ielts vocabulary for common topics

Government vocabulary and ideas Very often you need to be able to discuss social issues and what may need to be done about them.. central government: this is the national government of a

Contents

Government 2

Immigration 5

Climate change 8

Employment 12

Art 16

Advertising 18

Technology 21

Family 27

Globalization 30

University education 34

Crime 39

Environment 43

Home town 47

Government vocabulary and ideas

Very often you need to be able to discuss social issues and what may need to be done about them In this case it helps to have plenty of government vocabulary to describe what governments do – or don’t do!

A quick note on spelling

GOVERNMENT is one of the most commonly misspelled words in English – don’t forget that N

Forms of government

It helps to distinguish between different types of government – not all government is equal If you do this, you will find that you have more to say by comparing what different type of government can do This is a great example of how words and ideas connect If you choose good words then you get better ideas!

central government: this is the national government of a country

local government: this is the regional form of government that typically takes care of more local issues the authorities: this is a general term for all forms of government – note that we use it in the plural

regulatory bodies: these are bodies which are sometimes set up by the government and sometimes regulatory and typically they control one specific area such as advertising Legislation is not always the

self-answer

enforcement agencies: these are bodies that have direct control of how laws are being obeyed This is

something central government does not always do itself An example of an enforcement agency is the body that monitors pollution in rivers

international organisations: don’t forget these either many problems need global solutions and

demand international cooperation from bodies like the UN

NGOs: these are the opposite of governments! NGO stands for Non Governmental Organisation

Almost always their work is charitable and very often in aid and development You are most likely to refer to them when countries help each other

quangos: if you must know these are quasi autonomous non governmental organisations They are

normally set up by central government to look after one issue

What central governments do

This does depend slightly what country you live in – different countries have different legal and political systems Something that all countries have though is a central government – sometimes a parliament, sometimes a senate and sometimes a congress and – for some lucky countries – all three! Here is what they tend to do

pass/introduce legislation: The time has come when the government needs to introduce new legislation

to protect the privacy of citizens

bring in/enact laws: One possible solution is for the government to bring in laws that prohibit the sale

of tobacco to anyone under 21

adopt policies: One possibility is for the government to adopt policies that encourage mothers to return

to work

take measures/action: The situation is now so severe that the government must take measures to police

the internet

raise (and lower) taxes: One way to limit air pollution from aircraft would be for the government to

raise airport tax

have/provide a budget/funding: It is the responsibility of the government to provide more funding for

research into renewable energy

ban/prohibit: Most people would agree that there should be a ban on the sale of automatic weapons

People within a government

departments: The Health Department should ensure that doctors are not forced to work a 60-hour

week

political parties; This is one issue where all political parties should work together to provide a solution politicians: If enough people protested then politicians would have to listen and take action

What local governments do

This is one area that will vary greatly from country to country Below you will find some examples of the type of issues that local governments sometimes are responsible for and some of their powers:

impose fines: Local councils should ensure that householders are fined if they they do not recycle their

waste properly

provide resources/services: Local government needs to provide adequate resources for schools so that

they can cope with the influx of children who speak English as a second language

maintain: If local governments maintained the roads in a better condition, then there would be fewer

problems with traffic congestion

fund: Councils could fund local community projects where residents work as volunteers in schools and

hospitals

hire: It would certainly help if local councils hired more staff

Thinking long-term and short short-term

Another concept to think about when talking about government action is whether it is short-term or long-term

temporary: One idea is that the government could introduce a temporary restriction on immigration to

determine what effect it would have on employment rates

long-term The government needs to consider the long-term effect of a poorly trained workforce

immediate Governments of wealthier countries should provide financial assistance to people

in disaster zones to help with their immediate needs

a stopgap measure While this may only be a stopgap measure, it would help if governments sent

financial aid to disaster areas

How people can influence governments

Another way to approach question where you need to talk about governments is to think about what the people can do to have an effect on their decisions

lobby politicians: Individuals could help here by lobbying their elected representatives and MPs to try

and force them to introduce legislation

engage in peaceful protests/demonstrations It is possible that the government might be swayed by

peaceful demonstrations asking for more action on the environment

Some links with more information

BBC schools: this is basic but it covers all the important points and has useful language

Queensland Gov: an Australian variant

Immigration vocabulary and ideas

This is a selection of immigration vocabulary and ideas with

 some key words for immigration

 some common word combinations to show different forms of immigration

 arguments in favour of immigration

 arguments against it

 some possible measures

Get the key immigration vocabulary right

The key words for describing immigration are

immigrant – the person

immigrate – the verb

immigration – the idea

Note the mm Also note that immigrants (people who enter a country) are also emigrants (people who leave a country) and also migrants

