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THE ONLY VOCABULARY BOOK YOU NEED TO BOOST YOUR
SPEAKING FROM 5.0 TO 8+
MUNDARIJA
MUALLIFDAN SO’ZBOSHI…………………………………………………4
HEALTH………………………………………………………………………6
TECHNOLOGY……………………………………………………………….13
ENVIRONMENT……………………………………………………………...22
WEATHER…………………………………………………………………….33
EDUCATION……………………………………………………………….…48
SPORTS……………………………………………………………………...…61
SHOPPING…………………………………………………………………….70
ACCOMMODATION……………………………………………………...…..81
BUILDINGS…………………………………………………………...………89
TRANSPORTATION…………………………………………………………101
MUSIC…………………………………………………………………………109
FAMILY……………………………………………………………….………119
GUARANTEED
BY MR.NINER
MUALLIFDAN SO’ZBOSHI
Hozirgi kunda lug’at yodlash muammosi nafaqat ingliz tili o’rganuvchilari balkim boshqa
tillarni o’rganuvchi insonlar uchun ham muammoli vazifa hisoblanadi. Statistikaga qaraganda
ingliz tilini o’rganishni boshlagan o’quvchilarning 35% birinchi oydan keyin aynan lug’at
muammosi tufayli tilni o’rganishni to’xtatishadi. Ular takrorlaydaigan sabab esa “Men
o’rganishda natija ko’rmayapman”. 18% o’quvchilar esa 3 oydan keyin o’rganishni to’xtatishadi
aynan shu sabab bilan.
O’zbekiston bo’ylab yuzlab o’quv markazlar va ustozlar aynan mana shu sabab orqali
minglab o’quvchilarni dahshatli tartibda yo’qotishadi lekin shu muammoni hal qilish uchun
kamdan-kam ilm egalari o’z hissalarini qo’shadilar.
Ilm ulashishni boshlaganimdan beri bir shiorni o’zimning professional maqsadim sifatida
belgilab oldim. Ingliz tilida ushbu maqsad quyidagicha “Don’t be a user, be a GIVER”. Yani
mavjud narsadan shunchaki foyalanib o’quvchilarga yetkazishi o’qituvchini juda ham yaxshi
darajaga chiqarishi mumkin lekin buyuk va o’z sohasida birinchi o’rinda bo’lishi uchun albatta u
yaratishi kerak. Yaratganda ham shunchaki nomiga yoki faqat o’zining 10-15ta o’quvchisi uchun
emas balkim butun O’zbekistondagi o’quvchilarga foyda beradigan va ularning ilmini yangi
darajaga chiqarishga haqiqattan ham yordam beradigan, foydali narsani yaratishi kerak.
Ingliz tilida dars berish sohasidagi 7-yillik faoliyatim davomida shu narsani anglab
yetdimki. Hozirgacha ishlagan metodika, ilm berish uslublari va texnikalari endilikda
ishlamaydi. Chunki hozirgi yoshlarda vaqt juda ham kam va o’rganishi kerak bo’lgan narsalar
juda ham ko’p. Shuning uchun ham shunaqanggi innovatsiyalar qilish kerakki o’rganuvchilarni
ichidan kemirib borayotgan og’riqlarga bu yechimlar shunchaki malham bo’lishi kerak.
Aynan sizlarga hozir taqdim etayotgan ushbu boshqa joyda uchramaydigan lug’at
kitobimiz sizga xuddi shunday imkoniyatni beradi. Har bir mavzudagi lug’atlar va frazalar
o’zbekchaga audio shaklda tarjima qilingan bo’lib, siz uni o’zingiz xohlagan joyda tinglab
lu’g’atingizni yangi darajaga chiqarishingiz mumkin. Sizga qayer qulay bo’lsa, hattoki yodlashni
imkoni yo’q deb o’ylagan joylarda (avtobus, taksi, piyoda yurish, kafe va hattoki ho******nada
ham) ham bu lug’atlarni yodlab boraverasiz.
