ielts writing essay synonyms

Useful Synonyms For IELTS Writing Task To Score High In Exam

Vocabulary plays an essential role in the IELTS examination. Whether it is a Reading, Speaking, Listening, or Writing test, in each and every module, a student should be well versed in word usage.

Talking about the Writing test, bands are decided on the basis of four parameters, that is,

• Coherence & Cohesion
• Grammatical range and accuracy
• Lexical resources
• Task achievement

So, lexical resources or word usage is one of the criteria which should be effective to achieve the higher score in the IELTS writing exam.

This blog will particularly focus on different synonyms which can be used to achieve the desired bands.

Importance of Synonyms In IELTS Writing

Synonyms are the exact or real meaning of the words. English language is a huge ocean of vocabulary and to have an impact of the language over someone, synonyms can be used.

• Wide range of words helps you to avoid repetition and redundancy.
• It makes the reader interested in the writing.
• It also give your writing an effective or qualitative length.
• It will also improve your band score under the lexical resources criteria.

Task 1- Report Writing

In report writing , a report of at least 150 words is required where any of the diagram or illustration will be given and one is required to explain that illustration in one’s own way. Different synonyms which can be used while writing a report can be:-

Depicting Words In Introduction

• It depicts...
• It illustrates....
• The table shows....
• These pie charts give information about..
• The map presents...
• The diagram depicts...
• These diagrams depict...
• The diagram demonstrates..
• These flowcharts illustrate...

Words Written With Years

Between 1990 and 2000.

From 1990 to 2000.

In the years of 1990 to 2000.

For Rephrasal

• Result/ outcome..
• Population, number of people, the populace
• Survey/research...

For Starting First Paragraph

It can be clearly seen that...

It is evident that...

It is apparent that...

For Second Paragraph

• Moving to..
• Turning to...
• Moving further...

To Show Trend In Body Paragraphs

Increase/decrease, Incline/decline, soar/Plunge, rise/downfall...

Almost same, equal, not much difference,...

Remained same, was constant, did not change,...

Minimum, lowest, least, lower, small amount...

Maximum, highest, significant amount, majority...

Fluctuates- zigzag trend, upward and downward..

Some another Synonyms

• Projected, anticipated, forecasted, expected...
• Process, steps, series,...
• Countries, nations, different parts of world...
• Different, various, distinct...
• Number, count, strength, figure...
• Waste, garbage, rubbish

Connectors For Conclusion

• All in all..

Task 2- Essay Writing

Essay writing is a task where an essay of minimum of 250 words is required with proper usage of words and correct explanation of ideas. A different range of synonyms or vocabulary is used while writing an essay which has no limit and can be won over by practicing. Here is the list of some useful and effective synonyms which students can use to have an excellent band scores.

In Introduction

For opinion statement.

• I believe that...
• I reckon that...
• In my point of view....

For General Statement In Intro

• Some people think that...
• According to some people...
• It is generally said that...

In Body Paragraphs

For start (connectors).

• First of all, firstly, first and foremost...
• There are many factors which influence my point of view...
• On one hand,
• For contrast ( on the other hand)...

For Continuing Ideas

• Furthermore,..
• In addition to...
• Moreover, also, additionally

For Last (Connectors)

• Last but not the least...

For Conclusion

In conclusion,...

To summarize...

To conclude...

List of Useful Synonyms

Also read:  Linking words benefits in IELTS Writing task 2

Vocabulary is essential in IELTS Writing Exam. The exam is not conducted to check your vocabulary. Although it should be effective it is not the only criterion. Just focus on explaining your ideas by correct sentence usage. Basically, your ideas should be conveyed to the reader in an appropriate way. Go and practice it enough times and you will feel the change that you are getting an idea of how these words are used in a sentence.

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Synonyms In The Writing Section

Here's why synonyms are absolutely essential in the writing section....

I hope your IELTS preparation is going well! Whatever stage you’re at in your IELTS preparation journey, keep up the good work – it will really pay off!

Here we are going to cover the use of synonyms in the writing section.

What is a synonym?

A synonym is a word with the same meaning as another word.

There’s some examples further down this page.

Why are synonyms important in the IELTS?

Synonyms are particularly important in the writing section.

They show the examiner that you have the ability to paraphrase (very important in the Writing Task 2 Essay Framework ).

They also show that you use a wide range of vocabulary.

Being able to use or identify alternative words with the same meaning is a VITAL skill to ensure a higher band score.

Remember, your score in the IELTS is dependent on 4 criteria (band descriptors).

Click below to remind yourself what these are.

One of the band descriptors is ‘ Lexical resource ‘.

This simply means your VOCABULARY .

(And it’s worth 25% of you overall writing band score).

Synonyms are a way of showing the examiner you have a good range of vocabulary.

That’s a BIG TICK for Lexical resource!

Think of the band descriptors as a recipe for pizza dough…

You need flour, water, yeast and sugar to make a basic dough.

If you fail to include just ONE of these ingredients, your dough will be rubbish .

Similarly, if you fail to perform well in any of the band descriptor categories, you will fail to get a good IELTS score.

How can I use synonyms in the writing section?

By the time you sit the exam, you should be an expert in writing your answers in a structured way.

(We’re experts in teaching students the best way to structure their IELTS answers – and we can pass this information on to you).

Synonyms are one of the building blocks to achieving band 7+ in the writing section.

For example, the introduction of your essay should paraphrase the question (but without repeating the same words).   That means you need to i dentify the key words in the question and then choose the correct synonyms when paraphrasing .

It is important not to use the same words too many times throughout your essay so you should use synonyms to show the examiner that you have a broad vocabulary.

How can i improve my understanding of synonyms right now.

