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Importance of Lexical Resource in IELTS

Importance of Lexical Resource in IELTS

Zilpah D'Souza Published:
December 28, 2024

Lexical resource plays a significant role in determining your overall IELTS writing score, as it is one of the four key criteria used by examiners to evaluate your writing. Improving your lexical resources for the IELTS exam requires consistent effort to expand your vocabulary, refine your ability to use it accurately, and develop strategies for incorporating a range of vocabulary effectively in both task 1 and task 2 of the writing test.

Expand your vocabulary

  • Read a variety of materials, such as newspapers, academic articles, blogs, and books, on different topics. Focus on topics commonly found in the IELTS writing test, such as education, technology, environment, health, and society.
  • As you read, pay attention to the vocabulary used and try to identify common collocations and more formal expressions that are relevant to writing.
  • Whenever you come across new words or expressions, note them down in a dedicated notebook. Record their meaning, use them in sentences, and practice them later.

Learn and practice synonyms

  • One of the key aspects of improving your lexical resource is learning to avoid repeating the same words too often. Practice using synonyms and alternative phrases to convey the same meaning in different ways.
  • A thesaurus can help you discover synonyms, but always make sure to understand the nuance of each word. Not all synonyms are interchangeable in every context.

Master collocations

  • Collocations are words that frequently occur together. Using them correctly will make your writing sound more natural and fluent.
  • Websites like Just the Word OR Oxford Collocations Dictionary can help you find common word pairings in different contexts.

Focus on word forms

  • Mastering various forms of a word (noun, verb, adjective, adverb) allows you to express your ideas more flexibly and precisely.
  • Try to learn different forms of words in context. This can help you avoid overusing one form and allow you to express more complex ideas.



Paraphrase effectively

  • One of the key aspects of the IELTS writing test is your ability to paraphrase — to express the same idea using different words. This helps you avoid repetition and shows your vocabulary range.

Use a range of tenses and sentence structures

  • Practice using a variety of sentence structures — compound, and complex sentences. This shows flexibility and sophistication in your writing.
  • Be mindful of when to use different tenses, such as the present perfect for current situations or future tense for predictions.

Improve your word choice

  • Instead of using general words like “good” or “bad,” try to be more specific with your word choice.
    • For example, instead of “good,” use “beneficial,” “advantageous,” or “useful.”
    • Instead of “bad,” use “detrimental,” “harmful,” or “adverse.”
  • Make sure your word choice is appropriate to the topic and tone of your essay.

Be consistent

  • Dedicate time each day to vocabulary-building exercises. This can include reading, writing, and using new words in conversations or writing practice.
  • Revisit the vocabulary you have learned to ensure it stays fresh in your memory and you continue using it accurately.

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