Aytishadiku, agarda niyat bo’lsa va maqsad kuchli bo’lsa sharoit bahona bo’lolmaydi.
Sharoit yoki boshqa narsa bahona sifatida tanlandimi unda o’sha inson buyuk bo’lolmaydi.
4
Sizlarda savol paydo bo’lishi tabiiy: Nima uchun shuncha mehnatni bizlar uchun tinim
bilmay qilyapsiz?
Javobi esa oddiy: Alloh roziligi uchun chunki ehsonning avvali o’zingda bo’lgan
bilimni kimgadir o’rgatishdir degan juda ham chuqur manoli gap bor. Agarda har bir
mehnatni qandaydir moddiy manfaat uchun emas balkim Alloh roziligi uchun qilinsa, albatta
Allohnin o’zi bandasiga barakani qo’shqo’llab topshiradi.
Sizlarga ulkan omad va zafarlar tilab ushbu kitobdagi lug’atlarni yodlashingizni va
IELTS imtihoningizdan eng kamida 8+ natija olishingizni tilab qolaman. Ammo also unutmang:
Alloh barchamizga o’zimizga mos natijani beradi.
Hurmat bilan Alloh yo’lida mehnat qiladigan ustozingiz – Mr.Niner(Marupov Dilshod
Tojinorovich)
5
Health Vocabulary
Key definitions:
health – the physical and mental condition of the body and the extent to which it is free from illness
or injury
fitness – the state of being physically fit and healthy.
Health Vocabulary Set 1: Health
healthy diet – mainly eating food that is nutritious and cutting down on sugar and fat.
- Eating a healthy diet can help prevent illness and disease.
health problems (or health issues) – situations where the body is suffering from illness, injury or
disease.
- An unhealthy lifestyle can lead to many health problems in old age.
- Smoking and drinking excess alcohol can lead to many serious health issues.
health risk – any factor that exposes a person to the increased chance of experiencing illness, injury
or disease such as poor nutrition, alcohol or drug consumption, unsafe water, poor hygiene and
sanitation, unsafe sex.
- Binge drinking is a significant health risk and can have many long and short-term consequences.
ill health – suffering from some form of physical or mental illness or disease.
- He had been suffering from ill health for several months before he died.
poor health – the general state of not being in a good condition of health.
- The refugees arrived in a state of poor health having had little food or water for many weeks.
unhealthy – harmful to health or not having good health.
- Smoking is a really unhealthy habit.
- I read in a magazine article that it’s unhealthy to eat too much red meat.
health scare – a state of alarm or anxiety caused by concern about the risk of developing or being
diagnosed with a particular illness or condition.
- Suffering chest pains while playing in the park with his kids was a real health scare and
prompted him to lose weight and get fitter.
good health – the general state of being in a good condition of health.
- Despite celebrating his 90th birthday, Peter had no medical problems and was in remarkably good
health.
healthy lifestyle (or unhealthy lifestyle) – a way of living that contributes to good health and wellbeing.
- Regular exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle.
- His excessive weight and the fact that he gasped for breath when he walked were clues to
his unhealthy lifestyle.
health care – the services provided by governments or organisations for the treatment of illness,
injury, disease and to maintain well-being.
- Many governments cannot afford to provide free health care for their people.
health education – education that promotes an understanding of how to maintain personal health.
- Basic health education is vital if child mortality in rural African communities is to be reduced.
health-conscious – to be concerned about how your diet and lifestyle are affecting your health and
take an active interest in maintaining good health.
- After his sister died young of heart disease, Bill became far more health-conscious and made
changes to his lifestyle and diet.
health benefit – the positive effect on a person's health gained from food, activity, medical
treatment or therapy.
- Eating fruit and vegetables has many health benefits.
mental health – the state of a person’s emotional and psychological well-being. The health of the
mind.
- Stress or bullying at work can lead to serious mental health problems.
6
to look after your health / to take care of your health – to eat well, drink alcohol sensibly and
take exercise.
