How to Pass your IELTS test in 2018

Education Vocabulary
To complete a first university degree successfully
Graduate

I graduated from the University of Salford in
2009.
My graduation ceremony was in 2009.

The group of subjects studied in a school,
college, etc.
Curriculum
Schools must ensure they have an
excellent curriculum.

An official record showing that you have finished
a training course or have the necessary skills, etc
Qualification
Good qualifications are really important if you
want to get a well-paid job.
I am qualified to teach English.

Regular work done by students as part of a
course, but assessed independently of formal
exams.
Coursework
The coursework on my degree was really
difficult.
Co-educational
When male and female students are taught
together in the same school or college rather than
separately

Co-educational schools prepare students for


their future better than single-sex schools.

To behave in a dishonest way in order to get what
you want
Cheat
He did really well in his exams but he cheated.
He copied from a friend.
Cheating on exams is not recommended.

The ability to read and write.

Literacy

Literacy rates have declined considerably in
Western countries over the last decade.
However, most children are literate.

Unable to read and write
Illiterate
Many children in the poorest countries
are illiterate.

Primary
(elementary)
Education

First years of formal education from around age 5
to 11.

A good primary education is crucial for a child's
development.

Education during the time as a teenager.
Secondary
Education

I loved it at my secondary school as I had so
many friends.

Higher (tertiary)
Education
Non-compulsory education after finishing school,
such as university, as well as vocational


education and training at colleges.

60% of children now go into higher
education after they finish school.

To direct your attention or your efforts towards a
particular activity, subject or problem
Concentrate
It is difficult to concentrate on my work if there is
a lot of noise.
I keep losing concentration due to the noise.

Crime Vocabulary

A law or set of laws suggested by a government and made
official by a parliament.

Legislation
There needs to be changes to crime-related legislation.

To make someone less enthusiastic about doing something by
threatening bad results if they do it.

Deter
Tougher prison sentences may be a deterrent toother wouldbe offenders.

Offender


Someone who is guilty of a crime.

Prison should not be used for first-time offenders.

To cause someone who has done something wrong or
committed a crime to suffer, by hurting them, forcing them to
pay money, sending them to prison, etc
Punish

Those responsible for serious crimes must bepunished.

When you stop something from happening or stop someone

from doing something.

Prevention
The government should focus on the prevention of crime
rather than introducing harsher prison sentences.

To do something illegal or something that is considered
wrong.

Commit
People who commit serious crimes should be given lengthy
(long) prison sentences.


A person who commits a crime.

Criminal
Criminals who commit violent crimes should not be given
probation.

A period of time when a criminal must behave well and not
commit any more crimes in order to avoid being sent to
prison.

Probation
Probation is a good way to reduce prison overcrowding, but
it must only be used for those who have committed minor
crimes.

To return someone or something to a good or healthy

condition, state or way of living.

Rehabilitate
It is important to rehabilitate criminals while they are in
prison otherwise they may re-offend (commit a crime again)
when they are released from prison.

Guilt
Having done something wrong or committed a crime.

If jurors (the members of a jury) find a defendantguilty, then


that person must be punished.

A group of people chosen to decide in a court of law if
someone is guilty of a crime or not.
Jury
To ensure fairness in a criminal trial, there must be a jury.

To decide officially in a court of law that someone is guilty
of a crime.
Convict
He has been convicted of arson (starting a fire
intentionally to damage something) two times now.

Being made to pay money for breaking the law.
Fine
Motorists should be given a fine if they are caught
speeding.

Being put in prison.

Imprisonment
Murderers are usually given life imprisonment.


Community
Service

Work that people do to help other people without payment,
and which young criminals whose crime was not serious
enough for them to be put in prison are sometimes ordered
to do.

Community service is a good alternative to prison for
minor offences.

Fairness in the way people are dealt with.

Justice
Those who commit assaults must be imprisoned because
the victims want justice.

Someone who has suffered because of the actions of someone
else.

Victim
The victims of crime often need help and support to recover
from their bad experience.

Diet, Fitness and Health

Overweight Fat


70% of the population is now overweight according to
official figures.

Extrememly fat or overweight.

Obesity
Obesity is now a real problem for teenagers.
Teenagers who are obese are often bullied at school.

A mental illness in which people eat far too little or far
too much food and are unhappy with their bodies.
Eating
Disorder
Bulimia and anorexia are types of eating disorder.
Both are becoming more common.

Any substance which plants or animals need in order
to live and grow.

Nutrients
A healthy diet should consist of all the
essential nutrients.
This meal is very nutritious.

The food and drink usually eaten or drunk by a person
or group.
OR
When someone eats less food, or only particular types
of food, because they want to become thinner or for
medical reasons.
Diet

It is important to have a healthy diet. People must eat
plenty of fruit and vegetables.
I've been on a diet now for four weeks, and I've lost
about one kilo.

