IELTS vocabulary by topic
240 useful words and phrases for 10 topics often heard in IELTS Listening, from accommodation and study to health and research, each with a short definition and an example sentence. Press the play button to hear the word and the sentence.
This is our own selection for common IELTS topics. It is not an official IELTS word list. IELTS is a trademark of IDP Education, the British Council and Cambridge University Press & Assessment. FreeExamPath is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by them.
Accommodation
accommodation
The university helps new students to find accommodation near the campus.
A place to live or stay, such as a flat, a room or a hotel.
flat
We rent a small flat above a bakery on the high street.
A set of rooms for living in, usually on one floor of a larger building.
basement
The washing machine is in the basement, next to the bike storage.
A room or floor of a building that is below ground level.
corridor
The kitchen is at the end of the corridor, on the left.
A long passage inside a building with doors to rooms along it.
staircase
The main staircase was closed while the painters were working.
A set of stairs inside a building, often with a rail to hold.
furniture
The flat comes with furniture, so you only need to bring your own bedding.
Movable things such as beds, tables and chairs used in a room.
wardrobe
There is a large wardrobe in the bedroom but no chest of drawers.
A tall cupboard where you hang clothes.
cupboard
The plates are kept in the cupboard above the sink.
A piece of furniture or a space in a wall with a door and shelves, used for storing things.
shelfshelves
Could you put the books back on the top shelf, please?
A flat board fixed to a wall or inside a cupboard for putting things on.
curtain
I need new curtains, because the old ones let in too much light.
A piece of cloth that you pull across a window.
radiator
The radiator in the bathroom doesn't get warm, so I've told the landlord.
A metal device, often under a window, that heats a room.
plumbing
The plumbing in this house is very old and often makes strange noises.
The system of pipes that carries water through a building.
landlord
Our landlord has agreed to repair the broken window next week.
A person or company that rents a home to someone.
tenant
Each tenant has a separate key to the front door.
A person who pays rent to live in a home owned by someone else.
rent
The rent includes water but not electricity.
Money that you pay regularly to live in a home that someone else owns.
deposit
You will get your deposit back when you leave, as long as the flat is clean.
Money paid at the start of a rental, which you get back at the end if nothing is damaged.
lease
We signed a lease for twelve months, starting in September.
A legal agreement to rent a property for a fixed period.
bill
The electricity bill was much higher this winter.
A document that tells you how much you must pay for something you have used.
meter
Someone is coming on Friday to read the gas meter.
A device that measures how much gas, water or electricity you use.
maintenance
Please report any maintenance problems to the office on the ground floor.
The work of keeping a building or machine in good condition.
neighbour
Our neighbour kindly took in a parcel while we were out.
A person who lives next to you or near you.
postcode
Could you tell me your postcode, please?
A group of letters and numbers added to an address to help deliver post.
suburb
They moved to a quiet suburb with good schools and a large park.
An area where people live on the edge of a city, away from the centre.
utilities
The monthly price of the room does not include utilities.
Services such as water, gas and electricity supplied to a home.
Education and study
campus
The library is in the middle of the campus, next to the sports hall.
The land and buildings of a university or college.
faculty
She teaches in the faculty of engineering on the north side of town.
A group of related departments in a university, such as the faculty of law.
lecture
The first lecture of the course starts at nine o'clock in the main hall.
A talk given to a group of students on a subject.
seminar
Please read the article before Thursday's seminar.
A class in which a small group of students discusses a topic with a teacher.
tutorial
In my weekly tutorial, my tutor gives me advice on my essays.
A short lesson in which a teacher works with one student or a very small group.
laboratory
Safety glasses must be worn at all times in the laboratory.
A room with special equipment for scientific experiments.
assignment
The history assignment has to be handed in by Friday afternoon.
A piece of work that a student is given to do.
dissertation
He spent the whole summer writing his dissertation on city gardens.
A long piece of writing based on your own research, done at the end of a degree.
deadline
The deadline for applications is the end of March.
The latest time or date by which something must be done.
extension
I asked for an extension because I had been ill for a week.
Extra time that you are allowed for finishing a piece of work.
feedback
The teacher's feedback showed me how to organise my ideas better.
