Vocabulary Development

Using Vocabulary

Vocabulary is not just the vocabulary you know, but also how you are able to apply it during the test.

I’ve carefully examined the marking descriptors  for IELTS Writing Task 1 and 2 and COHERENCE/COHESION and LEXICAL RESOURCE is a feature of both parts.

Higher Level Vocabulary

One criteria for a higher band is ‘skilfully uses uncommon lexical items‘ and another is ‘sufficient range of vocabulary to allow flexibility and precision’.

You can easily impress the examiner and increase your IELTS Band in IELTS Writing by paraphrasing and displaying a good range synonyms.

Avoid over-paraphrasing

In IELTS Speaking, you can do something similar, and in addition you can rephrase your own remarks. 

However, it’s probably not a good idea to just to repeat every question the examiner gives. In my opinion, that would just annoy the examiner!

Advance Vocabulary Examples

Let’s look at some examples and consider how they second example is a paraphrase, uses synonyms effectively, or rephrases the first example.

It could be worth £3 million:

That is a huge amount of money:

It is important we make a profit:

We can’t afford a project as big as this:

How many properties do you own?:

Many people in this area are quite well-off:

My parents live in quite a big house:

Learner Training

In writing, paraphrasing and using synonymous vocabulary is a skill that teachers should encourage students to develop.

Teachers often use tasks, such as the one below, to improve learners awareness of grammar, vocabulary and textual awareness.

Read and consider improving the text

Can you paraphrase the text without CHANGING the meaning so it reads cohesively?

• The number of households that use PV solar panels is predicted to increase over the next 15 years.
• The amount of power produced by hydroelectric means reached its capacity in 2017
• The percentage of students that order food deliveries is higher than the number that cook for themselves.
• The cost of a university education has increased significantly.
• The number of people with access to clean, running water in under-developed areas has increased in recent years.

For teachers, look at the British Council website for ideas on teaching paraphrasing

Further Reading

You can use tips and information on this website to help make it easier to obtain a higher score, but remember you still need to work at learning the language to be successful.

Please share to someone you know and in the meantime take a look at my Facebook Page and  Website for IELTS answers and you can also join my Facebook Group here too.

Good Luck

 

Jonathan