There are various ways you can help yourself, such as u sing websites such as https://www.thesaurus.com, which can be used to give you a list of synonyms. (You must be careful though, not all synonyms will work in a sentence).

If you’re after basic, free guidance you can take advantage of our free resources, (such as our FREE Writing Ebook ).

However, if you want to take the risk out of failing, we cover EVERYTHING in our premium study guides (see below). 

Synonym examples.

Here are some examples. Can you think of any others?

‘The temperature is due to ( fall/drop/plummet ) in the next few days.’

‘The pizza delivery boy was very ( fast/quick/speedy ) tonight.’

‘Passing the IELTS is ( important/crucial/vital ) to my dreams of moving abroad.’

‘This graph ( shows/demonstrates/indicates ) the population growth in Canada over the last 10 years.’

‘I have just got back from the cinema. The film was ( funny/hilarious/hysterical ).’

‘The weather forecast today was ( true/accurate/correct ). It was very sunny, just as they predicted.’

Understanding the EXACT synonyms is one of the most important ways to excel in the Task 2 Essay.

Look at the task 2 checklist below which shows the things you should understand before taking the ielts..

How many can you tick off?

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Vary your IELTS Writing vocabulary with synonyms

Listen to the audio version here.

This tutorial discusses how to vary your IELTS writing vocabulary with synonyms.

Remember, you will be in Canada, the UK, or even Australia after you pass your IELTS exam. Never forget this and keep moving forward!

Get an estimated band score, discover where your weaknesses are and score higher!

Also when you join in March you get the new Task 2 Writing course (FREE!)

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List of Synonym Words for IELTS + PDF

If you’re preparing for the IELTS exam and want to expand your vocabulary, we’ve got you covered with our list of synonym words for IELTS. This comprehensive IELTS vocabulary list will help you diversify your language skills and improve your writing and speaking for the test.

Check Also: 300+ List of Vocabulary Words for IELTS (updated 200+ IELTS Academic Word List & Examples and PDF Linking Words and Phrases & List & Examples

IELTS Synonyms A- C List

Here you can find the vocabulary list for IELTS Synonyms from A to C.

IELTS Synonyms C – F

Here you can find the vocabulary list for IELTS Synonyms from C to F.

IELTS Synonyms F – O

Here you can find the vocabulary list for IELTS Synonyms from F to O.

IELTS Synonyms P – Z

Here you can find the vocabulary list for IELTS Synonyms from P to Z.

IELTS Synonyms Words List PDF

Here you can download detailed Synonym Words List for IELTS exam.

  IELTS Synonyms Words List PDF – download

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Assalam alikum sir g i have my ielts exame on 23 march please send me words of synonyms

How To Use Synonyms

It is important to use synonyms in your writing, as you will lose marks if you repeat words from the question and use the same words in your essay over and over. If you do that, it will show the examiner that you have a limited vocabulary and you want to do the opposite for a high band score. By using synonyms well you can show the examiner that you have a ‘ wide range of vocabulary and can skillfully use it to convey precise meanings’  (band score 8).

TIP >>  The best way to practice this is to have a look at writing task 2 questions and paraphrase/re-write the question in your own words. Whilst practising you can use an online thesaurus  tool to help you find synonyms and learn new words

What Is A Synonym?

Choosing a synonym.

For example, one synonym of the word child is “ brat ” however, this word carries quite a negative connotation. Depending on the circumstance you can use it, but in this instance, if you just want to say that someone is young (a child) then another synonym such as “young child” or “minor” would be more applicable.

Synonym Examples

These are just a few examples of synonyms but hopefully, you can see that working with synonyms can make your IELTS writing more varied and help you to expand your vocabulary.

The best way to keep up to date with posts like this is to like us on Facebook , then follow us on Instagram  and  Pinterest . 

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Important General Words for IELTS Writing Task 2 and Its Synonyms

The IELTS writing task 2 requires a candidate to use a wide range of vocabulary. You should go through this article to join the best IELTS preparation online India. Also, the best online coaching for IELTS will let you move in the right direction. Connective words, phrases, and antonyms are very important to finish writing task 2 in a coherent way. One must know how to use connective words in an essay or writing to:

• Avoid the redundancy of expression
• To prove your knowledge of the different terms

But do you know what these connecting terms or synonyms are?

So, first, let’s learn about “what is a synonym?”

What is a Synonym?

A synonym is a term with the same meaning or having an almost similar meaning, to another word. They can be used as lifesavers when you’re trying to avoid using the same words again and again.

Let’s read more about this with the help of a few examples.

Also Read: Best MBA Colleges in Europe: Perfect for Indian Students Who want to Appear for IELTS

Why are Synonyms Important in the IELTS?

Metonyms are highly important for an individual to prepare himself for the writing section of this examination. This tells the examiner about your ability to paraphrase and your knowledge of the wide range of vocabulary.

Using a lot for the different terms being used or identifying various words helps one to increase their band score.

But why do you think are these important to use?

Importance of Synonyms for IELTS Writing Task 2

• Some expressions should be replaced because they are imprecise and have a rather low level

There are some expressions that need to be substituted with others of the same meaning, because, sometimes they lack the satisfaction that would have been required otherwise.

For example, instead of using the word, “bad”; one could either go for “damaging” or “harmful”.

While using equivalents, it is necessary to see the context for which they are being used. Context plays a highly important role while choosing the appropriate term for a sentence.

For example, it would be extremely inappropriate to say, “Addiction to the internet is an essential issue of our time. Instead of this, one could easily go around saying, “Addiction to the internet is an important issue of our time”.

Seldom, in order to avoid redundancy, it becomes essential for one to use different equivalents for the same expressions.

For example, if you have used the word “children” more than five times in a sentence & you still keep using it, it will become monotonous. Rather, you could simply use “youth”, “young”, “minors”, or “juveniles”.

