Five Proven ways to Improve Your Vocabulary for IELTS Writing

As you start your IELTS Preparation, you will encounter thousands of unfamiliar words, which will test your range of vocabulary. Although you will initially get nervous, but with sufficient research and rigorous practice, you can widen your wordstock. Vocabulary is an integral component of the IELTS Exam, and the importance of having a powerful vocabulary in the IELTS Writing Test is unavoidable. 

Whether it is IELTS reading or IELTS writing, knowing different terms can help you get a targeted band score and help you accomplish your study abroad goals. This blog provides information on how to improve your vocabulary in five easy ways.

1. Read in English

Daily reading habits will help you build your vocabulary and help you make appropriate usage of words. When you read, you will come across new words and phrases which form an essential part of the sentence. As you read, highlight these words, try to find their meaning, and learn how to use them in the proper context. Reading books, magazines, blogs, and newspapers will enhance your reading skills and expand your vocabulary to a great extent. Academic papers are also a rich source of language that can be used to improve your knowledge of the English language—reading materials that interest you will help you learn new words quickly.

2. Use Flashcards

Making flashcards is a fun and interactive way to learn unknown words. When you make flashcards, practice writing down a word with its exact meaning and include an example for better understanding. Describing the term with a relevant picture will help you to remember the word quickly. Furthermore, reviewing flashcards repeatedly also ensures that you do not forget the words over time.

3. Play Word Games

What’s a more entertaining way to learn vocabulary than Crossword puzzles? Word games are powerful tools to reinforce your understanding of English vocabulary. Playing word games with your friend or online can also be beneficial for improving your knowledge. For instance, you can ask yourself to find synonyms of a specific word and ask your friend to participate in this game. Learning in groups will be fun and a great way to build vocabulary.

4. Use a Dictionary

Looking up unfamiliar words in the dictionary will help you understand their meaning. Having an english dictionary is an essential part of your IELTS Test Preparation. Whether you are a beginner or an expert user, you will always need a dictionary to search for unknown words and look for synonyms and antonyms of a specific word. A bilingual dictionary where you get the word’s meaning in your native language can be helpful in many ways. It will translate English words into your language and help you boost your knowledge for IELTS Writing. Always keep a notebook to write down new words with their meanings and use it to revise them during last-minute preparation.

5. Try Vocabulary Building Apps

IELTS Academic Test often has complicated words, which tests your language skills. But, thanks to advanced technology, that has changed the traditional way of test preparation. There are hundreds of word-building apps which help you to gain in-depth knowledge smartly. Powervocab, Word to Word, and seven little words are some apps that one can use to learn new words and build a strong vocabulary. 

Quick Tips to Improve Your Vocabulary for IELTS Test

• Watching English movies and news channels with subtitles.
• Use Youtube as a platform to enhance your skills.
• Examine how fluent English speakers make use of certain words in their conversation.
• Learn a variety of words used for different topics and occasions. For instance, do your research on terms used to describe crime, corruption, weather challenges, poverty, the education system, art, culture, and technology.
• When you learn, you must understand the proper context in which the words are being used. Ensure that you include atleast one example of how the word is used in a sentence. It will make it easy for you to understand and remember the word.
• Creating a group of words that are used to explain a situation, such as informative, decisive, and descriptive terms, is a great way to master in IELTS writing.
• Diversifying your reading preferences is one of the effective ways to improve your vocabulary. Read different types of materials from journals, magazines to blogs, as each has another way of addressing subjects, which indirectly offers a unique perspective to learn and implement unknown words in different situations.
• Focus on your writing skills. Identify whether you use repetitive words over and over again or use a combination of simple and complex words in your essay to know your range of vocabulary.

Conclusion

Improving your vocabulary is as essential as practicing grammar. Using the above strategies, you can learn new words and use them in your IELTS writing test to improve your band score. The more vocabulary you have, the better you can implement it in the test and the higher the band score.

 One can also expand their vocabulary by practicing note-making and extensive reading habits. Remember learning English is not so difficult if you have the right mindset and clear vision. Many test-takers have just aced the IELTS test by practicing at home, and you can do it too. Best of luck!