Using Collocation to Boost Your IELTS Score - Key Word: Impact

One powerful and impactful word to master as you learn collocations is “impact.” This is because it appears frequently in the IELTS Writing and Speaking modules, mainly when discussing issues relating to the environment, technology, studies, government, or society.

If you are a person wanting to sound more natural and fluent during your IELTS exam, learning collocations is really important. This is because, you get to learn collocations related to the word, Impact. 

Collocations are groups of words that tend to appear together, and when you are using them perfectly can definitely improve your lexical resource band score in both the IELTS Speaking and Writing modules. 

Understanding the Word “Impact”

• The word, “Impact” means the effect or influence that something has on a person, situation, or even the world.

Example: Social media these days have a huge impact on how we communicate.

• As a verb, this word “impact” means to affect or influence something.

Example: Social media mainly impacts the way we see our relationships and lifestyle today. 

Tips for Mastering Collocations

• Learn in the proper context. Do not just memorize individual words and then learn how they’re used together.
• Use proper academic collocations. Words like significant impact or crucial impact will sound more formal and are perfect for IELTS essays.
• Practice proper paraphrasing. Instead of repeating “effect,” use “impact” with the perfect collocations to show vocabulary range.

List of Collocations Related to “Impact”

Practice Exercise: Key Word - Impact

Verb + Impact (Effect)

Exercise 1. Use the correct form of these verbs:

1. Internet shopping is beginning to__________ a serious impact on the traditional bookshops.
2. Henman was one of the first British tennis players for years to __________ a real impact on the world of tennis.
3. The authorities are doing everything within their power to __________ the environmental impact of the oil spill.
4. It will be very difficult to __________ the likely impact of allowing twice as many students to have access to a university education.
5. During the 1980s, the industrial north of the country __________ the full impact of the economic recession.
6. When the Berlin Wall came down and the former Eastern Bloc countries opened up, the campaign for nuclear disarmament__________ much of its impact.

Common Adjective Collocations

Exercise 2. Choose the more natural collocation from the pair in brackets:

1. Lady Chatterley’s Lover is an important book because it has had a __________ impact on public opinion in Britain since it was published. (major / large)
2. Some politicians are worried that tougher environmental laws could have a __________ impact on the economy. (poor / detrimental)
3. Has the experience of being in prison had a __________ impact on you or have you just put it behind you? (long-term / lasting)
4. The recent ban on cigarette advertising has had a(n) __________ impact on the number of teenagers smoking, (recent / immediate)
5. Management aren’t worried about the strike. They are convinced that it will only have a __________ impact on business. (tiny / negligible)
6. Scientists are discussing ways of reducing the __________ impact of wind farms on the landscape. (visual / visible)
7. Going to the theatre for the first time as a small boy made a __________ impact on me. (huge / severe)
8. We didn’t know the__________ impact of the disaster at Chernobyl until years after it happened, (complete / full)

Impact (Collision)

Exercise 3. Use the correct form of these verbs:

1. The crew__________ the initial impact of the crash, but died in the fire which followed.
2. Good running-shoes prevent injury by __________ the impact of the foot striking the ground.
3. Containers carrying nuclear waste are designed to __________ an impact with a speeding train without breaking open.
4. Many of the dead were in the first coach of the train which __________ the full impact of the crash.

Note:

1. In 2-1 ‘significant, huge and profound’ are also possible.
2. In 1-3 ‘cushion’ is also possible.

Note the following prepositional phrase:

• The bomb exploded on impact – nobody stood a chance.

Note the expression ‘the force of the impact’

• The force of the impact knocked me to the ground.

Answer Key: Key Word - Impact

Exercise 1:

1. have
2. make
3. minimise
4. assess
5. felt
6. lost

Exercise 2:

1. major
2. detrimental
3. lasting
4. immediate
5. negligible
6. visual
7. huge
8. full

Exercise 3:

1. survived
2. absorbing
3. withstand
4. took

Also check:

• IELTS Vocabulary books
• IELTS Grammar
• IELTS Vocabulary
• IELTS Listening words
• Sports Vocabulary IELTS
• English Pronunciation in use Intermediate pdf
• Work Vocabulary IELTS