Common English Words Used in IELTS Speaking Test

The Speaking module of the IELTS examination is designed to assess an individual’s speaking skills in the English language. It is the same across both the IELTS Academic and General tests, and this module can be taken by candidates either a week before or after they have completed the other modules.

Since the Speaking module tests a candidate’s speaking skills, some parameters need to be fulfilled to achieve a high score in this section. Apart from fluency, grammatical correctness, and pronunciation, one of the most important aspects of an individual’s English skills that are taken into account is their vocabulary or words used for IELTS speaking answers. But, the dilemma regarding the kind of words to use in the IELTS speaking test to make the answers look more refined and sophisticated is common among IELTS candidates. People are often confused when deciding the best words to use for IELTS speaking answers. Some believe that rare and unique words are preferable whereas others incline towards more common and everyday use words.

In order to identify the best words to use for IELTS speaking answers, it is necessary to recognize the kind of vocabulary or words that you are comfortable with while responding to the questions in the IELTS speaking test.

Sometimes you may be repeating the same word, over and over again.

Scenario:

Question: What did you have for dinner last night?

Answer: I had spiced lentils, potatoes and rice. It was amazing.

Question: Tell me about your hometown?

Answer: It is an amazing place

Question: Did you watch the tennis match last week?

Answer: Yes, it was an amazing match.

In the above scenario, you are repeating the word “amazing” because you’ve fallen short of words.

Scenario with alterations:

Question: What did you have for dinner last night?

Answer: I had spiced lentils, potatoes and rice. It was awesome.

Question: Tell me about your hometown?

Answer: It is an incredible place.

Question: Did you watch the tennis match last week?

Answer: Yes, it was a fantastic match.

When you use different words, you are boosting your impression which will ultimately lead to good scores. Awesome, incredible and fantastic are not uncommon or difficult. You have to put in some effort to learn their meaning and use them in sentences.

Some common words used in IELTS Speaking Test:

Awesome :-

Meaning: extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring awe.

Sentence: The movie was awesome

Awful :-

Meaning: very bad or unpleasant; used to emphasize the extent of something, especially something unpleasant or negative

Sentence: She added salt to the drink and it tasted awful

Barely :-

Meaning: only just; almost not.

Sentence: I can barely hear you

Blonde :-

Meaning: (of hair) fair or pale yellow.

Sentence: She wore red earrings, complimenting her blonde hair.

Certainly :-

Meaning: used to emphasize the speaker’s belief that what is said is true; used to express complete agreement with something that has just been said; used to indicate that a statement is made as a concession or contrasted with another.

Sentence: She would certainly file a petition against her brother.

Combat :-

Meaning: take action to reduce or prevent (something bad or undesirable)

Sentence : The doctor gave him some tips to combat smoking tendency.

Debate :-

Meaning: argue about (a subject), especially in a formal manner.

Sentence: The doctors debated about the effectiveness of the protein diet.

Disclose :-

Meaning: make (secret or new information) known.

Sentence: John disclosed his company secrets with Jim.

Easing :-

Meaning: make (something unpleasant or intense) less serious or severe.

Sentence: Jack was having some coffee to ease out his tension.

Effortlessly :-

Meaning: in a manner requiring no physical or mental exertion.

Sentence: She went up the spiral stairs, effortlessly.

Fake :-

Meaning : not genuine; imitation or counterfeit.

Sentence: The authorities found that her certificate was a fake

Flout :-

Meaning: openly disregard (a rule, law, or convention).

Sentence: She flouted the traffic rules and was penalised for it

Genuinely :-

Meaning: in a truthful way.

Sentence: Tom genuinely sympathised with the poor.

Gorgeous :-

Meaning: beautiful; very attractive.

Sentence: Sita looked gorgeous in the red saree.

Hack :-

Meaning: cut with rough or heavy blows; gain unauthorized access to data in a system or computer.

Sentence: Tom felt his phone was being hacked.

Hostile :-

Meaning: showing or feeling opposition or dislike; unfriendly.

Sentence: Tina turned hostile towards Jane.

Impact :-

Meaning: a marked effect or influence.

Sentence: The saint’s speech did have an impact on Ram

Incentive :-

Meaning: a thing that motivates or encourages someone to do something.