- I believe I’m still able to enjoy an active life in my 80’s because I have always looked after my
health.
to regain your health – to recover from illness or injury.
- Sunita was very ill with the flu but is gradually regaining her health.
Health Vocabulary Set 2: Fitness
regular exercise – to engage in physical activity often and consistently.
- Taking regular exercise helps to keep the body healthy.
vigorous exercise – intense exercise that causes sweating, heavy breathing and increased heart rate.
- Vigorous exercise helps to keep the heart healthy.
to be unfit – when the body not being in good physical condition, generally due to a lack of regular
exercise.
- I gave up going to the gym six months ago and I’ve become very unfit.
prevent – To stop something from happening.
- Keeping fit can prevent a wide range of health problems from developing.
- Governments could contribute to the prevention of health problems by banning the advertising of
unhealthy products such as fast food, alcohol and cigarettes.
in good shape – in good physical condition.
- My parents are both in their 70’s but are still in pretty good shape.
stay in shape – to take action to maintain good health and fitness.
- Eating healthily and taking regular exercise helps me to stay in shape.
out of shape – not in good physical condition.
- I got very lazy over the holidays and am really feeling out of shape.
get back into shape – to take action to improve your physical condition.
- I’ve taken up swimming to help me get back into shape after breaking my leg.
work out – to exercise in order to improve physical fitness and increase strength.
- Sally works out at the gym three times a week to help her stay fit and healthy.
Health Vocabulary Set 3: Food & Eating
diet – the type of food and drink a person usually eats and drinks.
- In many Asian countries, the staple diet includes lots of rice and vegetables.
or
diet – an eating plan where someone eats less and/or changes what they eat to lose weight and to
become healthier.
- I’m going on a diet because I’m too fat to fit into my favourite dress.
balanced diet – a combination of healthy types and amounts of food.
- Eating a balanced diet is important for staying healthy.
dietary habit – eating similar things regularly.
- Dietary habits are hard to change, especially for people addicted to junk food.
dietary requirement – the correct types and amounts of food to maintain health which may vary
from person to person depending on age and lifestyle.
- In many poor communities, people can’t grow or buy enough food to meet their basic dietary
requirements and so they get ill.
comfort food – types of food that provide a feeling of well-being. They are typically sweet and
high in calories.
- I always feel happier after eating a slice of chocolate; it’s such a great comfort food.
portion – the amount of food served to a person
- When I visited the US I was shocked at the oversized portions served in the restaurants. No
wonder obesity is such a big problem over there.
7
additive – A substance which is added to food in order to improve its taste or appearance or to
preserve it.
- I try to avoid food that is full of additives because I think they are bad for your health.
nutrients – a substance that provides the essential elements needed for living things to survive and
to grow.
- Most fast food contains very few nutrients. I like to eat cook my own meals so that I can be sure
they are nutritious.
binge drinking – drinking an excessive amount of alcohol in a short period of time or drinking to
get drunk.
- There’s a worrying increase in binge drinking among young people in many societies today.
Food & eating idiom
you are what you eat – makes a connection between the food someone eats and the state of their
health.
- I feel so much better and have lots more energy since I cut out junk food and started eating more
healthily. I guess it’s true that “you are what you eat”.
Health Vocabulary Set 4: Health issues
overweight – to weigh more than is considered desirable or healthy.
- According to recent statistics, nearly 70% of the population of the UK is overweight.
obesity – the state of being extremely overweight.
- Obesity is now considered to be the most serious health issue facing the developed world.
- Being obese can contribute to developing type 2 diabetes.
diabetes – A serious medical condition in which the body cannot control the level of sugar in the
blood.
- My father used to suffer from diabetes, but after following medical advice to cut sugar out of his
diet, he is no longer diabetic.
overeating – eating more than your body needs.
- Overeating can lead to many serious health issues such as heart disease, high blood pressure and
cancer.
allergy – a condition where a person becomes ill or develops skin or breathing problems due to
eating certain foods or being near certain substances.