Eating more than your body needs.

Overeating
There is evidence that overeating is one of the main
causes of obesity..

A food that is used with other foods in the preparation
of a particular dish.

Ingredients
The ingredients of the dish include nuts, raisins, and
parsley.

Allergy
A condition that makes a person become ill or develop
skin or breathing problems because they have eaten

certain foods or been near certain substances.

Allergies are becoming more common, and this could
be connected to diet.
If I eat nuts, I have an allergic reaction. I cannot
breath properly.

A substance which is added to food in order to
improve its taste or appearance or to preserve it.
Additive
This food is full of additives so I'm not going to eat it.

To stop something from happening.

Prevent

Lots of exercise will prevent a heart attack.
The prevention of health problems should be
encouraged by the government. For example, they
could ban the advertising of fast food to children.

Often changing and being different.
Variety
When preparing meals, you need to think
about variety and taste as well as nutritional value.


When you want to eat food.

Appetite
All that exercise has given me an appetite.

A substance in foods such as fruit, vegetables and brown
bread, which travels through the body as waste and
helps the contents of the bowels to pass through the
body easily.
Fibre

A diet that is high in fibre is important in order to maintain
a healthy body.

Happening or doing something often.

Regular
Regular physical exercise is important for good health.

Any of a group of natural substances which are
necessary in small amounts for the growth and good
health of the body.
Vitamins
Many people take vitamin supplements these days in
order to keep their body healthy.

Diabetes
A disease in which the body cannot control the level of


sugar in the blood.

Diabetes is becoming much more prevalent ( =
common or widespread) amongst children.

The condition of the body and the degree to which it is free
from illness, or the state of being well.

Fruit has several health benefits.
Elderly people can have many health problems.
The health care in the country is deteriorating ( = getting
worse).
There may be health risks from eating too much red meat.
Health Health education is very important if we are to prevent
illness and reduce medical costs.
Sweden has one of the best health systems in the world.
_____________________________________________
The population of the country is in good health.
Lack of exercise can lead to poor health.
_____________________________________________
He has a very healthy diet.
I have a healthy appetite.

Work Vocabulary


Someone who is paid to work for someone else.

Employee
The company has several hundred employees.

A person or organization that employs people.

Employer
Employers monitor their employees very carefully these
days.

When someone is paid to work for a company or
organization.

Employment
Due to the recession, there are thousands of people
looking for employment.
I was employed in the company for several years.

Unemployment
Not working.

Levels of unemployment in the economy have been
rapidly increasing.


He has been unemployed for 6 months now.

To make the same journey regularly between work and
home

Commute
It is taking longer for people to commute to work because
of traffic problems.
Commuting to work everyday by bus is tiring.

Formal way to say 'job'.

Occupation
What is your occupation?

Working life or a particular job during one's working life
that gets better in terms of salary and position.

Career
He is retired now but he had an amazing career ( =
succesful working life).
He hopes to have a career in the army

Profession
Any type of work which needs special training or a
particular skill, often one which is respected because it
involves a high level of education.


The teaching profession is not as good as it used to be
because salaries have decreased.

Money paid each month to an employee for their work.

Salary / Wages

Public sector salaries are not keeping up with inflation.
He receives a good wage because he works for a
prestigious company.

Businesses and industries that are owned or controlled by
the government.
Public Sector
You get a good pension if you work for the public sector,
but the salary is not always so good.

Businesses and industries that are privately owned.

Private Sector
Most graduates hope to work in the private sector when
they finish university as there are more opportunities and
the pay is better than the public sector.


To stop working because of old age or ill health.

Retire
The retirement age in most countries is 65.
He had to retire early due to ill health.

Working a fixed number of hours but having flexibility with
start and finish times.
Flexitime
They have introduced flexitime at my work place so I usually
start at 10am now and finish at 6pm.

To leave a job.

Resign / Quit
He resigned from his job yesterday.

Don't quit your job unless you have another one to start.

To remove someone from their job, especially because they
have done something wrong
Fire / Sack /
Dismiss
He was fired / sacked / dismissed because he was late for
work every day.


A job position that is not filled and so is available.

Vacancy
I spoke to the company and they said they had
several vacancies.

Working more than your contracted hours.

Overtime
The employees often work overtime but they are not given
extra money so it is not fair.

The time worked in a job that is not normal hours.

Shift
She is a nurse so she has to work in shifts. One week she
does the morning shift, and then the next week she will do
the night shift.
Shift work can be very tiring.

Information Technology Vocabulary
Access
The right to use or look at something


Everybody should have access to the internet.

Modern and well developed

Advanced

Technological advances have brought many benefits to
the world.
Japan has very advanced technology (not 'high'
technology!).

To make a process in a factory or office operate by
machines or computers, in order to reduce the amount of
work done by humans and the time taken to do the work
Automation
The automation of production processes has led to
increased unemployment.
Many production processes these days are automated.