Now that we have learned their importance, let’s move on to know more about some of the important general words for IELTS writing task 2 & its synonyms.

Also Read: How to Check IELTS Result? IDP and British Council Formats

Common Synonyms for IELTS Writing Task 2

Given below is a list of some of the important general words for IELTS writing task 2 & its synonyms being used in the IELTS exam that will save you from redundancy in your texts.

• Accurate – correct
• Achieve – accomplish
• Active – energetic
• Bashful – shy, timid
• Beautiful – pretty, attractive
• Calm – quiet, tranquil
• Chilly – cool, nippy
• Chubby – plump, pudgy
• Defend – protect, shield
• Defy – resist, challenge
• Delicate – fragile, dainty
• Easy – simple
• Fatigue – tire, exhaust
• Fiction – fantasy, untruth, myth
• Fill – load, pack
• Fraction – part, portion, segment
• Gaudy – showy, garish, vulgar
• Gaunt – scrawny, skinny, thin
• Generous – giving, selfless, big-hearted
• Great – outstanding, remarkable

Some more Synonyms

• Handy – useful, convenient, skilful
• High – elevated, lofty
• Huge – vast, immense, great (Big Synonym)
• Humble – modest, unpretentious
• Humiliate – embarrass, disgrace, dishonour
• Identical – alike, duplicate
• Immaculate – spotless, pure
• Inferior – lesser, substandard
• Infuriate – enrage, agitate, provoke
• Ingenious – clever, creative, original
• Join – connect, unite, link
• Jolly – merry, jovial, joyful
• Jubilant – overjoyed, delighted, elated
• Keep – save, protect, guard
• Least – fewest, minimum, smallest
• Logical – sensible, sane, rational
• Long – lengthy
• Luxurious – extravagant, elegant
• Magnify – expand, enlarge, exaggerate
• Meagre – scanty, sparse, poor
• Mean – unkind, malicious, nasty
• Naughty – bad, disobedient, wrong
• Nonchalant – indifferent, lackadaisical, blase
• Normal – ordinary, typical, usual
• Obey – mind, heed, comply
• Observe – examine, study, scrutinize
• Obsolete – extinct, dated, antiquated
• Optional – voluntary, elective
• Ordinary – usual, average
• Outrageous – preposterous, shocking
• Polite – gracious, refined, courteous
• Poor – destitute, needy, impoverished
• Portion – part, segment, piece
• Prompt – punctual, timely
• Proud – arrogant, elated
• Push – shove, propel
• Quit – cease, stop, withdraw
• Racket – noise, commotion, disturbance
• Ratify – approve, confirm, endorse
• Ravage – devastate, ruin, damage
• Raze – destroy, demolish
• Sluggish – listless, lethargic, inactive
• Small – little, insignificant, trivial
• Smooth – slick, glossy, level
• Taut – tense, tight, stiff
• Tender – delicate, gentle, affectionate
• Terrible – dreadful, horrible, vile
• Thrifty – economical, frugal, prudent
• Thrive – prosper, flourish, develop
• Urgent – crucial, important
• Vacant – unoccupied, empty
• Vague – unclear, obscure, indistinct
• Valiant – courageous, brave, heroic
• Victory – triumph, win, success
• Virtuous – moral, righteous, angelic
• Weary – tired, fatigued, lethargic
• Worn – used, impaired, old
• Wrong – incorrect, untrue, mistaken
• Yield – produce, bear, provide

Also Read: Describe a Piece of Art You Like: A 2021 IELTS Cue Card Topic with Sample Answers

Synonyms for the IELTS exam are extremely important to learn & use. While an individual is speaking or writing, this is one of the best ways to avoid the redundancy of words along with expanding your vocabulary. Also, to avoid using the same words repeatedly, use a thesaurus to find synonyms.

Using them can help an individual in improving both their oral as well as their writing skills.

And when we are talking about an individual preparing himself for the IELTS exam, it becomes even more important to learn the usage of these words along with grasping new words every single day as that will help one to sound more like a native English user.

The above article here presents all the more information on why and how these are important for this examination. Along with this, it presents one with a list of some of the important yet general words being used in the IELTS exam with their synonyms.

Hopefully, you have found this information useful & if you have any doubts regarding the same, feel free to use the comments section to let us know about it. If you are preparing for the IELTS exam, you should visit the IELTS Ninja website. This is the best IELTS preparation online India for the aspirants to get perfect in all the sections of the exam. You can take a demo class with the best online coaching for IELTS to choose the best platform for your preparation.

Are these words enough, or should I practice more?

Are these words enough, or should I practice more? If I practice these many words will I be able to achieve a good band score?

Are these words enough, or should I practice more? If I practice these many words will I be able to achieve a good band score? Please let me know.

Great! This is indeed an amazing site that provides all the information at one place with the help of their blogs. Also, I had a doubt in mind, can you help me clear that? Do we need to learn the antonyms as well for this exam or just the synonyms?

This article correctly speaks about how and why about the second task and answers to the point, and also I have a doubt about the books that we have to refer?

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IELTS Synonyms (In 2024)

Introduction.

Synonyms are different words that have the same or nearly the same meaning, such as male and man or third-level education and university.

Many IELTS teachers, myself included, stress the importance of using synonyms in your writing. Synonyms help us to vary our language and show the examiner that we have a wide-ranging vocabulary. However, synonyms are also very dangerous because, if used incorrectly, they can lower your mark for vocabulary, task response,  and coherence .

This article will look at some real essays that used synonyms incorrectly to show you how dangerous they can be.

Why use synonyms?

