Using Collocation to Boost Your IELTS Score - Keyword: Request

Expanding your vocabulary with collocations is crucial for IELTS Speaking and Writing. The word request is common in academic, formal, and everyday English. Let’s explore useful verb + request, adjective + request, and prepositional expressions that will boost your lexical resource in the IELTS test.

1. Verb + Request

In IELTS, you will often hear or use request in combination with certain verbs. Below are some common collocations with request.

Exercise – Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs:

• deal with  ignore  grant  make
• meet with  receive  agree to  refuse

1. I don’t get on with my boss, so I’ve ____________ a request for a transfer to another department.
2. She’s such a nice person that I couldn’t bring myself to ____________ her request.
3. The box office has been inundated with requests for tickets. We’ve ____________ over one thousand requests since the telephone lines opened at 9 this morning.
4. I applied for two months’ unpaid leave to travel around India, but I’m afraid my request has ____________ a flat refusal!
5. Please be patient. We are a bit understaffed today. Your request will be ____________ in due course.
6. We’ve just had a request for help from a hospital in Zimbabwe. I don’t think we can ____________ it.
7. The judge ____________ the request for a break when some startling new evidence suddenly came to light.
8. The deposed president’s request for political asylum has been ____________, so he will be able to remain in France indefinitely.

2. Common Adjective + Request

Certain adjectives naturally collocate with request. These will help you sound natural in IELTS Speaking and more precise in Writing Task 2.

Exercise – Use the following adjectives in the blanks:

• special  last  reasonable  popular  repeated  urgent

1. I’ve made ____________ requests to my neighbours to turn their music down, but they just think I’m mad.
2. My father’s ____________ request was that there should be no flowers at his funeral.
3. You’ve nothing to lose by asking for a rise. It seems a perfectly ____________ request to make.
4. He received an ____________ request to meet the Prime Minister and left for London immediately.
5. I’ve got a ____________ request. Could you play ‘All you need is love’?
6. The film is on TV every Christmas by ____________ request.

3. Expressions with Prepositions

Prepositions change the meaning of expressions with request. These are often used in formal and academic English, making them especially useful for IELTS.

Exercise – Complete the phrases with the correct preposition:

1. I’m here ____________ the request of my boss. He couldn’t make the meeting and asked me to take his place.
2. Full details are available ____________ request. Just send a stamped addressed envelope to the address below.
3. The writer’s name was withheld, ____________ request. Given the content of the article, the author feared for his safety.
4. We’ve had lots of requests ____________ more information about visa requirements for Tibet.

Notes and Usage Tips

• By popular request: Used when something happens because many people asked for it.
• Turn down a request = refuse a request.
• Put in a request = make a request.
• On request = something is available if you ask for it.
• At your own request = you asked for it yourself.

Example (IELTS Speaking Part 2):
"I once put in a request for extra study material at my university library, and they granted it quickly, which really helped me prepare for exams."

Answer Key

Exercise 1 (Verb + Request):

1. made 2. refuse 3. received 4. met with 5. dealt with 6. ignore 7. agreed to 8. granted

Exercise 2 (Adjective + Request):

1. repeated 2. last 3. reasonable 4. urgent 5. special 6. popular

Exercise 3 (Prepositions):

1. at 2. on 3. by 4. for

Learning collocations with request not only strengthens your vocabulary but also helps you write and speak more naturally in the IELTS test. Practice using them in context, especially in IELTS Writing Task 2 essays and IELTS Speaking Part 2  answers, to showcase a wide lexical resource for a higher IELTS 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: 

• 10 Useful IELTS Speaking Tips to Impress the Examiner
• Grammar For IELTS: Expressions Of Quantity
• 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)
• Especially vs Specially for IELTS Grammar: Lessons, Examples, Usage & Exercises