When something joins or is joined to something else, or
the part or process that makes this possible
Connection

Most people are connected to the internet these days.
Having a connection to the internet is important.

I often have problems connecting to the internet.

The act of communicating with people

Communication

Email has made communication, especially abroad,
much simpler and faster.
Communicating with people by email is very easy.

Device


An object or machine which has been invented for a
particular purpose

It is important to have some kind of
communication device such as a mobile telephone or the
internet.

A new idea or method

Innovation

Smart phones are the latest innovation in computer
technology.
Steve Jobs was a great innovator.

Something which has never been made before, or the
process of creating something which has never been made

before
Invention
The world changed rapidly after the invention ofthe
telephone.
Many useful devices have been invented over the last
few decades.

A piece of equipment with several moving parts which
uses power to do a particular type of work
Machine
Factories now make use of machines to do a lot of the
work humans used to do.
Machinery does most of the work in factories.

Modern, recent, or containing the latest information
Up-to-date
Teenagers think it is important to have the most up-todate technology.


If something, especially something related to a computer,
is user-friendly, it is simple for people to use
User-friendly
Modern mobile phones such as the i-phone are very userfriendly.

Environment Vocabulary

The air, water and land in or on which people, animals
and plants live.

The

Environment More must be done to protect the environmentfrom
pollution.
Environmental problems are becoming very severe in
many countries.

The weather conditions generally present in an area or
over a long period.

Climate
The mediteranean region tends to have a mild climate over
the winter.

Climate
Change

The change in global climate patterns which appeared
from the mid to late 20th century onwards, caused mainly
by the increased levels of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere.


The climate around the world has been changingrapidly
over the last decade.
Climate Change is one of the most serious problems that
the world is facing today.

The gas formed when carbon is burned, or when people or
animals breathe out.
Carbon
Dioxide

(CO2)

The burning of fossil fuels releases large amounts
of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which leads to
global warming.
Trees absorb carbon dioxide.

A natural fuel such as coal, gas, or oil formed in the
geological past from the remains of living organisms.
Fossil
Fuels
Some people do not believe that human's reliance on fossil
fuels is to blame for global warming.

Global
Warming

A gradual rise in the world's temperatures caused by
polluting gases such as carbon dioxide which are
collecting in the air around the Earth and preventing heat
escaping into space.


Deforestation is contributing to global warmingbecause
trees absorb carbon dioxide.

Cutting down and clearing areas of forest.

Deforestation
Deforestation is destroying animal habitats.

The natural environment in which an animal or plant
usually lives.

Habitat
With so many areas of woodland being cut down, a lot of
wildlife is losing its natural habitat.

All the living things in an area and the way they affect
each other and the environment.

Ecosystem

The world has a delicately balanced ecosystem, and
pollution can damange this.
The marine (= related to the sea) ecosystem was baldy
damaged by the oil spill..

Biodiversity
The variety of plant and animal life in the world or in a
particular habitat, a high level of which is usually


considered to be important and desirable.

The rich and diverse biodiversity of our planet must be
protected.

To make something less pure by exposing it to poisonous
or polluting substances.

Contamination
The water has been contaminated by the release of toxic
chemicals into the river.
The water supply is being tested for contamination.

Poisonous / A poisonous substance

Toxic /
Toxin

The dumping (= disposing of something in a careless way)
of toxic waste has contaminated the area.
Leaded fuel from cars releases toxins into the air which can
affect the brain.

A material or substance which is eliminated or discarded as
no longer useful or required after the completion of a process.
Waste
The Green Party opposes any kind of nuclear waste being
dumped at sea.


The production and discharge of something.

Emission
Emissions from car exhausts cause pollution around cities.
Carbon dioxide emissions must be reduced.

To graually reduce or destroy.

Erosion
Over-farming causes soil erosion.

A prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall, leading to a
shortage of water.

Drought
The severe drought this year has led to the loss of many
lives.

Pollution
Damage caused to water, air, land etc. by harmful
substances or waste.

Environmental pollution must be a top priority of
governments.
The air around the factory is very polluted.


Causing little or no damage to the environment and
therefore able to continue for a long time.

Sustainable
Countries need to promote sustainabledevelopment in
order to protect the environment from further damage.

Word

Example sentence

Meaning

acid rain noun

Burning fossil fuels in one
country can cause acid
rain in other countries.

rain that
contains harmful
chemicals that
collect in the
atmosphere
when fossil fuels
are burned

ban verb

Our school
has bannedplastic bottles
because they're so bad for
the environment.

to not allow
something (eg.
smoking,
alcohol, plastic
bags, protest
marches, etc.)

carbon-dioxideor carbon(colloq.)
noun

Trees and plants
absorb carbon-dioxide an
d release oxygen into the
air.

a gas that's
released by
plants and by
burning fossil
fuels