Comments on your work that help you to improve it.
assessment
Half of the final assessment is based on a group project.
The process of judging how well a student has done.
qualification
You need a teaching qualification to apply for this job.
An official record showing that you have passed an exam or finished a course.
scholarship
She won a scholarship that covers her fees for three years.
Money given to a student to help pay for their studies, often because of good results.
tuition
Tuition fees are paid at the start of each term.
Teaching, or the money paid for teaching at a college or university.
enrolment
Enrolment for evening classes opens on the first Monday in September.
The act of officially joining a course or school.
orientation
During orientation week, new students take a tour of the library.
A period of activities that helps new students or workers get to know a place.
timetable
Check the timetable to see which room your class is in.
A list showing the times of classes, trains or other events.
semester
I'm taking four modules this semester, including statistics.
One of the two periods into which a year at some colleges and universities is divided.
module
The research methods module is compulsory for all students.
One unit of a course, which is studied and assessed separately.
curriculum
Cooking was added to the school curriculum last year.
All the subjects and topics taught in a school or on a course.
attendance
Attendance at the first lecture was much higher than expected.
Being present at classes or events, or the number of people present.
supervisor
My supervisor suggested that I make my research question narrower.
A person, often a professor, who guides a student's research.
plagiarism
Always list your sources, because plagiarism is taken very seriously.
Using someone else's words or ideas as if they were your own.
Travel and transport
journey
The journey from the airport to the city centre takes about forty minutes.
Travelling from one place to another, especially over a long distance.
destination
The island was our final destination after a week of travelling by train.
The place someone or something is going to.
departure
Please arrive at least two hours before your departure.
The act of leaving a place, especially at the start of a journey.
terminal
Flights to the islands leave from the smaller terminal.
A large building where passengers start or finish a journey by plane, bus or boat.
platform
The train to the coast will leave from platform seven.
The raised area next to the track where you get on or off a train.
harbour
Fishing boats were tied up along the side of the harbour.
An area of water near the coast where boats can stay safely.
ferry
We took the early ferry and had breakfast on board.
A boat that carries people and vehicles across a short stretch of water.
coach
The coach to the capital is cheaper than the train, but it takes longer.
A comfortable bus for long journeys.
tram
The tram stops right outside the museum.
An electric vehicle for passengers that runs on rails in the street.
fare
Children under five travel free, and students pay half the normal fare.
The money you pay to travel on a bus, train, plane or taxi.
concession
Bring your student card if you want to buy a concession ticket.
A lower price for certain people, such as students or older people.
reservation
I've made a reservation for two nights at a small hotel by the sea.
An arrangement to keep a seat, room or table for someone.
itinerary
The tour itinerary includes a free afternoon in the old town.
A plan of a journey, including the places you will visit.
luggage
Each passenger may bring one piece of hand luggage.
The bags and cases that you take with you when you travel.
customs
We were stopped at customs and asked to open our suitcases.
The place at a border where officials check the goods people bring into a country.
delay
There is a delay of about twenty minutes because of the fog.
A period of time when something happens later than planned.
cancellation
Passengers affected by the cancellation can travel on the next train at no extra cost.
A decision that something planned will not happen.
connection
If the first train is late, we might miss our connection.
A train, bus or plane that you change to in order to continue a journey.
route
The coastal route is longer, but the views are much better.
The way you follow to get from one place to another.
congestion
Congestion in the city centre is worst between five and six in the evening.
A situation in which there is too much traffic and vehicles move slowly.
roundabout
Take the second exit at the roundabout, and the hotel is on your right.
A circular place where several roads meet and traffic goes round in one direction.
pedestrian
This street is closed to cars and open to pedestrians only.
A person who is walking, especially in a town.
pavement
Please don't leave your bike on the pavement outside the shop.
The path at the side of a road for people to walk on.
motorway
The motorway was closed for repairs, so we took a smaller road.
A wide road for fast traffic travelling long distances.
Work and employment
employment
The new factory will create employment for about two hundred people.
Paid work for an employer.
occupation
Please write your name, age and occupation at the top of the form.
A person's job or profession, a word often used on forms.
vacancy
There is a vacancy for a part-time receptionist at the sports centre.
