Achieving Precision in IELTS Writing Vocabulary

When you prepare for your IELTS writing test, one of the most crucial skills for you to develop is vocabulary precision. This means using the right and meaningful words in the right context. This will not only help you in conveying the message you intend to convey, clearly; but also help you impress the examiner with your outstanding vocabulary knowledge!

Repeating the same words and phrases will make your answer sound repetitive even when your ideas are out of the box. Hence, in this article, let us understand what exactly IELTS vocabulary precision means, tips to start building your vocabulary, why it is important to improve it, and much more!

Understanding Vocabulary Precision

As mentioned earlier, vocabulary precision is the ability to choose the perfect words to a particular context. When speaking about IELTS writing, it is the act of selecting the words that exactly showcase your ideas without any doubts.

For example,

instead of writing “many people,”

you can mention it as "a significant number of people.”

The difference between the two phrases here is, that the latter one gives clarity and mentions the intended message specifically.

Importance of Vocabulary Precision in IELTS Writing

The IELTS Writing test mainly assesses 4 major criteria, namely:

• Task response
• Coherence and cohesion
• Lexical resources
• Grammatical range and accuracy

So now you can understand that ‘Lexical resources’ that is, the set of vocabulary you know plays a major role in IELTS writing. Let us now explore some more reasons that support the importance of vocabulary precision in the writing test.

Using precise words can help you express your ideas perfectly. With this, your writing and the information you get to convey will be clear; The examiner will also understand your intended message without any confusion resulting in a higher IELTS band score.

Using a wide range of words can help you avoid repetition and make your essays seem interesting to read. Remember, keeping the reader engaged throughout is what will help you score a good band in your IELTS writing test.

Tips for Improving Vocabulary Precision

1. Read Widely

One of the best ways to enhance your vocabulary game is to keep reading. You can start this habit of reading by picking different types of texts from blogs, newspapers, novels, etc. This may help you pick your favourite genre and kickstart interest in reading for you! Try to focus on how an author uses phrases, and words in order to express their ideas. One extra tip is, you can jot down unfamiliar words and learn their meanings using a dictionary or a thesaurus.

2. Practice Contextual Usage

While you begin learning words, try to learn them based on the context rather than just learning them and their meanings.

For instance, the word “Light" has two different meanings. It differs based on the context.

Meaning 1: Light is a source of illumination.

Context: My office room was filled with light because it had large windows.

Meaning 2: Not heavy

Context: My brother asked me to carry a light backpack up the stairs while he carried the heavier one.

In these two contexts, the same word “light” showcases two different meanings. Hence, make sure to learn words with their meaning as well as their context as well.

3. Create Vocabulary Lists and Write Regularly

When you learn familiar words, try to make a personal vocabulary list. You can note down their meanings along with example sentences to review regularly and before your final test as well.

One more tip is you can categorise your list of vocabulary under topics like travel, entertainment, sports, etc. This activity can be specifically used for your IELTS writing and speaking tests.

You can also practice incorporating the words you learn as you write sample essays for your IELTS writing. Review your answers and your word usage after completing and you can also ask for expert feedback on this. They can easily help you identify areas where you can improve your usage.

Examples of Precise Vocabulary Usage

Let us now look at some examples of precise vocabulary.

• Instead of "good," you can use "superb," or "excellent” based on the context.
• Instead of "different options," you can use "numerous options" or "wide range of options."

These kind of variations can significantly develop your style and enhance clarity.

By now you would have known the importance of achieving precision in vocabulary for IELTS writing. Hence, by expanding your knowledge in vocabulary, gaining your desired band in IELTS is highly possible. Remember, it’s not just stuffing complex words into your essays, but choosing the right words in the right context. Know that, with proper practice and consistency, learning a wide range of vocabulary and using them in your essays is easily possible.

Also check:

• Vocabulary for Top 9 Most Common Topics in IELTS subject Exam
• 50 Good Vocabulary Words to use in an IELTS Essay
• IELTS Speaking Vocabulary - 10 Academic Words that will Help you Score IELTS Band 9