Some common word combinations

To discuss this topic well, it helps to distinguish between different types of immigration

illegal immigrants: – people who enter a country illegally

economic migrants: – people who move country to earn more money

migrant workers: – note that migrant can also work as an adjective

immigrant community/population: – this can be used for people who have settled in country for some

Arguments in favour of immigration

There are various arguments in favour of immigration – these mostly relate to the economic benefits

immigrants bring to a country Note that I have added examples to some of these reasons to explain them further

dynamism: Immigrants provide dynamism which is beneficial to the economy and helps growth and competitiveness For example, many immigrants set up their own businesses

unskilled labour: In many countries there is a shortage of unskilled labour and the

immigrant population is typically willing to do work that the native population is not This

is particularly the case in agricultural communities where immigrants provide seasonal labour in the

harvest season

skilled labour: A large proportion of young immigrants are highly-qualified university graduates and

they work in fields where there is a shortage of skilled labour

childcare: Another benefit that immigrants bring is that they often work in childcare or as home helps

and this enables more mothers to return to work

boost the economy: Most research shows that encouraging immigration actually provides a boost to the economy as immigrants are net contributors to the GDP There is also evidence that they actually

claim fewer benefits and pay more tax than the native population

principle of freedom of movement: There is also the consideration that the principle of freedom of movement is a human right and that people should be allowed to choose where they live

short-term only: It should also be considered that many younger migrants return home once they have

earned enough money and will never claim pensions in their host country

Arguments against immigration

These arguments are normally based on social consequences of immigration and the impact it has on the native population There are also arguments (factual or otherwise) that immigrants are bad for the economy

Also note the range of language to discuss problems (highlighted in red)

integration: The major argument against immigration is that so many migrants fail to integrate with the

local community and culture and this leads to social tension and even unrest

local services and jobs: One common difficulty is that they increase the pressure on local services and create competition for local jobs and this creates ill-will

claim benefits/social housing: One reason why people want less immigration is that immigrants do not

pay tax and still claim benefits and require social housing that is paid for by taxpayers

schools: Another serious issue is that in some areas schools do not have sufficient places for the children and so class sizes become unmanageable

language: Related to this is the problem that many immigrants only have a basic command of the language and this can lead to difficulties in the classroom and elsewhere

loss of trained workers: The impact on poorer countries who lose much of their trained workforce

overcrowding/population: Many countries need to limit immigration because they are already suffering from over-population

Measures and solutions

You may also need to consider how immigration should be controlled

taxes and law: One possible measure is to ensure that migrants pay taxes and are subject to the

criminal justice system

language requirements: Another measure that could be put in place is to insist on a minimum

language requirement so that all immigrants are able to integrate into the community

deportation: Some people believe that all illegal immigrants should be deported immediately

quota: The United States for example has a quota system whereby a fixed number of green cards are

issued every year

Climate change vocabulary and ideas

Below you’ll find plenty of climate change vocabulary and ideas These are organised under headings:

 Talking about the scale of the problem

 Negative effects

 Causes

 Possible solutions

 Ways of taking action

 How individuals can help

The idea in doing this is to show you that ideas need to be organised if you use them Also, if you are one of those people who believes that global warming is not caused by human activity, you are not just

on the wrong page – you are wrong!

Talking about the size of the problem

An important group of climate vocabulary and ideas is to say how large the problem is:

crisis: Climate change is a crisis that cannot be ignored by governments

record levels/amount: Despite the claims of some scientists, we are now producing record levels of

CO2 and there is no dispute about the connection between this and global warming

disaster/disastrous: It is not an exaggeration to say that the effects of global warming are disastrous global: Although some areas are relatively unaffected now, climate change is a global problem

irreversible: The major concern is that the effects of our actions on the climate will be irreversible

long-term: The effects of our use of fossil fuels today may last for generations and it is almost certain to

have long-term consequences for humanity

the Polar ice cap: One major concern is that rising temperatures in the Arctic are causing the Polar ice

cap to melt, which in turn is leading to rising sea levels

heatwaves and droughts: Most experts agree that there is an increased risk of heatwaves and other

extreme weather conditions

the natural world: Climate change will not only have a severe impact on people, but also devastate the

natural world and lead to the extinction of important species

food shortages: We are already seeing in many parts of the world that climate change is leading to food

shortages as a direct consequence of extreme weather conditions

housing/homelessness: One side-effect of rising sea levels is that more and more people who live by the coast will become homeless

conflicts/wars: If no action is taken on climate change, then it is likely that there will be more conflicts

