Enlarge Your Vocabulary for IELTS - Key Word: a level of

When preparing for the IELTS exam, collocations play a key role in helping you write and speak naturally. One such common and powerful collocation is “a level of”, which is widely used in both academic and everyday English. This blog will guide you through its usage, provide practice exercises, and show how you can apply it effectively in IELTS Writing and Speaking.

Understanding the Phrase “A Level Of”

The expression “a level of” is used to describe the amount, standard, or degree of something. It often combines with verbs or nouns to highlight quality, skill, intensity, or seriousness.

Examples:

• A reasonable level of competence
• A high level of concentration
• A dangerous level of pollution
• A growing level of frustration

In IELTS, this collocation can help you express ideas more precisely and improve your Lexical Resource score.

Verb + Level Of

This structure shows how actions are connected with achieving, requiring, reducing, or measuring certain degrees of ability, quality, or intensity.

Practice Exercise 1

Use the correct form of these verbs: measure, reach, reduce, require

1. After two years of study, he has ____________ a reasonable level of competence in English.
2. He works as an air-traffic controller. It’s a job that ____________ a high level of concentration.
3. Few people would disagree that something should be done to ____________ the level of crime in the area.
4. A breathalyser is a device used by traffic police to ____________ the level of alcohol in the blood.

Answer Key:

1. reached
2. requires
3. reduce
4. measure

Level Of + Noun

This pattern is commonly used to describe degrees of feelings, abilities, or problems.

Practice Exercise 2

Complete the sentences with these nouns: frustration, violence, pollution, fitness, anxiety, expertise, difficulty, unemployment

1. We have exercise classes which cater for all levels of ____________.
2. I think that children today are exposed to unacceptable levels of ____________ on television.
3. The results of a recent survey show a growing level of ____________ among hospital doctors. Many are thinking of leaving the profession.
4. Increased levels of air ____________ in the city centre represent a major health hazard to the local residents.
5. It is difficult to find good staff with the level of ____________ required for this job.
6. Many patients experience high levels of ____________ before a major operation.
7. What is the government doing about the high level of ____________ in this country?
8. After the exam, all the students complained about the level of ____________ of the maths test. Most of them couldn’t even attempt half of the questions.

Answer Key:

1. fitness
2. violence
3. frustration
4. pollution
5. expertise
6. anxiety
7. unemployment
8. difficulty

Examples of “A Level Of” in IELTS Writing

Using this collocation in IELTS Writing Task 2 adds clarity and precision to your arguments.

• Education topic: “In many countries, students are under a high level of pressure to achieve top grades.”
• Environment topic: “Governments should introduce stricter laws to reduce the level of pollution in urban areas.”
• Work topic: “Certain jobs, such as those in healthcare, require a high level of expertise and responsibility.”

These examples demonstrate how the phrase can strengthen your arguments in essays.

Using “A Level Of” in IELTS Speaking

In IELTS Speaking, this collocation helps you sound more fluent and natural.

• IELTS Speaking Part 1: “I do yoga regularly to maintain a good level of fitness.”
• IELTS Speaking Part 2 (Cue Card – Describe a difficult task): “The project demanded a high level of teamwork and patience.”
• IELTS Speaking Part 3 (Discussion): “I think children today face an unacceptable level of stress because of academic competition.”

Common Mistakes with “A Level Of”

Learners often make errors when using this phrase.

1. Using it unnecessarily:
   Wrong: “He has a level of a car.”
   Correct: “He has a high level of skill in driving.”
2. Forgetting the adjective:
   Wrong: “She has a level of knowledge.”
   Correct: “She has an impressive level of knowledge.”
3. Incorrect verb usage:
   Wrong: “He reach a level of success.”
   Correct: “He reached a level of success.”

Extra Practice: Fill-in-the-Blanks

1. Achieving a high _________ of success requires dedication and consistency.
   (level / levels)
2. The government is trying to _________ the level of unemployment.
   (reduce / reach)
3. Athletes must maintain a strict diet to keep their _________ of fitness.
   (level / degree)
4. It takes years of study to _________ a reasonable level of expertise in medicine.
   (reach / measure)

Why Learn Collocations Like “A Level Of”?

Collocations such as “a level of” are powerful tools for IELTS success because they:

• Help describe degrees and standards precisely
• Can be applied in all IELTS sections – IELTS Listening, IELTS Reading, Writing, and Speaking
• Make your language more natural and academic
• Contribute to higher marks in Lexical Resource

The collocation “a level of” is highly useful in IELTS for describing skills, emotions, and problems accurately. By practicing with different verbs and nouns, you can use this phrase flexibly in both Writing and Speaking. Regular use of collocations like this one will help you enlarge your vocabulary, improve fluency, and achieve a higher band score. 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.

Also Check: 

• Improve Your Vocabulary for IELTS – Key Word: Space
• Improve Your Vocabulary for IELTS – Key Word: Size
• Using Collocation to Boost Your IELTS Score - Key Word: decision 
• Using Collocation to Boost Your IELTS Score - Key Word: a series of
• Grammar For IELTS : The Common Grammars And Sentence Structures In English (Part 1
• Grammar For IELTS : The Common Grammars And Sentence Structures In English (Part 2)
• Using Contrast in IELTS Speaking & Writing: Advanced Grammar in IELTS
• 100+ Advanced Vocabulary Word List for IELTS (PDF Available)