- Food allergies seem to be becoming more common and many people have developed an allergic
reaction to nut, which can be fatal.
disease – an illness caused by infection or poor health.
- Chickenpox is a very common childhood disease.
addiction – the inability to stop doing or taking something that is harmful.
- Drug addiction destroys lives and contributes to soaring crime rates.
fall ill – to become sick or ill.
Chandra fell ill while on holiday but receive excellent care in the local hospital.
come down with (something) - to become ill, to catch a virus.
- My best friend came down with a heavy cold and didn’t feel well enough to come to my birthday
party.
get over (when related to health) – to recover from being illness or injury.
- I was off work for three days last week with a chest infection but I’m getting over it now.
Health idioms
to be under the weather – to feel unwell.
- I was so looking forward to the new club’s opening night but didn’t really enjoy it as I was
feeling under the weather.
back on your feet – to be healthy again after a period of illness or injury.
8
- It took my gran a while to get over the effects of her fall but she’s back on her feet again now.
to be on the mend – to be recovering after ill health.
- I suffered from depression after my brother was killed in an accident last year but I’m on the
mend now and beginning to enjoy life again.
to make a speedy recovery – to recover quickly from an ill health.
- The doctors said that it was because he was so fit and healthy that he made a speedy
recovery from the operation on his fractured shoulder.
road to recovery – the process of becoming healthy again.
- They didn’t think she’d survive the bout of pneumonia with her weak chest but she’s finally on
the road to recovery.
clean bill of health – a decision by a doctor that a person is healthy.
- Tony changed his lifestyle after suffering from heart problems and has now been given a clean
bill of health by his doctor.
fit as a fiddle – to be in very good health.
- I was fed up with feeling tired, full of aches and pains and always getting colds so I changed my
diet and took up running. Now I’m as fit as a fiddle.
to feel washed out – to not have much energy after an illness.
I’m much better than I was but I’m still feeling washed out.
Health Vocabulary Set 5: Health Care
GP – general practitioner (family doctor).
- My GP said that I am in great shape for my age.
to make an appointment – to arrange a time to see the doctor.
- I’ve made you an appointment with the doctor for 3.30 pm on Thursday.
a check-up – a physical examination by a doctor.
- Now that I’m over 50, I get a free annual check-up from my doctor.
prescription – written authorisation from a medical practitioner for a patient to be issued with a
medicine or treatment.
- The doctor gave her a prescription for antibiotics to help clear up her chest infection.
phone in sick – to call your workplace to explain that you won’t be attending work due to illness.
- He was so ill after eating the prawn curry for dinner that he had to phone in sick the following
morning.
medical cover / medical insurance – insurance for the cost of medical treatment
- I was reluctant to pay for medical cover but was so glad I had when I fell ill with malaria after a
holiday in the tropics.
immunisation - the process of making a person or resistant to an infectious disease, typically by the
administration of a vaccine.
- Mass immunisation programmes are highly effective in eradicating many common infectious
diseases.
vaccine – a preparation of organisms administered to stimulate the body's own immune system to
protect the person against infection or disease.
- Modern flu vaccines are so effective that thousands of lives are saved every year in the UK and
free vaccination is offered to everyone over the age of 65.
surgery – the process of cutting open the body and removing or repairing damaged parts.
- Sanchez had to undergo emergency surgery after suffering a heart attack.
operation – the act of surgery performed on a patient.
- My ankle fracture was so bad that I had to have an operation to repair it.
cure – to eradicate a disease or medical condition.
- Millions of children in the developing world die of common illnesses for which there are
simple cures.
Health Vocabulary Set 6: Minor health problems and symptoms
9
symptom – a physical or mental change to the body that is caused by illness.
- Yang Li had many of the typical symptoms of flu including aching muscles and a high fever.
to catch a cold – to get a cold.
