Advanced Vocabulary for IELTS 7.0-9.0: Practice Exercises and Answer Key (Part 1)

Advanced Vocabulary for IELTS – Personality & Character Traits

The table below focuses on adjectives used to describe personality, behavior, and personal characteristics, topics that frequently appear in IELTS Speaking Part 1 and Part 2. 

These words allow you to express your opinions about people, society, and personal experiences more vividly and with greater sophistication. They are also useful in describing leadership, attitudes, and character in essays.

Advanced Vocabulary for IELTS – Academic, Science, and Social Discourse

This set of vocabulary includes high-register words used frequently in academic writing, scientific explanations, and social issue discussions, perfect for the IELTS Reading and Writing Task 2 section. 

These terms allow candidates to express ideas with academic formality and improve their ability to summarise, analyse, and evaluate information effectively.

Additional High-Band Vocabulary Words for IELTS

These bonus words are handpicked to elevate your IELTS vocabulary to the 9.0 range. These terms are especially useful for discussions involving government, technology, economics, and formal argumentation. 

Incorporating these into your writing and speaking will demonstrate a strong command of academic and topic-specific language.

Exercises Based on Advanced Vocabulary for IELTS 7.0-9.0

Now that you have gone through the IELTS Vocabulary Words Lists for Band 8 or 9, it is time to solve some exercises that will help you retain these words, their meaning, and usage.

1. It was a(n)______effort on our part to try to convince her not to make such a rash decision and quit her job before she had anything lined up; she was never going to listen to us anyway.
2. The violent scenes in that movie were simply______and added nothing to the storyline. All they served to achieve was to force the Film Censor’s hand so as to prevent under 12s from being able to view what was otherwise a perfectly suitable film for them to watch.
3. Living as a foreigner in such a(n)______place as this, it is hardly surprising that I get stared at walking down the street; I stand out like a sore thumb.
4. Rumours abound that the announcement of the merger of the two companies is______; apparently it is as good as a done deal.
5. He had the______build of someone half his age involved in professional athletics; it was as though he never aged at all, and yet I seldom saw him do exercise of any kind and he never went to the gym.
6. The______details of the deceased’s year-long affair with his secretary emerged during the trial as the prosecution tried to build a strong case for motive to murder. This much is clear; most people in Jane Ayre’s shoes probably would have wanted their lying, cheating, money-grabbing husband dead.
7. It is one thing to simply tell a white lie, James, but you have been downright______; I will never be able to trust you again.
8. The chances of finding those trapped in the snow after the avalanche now are______; after all, most avalanche survivors suffocate within 15-30 minutes of being buried alive. It has been nine hours now that the rescuers have been searching.
9. There is a(n)______of books on the subject, so you should have no trouble whatsoever researching ideas for your project.
10. She has a(n)______way of making her point which is brilliantly effective; I find it leaves those with whom she argues at a loss for what to say next, so taken aback are they by her succinct ripostes.
11. He is no doubt a(n)______talent, but I question whether or not he has the temperament to succeed in this sport.
12. He is a(n)______goal scorer; not even the great Malcolm Mound managed to convert his chances with the same regularity during his spell at the club.
13. The two houses are______to each other and yet they are so differently styled that you could be forgiven for thinking they were built in completely different eras.
14. He left a(n)______on my answerphone about having to ‘disappear’ for a few weeks, saying that ‘everything would be all right’ and that he would sort it out. I am still struggling to understand what this is all about, but it can’t be good.
15. The diamond is of______origin; indeed, I strongly suspect that it has been smuggled into the country illegally from one of the African conflict zones.
16. That is a(n)______abuse of power; be warned, you will not win any friends behaving like this and walking all over everyone.
17. The bottom fell out of this______cardboard box while I was carrying it up the stairs; how cheap of the courier company to use such cut-rate packaging.
18. He wore a(n)______expression for weeks following the news that he had not got the promotion.
19. He has a(n)______collection of butterflies which he bought from the local Natural History museum.
20. There is a(n)______of new homes being built in the region and at the moment demand far outweighs supply. Something must be done to redress the balance.
    1. 1.  

Answer Key for Exercises Based on Advanced Vocabulary for IELTS 7.0-9.0

Once you have completed the exercises to test your vocabulary knowledge, it is time to check your score in order to see if you have been able to use them successfully for a high IELTS band score.

1. a
2. b
3. d
4. a
5. c
6. d
7. d
8. b
9. b
10. a
11. a
12. a
13. a
14. d
15. b
16. c
17. a
18. c
19. c
20. c

To sum up, building a strong foundation in advanced vocabulary is about learning how to use them naturally and accurately in the context of IELTS tasks. Whether you are writing essays, describing complex ideas in the Speaking test, or interpreting academic texts in Reading and IELTS Listening, these words can significantly boost your overall band score. So, make these words a regular part of your preparation, and you’ll be well on your way to achieving the score you aim for.

Useful Links:

• Top 11 IELTS Vocabulary Books
• 1200 Common Words in IELTS Listening
• IELTS Sport Vocabulary: Useful Phrases & Expressions in IELTS Speaking
• Employment/Work (Part 1): Advanced Vocabulary for IELTS (Band 7+)
• IELTS Speaking Vocabulary - 30 Academic Words that will Help you Score IELTS Band 9 (Part 1)
• IELTS Academic High-Frequency Vocabulary and Words