How to Learn IELTS Vocabulary (Collocations and Topic Specific Vocabulary)

IELTS VOCABULARY

CONTENTS:

- VOCAB INTRODUCTION + COLLOCATIONS - EASY ESSAY SENTENCES TO MEMORISE - TOPIC SPECIFIC VOCAB + TED TALKS

VOCAB =

25%

OF YOUR SCORE

IN WRITING AND SPEAKING USE :

COLLOCATIONS

: a collocation is a sequence of words or terms that co-occur more often than would be expected by chance (Wikipedia). TSV : TOPIC SPECIFIC VOCABULARY AWL : ACADEMIC WORD LIST

COLLOCATIONS 1. IMPROVE YOUR FLUENCY (speaking and writing) 2. Make your essay easy to follow 3. IMPROVE COHESION 4. SHOULD BE LEARNT IN CHUNKS: 'noise pollution', not noise + pollution

HOW TO LEARN COLLOCATIONS: Look for groups of words used naturally together ACTIVE READING

– underlining / circling (collocations)

Write down the WHOLE sentence in which they appear. Get them into your ACTIVE VOCAB QUICKLY -HOW? Use them when you write or speak.

EASY ESSAY SENTENCES TO

MEMORISE

WE CAN MEMORISE SENTENCES THEN INTERCHANGE COMPONENTS DEPENDING ON THE ESSAY QUESTION: The issue of __X__ in western / African countries has grown in importance over the past few decades. The issue of __X__ in most continents has fallen in importance over the past few years.

REVERSE THE MEANING AIDS / INCOME EQUALITY is one of the most dangerous problems facing lesser developed nations today. TECHNOLOGICAL DISRUPTION is one of the most exciting opportunities facing developed nations today.

CHANGE THE PERSON However, in my view this solution is rather controversial and other solutions need to be found. However, from a general view point this solution is rather impractical and other solutions need to be found.

UNIVERSAL SENTENCES FOR THE BODY PARAGRAPH (USE WITH CAUTION) It is undeniable that ______ is one of the most challenging issues in the western world. There are also studies being performed on a world level to discover the source of these these important problems. One solution proposed by the _(insert global organisation)___ is to_________

UNIVERSAL SENTENCES FOR THE BODY PARAGRAPH (USE WITH CAUTION) It is fairly easy to comprehend the arguments why this proposal has been made... There would be at least two facets to this proposal... There is also, however, a strong argument not to implement this proposal...

TO GIVE AN EXAMPLE: A recent study by the IMF shows that 50% of ____ is/are _____ A recent study by NATO shows that 10% of ____ is/are _____ A recent study by the NCPCC shows that 10% of ____ is/are _____

It is widely assumed that...

USE

TED TALKS

Go to

IELTSPODCAST.COM/TED

IELTSPODCAST.COM/TED Free PDF with all the TSV, collocations and Task 2 Questions from 10 TED Talks

Free PDF at www.IELTSPodcast.com/TED

1. WATCH THE VIDEO

2. IDENTIFY THE COLLOCATIONS AND TSV

3. ANSWER THE TASK 2 STYLE QUESTION

Free PDF at www.IELTSPodcast.com/TED

1. WATCH THE VIDEO

2. IDENTIFY THE COLLOCATIONS AND TSV

3. ANSWER THE TASK 2 STYLE QUESTION

ACADEMIC WORD LIST

AWL The list contains the most common words found in academic texts.

Sublist 1 (The top 60) Analyze (analyse) • approach • area • assess • assume • authority • available • benefit • concept • consist • constitute • context • contract • create • data • define • derive • distribute • economy • environment • establish • estimate • evident • export • factor • finance • formula • function • identify • income • indicate • individual • interpret • involve • issue • labor (labour)• legal • legislate • major • method • occur • percent • period • policy • principle • proceed • process • require • research • respond • role • section • sector • significant • similar • source • specific • structure • theory • vary

Tips for learning the words -Focus on retrieving the information (From: www.victoria.ac.nz) -Make a presentation in Quizlet -Try to memorise a WHOLE PHRASE this way you will also get the grammar structure at the same time -the next time you can interchange the nouns, or the verbs Language is 'the infinite use of finite means'. Wilhelm von Humboldt

Process the words thoughtfully so that the depth of learning is better. Use techniques which encourage you to

make a lot of

associations with the words you are learning. For example, think of language contexts and situational contexts in which you could use the words. (From: www.victoria.ac.nz) Learn them in context (THROUGH TED TALKS?)

Space the number of repetitions of the words you are learning because spacing repetitions results in longer lasting memory. (From: www.victoria.ac.nz) 1. Study the words – one 20 minute blast 2. Take a 3 minute break 3. Review the words 4. Take a break 5. Review the words 6. Take a 1-2 hour break 7. Review the words 8. Leave it for more hours 9. Review the next day / days / week Memorise words or phrases, try memorising the translation in your own language.

Go to

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