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Vocabulary7 min readAugust 20, 2025

Essential Vocabulary for IELTS Band 7+

Building the right vocabulary is key to scoring high in IELTS. Here are the most useful words and phrases for each section of the test.

By Sarah Ahmed

Essential Vocabulary for IELTS Band 7+

Vocabulary accounts for 25% of your IELTS Writing and Speaking scores. Here are essential words and phrases by topic.

Academic Word List

Familiarise yourself with the Academic Word List (AWL). These words appear frequently in academic texts and IELTS Reading passages.

Topic-Specific Vocabulary

Build vocabulary banks for common IELTS topics: environment, education, technology, health, and society.