When we get an IELTS Writing Task , there will be certain keywords in the question, and our writing would sound very repetitive if we wrote the same words repeatedly. So to make our writing sound better, we use synonyms.

For example, if the question asked us, ‘Computers are increasingly used in education. Do you agree?’ we would have to use the words ‘computers’ and ‘education’ many times in our answer. We could use the words ‘I.T.’, ‘laptops’ or  ‘iPads’ instead of just repeating the word ‘computers’ repeatedly.

We should also paraphrase the question in our very first sentence when answering an IELTS Writing task; synonyms are one of the key ways of doing this. Click the link above for more information on paraphrasing .

Finally, we can use synonyms to show the examiner that we have a wide-ranging vocabulary. If you repeat the same keywords many times, it indicates to the examiner that you don’t know any other ways of expressing those words and that you have a narrow vocabulary.

What’s the danger?

The dangerous thing about synonyms is that people use them incorrectly or try too hard and force them into their essays.

When using a synonym, we first need to think about the meaning. The meaning should be the same. I do not encourage students to use synonyms that mean ‘nearly the same’ because it often leads to mistakes.

Question: It is important that young children are taught art, drama and music, alongside more traditional subjects like maths and science. Do you agree or disagree? Paraphrase: It is important that young people are taught extracurricular activities, alongside serious subjects like mathematics, biology and chemistry.

This student has changed the following words using synonyms, but not all are correct:

young children – young people

art, drama and music- extracurricular activities

traditional subjects- serious subjects

The problem that this student has is they are using what I call ‘loose synonyms’. These are words that don’t really mean the same as each other, and the result is that you are writing about something completely different from the question. This leads to you writing unrelated ideas and can lower your whole essay’s score.

For instance, ‘young children’ could mean people between the ages of around 1-10, but ‘young people’ can mean anything from 1-30 years of age. The question is focusing on young children, and by using young people, you are talking about an irrelevant age group.

Another example is ‘extracurricular activities’, which means things you do outside of school, whereas the question relates to school subjects. The person who wrote this answer mentioned ‘extracurricular activities’ several times in the rest of her essay, which meant she got a much lower score because she was talking about irrelevant ideas.

Finally, ‘traditional’ and ‘serious’ are very loose synonyms; so loose I would not really recognise them as synonyms at all.

The lesson to take away from this example is only use synonyms you know are 100% the same. If you are not sure they are 100% the same, don’t use them.

Question: The growth in crime among teenagers can be attributed to an increase in the use of violent video games. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Paraphrase: The rise of acts of violent in young ones are often viewed as being caused by the exposure to fierce audio-visual games.

This student has changed the following words:

crime- acts of violent

teenagers- young ones

violent- fierce

video games- audio-visual games

These are all wrong and are typical of a student who feels like they must use synonyms and will use them at any cost, i.e. they are more worried about using synonyms than writing a clear and correct sentence.

‘Crime’ means all crime, and ‘acts of violence’ is specifically violent crime. They have also used the wrong form of ‘violence’.

‘Young ones’ does not really mean teenagers and would never be used by a native speaker in an academic essay.

‘Fierce’ does not mean the same things as ‘violent’.

‘Audio-visual’ might sound like high-level vocabulary, but you would never refer to ‘video games’ in this way.

It would have been better for this student to have used simpler words and phrases or just copied the word. If you are not 100% sure about the grammar and meaning of the word, don’t try to force it. Repeating the word is better than forcing  an incorrect synonym into your essay.

Question: Today people are travelling more than ever before. Why is this the case? What are the benefits of travelling for the traveller?

In the question above, one of my students replaced the word ‘travelling’ with ‘ commuting ‘. She continued using the words ‘commuting’ and ‘commute’ throughout the essay.

‘Commuting’ means specifically travelling to and from work every day. The result was that her whole essay was full of irrelevant ideas.

You should never take any chances with keywords from the question. If it is a keyword that is crucial to the meaning of the question and your answer as a whole, only change it if you are 100% certain the meaning is the same.

Alternatives to Synonyms

Instead of using synonyms, you can use the following things to vary your language:

• Definitions
• Change the form of the word

If you can’t think of a good synonym, you can list an example or two. So in the question above about ‘computers’, it is perfectly acceptable to say ‘laptops and tablets’. Students use these exact things in class, so it is fine to write them. Like synonyms, ensure that the examples match the word 100%.

You can also define the word if you can’t think of a synonym. So for our example above about travelling, you could say ‘people going from place to place’. This is obviously much longer than a simple synonym, but it is much easier sometimes to write about something in simple language than think of one complicated word.

Finally, changing the form of the word or phrase is always acceptable. So instead of trying to think of a synonym for ‘violent video games’ (which is very hard to do), you could say ‘video games that have violence’. All we have done is change the word from an adjective (violent) to a noun (violence).

• Only change a word if you are 100% sure the meanings are the same.
• Be aware of ‘loose synonyms’.
• If you change it, the grammar must also be correct.
• Be particularly careful with keywords from the question.
• If you can’t think of a synonym, try one of the alternative methods.
• If in doubt, don’t change it. It is better to repeat the word and be correct than force a synonym and be wrong.

I hope you found this article useful. If you have any questions or queries, join the conversation on our Facebook page.

For more information about IELTS Writing, click one of the links below.

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My name is Christopher Pell and I'm the Managing Director of IELTS Advantage.

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IELTS Synonyms | Quiz + Strategies

The best way to learn ielts synonyms.

Using synonyms is very important in IELTS. However, synonyms can be tricky to learn. In this lesson, we look at 3 ways to learn synonyms, and we also have 3 quizzes to help you learn some useful synonyms before your IELTS test. 