A job that is available for someone to do.
candidate
Three candidates have been invited for a second interview.
A person who applies for a job or takes an exam.
recruitment
Recruitment for the summer season begins in early spring.
The process of finding new people to work for an organisation.
employer
My employer pays for a training course every year.
A person or company that pays people to work for them.
colleague
A colleague showed me how to use the booking system on my first day.
A person you work with.
receptionist
Ask the receptionist to call a taxi for you.
A person whose job is to welcome visitors and answer the phone.
accountant
Our accountant helps us to complete the tax forms every year.
A person whose job is to keep or check financial records.
technician
A technician is coming to fix the printer this afternoon.
A worker with practical skills who looks after equipment or does technical work.
consultant
The company hired a consultant to help reduce its energy costs.
An expert who is paid to give advice to a company or organisation.
salary
The salary is paid on the last working day of each month.
A fixed amount of money paid for a job, usually every month.
wage
Students working in the café earn an hourly wage.
Money paid for work, usually calculated by the hour or the week.
pension
My grandfather has lived on his pension since he retired.
Regular money that a person receives after they stop working.
shift
Nurses on the night shift start at ten in the evening.
A set period of work in a job where people work at different times.
overtime
I worked overtime every evening last week to finish the project.
Extra hours that someone works beyond their normal hours.
induction
All new staff attend a two-day induction before they start.
Training that introduces a new employee to their job and workplace.
promotion
She got a promotion to team leader after only a year.
A move to a more important job in the same organisation.
resignation
He handed in his resignation because he was moving abroad.
The act of leaving your job by choice, or the letter that says this.
redundancy
The factory closure led to more than fifty redundancies.
Losing your job because your employer no longer needs your position.
workload
My workload is much heavier at the end of the financial year.
The amount of work that a person has to do.
agenda
The new holiday plan is the first item on the agenda.
A list of the things to be discussed at a meeting.
minutes
Could someone take the minutes at today's meeting?
A written record of what was said and decided at a meeting.
invoice
Please send the invoice to our finance department by email.
A document that lists goods or services provided and asks for payment.
Health
appointment
I'd like to make an appointment with the dentist for next Tuesday.
An arrangement to see someone, such as a doctor, at a particular time.
clinic
The clinic is open until seven on Wednesday evenings.
A place where people go to see a doctor or nurse, often for a particular kind of treatment.
pharmacy
You can collect your medicine from the pharmacy next to the health centre.
A shop or part of a shop where medicines are prepared and sold.
dentist
My dentist says I should come back for a check-up in six months.
A person whose job is to look after people's teeth.
symptom
The most common symptoms are a sore throat and a headache.
A sign of an illness, such as pain or a high temperature.
diagnosisdiagnoses
The doctor made a diagnosis after looking at the test results.
A doctor's decision about what illness someone has.
treatment
The treatment usually takes about six weeks.
Medical care given to a patient for an illness or injury.
prescription
This medicine is only available with a prescription.
A doctor's written instruction that allows you to get a particular medicine.
allergy
He has an allergy to nuts, so he always checks food labels.
A condition in which you become ill after eating, touching or breathing in something.
infection
Keep the cut clean to avoid an infection.
An illness caused by bacteria or a virus entering the body.
injury
She missed the rest of the season because of a knee injury.
Physical harm or damage to a part of the body.
fracture
The scan showed a small fracture in his wrist.
A crack or break in a bone.
sprain
It isn't broken, it's just a bad sprain, so rest it for a few days.
An injury to a joint, such as an ankle or wrist, caused by twisting it suddenly.
cough
I've had a dry cough since the weekend.
A noisy push of air from your throat, often because you are ill.
ankle
I twisted my ankle running for the bus.
The joint that connects your foot to your leg.
muscle
Stretch your leg muscles carefully before you start running.
A part of the body that tightens and relaxes to make you move.
pulse
The nurse checked my pulse and my temperature.
The regular beat of blood as the heart pumps it, which you can feel at your wrist.
emergency
In an emergency, call the number on the back of your card.
A sudden, serious situation that needs action immediately.
ambulance
An ambulance arrived within ten minutes of the accident.
A vehicle that takes ill or injured people to hospital.
recovery
Her recovery after the operation was quicker than expected.
