Effective Ways to Improve Your Vocabulary for IELTS

Having an extensive English vocabulary should be one of your priorities as an IELTS exam taker. Not only does it comprise 25% of the Writing and Speaking tests under the criterion “Lexical discourse,” but it is also a fundamental part of the Listening and Reading examinations. For instance, in the Reading component of the exam, the words that appear in the questions are often synonyms of those used in the text. Thus, to acquire a seven and above band score requires vocabulary proficiency.

Training programs like the IELTS online review can help improve your word bank. However, incorrect vocabulary acquisition methods, such as forced memorization, can diminish your learning progress.

To maximize your term retention capacity, here are some techniques to guide you through your IELTS review.

Keep a vocabulary journal.
Keeping a journal is one of the most effective vocabulary acquisition techniques. Did you know that note-taking is more efficient to learning new words than typing? According to the Association for Psychological Science, “Those who took notes in longhand, and were able to study, did significantly better than any of the other students in the experiment—better even than the fleet typists who had basically transcribed the lectures . . . these results suggest that longhand notes not only lead to higher quality learning in the first place; they are also a superior strategy for storing new learning for later study.”

Be consistent in your study habits when you manage your journal. Each time you encounter an unfamiliar word or phrase, record its definition and its corresponding context. Cite a sample sentence and try to produce your own. If it would help your learning process, you can draw pictures, design graphs, create tables, use acronyms, construct mnemonics or even translate the terms to your native language.

If you are taking training courses such as the IELTS online review program, take note of every unfamiliar word or phrase that you encounter. Do not hesitate to ask your instructor for sample sentences and practice exercises.

Practice spelling: You can remember a word’s spelling better if you actually write it down compared to when you read it or type it. Write a word a couple of times when you first encounter it. Then, list down all the words you learn every day before starting your reviews. Though terms accumulate over time, the repetitive action effectively retains the correct spellings to your memory.

Read about your interests.
People learn faster when they enjoy what they are doing. Reading academic and literary masterpieces can certainly expand your vocabulary. However, it does not necessarily mean that you have to limit yourself on these categories.

Read and explore what interests you. It does not matter if its fiction or nonfiction, prose or poetry, provided that the material is of excellent linguistic quality. Avoid using mediocre sources that publish questionable content, such as tabloid newspapers and hoax websites. For those who are enrolled in IELTS training courses, ask your mentors for reading recommendations.

Practice reading comprehension: Whenever you encounter an unfamiliar word or phrase, do not consult your dictionary immediately. Try to find out what it means according to its application in the text or context clues. This way, you can hone your reading comprehension skills while increasing your English vocabulary.

Watch shows that make use of the English language fluently.
Not all books can teach you how to pronounce a word. In fact, there are instances when a person is familiar with a word but pronounces it wrong as he/she only knows it through reading.

Watching shows that make use of the English language fluently can help you understand word pronunciations better. Tune in to news broadcasts and observe how various newscasters or presenters deliver the news. Moreover, watch and listen to native speakers and examine their pronunciations. Do not forget to jot down new terms and their corresponding details (e.g., adjective, noun, verb, adverb) in your journal. If you are attending review programs, ask your instructors for shows and movies that could be beneficial to your IELTS studies.

Practice listening: Various shows have different English accents (e.g., British, Canadian or American accent) depending on the speakers. Practice your listening skills and refrain from activating subtitles when you watch an American or British (or any other native English-speaking nationalities) movie or program. As it progresses, write down all unfamiliar words that the characters said and figure out their meaning based on the context or situation. Watch the movie again with subtitles to know if you got the words correctly.

Use your word references.
At times, nothing is what it seems in the English language. Some terms have more than one definition while others have the same pronunciation but utterly different spellings or meanings (homophones). As such, always keep your word references handy.

Do not consult the dictionary or thesaurus every time you come across an unfamiliar word or phrase. Try to determine the words’ meanings based on their context before using the dictionary. Many exam takers make the mistake of listing down terms from these sources and trying to memorize them. In taking the IELTS test, understanding the context of the subject is usually the key to a high band score.

Practice word associations: Treat the thesaurus as a word extension tool. Check the synonyms and antonyms of terms that you encounter. Examine their relationship with other words and phrases. Then practice word associations by using these terms in discussing timely subjects.

Maintain a daily word quota.
According to “Foreign languages: how to memorise vocabulary” by Anne Merritt of The Telegraph, experts noted that a person can learn at least 10–20 new words a day. However, people do not necessarily have same study habits. The number of terms that an individual can remember often depends on their commitment and memory capacity.

Being passive is one of the most efficient approaches. Establish a daily word quota to set a consistent vocabulary acquisition pace. Set the highest reasonable number that aligns with your mental and memory capacities. Never cram. Jamming an absurd amount of terms in your head will only diminish your vocabulary progress. The excessive pace would only lead to inconsistent and problematic results. It does not matter if you only set five terms per day as long as you follow through without fail. Learn five words per day for a week and you retain a total of 35 words. If you are taking review courses, be it classroom-based IELTS online training or a home-based IELTS online review, consider your schedule before setting your quota.

Practice time management: Time is a crucial factor in taking the IELTS exam. Every component follows a strict schedule. You will need to use your time wisely especially for the Reading and Writing tests. In setting your daily word quota, you need to consider other daily activities. Are you still a student attending the university? Or are you perhaps employed? Examine the whole picture and develop or improve your time management skills.

All things considered, vocabulary acquisition is an undertaking. Keep a journal of all unfamiliar words and phrases you encounter as you read and watch materials. Establish their context, record all pertinent details and construct examples. Use your word references wisely and commit to your established daily quota.

Follow the methods listed above and not only will you efficiently build up your vocabulary but also boost your chances of getting a higher band score in the IELTS exam.