Feral - Word Of The Day For IELTS Speaking And Writing

Enhancing your vocabulary with vivid and descriptive adjectives can significantly elevate your Lexical Resource score in IELTS. Today’s word, “feral,” is particularly useful when describing animals, behaviour, or environments that are wild, untamed, or out of control. Using this adjective in IELTS Speaking and Writing helps you express intensity, danger, or wildness with clarity and precision.

Meaning of Feral

Adjective: Describes animals that were once domesticated but have become wild; can also describe wild, savage, or uncontrolled behaviour.

Using “feral” helps you add strong imagery and emphasis when describing wild environments, aggressive behaviour, or situations that lack control.

Synonyms: Wild, Savage, Untamed, Ferocious
Antonyms: Tame, Domesticated, Gentle

Common Collocations with Feral

Learning collocations helps you use the word naturally and accurately in IELTS contexts.

• Feral animal – “Feral cats often pose a threat to native wildlife.”
• Feral behaviour – “The crowd displayed almost feral behaviour after the match.”
• Feral instincts / nature
• Feral population (of animals)

History and Origin of “Feral”

The word “feral” originates from the Latin ferus, meaning “wild” or “untamed.” Historically, it was used to describe domesticated animals that escaped and reverted to a wild state. Today, it is also used metaphorically to describe uncontrolled or savage human behaviour making it especially useful in academic or descriptive IELTS contexts.

Usage & Examples in IELTS

IELTS Speaking Examples

• “It felt like a feral world filled with hostility and hidden conflicts.”
• “The creature looked almost feral, with sharp features and wild, alert eyes.”

IELTS Writing Examples

• “Interbreeding with feral cats remains one of the biggest threats to the survival of the wildcat species.”
• “Urban areas with growing feral animal populations require stricter environmental policies.”

IELTS Speaking Part 3 Example

Question: Why do some animals become feral?

Sample Answer:
“Some animals become feral when they escape domestication and adapt to living independently in the wild. Over time, they rely on natural instincts to survive, which often leads to behavioural changes such as increased aggression or heightened alertness.”

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Sentence

Topic: Some people believe governments should manage the growing feral animal population.

Sample Sentence:
“Uncontrolled growth in feral animal populations can disrupt ecosystems, which makes government intervention both necessary and urgent.”

Exercise: Apply “Feral”

Fill in the blanks using the words: crucial, appended, reinforced, highlighted, feral, intense, theme, visually, dramatically, plus

1. He had light brown hair and a __________ quality about him that made people do what he wanted.
2. The opposition leader’s speech __________ the need for an increase in health care spending in our province.
3. The media often __________ stereotypes regarding minorities.
4. There are over 20 pages of grammar notes __________ to the dictionary.
5. The number of young people starting smoking dropped __________ when the government raised taxes on cigarettes by over 10%.
6. The twin attributes of language and culture have been __________ in enabling the human species to adapt to a wide range of environments.
7. Peace is the dominant __________ in Islam; peace with Allah, with one’s soul, with family and friends, and with all living creatures.
8. Four people have died in the __________ cold which has hit Southern Ontario and Quebec this past weekend.
9. Crocodiles and alligators sometimes communicate __________ through body language.
10. The ability to speak a foreign language is a real __________ in today’s job market.

Answer Key

1. feral
2. highlighted
3. reinforced
4. appended
5. dramatically
6. crucial
7. theme
8. intense
9. visually
10. plus

Mastering the word “feral” allows IELTS candidates to describe wild animals, untamed behaviour, and uncontrolled situations with precision and impact. Its strong imagery makes it especially effective in both Speaking and Writing tasks, helping you express intensity, danger, or natural instinct clearly and academically. By practising this word in sample answers, collocations, and exercises, you can boost your lexical range and move closer to achieving a higher IELTS band score.

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• IELTS Vocabulary Booster Ebook - Artur Krotkov & Nadin Miles
• Advanced Vocabulary for IELTS 7.0-9.0: Practice Exercises and Answer Key (Part 1)