How to learn synonyms

We have found three methods to learn synonyms effectively. The three methods are:

When you write the introduction to an essay, you have to use paraphrasing skills and synonyms to introduce the topic. This is great practice for using synonyms and will help you prepare for your IELTS writing test. We suggest that you look at a list of IELTS essay questions and write the introduction for as many as you can. 

You can find a list of IELTS essay topics here .

This is also something that we do regularly in our Facebook Group . 

It’s a good idea to have a teacher look over your writing to make sure that you are using the correct synonyms. 

A good way to learn synonyms is to read IELTS essays written by teachers or high-level students. What you can do is to circle all of the different synonyms that the writer uses. This will help you to learn the appropriate context for different synonyms. 

Our Members have access to our bank of model answers. 

When your teacher shows you a new word, ask them if there are any synonyms for this word. If you do this for long enough, you are bound to learn a lot of useful synonyms. 

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Commonly used words in ielts writing task 2 & their synonyms, - click here for more posts about vocabulary & ideas, some commonly used words & phrases in ielts writing task 2 (essay) & their synonyms/possible replacements, advantages – disadvantages  .

• Merits – Demerits
• Pros – Cons
• Positives – Negatives
• Benefits – Drawbacks
• Will be beneficial/advantageous Will be disadvantageous
• Will bring benefits Will bring drawbacks
• Will have a positive/advantageous impact/effect Will have a negative/disadvantageous impact/effect
• Effect (Noun); Affect (Verb)
• Negatively impact (something); Adversely impact
• The negative impact of (something); Adverse impact of
• Positively impact (something); Benefit
• The positive impact of (something); Beneficial impact of
• Causes (Noun)
• Cause (Verb) Caused by
• Factors that lead to Factors that cause
• Individuals
• Sections of society
• Certain sections of society
• Is/Am/Are of the opinion
• Significant; Significance
• A plethora of; A myriad of: A huge number of; Lots of
• A number of
• Quite a few
• Undoubtedly
• In today's times We can also use this phrase with other words. E.g., in today's workplace
• In today's day and age
• Become increasingly common
• Increasing in popularity
• More and more people are doing this
• Has become very common in recent times
• the fast-paced hectic lifestyle of today
• today's fast-paced lifestyle
• The modern era is an era of the IT revolution
• The advent of technology led to major changes in how we, humans led our lives. As it has advanced further, no aspect of human life has been left untouched.

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How to score 9 Band in IELTS Writing

• Graph Length
• Essay Task 2
• Essay Length
• Assessment Criteria
• Paraphrasing
• 9 band Tips

It’s especially difficult to achieve a 9 band in the IELTS Writing section. However, with the strategies we will discuss in this blog, we can help you get closer to the 9 band.

Table of Contents

• Start with Task 2
• Highlight Key Points in the Prompt
• Plan Your Ideas
• Keep the Introduction Simple
• Structure Your Main Body Paragraphs
• Use Cohesive Devices Sparingly

1. Start with Task 2

Task 2 of the writing section carries more weight than the task 1 in the IELTS writing section. Thus, you must make sure that you start with the IELTS essay first. This will help you have enough time and effort to do task 2 because it has a greater impact on your overall writing band score

Example: Bob tries to start with task 2 to alleviate pressure. He aims to spend 40 minutes on Task 2 and 20 minutes on Task 2. This enables him to manage his time effectively and write two high-quality responses for both tasks.

2. Highlight Key Points in the Prompt

Ensure you focus on the keywords in the writing topic. Carefully read the prompt and identify the key points you should focus on. By doing so, you are ensuring that you address the topic accurately. This will help you prevent going off-topic and make sure your essay is relevant.

Focus on Key Words: Carefully read the prompt and highlight or underline key points to ensure you address the topic accurately. This prevents you from going off-topic and ensures your essay is relevant.

Example: If a task 2 prompt asks whether large corporations should compensate new employees with an increase in salaries if they bring more money into the company, highlight the words “large corporations,” “increase in salaries,” and “new employees.” By doing so, you can make sure that you focus on these essential elements of the prompt.

3. Plan Your Ideas & Outline

Make sure that you give time before you write your essays to brainstorm and create an outline. This will ensure you have a roadmap of what to write before you begin to write. This can help produce a coherent essay, as if you start writing without a plan, you can easily go off-topic. Think about the various viewpoints and structure your essays logically.

Example: Bob makes sure that he saves some time, in the beginning, to brainstorm multiple viewpoints on the prompt and think about potential arguments and counterarguments for each of the viewpoints. Then he writes an outline and this helps him write a well-structured essay.

4. Keep the Introduction Simple

You don’t need to overcomplicate the introduction. Remember to paraphrase the question prompt and state which side you are on clearly. Avoid writing too much and focus more on brevity and clarity.

Example: Bob paraphrases the prompt by changing the sentence structure and using synonyms where appropriate. He states his position clearly: “I completely agree with this viewpoint as it acknowledges that newer employees should be rewarded if they are doing more than expected”.

5. Structure Your Main Body Paragraphs

Stick with only three main body paragraphs. Each paragraph should have a distinct idea, with one dedicated to counterarguments and refuting these counterarguments.

Example: 1st paragraph: Bob explores the idea that large corporations should increase salaries for new employees if they contribute significantly to the company’s revenue. He uses examples that support his argument, such as stating that new employees generate high sales figures and successfully manage key projects.

2nd paragraph: He discusses the necessity of a structured hierarchy in large corporations, emphasizing how differentiated pay scales can reflect the varied levels of responsibility and contribution among employees.

3rd paragraph: Bob acknowledges the counterargument that all employees, regardless of tenure, contribute to the company’s success. However, he refutes this by pointing out the unique value and fresh perspectives that new employees bring, which can justify an increase in their salaries.