The process of becoming healthy again after an illness or injury.
nutrition
The course covers basic nutrition and healthy cooking.
The food you eat and the way it affects your health.
vitamin
Fresh fruit and vegetables contain many important vitamins.
A natural substance in food that the body needs in small amounts.
stress
Going for a walk at lunchtime helps me deal with stress.
A feeling of worry caused by difficult situations or too much work.
wellbeing
The company runs a lunchtime yoga class to support staff wellbeing.
The state of feeling healthy, comfortable and happy.
Environment
climate
The climate here is mild, with warm summers and wet winters.
The usual weather conditions of a place over a long period.
rainfall
Rainfall was unusually low in the spring, so the fields were very dry.
The amount of rain that falls in a place during a particular time.
drought
The drought forced farmers to reduce the amount of water they used.
A long period with little or no rain.
flood
After the flood, many shops along the river had to close for repairs.
A large amount of water covering an area that is usually dry.
humidity
The humidity makes the heat feel even worse in August.
The amount of water in the air.
forecast
The forecast says it will be windy but dry tomorrow.
A statement about what the weather is expected to be like.
pollution
Air pollution is often worse near busy roads.
Harmful substances in the air, water or soil.
emission
The city wants to cut emissions from buses by using electric ones.
Gas or another substance sent out into the air, for example by cars or factories.
renewable
The island now gets most of its electricity from renewable sources.
Coming from a natural source that does not run out, such as wind or sunlight.
solar
They put solar panels on the roof of the school.
Using or relating to energy from the sun.
turbine
A row of wind turbines stands on the hill above the village.
A machine with blades that are turned by wind or water to produce electricity.
conservation
Volunteers do conservation work in the forest every weekend.
The protection of nature, animals and plants.
habitat
Cutting down the hedges destroyed the birds' habitat.
The natural home of a plant or animal.
speciesspecies
Several rare species of butterfly live in this meadow.
A group of animals or plants of the same type that can breed together.
wildlife
The park is home to a wide range of wildlife, including deer and owls.
Animals, birds and plants living in natural conditions.
biodiversity
Planting wild flowers can increase biodiversity in a garden.
The variety of plants and animals living in a particular area.
ecosystem
Pollution from the factory damaged the river's ecosystem.
All the living things in an area and the way they affect each other and their surroundings.
wetland
The wetland attracts thousands of birds every winter.
An area of land that is usually wet, such as a marsh.
reservoir
Water levels in the reservoir are lower than last year.
A large lake, often made by people, used to store water for a town.
erosion
New trees were planted to protect the cliffs from erosion.
The gradual damage of land or rock by wind, water or ice.
compost
We turn our vegetable peelings into compost for the garden.
A mixture of rotted plants and food waste that is added to soil.
landfill
Most of the town's rubbish used to go to landfill.
A place where waste is buried under the ground.
packaging
The shop has stopped using plastic packaging for fruit.
The materials used to wrap or protect goods.
irrigation
Without irrigation, nothing would grow in this dry valley.
Supplying water to land or crops through pipes or channels.
Shopping and services
purchase
Keep the receipt as proof of purchase.
Something that you buy, or the act of buying it.
refund
The shop gave me a full refund because the jacket was damaged.
Money that is paid back to you, for example when you return something.
discount
Members get a ten per cent discount on all books.
An amount taken off the usual price.
voucher
I got a voucher for a free coffee with my lunch.
A printed or digital ticket that can be used instead of money or to get a lower price.
guarantee
The washing machine comes with a two-year guarantee.
A written promise that a product will be repaired or replaced if it goes wrong.
warranty
Is the repair covered by the warranty?
A written agreement that a company will repair a product for a set time after you buy it.
complaint
I made a complaint about the noise from the restaurant next door.
A statement that you are unhappy or not satisfied with something.
delivery
Delivery is free for orders over fifty pounds.
The act of bringing goods to a person's home or business.
collection
Your order will be ready for collection after two o'clock.
The act of picking something up from a place.
parcel
A parcel arrived for you while you were at work.
Something wrapped in paper or packed in a box so it can be sent by post.
postage
How much is the postage for a parcel to Spain?
