IELTS TOPIC VOCABULARY (PART I)

IELTS Vocabulary aims to use a more academic style and word choice when writing your
essay. Using topic specific vocabulary and collocations will be of considerable help.
What is a collocation?
Collocations are groups of words that have an above average possibility of being found
together, that is, words that often go together. Many groups of words, such as "global
warming", “health care” and "for example", can be called collocations. Using collocations in
your writing and speaking helps to make your language sound more natural and fluent. The
best way to learn Topic Specific Collocations is to look for them being used in context, in
their natural environment.

 Each topic below contains a list of collocations, an example of their use and a gap-
filling exercise.

1. IELTS Topic Vocabulary – Employment – Equal pay

Collocation Example
Many women discuss feminist theory and the differences in why women
are oppressed the way they are.
Feminist theory

Gender equality is an issue we have been struggling with in the world for
centuries and has yet to be fixed completely.
Gender equality

Men and women do not always receive equal pay in the workplace even
Equal pay when they are doing the same work.
Collocation Example

Some men believe that women have trouble balancing responsibilities

involving the home and the workplace and therefore cannot do both
Balancing
things.
responsibilities

We must empower women to achieve their goals no matter how big they
are in order to see gender equality succeed.
Empower women

Affirmative action involves choosing someone for a job based on their

race or gender as opposed to their skills alone.
Affirmative action

Male entitlement is a problem in current society because men have

been raised to think they are in control of everything.
Male entitlement

Many countries in the world revolve around the idea of a patriarchal

society where men lead the household and make the decisions.
Patriarchal society

Gender equality proves to be equally beneficial to both men and women

in the long run.
Equally beneficial
1-Gap fill task
We need to promote ___________ in the workplace as well as give men and women __________.
Studies show that women excel just as quickly if not faster than men do in their careers when given
the opportunity. Therefore, we need to __________and allow them to grow with no boundaries.

2. IELTS Topic Vocabulary – Sport

Collocation Examples
Performance
Many athletes use performance enhancing drugs to do better in sports.
enhancing
Many students saw that their behaviour record improved when they started to
Record improved behave better.

Americans love watching competitive sports because they are inherently

competitive.
Competitive sports

The average body weight for a 5-foot female is 105 pounds.

Average body

Ultra-endurance sports force humans to work their hardest for as long as

possible.
Ultra-endurance

Specialized bodies Tall people have specialized bodies for the sport of basketball.
Collocation Examples

Many athletes take steroids because performing better provides financial

Financial incentives incentives.

Athletic performance varies between people and is based on body type and
experience.
Athletic performance

It is more energy efficient to eat protein and carbohydrates before playing

sports.
Energy efficient

Over time, changing genes in humans has caused athletes to perform better.
Changing genes

We have a different mindset today about global warming than we did twenty
years ago.
Different mindset

Athletes must be careful when lifting weights because tearing tendons is a

serious concern.
Tearing tendons

Taking drugs and drinking alcohol is totally detrimental to human health.

Human health

Global warming is a controversial issue in today’s political world.

Controversial issue
Gap fill task
Performance enhancing drugs are a ___________ in the sports world today. While some people
believe these drugs can increase __________, it is obvious that these drugs are detrimental to
__________. These drugs cause athletes to have unfair benefits over others as well.

3. IELTS Topic Vocabulary – Employment – Highly Skilled Jobs

Collocations Examples
There are too many highly skilled people and not enough jobs for these
people to fill.
Highly skilled

Many qualified graduates find themselves without work because the job
Qualified market does not need them.
graduates

Increased education such as graduate degrees has become more

necessary when getting jobs, because college degrees are becoming
Increased
very common and therefore less valuable.
education

The job requirements for companies have become more extensive in

order to differentiate between recent graduates.
Job requirements

Company policies usually require new employees to have ample

Company policies experience when coming on board.
Collocations Examples

Internship experience is one of the most common requirements for new

Internship graduates looking for work.
experience

The job fields in which many graduates are seeking employment, already
Job field have enough workers.

The working world is hard to enter as a graduate when a person does not
have a unique and extensive resume.
Working world

The unemployment problem for recent graduates is growing because

Unemployment more people are graduating and there are fewer jobs becoming available.
problem

Gap fill task

Many college graduates who are __________ for jobs in their preferred fields are finding themselves
without work because there are not enough jobs to go around. The main problem is that young adults
are being told how important a college degree is, yet in the end, there are too many people with this
degree. A good way to fix this problem would be to send people to technical schools in order to fill
positions that need to be filled. __________ are having trouble getting into the __________, because
there are not enough jobs for these qualified people to go around. Many graduates are qualified in
specific, popular __________ that have too many people to begin with.
In order to fix the __________ for recent graduates, we must try and create schooling other than
college that will allow students to get more specialized training in fields where employment is needed
such as computer systems and technology.
4. IELTS Topic Vocabulary – Environment – Global warming

Collocations Examples
There are many political issues in America such as women’s rights and
immigration.
Political issue

The climate crisis is a huge problem today, because temperatures are

rising, and the ice caps are melting.
Climate crisis

Global warming is causing polar bears in the north and deep south to die.
Global warming

Green Becoming a green consumer can help fix the climate crisis in the world.
consumer
Reducing our carbon emissions can slow down the effects of global
Carbon warming on our planet.
emissions

Historical The temperatures have risen and beaten the historical average.
average
The current levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are dangerously
high.
Current levels

Every person must reduce their carbon footprint by mindfully treating the
environment better.
Carbon footprint
Collocations Examples
There are many climate solutions that can help our planet, but we all must
Climate do our part to make a change.
solutions

Gap fill task

People are creating more waste and garbage today and it is negatively affecting our planet. We must
stop creating so much garbage by becoming ___________. We have to be mindful of our use and
learn to be more environmentally friendly. Studies show that the __________ of temperatures has
been exceeded and this is related to our amount of waste. We need to recycle more and emit less.