between nations, especially over water supplies

cost: It has been shown that any delay in making emission cuts will increase the cost of reducing

carbon dioxide by almost 50%

Causes

You may also need to discuss the causes of climate change too You don’t need any very technical knowledge and this vocabulary should be enough Again, note the cause language

human activity: It is no longer possible to say that human activity does not affect weather conditions

greenhouse gas emissions: If we are to halt climate change, we need to make substantial reductions

in greenhouse gas emissions

power stations: One of the leading causes of climate change is the number of dirty power stations using

fossil fuels

carbon emissions: Carbon emissions are still rising year by year and are at record levels

illegal logging and deforestation: It should not be forgotten that illegal logging in the Amazon Basin is

still a major factor in climate change

burning fossil fuels: Individuals can make a small contribution by not burning wood and other fossil

renewable energy: Wind farms and other sources of renewable energy will help to reduce Co2

emissions to an acceptable level

international action/cooperation: International action on climate change could have a significant

impact

quick/immediate action: Any action should be immediate because this is not a problem that can be

delayed

investment: There should be greater incentives to invest in renewables and to reduce the current

reliance on fossil fuels

decommission power stations: It goes without saying that coal-fuelled power stations should be

decommissioned

protest/campaign: Individuals can help force governments to act by taking part in legal protests

against the continuing use of fossil fuels

energy efficiency and waste: A greater emphasis on energy efficiency and reducing waste would

undoubtedly mean that less fuel was consumed

Ways of taking action

Climate change is a problem – that almost everyone can agree on When you have a problem, you need

to take action These words and phrases give you a variety of ways of saying that Note the different structures used with these verbs

cope: It is clear that national governments are no longer able to cope by themselves with the problem tackle: A global solution is necessary as only international bodies will be able to tackle climate

change

avert: Investment in renewable energy will help avert the impact of the CO2 emissions

prevent: The only way to prevent a disaster is to reduce these emissions to zero

act/take action: Governments should take decisive action to halt global warming

fight/combat: A way needs to be found to make combatting global warming that is affordable

sustainable and affordable: The key is to ensure that all countries around the world have the chance to

adopt energy

How individuals can help

You may be asked what we as individuals can do about climate change Here are some ideas – there are plenty of them:

lobby MPs: If enough of us lobbied our MPs and other elected representatives then they would have to

bring in legislation

participate in peaceful protests: Another possibility is to take part in marches and other

peaceful protests to apply pressure on governments and raise awareness of the issue

community projects: In some areas there are small-scale community projects to encourage local

residents to install solar panels and, in some places, help pay for them

share transport: We also have the responsibility to consider how we contribute to global warming by

making unnecessary car journeys We can always cycle to work, have a joint school run with other parents and even share a car on the daily commute to work

diet and our carbon footprint: Reducing food wastage is perhaps the way individuals can minimise

their carbon footprint and so help global warming

energy-efficient lightbulbs: Another small way in which we can use less energy is to switch to

energy efficient lightbulbs

solar panels: There are an increasing number of solar panels on the market and these can not only

reduce energy bills but also mean that less carbon fuel is consumed

heat insulation: Likewise, it is important that people insulate their houses well so that less gas and

electricity is consumed

Another way to get climate change vocabulary and ideas

One very smart thing to do is to put “Climate change” or “Global warming” or “Greenhouse effect” into Google and then click NEWS – that way you get much much better results You can learn a lot by just reading what you see on the search page – without going into the news articles

Other places to look for climate change vocabulary and ideas

 BBC learning English

 Education Scotland

 Ocean Link

Employment vocabulary and exercises

One of the key topics in IELTS is work and employment To help you out, here is a selection of useful employment vocabulary There are also examples of how the words are used and a series of exercises

Employ

If you want to learn words well, it is important to learn different forms of them Employ is one of the key words and it has several different forms – you need to able to use them all if you want to write flexibly

Job and work

Sometimes the trickiest words are very common words You definitely need to be able to use both these words One way to how to use them correctly is to learn phrases

Career words

These words should come in useful when describing career paths

Money words

There are a variety of different words we use to describe money and work

Adjectives to describe jobs

Art vocabulary

This is a tough topic The good news is that you only need a fairly limited range of art vocabulary There

is no need to learn the technical words, just the general words that an educated person should know If you are a scientist, the idea is that you need to know the equivalent term for “internal combustion engine”, you don’t have to say how it works!

What is art?

This is a big, big question Here are some basic distinctions you may want to consider

The fine arts

The fine arts are what most people mean when they just say “art” These include artistic disciplines such

as painting and sculpture Typically, they are objects created to be “beautiful”

Arts and crafts

A craft is a similar, related concept and we do use the term arts and crafts In arts and crafts, objects are

created by hand A good example would be tapestry

The visual arts

These are the ones we look at and include paintings, drawings and photographs Does cinema count?