6. Use Cohesive Devices Sparingly

Make sure that you use cohesive devices to ensure that you have smooth transitions between sentences and paragraphs. Try to maintain coherence but not use them too much to the extent to which it distracts the reader.

Example: Bob uses cohesive devices like “however” to transition between paragraphs and ideas. Within paragraphs, he minimizes their use to maintain flow and coherence.

Achieving a band 9 in IELTS Writing requires a strategic approach, consistent practice, and a clear understanding of the exam criteria. Make sure to follow the strategies and tips listed here and you should be able to close the gap to achieve a 9 band in IELTS Writing.

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IELTS Most popular words (& synonyms) from 25+ Writing Task 2 samples

I wanted to learn synonyms for most common words, but did not know where to start as there are hundreds of reference points out there.

These are the most common words - synonyms from a sample of 25 modal tasks 2 write-ups:

People (92 times): population, public, community, society, folks, citizens, masses

Local (40 times): regional, neighbourhood, natives, inhabitants, citizens

Work (23 times): effort, endeavour, job, task, assignment, activity, duty, employment, job, responsibility, trade, grind, function, strive, toil

Internet (19 times): cyberspace, online, the web, the net, world wide web, interweb

Children (18 times): kids, young, youngster, heir, offspring, little one, boy, girl

Health (17 times): fitness, strength, well-being, robustness, prime, shape, vigour

Problems (16 times): difficulty, complication, dispute, issue, obstacle, trouble, question, worry, mix-up, muddle

Environment (15 times): surroundings, conditions, circumstances, setting, situation, scenario, location

Feel (14 times): perceive, sense, detect, discern, notice, observe, experience, bear, endure

Knowledge (13 times): understanding, comprehension, grasp, grip, apprehension, proficiency, awareness, consciousness, realisation, recognition, perception, cognisance, command, mastery

Benefits (12 times): interest, welfare, well-being, satisfaction, comfort, ease, advantage, help, aid, assistance, gain, profit

Other common words (with 10 times or more occurrences): Young (15 times), Lives (13 times), Students (13 times), Time (13 times), Women (13 times), Cities (12 times), Parents (12 times), Public (12 times), Today (12 times), International (11 times), Modern (11 times), Result (11 times), Social (11 times), Technology (11 times), Tourism (11 times), Travel (11 times), Impact (10 times), Issue (10 times), Life (10 times), Media (10 times), Negative (10 times), Number (10 times), Skills (10 times), Transport (10 times)

About the data

Total word count: 7549. Stop words have been excluded

Some words include multiple meanings, but synonyms are placed together. Therefore, deduce rather than memorise.

IELTS Writing Task 2 (IELTS Sample essays) Writing tasks 222 to 247

Tool used: Word Counter

Synonyms using:

Oxford Languages and Google

P.S. I know that this is definitely not the most effective method to get the desired result. It would involve cumulating data from hundreds of touch points and removing outliers to perform a comprehensive analysis. However, this is my best in an hour.

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IELTS Writing Test | The Importance of Using Synonyms

Zilpah d'souza published: june 28, 2024.

As an  IELTS  test taker, you may have heard many times that implementing synonyms in  IELTS writing  is indispensable for a high score. This is unquestionably true. Synonyms are words with similar meanings and using them effectively in your writing will improve your score in the writing section of the  IELTS test . Synonyms are essential for everything from rephrasing letters and descriptions in  writing task 1  to expressing ideas or viewpoints in  writing task 2 . You are unlikely to run out of words when you are familiar with the correct usage of synonyms in the  IELTS writing test.

Why do synonyms matter?

In the  IELTS writing test, synonyms are a necessity and one of the key elements in  raising your band score . Let us dive into this topic more and explore how using effective synonyms yields a better score in the writing module of the IELTS test.

Lexicon range

The  IELTS  evaluates your command of a broad vocabulary. Synonyms provide you the opportunity to demonstrate your language aptitude and wide range of expression in such situations.

Refrain from repetition

The use of the same phrases repeatedly makes your work appear monotonous, which can lower your writing quality and affect your grade. In such instances, you must use synonyms that can significantly enhance the content. It allows you to convey the same subject in a variety of ways, adding passion and variety to your writing.

Ability to adapt and be flexible

You must be aware that the  IELTS's writing module  covers a wide range of concepts. Knowing synonyms improves your capacity to adjust your vocabulary for various situations and topics, demonstrating your adaptability and flexibility while expressing the matter in language.

Ability to paraphrase

Meeting the evaluation criteria

In addition to demonstrating your mastery of vocabulary, you must correctly answer the task response question and keep the answer cohesive and coherent as a whole. Synonyms can be quite beneficial in meeting these needs. They enable you to rephrase the question or prompt in a way that demonstrates a thorough knowledge of the task, resulting in a solid task response. A good score in these areas also depends on your  essay's  ability to connect ideas and demonstrate a natural flow, which is enhanced by the efficient use of a range of words.

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Answers to IELTS Writing Task 1 Synonyms Exercise

Here are the answers to yesterday’s exercise about using synonyms in IELTS writing task 1. I think it was a good exercise because I see many students have different answers and are unclear about collocations. Mistakes in vocabulary will lower your score.

Let me know if the lesson was useful 🙂

Are the verbs correct in the sentences below? Are they Right or Wrong?

• More boys than girls enjoyed sport.
• Fewer girls participated in tennis than boys.
• Almost twice the number of boys played cycling.
• More girls took part in swimming compared to boys.
• The majority of boys engaged in football.
• More girls competed in badminton than boys.
• W = Wrong. The chart is about playing sport but about enjoying it. The chart does not give information about how boys or girls felt. This would be marked as a mistake.
• R = Right. The verb “participate in” works well as a synonyms for “play” when referring to sport.
• W = Wrong. The verb “play” is not possible with the noun “cycling”. This is a mistake with vocabulary – an incorrect collocation. When writing or talking about cycling, we can use the verb “do”.
• R = Right. The verb “take part in” works well as a paraphrase for “play” in this context.
• W = Wrong. The verb “engage” is incorrect when writing about sport.
• W = Wrong. The verb “compete” is about competitions. This chart is about playing sports, not competing in sports. This would be marked as a vocabulary mistake.