- There were lots of people coughing and sneezing on the tube this week so it’s hardly surprising
that I’ve caught a cold.
a chesty cough – a cough caused by mucus in the lungs.
- Whenever I get a cold it nearly always develops into a chesty cough.
a runny nose – a nose that has mucus coming out of it.
- I hope that my runny nose is due to the cold weather and not a sign that I’m coming down with a
cold.
a blocked nose – when the nose has excess fluid due to a cold.
- A blocked nose is one of the worse symptoms of a cold as it can make it difficult to breathe.
a sore throat – when the throat is inflamed causing pain when swallowing.
- I find that a drink of honey and lemon helps to soothe a sore throat.
high temperature – when body temperature is high than the average body temperature ranges
of 97°F (36.1°C) to 99°F (37.2°C); often a symptom of illness.
- When I was young, my mother only believed my story of feeling ill and not going being well
enough to go to school if I had a high temperature.
to be sick / to vomit / to throw up – when the contents of the stomach are expelled through the
mouth.
- Camilla’s two-year-old son ate six pieces of cake when she wasn’t looking and as then sick all
over the kitchen floor.
- Jared drank far too much at the party and threw up on the way home.
diarrhoea – a condition where the body’s solid waste matter becomes more liquid than normal and
is discharged from the body more often.
- Diarrhoea is considered a minor complaint in the developed world but in the developing world,
around 1.5 million children a year dies of it mainly due to unsafe drinking water, inadequate
sanitation and poor hygiene.
splitting headache – a continuous severe pain in the head.
- After a day of intense meetings with the boss and senior managers, Brigit went home with
a splitting headache.
to pull a muscle – to overstretch or tear a muscle causing pain.
- Anatoly was favourite to win the 100 metres but fell to the ground in pain after pulling a
muscle before reaching the finish line.
cuts and bruises – minor injuries. With cuts, the skin is torn but with bruises, it is not.
- Lucy got knocked off her bike cycling to work today and was lucky to get away with just cuts and
bruises.
IELTS-Style Speaking Test Questions and Answers
Common health vocabulary is highlighted in bold.
Part 1
1) What do you do to stay healthy?
I eat a balanced diet with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and take some form of exercise every
day. I also make sure that I get enough sleep.
2) Do you get ill very often?
Fortunately, I’m very healthy and rarely get ill, although I occasionally catch a cold in the winter.
3) Is there anything you’d like to improve about your fitness?
10
I really want to take up yoga because I often feel stiff after exercise and I think it would help. It
would also make me more flexible and less likely to get injured when I work out.
4) Are you careful about what you eat?
I try very hard to have a healthy diet, even when I eat out at a restaurant. I rarely buy takeaways
and when I go out with friends for fish and chips, I only have the fish with some peas.
5) How important is a healthy lifestyle for you?
It’s one of the most important things for me because I want to feel good and to enjoy life. If you
don’t have good health then everything else in life is a struggle.
Health vocabulary is very useful in the IELTS exam.
Part 2
Describe a change you have made to improve your health and that you would recommend to
others.
You should say:
 what it is
 why you decided to do it
 how you have benefitted from it
and explain why you would recommend it to others.
I often make changes to my lifestyle to try and look after my health but the one I’d like to tell you
about is cutting down on how much meat I eat.
There’s been a lot of stuff in the media about how unhealthy it is to eat too much meat, especially
red meat and processed meat. I was already fairly healthy and ate a balanced diet, but when I took
up a new sport, which involved vigorous exercise, I started to think that maybe I should try to cut
down on it a little. I was particularly concerned about the increased risk of heart disease and of
having a stroke. I know a healthy diet can help to prevent these.
I started by cutting out meat one day a week and making a vegetarian meal instead. This was easy
so I started doing it twice a week and then for three days. Soon I began to look forward to my nonmeat days as I was discovering many delicious foods that I’d never tried before. I also started to eat
more fish which has many health benefits.