The cost of sending a letter or parcel.
subscription
I cancelled my magazine subscription because I never had time to read it.
Money you pay regularly to receive a service or a magazine.
membership
Membership of the gym includes free swimming lessons.
Being a member of a club or group, or the right to use its services.
renewal
Your library card is due for renewal next month.
The act of making an agreement, ticket or document valid for longer.
expiry
Check the expiry date on your passport before you book.
The end of the period when something can be used.
signature
We need your signature at the bottom of the second page.
Your name written in your own way, to show that you agree to something.
identification
You will need some form of identification to open an account.
Proof or documents that show who you are.
branch
The bank is closing its branch in our village.
One of the local offices or shops of a large organisation.
queue
There was a long queue outside the post office this morning.
A line of people waiting for something.
cashier
The cashier gave me the wrong change, so I went back.
A person whose job is to take or give out money in a shop or bank.
greengrocer
The greengrocer on the corner sells strawberries from local farms.
A person who sells fruit and vegetables, or their shop.
optician
I'm going to the optician because I can't read small print any more.
A person who tests people's eyes and sells glasses.
stationery
The stationery shop sells notebooks in every colour.
Things used for writing, such as paper, pens and envelopes.
currency
You can exchange foreign currency at the airport, but the rate isn't very good.
The money used in a particular country.
Places and leisure
gallery
The gallery has a free exhibition of local artists' work.
A room or building where works of art are shown.
exhibition
The exhibition of old maps runs until the end of June.
A public show of objects such as paintings or photographs.
venue
The venue for this year's festival is an old railway station.
The place where an event such as a concert or match takes place.
audience
The audience stood up and clapped at the end of the play.
The people who watch or listen to a performance.
stadium
The new stadium can hold about forty thousand people.
A large sports ground with seats around it.
court
You can book a tennis court online for one hour at a time.
An area marked out for games such as tennis or basketball.
pitch
The football pitch is too wet to play on today.
An area of ground marked out for sports such as football.
trail
The forest trail is well signposted and takes about two hours.
A path through the countryside, often marked for walkers.
playground
The playground near the lake has new swings and a climbing frame.
An outdoor area with equipment where children can play.
fountain
We met by the fountain in the main square.
A structure that sends water up into the air, often in a square or park.
monument
The monument honours the workers who built the bridge.
A building or structure built to remember a person or an event.
statue
There is a bronze statue of a poet outside the theatre.
A figure of a person or animal made of stone or metal.
castle
From the castle walls you can see right across the bay.
A large, strong building with thick walls, built in the past to protect people.
cathedral
The cathedral took more than a hundred years to build.
The main church of an area, usually very large.
viewpoint
There's a viewpoint at the top of the hill with a bench and a map.
A place from which you can see a wide view.
landscape
The landscape changes from fields to mountains as you travel north.
Everything you can see when you look across a large area of land.
scenery
We drove slowly so that we could enjoy the scenery.
The natural features of an area, such as hills and lakes, especially when they are beautiful.
picnic
If the weather is nice, let's have a picnic by the river.
A meal that you take with you and eat outdoors.
camping
We went camping in the hills and cooked dinner on a small stove.
Staying outdoors in a tent for a holiday.
binoculars
Bring your binoculars if you want to watch the birds on the lake.
A device with two lenses that you look through to see things far away.
photography
She took up photography after she retired.
The art or activity of taking photographs.
sculpture
A large metal sculpture stands at the entrance to the park.
A work of art made by shaping stone, wood, metal or clay.
pottery
I'm doing an evening class in pottery at the community centre.
Pots and other objects made from baked clay, or the activity of making them.
workshop
The museum runs a weekend workshop where children make their own masks.
A session where a group of people learn about a subject by doing practical activities.
Research and technology
software
You will need to install the new software before the training session.
The programs used by a computer.
hardware
The office has new hardware, but the old programs still cause problems.
The physical parts of a computer, such as the keyboard and screen.
database
All the customers' details are kept in a secure database.
An organised collection of information stored on a computer.
password
Choose a password that is long and hard to guess.
A secret word or set of characters that lets you use a computer system or account.
browser
If the page doesn't load, try opening it in a different browser.
