Build Your Vocabulary for IELTS - Key Word: Violence

Understanding collocations with the word “violence” is crucial for IELTS preparation. This word frequently appears in academic contexts, news articles, and essay topics. Using it correctly with verbs, adjectives, nouns, and prepositions will make your writing and speaking more precise, fluent, and natural.

This guide covers verb collocations, adjective collocations, noun phrases, and prepositional phrases with “violence”, along with exercises and answer keys to help you practice effectively.

Verb + Violence

Verbs paired with “violence” describe actions involving aggression, control, or response to conflict.

Practice Exercise 1

Use the correct form of these verbs: condemn, stir up, resort to, contain, condone, threaten

1. If they have to, the group are prepared to ______ violence to get what they want.
2. The leader of the gang was accused of using racist language to ______ hatred and violence.
3. The President ______ the violence and appealed to the rioters to refrain from further violence.
4. As a pacifist, I deplore all violence. I can’t ______ violence in any shape or form.
5. When I was ______ with violence, I handed over my passport and credit cards.
6. Violence flared up again last night in many areas. Police in riot gear struggled to ______ the violence.

Answer Key:

1. resort to
2. stir up
3. condemned
4. condone
5. threatened
6. contain

Common Adjective + Violence Collocations

Adjectives describe the type, intensity, or scope of violence. Using the right adjective can improve your essay and speaking descriptions.

Practice Exercise 2

Complete the sentences with these adjectives: domestic, gratuitous, mindless, racial, excessive, widespread, drug-related, sectarian, endemic

1. The police deny that they used ______ violence while arresting the accused.
2. Unfortunately, ______ violence is a regular occurrence in some families.
3. A group of white youths were accused of instigating ______ violence by taunting two Asian boys.
4. The high tax on food led to ______ violence throughout the country.
5. There’s too much ______ violence on TV. Most of it is unnecessary.
6. Police said that the horrific attack on the old woman was an act of ______ violence.
7. In parts of India, the communal violence seems to be ______. It’s gone on for generations.
8. Northern Ireland has seen less ______ violence in recent years.
9. In most big cities, most violence is ______.

Answer Key:

1. excessive
2. domestic
3. racial
4. widespread
5. gratuitous
6. mindless
7. endemic
8. sectarian
9. drug-related

Noun + of + Violence

This structure often describes the victims, the history, or the scenes related to violence.

Practice Exercise 3

Use these nouns: history of, outbreak of, scenes of, upsurge of, use of, victims of

1. It is a fact that women are still the main ______ domestic violence.
2. Our group believes in political change but does not advocate the ______ violence.
3. In India, fifty people were reported killed today in a fresh ______ inter-racial violence.
4. There were unprecedented ______ violence in the city’s main square as rival football fans clashed.
5. There’s been an ______ violence in the city recently, linked to rising unemployment.
6. He has a long ______ violence and is considered a danger to society.

Answer Key:

1. victims of
2. use of
3. outbreak of
4. scenes of
5. upsurge of
6. history of

Noun + Preposition + Violence

Prepositions with “violence” indicate the target, source, or context of the aggression.

Practice Exercise 4

Complete the sentences with suitable prepositions: to (x2), about, in

1. Among psychologists, there is growing concern ______ violence on television.
2. They have called for an end ______ violence and a return to peace.
3. Security at benefit offices is being stepped up to deal with the recent increase ______ violence.
4. There are hopes that the conflict can be resolved without resort ______ violence.

Answer Key:

1. about
2. to
3. in
4. to

How to Use “Violence” in IELTS Writing?

Using collocations with violence strengthens essay quality and precision:

• Education essay: “Schools should address bullying to prevent the escalation of violence among students.”
• Social issues essay: “Governments must take steps to reduce domestic violence and protect victims.”
• Political essay: “Political protests can sometimes escalate into widespread violence if not managed carefully.”

How to Use “Violence” in IELTS Speaking?

In IELTS Speaking, this word helps describe personal experiences, current events, and social issues:

• IELTS Speaking Part 1: “I think there is too much gratuitous violence on TV nowadays.”
• IELTS Speaking Part 2 (Cue Card – Describe a news event): “The riots in the city led to scenes of widespread violence.”
• IELTS Speaking Part 3 (Discussion): “What measures can governments take to reduce domestic violence?”

Overall, mastering collocations with violence will help you:

• Describe social and political issues accurately
• Improve your vocabulary for IELTS Writing and Speaking
• Sound more fluent and natural in responses
• Achieve higher marks in Lexical Resource

Practice these exercises regularly, notice how the word appears in real contexts, and use the collocations in your writing and speaking tasks to strengthen your IELTS performance. For those aiming for top scores, following the IELTS Exam Preparation Tips for Band Score of 8+ can further enhance your vocabulary and overall test performance.

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