking. Once you finish, the examiner may ask one or two questions on the topic. The total time for this part of the test is around 3-4 minutes.

Part 3: Two-way discussion

In Part 3, you will be asked further questions related to the topic in Part 2. These questions will enable you to discuss more ideas and issues. The total time allotted for this is 4-5 minutes.

IELTS speaking vocabulary | A list of the phrases and words

The topics for the IELTS speaking test comprise travel, health, education, food and nutrition, friends and family, and much more. Here are some of the resourceful IELTS speaking vocabulary that you must know of –

IELTS speaking vocabulary | Common phrases or words

Phrases or words	Meaning
Quarrel with	Dispute or disagree with something
Romp in	Win easily
Limber up for	Be ready to invest a significant amount of effort
Measure against	Evaluate or judge by comparison
Invigorating	It makes one feel powerful, healthy and energized
Mere	Used to illustrate how unimportant someone or something is
Pinnacle	The most prosperous point.
Ludicrous	Illogical or out of place
Proponent	Someone who argues for something
Pass over	Ignore, refuse to discuss

IELTS speaking vocabulary | Friends and family

Phrases or words	Meaning
A shoulder to cry on	Someone to sympathize with you
Immediate family	Spouse, parents, children, grandparents
Close-knit family	A close family with common interests
Distant cousins	People who share a common ancestor but are not closely related
Extended family	Uncles, aunts, and cousins form part of the extended family.

IELTS speaking vocabulary | Travel and tourism

Phrases or words	Meaning
Quaint villages	Old-fashioned or charming small towns
Packaged deals	Travel deals that are put together by an agency and sold as a package
Off the beaten track	A place that is not on the main thoroughfare
Swarming with tourists	Full of holidaymakers
Guided tours	Walking, hiking, or driving visits led by a guide who knows the area

IELTS speaking vocabulary | Education

Phrases or words	Meaning
Encourage collaboration	Learning together through discussions
League tables	Tables that rank the position of schools according to  academic success
Intonation	The ‘singing’ sound of speech
Dictation	Writing down what the teacher says accurately and fast.
Sail through them	Not to have to work hard and to find things easy

IELTS speaking vocabulary | University and student life

Phrases or words	Meaning
Day in, day out	Full-time without a break
Student union	An organization for students / sometimes a physical place
Technical colleges	Places that do not demand such high entrance qualifications as university
Halls of residence	A particular place for students to live
Vocational studies	Focus on learning or mastering a skill

Key takeaways

• The IELTS exam is one of the most basic language proficiency tests that study abroad aspirants need to answer. 
• The exam tests your command of the English language – from grammar to pronunciation to vocabulary. 
• A strong IELTS speaking vocabulary will help you refine your answers, allowing you to score better on the test.
• However, it is important to know the word’s correct meaning so you can use them correctly.
• The best way to improve your IELTS speaking vocabulary is to become acquainted with new words and fully comprehend their meanings. 
• Today, there are a lot of online dictionaries that you can refer to improve your vocabulary. 
• In addition to this, you can also join IELTS test prep classes that will train you for the exam. 

If you are preparing for the exam and need assistance with IELTS speaking vocabulary, contact us today! We are here to help. 

Liked this blog? Then read, Advantages and disadvantages essay IELTS | 5 tips for perfection!

FAQs

Question 1: Is it necessary to employ idioms to achieve a higher band score in IELTS speaking? 

Answer: If you are familiar with the idioms, you can use them when conversing with the examiner. However, you must comprehend the idiomatic languages’ fixed expressions, phrasal verbs, and everyday phrases. 

Question 2: What is a phrasal verb in idioms?

Answer: A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and other elements — the other elements can be either prepositions or adverbs, which are used to alter the meaning of the verb. 

Question 3: What is the meaning of the idiom to have a whale of a time?

Answer: The idiom ‘to have a whale of a time‘ means — to enjoy a lot.