Sentences: The company gave incentives to some employees.

Jarring :-

Meaning: incongruous in a striking or shocking way; clashing.

Sentence: It was a jarring moment to be mistaken as a sales girl

Jargon :-

Meaning: Special words or expressions used by a profession or group that are difficult for others to understand.

Sentence: The poetry contains jargons.

Keenly:-

Meaning: intensely.

Sentence: The doctor looked keenly at the X-ray reports

Knack :-

Meaning: a special skill, talent, or aptitude

Sentence: He had a knack for selling panipuris

Likely:-

Meaning: such as well might happen or be true; probable.

Sentence: It will most likely rain tonight

Lately:-

Meaning: Recently; not long ago

Sentence: The kid has lately been causing lot of trouble

Merely :-

Meaning: just; only.

Sentence: It was merely a sales promise

Manner :-

Meaning: a way in which a thing is done or happens.

Sentence: The kid played with the toy in the same manner as his elder brother.

Notorious :-

Meaning: famous or well known, typically for some bad quality or deed.

Sentence: The city was notorious for robbery.

Nuance :-

Meaning: subtle distinction or variation

Sentence: Her grandmother knew the nuances of cooking.

Odds:-

Meaning: the chances or likelihood of something happening or being the case.

Sentence: The odds of surviving after cancer are very less.

Offensive :-

Meaning: causing someone to feel resentful, upset, or annoyed.

Sentence: Jim upset Rob by his offensive comments

Potentially:-

Meaning: with the capacity to develop or happen in the future.

Sentence: The discovery could potentially benefit the farmers.

Probably:-

Meaning: very likely to occur or be true.

Sentence: The allegations could probably be true

Qualify :-

Meaning: be entitled to a particular benefit or privilege by fulfilling a necessary condition.

Sentence: He would definitely qualify for the promotion

Quest :-

Meaning: a long or arduous search for something.

Sentence: Rob was in a quest to find an alternative to fossil fuels.

Recall :-

Meaning: bring (a fact, event, or situation) back into one’s mind; remember.

Sentence: “Can you recall our meeting yesterday?”

Rebel :-

Meaning: rise in opposition or armed resistance to an established government or leader.

Sentences: The employees rebelled against their new boss.

Seem :-

Meaning: give the impression of being something or having a particular quality.

Sentences: Her grandmother seemed worried about something.

Sense:-

Meaning: a feeling that something is the case.

Sentences: She sensed that Tina was not interested in the conversation.

Threaten :-

Meaning: state one’s intention to take hostile action against (someone) in retribution for something done or not done.

Sentence: The thief threatened the old lady with a knife.

Tend :-

Meaning: regularly or frequently behave in a particular way or have a certain characteristic.

Sentence: They tend to sleep in the afternoons

Unanimously :-

Meaning: without opposition; with the agreement of all people involved.

Sentence: It was unanimously agreed to reduce carbon emissions.

Ultimately:-

Meaning : finally; in the end.

Sentence: Smoking will ultimately lead to cancer

Vaguely:-

Meaning: in a way that is uncertain, indefinite or unclear; roughly.

Sentence: He vaguely recalled his conversation with Tom.

Vastly :-

Meaning: to a very great extent; immensely.

Sentence: The country has vastly diverse cultures.

Wreck :-

Meaning: something, especially a vehicle or building, that has been badly damaged or destroyed.

Sentence: The spaceship was in a wreck when it landed on earth

Whopping :-

Meaning: very large.

Sentence: The bag was sold at a whopping price

Yell :-

Meaning: shout in a loud, sharp way.

Sentence: Tina yelled at her mother.

Yield :-

Meaning: give way to arguments, demands, or pressure

Sentence: The old lady yielded to her son’s threat

Zealous :-

Meaning: having or showing zeal.

Sentence: The government was zealous in bringing about a computer revolution.

Zenith :-

Meaning: the time at which something is most powerful or successful.

Sentence: The actress reached the Zenith of her career.

Also check :

• IELTS Speaking tips
• Cue Card Samples
• Linking words for IELTS Speaking
• IELTS Speaking recent actual test
• Sports Vocabulary IELTS
• Work Vocabulary IELTS
• Idioms for IELTS Speaking
• IELTS Pronunciation Guide
• Ough words