Within two months I’d lost nearly half a stone in weight. Although I hadn’t actually had a weight
problem, it was a nice surprise. Even better, my cholesterol level went down which I was especially
pleased about. I certainly felt as fit as a fiddle. Many of my friends who still eat lots of red meat
suffer from high cholesterol and I’m sure there’s a connection.
Over time, I’ve found that the less meat I eat, the less I want to eat, and I’m now down to just
cooking meat dishes at the weekends. Maintaining this diet is made easier by the fact that I live on
my own so can cook and eat whatever I want to without being influenced by anyone else. If I had to
cook a chicken casserole or steak pie for my family I don’t think I’d be strong enough to resist
eating it myself.
I don’t think I’ll ever cut out meat altogether as I enjoy it too much. I can say, however, that going
partly vegetarian has definitely saved me money as meat has gone steadily up in price over the past
few years. For this reason, as well as all the others I’ve mentioned, I would definitely recommend
cutting down on meat.
11
Part 3
1) Do you think people have become more health-conscious in recent years?
In my opinion, many people are more concerned about living a healthy lifestyle than, say, ten years
ago and understand how to stay fit and healthy. Lots of adults of all ages go to the gym, cycle to
work, jog in their spare time or have taken up a sport. The shops seem to offer more healthy eating
options every week so the demand is obviously there.
On the other hand, I heard on the news that over 70% of the population of my country
is overweight so most people aren’t taking good care of their health. There are lots of programmes
on TV about health problems related to obesity and how to change your life and get healthier, so I
have to conclude that people are more conscious of health issues these days but that many choose
to do nothing to improve them.
2) Why do some people choose to live unhealthy lives?
As someone who tries hard to live healthily, I find it hard to understand why many people
chose unhealthy lifestyles. Personally, I think they are in denial over the long-term damage to
their health of eating and drinking too much and not taking enough exercise. In many cases, it’s
just laziness.
However, I do believe that there are some people who really do want to lose weight and get fit but
find it very difficult to change their dietary habits or find the motivation to exercise. I have a work
colleague who was so overweight and unfit that he couldn’t play football with his children. He was
so upset by this that he went on a diet and started to take regular exercise. He lost over 40kg and is
in really good shape now. More importantly, he can now run around with his kids and play
football, which they really love.
Sometimes it takes a situation like this or a health scare for someone to make
better health decisions.
3) What are the health benefits of playing a sport?
In my view, there are many great health benefits to be gained from taking part in sports activities.
Firstly, it helps you to stay physically fit and healthy, and to lose weight if that’s a problem.
Secondly, it’s good for your mental health as it can help to relieve stress and improve work-life
balance. I find this myself. I can have a really difficult day at work but when I go out training on the
river with my rowing crew in the evening, that stress disappears.
Finally, playing a sport is an excellent way of making new friends as you meet like-minded people
who share your interest. Having good friends around you is also good for your mental health. If
you play a team sport, training with your teammates pushes you to get fitter, so that’s an added
advantage, and it’s fun to work out together.
12
Technology Vocabulary – Common Words & Phrases
Technology Vocabulary Set 1: Technology
technology – the application of scientific discoveries for practical purposes,
especially in industry.
- Technology is advancing at such a rate that it’s difficult to imagine what our lives
will be like in 20 years time.
technological – relating to or involving technology.
- Recent technological advances in computing and telecommunications mean that
some of our staff work mainly from home and don’t need to travel into the office
every day.
technophile – a person who is enthusiastic about new technology.
- My brother is a true technophile and can tell you about every new gadget on the
market.
a techie – a person who knows a lot about technology, especially computers or other
electronic equipment.
- I’m not surprised Sue Lin is working for a top computer agency as she was always a
real techie at school.
tech-savvy – well informed about or proficient in the use of modern technology,
especially computers.
- My kids are far more tech-savvy than I am, having grown up with computer
technology.
technophobe – a person who fears or dislikes new technology, especially computers,
and does not want to use it.
- I keep telling him how easy it is to send an email but he’s an
ardent technophobe and refuses to even have a go.