You can see that paraphrasing is about deciding if nouns and verbs match. It is about understanding the context. It is about choosing correctly.  Some words will be repeated – this is normal in English.

Paraphrasing Video

Watch this video to learn more about being careful with paraphrases.

…………………….

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Thanks for sharing great knowledge to get good ielts band. I am preparing for IELTS general but i wasn’t able to find witing task 1 for general on your youtube channel or on website as its includes 3 forms of letters. I could only see Academic writing task 1. Where can i find this information.

At the end of this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-1-lessons-and-tips/ , you will find essential tips for GT letter writing and also model letters.

Mam, can I have a doubt, please? Is it a good trend to find 2 overall from a graph and put one after the introduction and the other one in the end as by making my examiner realize that am concluding my topic? Please do notify… I am a bit confused about this…

There is no conclusion needed for task 1, just an overview. Don’t put overview information in different places – it will give you a lower score for CC.

Thank you so much, mam!

You lessson’s are so heplfull me to understand the real fact in ielts exam thanks😊

THANK YOU SO MUCH LIZ ~ THIS IS REALLY USEFUL CLASS!!

Thanks for your material. I follow your lectures and widely available resources. However, I am struggling to find General Training Writing Samples.

It would be great if you could tell link for the same !

Your help will be much appreciated 🙂

Thanks in advance !

There are four letter sample answers and tips on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-1-lessons-and-tips/

Big tanks to u liz! ur lectures are outstanding. God bless u!.

You got me there Liz. Haha I only got 2 right answers lol

Keep up the good work Liz u are awesome

Thanks mam for this corrections

The bar chart illustrates how children divided by genders played 6 different sport (tennis, badminton , cycling, swimming, football and hockey) in a town England in 2012.

Overall, it is noticed that the number of boy playing sport exceeded that of girls in the given period with significant diffrence in terms of football

Thank you very much Liz for your time , your great lessons and help! Thank you for the answers and the clear explanation.

This is is a writing task 2 question

Every year several languages die out. Some people think that this is not important because life will be easier if there are fewer languages in the world. To what extent do you agree or disagree wth this opinion?

I want to know if this introduction is good or not? Yearly, there are numerous people who stop using languages. It hs been suggested that life will go easier if there are fewer languages for communication. In my opinion, people should know about national or international language without forgetting their own native language. if you find any mistake, please let me know.

Great and beneficial, indeed! I was confused to see if the information itself were right forgetting about the collocations! Apologies. You see, this is my problem, many times I engaged in the context to a point that I forget spotting mistakes, which is a real problem as I needed to correct my flaws in the exam, right? What should I do?? HELP!! 🙁

This problem is easily fixed. It is all about planning. The entire content of your task 2 essay and your task 1 report should be planned before you write one word. This means you know exact what information will go in each sentence – that’s right – each sentence. When you start writing, you can then focus on grammar and vocab because your content is planned already 🙂

Hi, I’ll try to do this, despite it is really difficult to plan for each sentence, but I’ll try, Wish me luck. Obviously, I’ll need it. Massive thanks

Dear Liz, tanks for d correction.

May I ask what word should replace ‘engage’ when referring to sports? Thanks Liz.

You can use “play, participate in , take part in” when referring to this particular chart – which means in this context.

You are truly a right solution for IELTS taker. Great job madam. Thanks a lot for your precious efforts.

First of all.thanks for your kindness.secondly can use go for cycling?

You can write “go cycling” when someone is about to do it or you are mentioning a specific past event – he went cycling, they went cycling. It doesn’t relate to this writing task 1 which is reporting general activities over a period of time.

How useful your lessons are ! At first, I just think about correction of tenses but collocation also. I highly appreciate your time to explain pedagogically each sentence very clear to learner as my own point of view. Wordless to express my deep thank to your free stuff such as videos, your tips which are posted so far. I love linguistic at the age of 48, set a small goal to be an English teacher when reaching band 7 to 8 by next year 2018 then I’ll have a chance to come and see you in London in the coming time… I dream that. All the best wishes for your kindness !

Ps: If I raise some unsuitable ideas, please forgive me, Ms.Liz

I’m really pleased you are aiming to be an English language teacher and you also love English 🙂 I think passion is one of the most important aspects of teaching language. It helps students become motivated and helps them overcome their insecurities. Good luck!!

Thank you Liz! Is it W or R if I Write ( In cycling, boys accounted approximatly for 38 in contrast to girls being 20.)

It is informal which is a problem. You should write “In terms of cycling, boys accounted for approximately ….”

Thanks a bunch your clear explaination that how correctly to apply synonyms and paraphrases.

Are you for real…???? This is awesome….so I have a lot to learn about vocabulary…thanks liz

I’m so glad this lesson was useful. I’ll try to do more in the future 🙂 I think the main lesson to learn is to be careful. Not to rush into paraphrasing but to be selective. It’s better to repeat a word, than using poor paraphrasing.

Before I gotta 5.5 bands in writing but today I got 6.5 bands in this mock test…. Thnxxxx ma’am

I failed 1 & 6… Thanks for the answers liz

Thanks so much Liz, for clear and useful explanation.