5. IELTS Topic Vocabulary – Law

Collocations Examples
The violent offender was arrested and taken to jail.
Violent offender

The runner’s ultimate goal was to win the race.

Ultimate goal

The cell blocks of the prison held inmates of all shapes and sizes.
Cell blocks

She was very smart compared to the knowledge of the general

population.
General population
Collocations Examples
The toddler needed more social contact with other toddlers to learn
how to share and be kind.
Social contact

I was kicked out of the classroom for my loud antics and disruptive
behaviour.
Disruptive behaviour

The girl collapsed on the floor, and we dialled 999 for the emergency
Emergency response team.
response

The purpose of the correctional facility was to try and teach prisoners
to behave better and be less violent.
Correctional facility

We had to use brute force to open the rusty door.

Brute force

The soldier had to go through a training academy in order to become

part of the Army.
Training academy

The school’s internal politics involving finding a new principal

caused the faculty to fight with one another.
Internal politics

Controversial The issue of electing a woman president has become a big

component controversial component in the 2016 election.
Collocations Examples

Intimidation
The school bully used an intimidation technique
technique
The church provided a safe environment for members who were
feeling threatened at home.
Safe environment

Gap fill task

Many people in today society believe that criminals cannot change their identity and will remain
criminals forever. However, there is reason to believe that this viewpoint is false. With increased
__________ between prisoners as well as officers, a __________ can be created in which prisoners
can improve themselves and change who they are.
For instance, many prisons have abandoned __________ and the use of __________. Instead, the
__________ of officers is to combat __________ with nonviolence strategies. These radical
techniques have resulted in great success and have proven that criminals can change for the better.

6. IELTS Topic Vocabulary – Environment – Fossil Fuels

Collocations Examples
In the modern age, we depend on freezers and packaging to preserve
our food.
Modern age

A company’s business model is important to form goals and succeed.

Business models

Economic success The economic success of our planet is vital to keeping our world clean
Collocations Examples
and sustainable.

Coal and oil are two important fossil fuels we use in our society.
Fossil fuels

Our carbon emissions are extremely high that we are seeing global
warming occur.
Carbon emissions

We must begin urgent decarbonization in order to bring our carbon

Urgent levels down and slow down global warming.
decarbonization

Climate change is a serious issue that will affect generations to come.

Climate change

The energy crisis revolves around the idea that when our fossil fuels are
used up, we will not have a way to produce energy.
Energy crisis

We must learn the benefits of energy efficiency in a form we can use

our fossil fuels for as long as possible.
Energy efficiency

Gap fill task

The discovery and researching of safe alternative options to __________ should be the biggest
priority of all government in our world today, because if we do not try to solve the __________ as well
as prevent it, our world will be lost when our fossil fuels are all used up. Studies have shown that even
with our population incorporating __________ into their lifestyles, we will still run out of both coal and
oil in the next few centuries. Therefore, we need to start thinking of alternatives now.

Gap fill task answers:

1- We need to promote gender equality in the workplace as well as give men and women equal pay.
Studies show that women excel just as quickly if not faster than men do in their careers when given
the opportunity. Therefore, we need to empower women and allow them to grow with no boundaries.

2- Performance enhancing drugs are a controversial issue in the sports world today. While some
people believe these drugs can increase athletic performance, it is obvious that these drugs are
detrimental to human health. These drugs cause athletes to have unfair benefits over others as well.

3- Many college graduates who are highly skilled for jobs in their preferred fields are finding
themselves without work because there are not enough jobs to go around. The main problem is that
young adults are being told how important a college degree is, yet in the end, there are too many
people with this degree. A good way to fix this problem would be to send people to technical schools
in order to fill positions that need to be filled. Qualified graduates are having trouble getting into the
working world, because there are not enough jobs for these qualified people to go around. Many
graduates are qualified in specific, popular job fields that have too many people to begin with.
In order to fix the unemployment problem for recent graduates, we must try and create schooling other
than college that will allow students to get more specialized training in fields where employment is
needed such as computer systems and technology.

4- People are creating more waste and garbage today and it is negatively affecting our planet. We
must stop creating so much garbage by becoming green consumers. We have to be mindful of our
use and learn to be more environmentally friendly. Studies show that the historical average of
temperatures has been exceeded and this is related to our amount of waste. We need to recycle more
and emit less.

5- Many people in today society believe that criminals cannot change their identity and will remain
criminals forever. However, there is reason to believe that this viewpoint is false. With increased social
contact between prisoners as well as officers, a safe environment can be created in which prisoners
can improve themselves and change who they are.
For instance, many prisons have abandoned cell blocks and the use of brute force. Instead, the
ultimate goal of officers is to combat disruptive behaviour with nonviolence strategies. These radical
techniques have resulted in great success and have proven that criminals can change for the better.

6- The discovery and researching of safe alternative options to fossil fuels should be the biggest
priority of all government in our world today, because if we do not try to solve the energy crisis as well
as prevent it, our world will be lost when our fossil fuels are all used up. Studies have shown that even
with our population incorporating energy efficiency into their lifestyles, we will still run out of both coal
and oil in the next few centuries. Therefore, we need to start thinking of alternatives now.