A program that you use to look at pages on the internet.
attachment
I've sent you the timetable as an attachment.
A file that is sent together with an email.
spreadsheet
She keeps track of the club's money in a spreadsheet.
A computer document that arranges numbers in rows and columns.
survey
A survey of local residents found that most wanted more cycle lanes.
A set of questions asked to a large number of people to find out their opinions.
questionnaire
Please fill in the questionnaire and hand it to the receptionist.
A written list of questions that people answer to give information.
respondent
Most respondents said they used the library at least once a month.
A person who answers questions in a survey.
participant
Each participant was asked to keep a food diary for a week.
A person who takes part in an activity or a study.
sample
The study used a sample of three hundred students from two colleges.
A small group of people or things chosen from a larger group to be studied.
experiment
In the experiment, the plants were kept in the dark for a week.
A scientific test done to find out what happens in certain conditions.
hypothesishypotheses
The results did not support our original hypothesis.
An idea that tries to explain something and can be tested.
variable
Temperature was the only variable that we changed.
A factor in an experiment that can change and may affect the result.
measurement
We took measurements of the river's depth at three points.
A size, amount or value found by measuring, or the act of measuring.
accuracy
The accuracy of the results depends on careful measuring.
Being correct and exact, without mistakes.
reliability
The researchers questioned the reliability of the old equipment.
The quality of giving the same good results every time.
evidence
There is little evidence that the new method works better.
Facts or information that show whether something is true.
analysisanalyses
Our analysis of the data showed a clear rise in cycling.
A careful study of something in order to understand it.
procedure
Follow the procedure on the sheet before you switch on the machine.
A set of actions done in a fixed order.
observation
The students recorded their observations in a notebook.
The act of watching something carefully, or a note of what you have seen.
diagram
The diagram shows how rainwater is collected and stored.
A simple drawing that shows how something works or where things are.
percentage
A high percentage of the members voted for the new opening times.
An amount expressed as a number out of one hundred.
Time and numbers
Wednesday
The library is closed on Wednesday mornings.
The day of the week after Tuesday and before Thursday.
Thursday
Rubbish is collected every Thursday, so put the bins out the night before.
The day of the week after Wednesday and before Friday.
February
The course starts in the first week of February.
The second month of the year, between January and March.
midnight
The last bus leaves the station just before midnight.
Twelve o'clock at night.
noon
Guests must leave their rooms by noon on the last day.
Twelve o'clock in the middle of the day.
quarter
The film starts at a quarter past eight.
One of four equal parts of something; when telling the time, fifteen minutes.
halfhalves
Half of the students in the class come from abroad.
One of two equal parts of something.
third
About a third of my salary goes on rent.
One of three equal parts of something.
double
The number of visitors doubled after the museum was repaired.
To become twice as big or twice as many.
triple
Ticket sales tripled when the band announced a second concert.
To become three times as big or three times as many.
dozen
I bought a dozen eggs at the market.
A group of twelve.
thousand
Several thousand people came to the opening of the new bridge.
The number one thousand, ten times one hundred.
million
The city has a population of about two million.
The number one thousand thousand.
millimetre
The screen is only a few millimetres thick.
A unit for measuring length; there are ten millimetres in a centimetre.
centimetre
The table is ninety centimetres wide, so it should fit in the kitchen.
A unit for measuring length; there are one hundred centimetres in a metre.
kilometre
The campsite is about three kilometres from the nearest village.
A unit for measuring distance, equal to one thousand metres.
kilogram
Each passenger can take one bag weighing up to twenty kilograms.
A unit for measuring weight, equal to one thousand grams.
tonne
The old bridge can only carry vehicles weighing up to seven tonnes.
A unit for measuring weight, equal to one thousand kilograms.
litre
Take at least a litre of water with you on the walk.
A unit for measuring liquids, such as water or petrol.
fortnight
We're going on holiday for a fortnight in August.
A period of two weeks.
decade
The town has changed a lot over the past decade.
A period of ten years.
century
The castle was built in the twelfth century.
A period of one hundred years.
annual
The annual music festival takes place every July.
Happening once every year.
monthly
A monthly pass is cheaper than buying a ticket every day.
Happening or paid once a month.