Dear Liz, First of all, I’d like to thank you for teaching us all the precious skills we need to succeed in IELTS. The way how you explain turn difficult (or even impossible!) skills into simple and effective strategies to use. I’ve read all your articles, I’ve done -almost- all your exercises and my improvements are definitely evident! Secondly, my IELTS exam will be in eight days, could you give me an advice, please? Greetings, Izabela

I’m so glad to hear you’ve improved 🙂 Before your test make sure you understand all aspects and rules: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-help-faq/ . Then review my last minute tips: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-exam-tips-on-the-day/ . Also keep up with recent topics, particularly for speaking: https://ieltsliz.com/recent-ielts-questions-and-topics/ . Good luck!!

Thank you liz, it was really helpful. You are working like an angel.

Thanks so much. Number 5 is really distracting.

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Synonyms for People

Posted by David S. Wills | Oct 14, 2022 | IELTS Tips | 0

Have you ever been in the middle of writing an essay and you realise you have used the word “people” too much? If so, then you have probably tried to find some synonyms for people. However, this is not always as easy as it seems.

In this article, I will tell you some synonyms for people but also give you lots of warnings about common problems.

What’s the Problem with People?

First of all, let’s address the main issue. Is there anything wrong with saying “people” in an IELTS essay? No, it’s a perfectly fine word to use.

A problem arises, however, when you use this word too often . For example:

• Many people think that people spend too much time on their computers, but other people disagree with this.

In this sentence, we have the word “people” used three times! That is very repetitive and so we really should avoid it.

There are different ways to avoid repetition, which you can read about here , but the one we’ll look at today is synonyms .

Common Synonyms for People

If you use a thesaurus and type in “people,” you will undoubtedly find a lot of synonyms. Here’s a list from Thesaurus.com , which is a pretty useful resource.

It should go without saying that you cannot just take any synonym from this list and use it to replace the word “people.”

Let’s see what would happen if we took our previous example and did that:

• Many people think that citizens spend too much time on their computers, but other humans disagree with this.

This is now a terrible sentence! 😨 Unfortunately, though, this is really common IELTS language and it is a big problem! I deliberately overlooked the silliest words on that list and the ones that grammatically were impossible:

In fact, almost all of these words are ridiculous and could not replace “people” in most sentences!

What’s the Problem with People Synonyms?

You can see from the above list that there are loads of words that basically mean people. A family is a bunch of people, right? And a community is comprised of people (most of the time). We occasionally could refer to people as “bodies” and “crowds” and even the “bourgeois”!

However, these words all have specific meanings and connotations. The word “people” is general and is typically the best choice.

Let’s look at some words that IELTS candidates often try to use, but which are usually incorrect:

In short, these words can be used but are frequently misused but IELTS candidates who are eager to avoid saying “people.”

Visual Lessons

I make visual lessons on Twitter and Facebook and I will share some of the ones related to “people” synonym problems here.

The first is mostly about the word “individual,” which is commonly misused.

The next is about the misuse of “population.”

How to Choose a Good Synonym for People

If you are talking generally about people, then just say “people”! You don’t always need a synonym. Remember that you can also use pronouns and omission if you want to avoid repetition.

If you really do need a synonym, then choose a word according to its precise meaning, taking into consideration connotation and grammar.

Let’s look at some examples:

• People continue to produce a vast amount of waste, which is badly damaging the planet.

I would replace “people” with “humans” because we are talking about people as a species. This means it is ok to use a more scientific term:

• Humans continue to produce a vast amount of waste, which is badly damaging the planet.

Here’s another:

• People living in urban areas tend to suffer more from respiratory illnesses.

For this we could use words like “population” and “citizen” and “resident,” as long as we change the grammar to fit:

• Residents of urban areas tend to suffer more from respiratory illnesses.
• Urban populations tend to suffer more from respiratory illnesses.
• In big cities, the citizens tend to suffer more from respiratory illnesses.

(Note that “populations” is used to refer to more than one population. It does not mean each person individually.)

It is also fine to use “individuals” when we are emphasising people as distinct entities rather than a group:

• In order to prove his theory, the researcher contacted fifteen individuals with the condition and asked them for permission to look into their medical history.

Here, it is clear that we are not just talking about a faceless mass of people but rather fifteen specific (but unnamed) individuals.

You definitely should try to avoid saying “people” too often in an IELTS essay, but at the same time you should not just randomly pick synonyms from a thesaurus. Instead, choose words that have a precise meaning and that grammatically fit your sentence.

About The Author

David S. Wills

David S. Wills is the author of Scientologist! William S. Burroughs and the 'Weird Cult' and the founder/editor of Beatdom literary journal. He lives and works in rural Cambodia and loves to travel. He has worked as an IELTS tutor since 2010, has completed both TEFL and CELTA courses, and has a certificate from Cambridge for Teaching Writing. David has worked in many different countries, and for several years designed a writing course for the University of Worcester. In 2018, he wrote the popular IELTS handbook, Grammar for IELTS Writing and he has since written two other books about IELTS. His other IELTS website is called IELTS Teaching.

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The line graph illustrates the percentage of inhabitants aged 65 and older in three different nations (USA, Sweden and Japan) between 1940 and its prediction in 2040.

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The popularity of online education has grown significantly in recent years. Do you think this is positive or negative development?

Some people work for the same organisation all their working life. others think that it is better to work for different organizations. discuss both these views and give your own opinion., some peole think the government should focus on improving the economy of the country. other people think that government should focus on social services such as health and education programs. which statement do you agree with explain and provide examples to support your opinion., a friend of yours is thinking about applying for the same course that you did at university. he/she has asked for your advice about studying this subject. write a letter to your friend. in your letter -give details of the course you took at the university -explain why you recommend the university -give some advise about how to apply, some people think that sending criminals to prison is not effective. education and job training should be used instead. do you agree or disagree.