For some people, yes Television?

The plastic arts

These are the ones we can touch A sculpture and a piece of pottery are examples

Performance art

This is when you see someone performing and what they do/produce is a piece of art Theatre can be

called a form of performance art, perhaps a better example is juggling We normally use this term for art that is “different” There is also a relatively new phenomenon of the street artist

Pictures

There are many types of pictures If it is picture of somebody, it is generally a portrait if it is a picture

of a place, it is generally a landscape While a picture of an object by itself is a still life

Three genres of picture possibly worth knowing are a watercolour which is painted onto paper, an oil

painting which is normally painted onto canvas (a tent like material) and a sketch which is normally a

preparatory drawing

Philosophies of art

Art has changed greatly over the ages You certainly don’t need to be able to talk about the differences between Renaissance art, Mannerism, the Baroque, the Pre-Raphaelites, Impressionism and Cubism – if you did, you would probably scare your IELTS examiner It might help to have this much knowledge though:

figurative/representational art: this is where the painting/object looks like something from life

abstract art: this is where you see squares, circles and other shapes and you cannot (immediately) tell

what the painting is about

contemporary art: this is the art of now It’s dangerous to use the word “modern” because

“modernism” in art actually happened quite a long time ago (the 1930s was probably its heyday)

Where do you see art?

You normally find art in an art gallery You walk around and admire the exhibits in an exhibition, while discussing whether the curator has got the lighting right and whether that picture should really

be hung next to that one

Sometimes you might also find art in museums, but that is much less common For example, the British

Museum has artefacts from Britain’s past, while the National Gallery is a collection of art

Would you buy it?

Art tends to be expensive A masterpiece by Van Gogh could be said to be priceless – that’s so expensive that no one has the money to afford it A lot of art forms part of a nation’s heritage and the

government protects it from sale abroad

People and art

Not everyone likes art People who like to spend a lot of time admiring art are often termed culture

vultures (a fairly idiomatic term), while the idiom for people who dislike art is philistines

There is of course art and art People who appreciate the more elitist forms of art may be said to have highbrow tastes, while those who prefer the less intellectual art forms may have lowbrow tastes

What makes art special?

Another big question Some people think that it is important for a work of art to be original or

creative Others would say that what matters is how it appeals to our imagination

One or two idioms

Perspective shows the depth of a picture – how many dimensions you see If you have/keep a sense of perspective, then you see a problem/issue for what it is – often meaning that it is not as serious as it

seems

If you describe someone as being no oil painting, be careful This means that they are ugly

Advertising vocabulary and exercises

This lesson helps you with advertising vocabulary for essays and discussion tasks You’ll find some exercises at the bottom of the page to test your skills

Advert, advertisement or ad?

All these forms of the words are correct but adis mostly used in spoken English only You should also

be aware of a common pronunciation problem:

Adjectives to describe advertising

Other related words

These are model paragraphs that should give you ideas for writing or speaking about advertising

 children and advertising

 forms of advertising

 how advertising works

 the regulation of advertising

an essay

 gapfill essay

Technology vocabulary and exercises

This lesson provides you with some useful vocabulary for technology – one of the key topics in IELTS

I have tried to do more than give you a list of words, so you will find notes, phrases and examples:

 to show you which other words these words are used with

 to give you ideas for speaking and writing essays

 to help you use the words correctly

There is also a download of this vocabulary at the bottom of the page and exercises to see how well you know these words

notes

Be careful with the difference between “affect” (generally a verb) and “effect” (generally a noun) Just

to confuse you, in English they sound exactly the same

“impact” and “influence” are often used with the preposition “on”

Technology and computer words

It is very easy to keep on repeating the same word without knowing it One way not to do this is to change the form of the word or to use it in a different phrase

notes

Be careful with the spelling of technology

A “technophile” loves technology and a “technophobe” hates it In speaking, you could use the less formal word “geek” for technophile, but I would avoid it writing

There is no great difference between “ICT” and “IT” However, as my example shows ICT is most frequently used as the name of an academic subject

Adjectives

notes

It is normal to use hyphens (-) in adjective phrases such as “state-of-the-art” when they are used before nouns (“state-of-the-art technology”), but you do not always need them when they are used without a noun (“this technology is state of the art”)

“obsolete” is similar in meaning to “outdated”, but is a stronger word to show that the technology is so old that it cannot be used any longer

It is normal to write “high tech” rather than “high technology”

Device words

This is a rather confusing set of words to describe different kinds of objects