Technology Vocabulary Set 2: Progress
progress – to develop towards an improved or more advanced state.
The pace of technological progress over the past 20 years has been astonishing.
innovation – the development and use of a new idea or method.
Further innovation is needed in the farming industry if we are to be able to feed
ourselves in the future.
innovative – the adjective form of innovation.
Guti was a much-valued member of the team as he often came up
with innovative solutions to a problem.
an advance – a development or improvement.
Scientists have made major advances in recent years in their search for a cure for
Alzheimer’s.
develop – to change into a stronger or more advanced form.
- I can confidently predict that computers will continue to develop at a rapid rate.
development – the process of developing something.
13
- Future developments in space travel may mean that our ancestors live on other
planets.
revolutionary – involving or causing a complete or dramatic change and
improvement.
- The development of personal computers has proved revolutionary for business
owners.
revolutionise – to radically change something so it is much better.
- There’s no doubt that computers have revolutionised our lives.
breakthrough – important development or discovery.
Some people argue that the invention of the internal combustion engine was the most
important technological breakthrough of all time.
modern – of the present time; using recent ideas and methods.
- Modern science is transforming the way we understand our world.
modify – to change something in order to make it better.
- Being disabled, I need a car that can be modified to meet my specific needs.
cutting-edge – very modern.
- Our new mobile phone is still in development but it is at the cutting-edge of
technology.
state-of-the-art – the latest stage of development of a product, using the most recent
ideas and method and including the latest features.
- The new aircraft design was state-of-the-art and was expected to revolutionise
passenger’s experience of flying.
advanced – modern and well developed.
- In the developing world, simple technologies such the mechanical water pump are
often more practical solutions to everyday problems than the advanced computer
technologies of the western world.
high tech – using or involving advanced technology.
- Some high tech solutions are less reliable than the basic technology they replace.
indispensable – something you could not manage without; absolutely necessary.
For many people, their mobile phone is indispensable.
outdated – out of date; old-fashioned.
Jared didn’t want to buy a new iPhone but his mobile looked so outdated compared
to those of his friends that he felt pressured into updating it.
obsolete – not in use any more, having been replaced by something better.
Jerry had to close down his small printing business as his old printer had
become obsolete and he couldn’t afford to replace it with the latest state-of-the-art
equipment.
Technology Vocabulary Set 3: Effect
impact – the effect of something.
- Modern technology has had a massive impact on the way we communicate with
each other.
to transform – to markedly or dramatically change.
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- There can be no denying that computers have transformed the way we work and
study.
game changer – a new idea or factor that significantly changes an existing situation
or way of doing something.
- The professor’s new theory was a game changer and if proved correct, brought the
possibility of time travel one step closer.
affect – to influence or cause a change in something.
- Social media has radically affected both how we communicate and who we
communicate with.
influence – the power to have an effect on the character, development or behaviour
of someone or something.
- The influence of modern technology is evident in almost every aspect of our daily
lives from how we shop to how we spend our leisure time.
Technology Vocabulary Set 4: Computers
computer literate – to have sufficient knowledge and understanding to be able to use
a computer effectively.
- The application form specified that candidates must be computer literate to be
considered for the job.
computer buff – someone who knows a lot about computers and might be
considered an expert.
- Although I have a good understanding of the software I use at work, I certainly
wouldn’t call myself a computer buff.
laptop – portable computer.
- With a laptop, I can work almost anywhere as long as I have an internet connection.
PC – personal computer; not usually portable like a laptop.
- I have a PC in my office at work but prefer a laptop for home so that I can use it in
different locations around the house.
to boot up – to start a computer.
- Of course I’ll show you how to send an email. You boot up the computer and I’ll be
with you in a minute.
word processing – the process of producing, editing and storing text on a computer.
- I have to write a lot of reports for my job so word processing is what I use my
computer for more than anything else.
to upgrade – to obtain a more powerful or feature-rich computer, electronic device
or piece of software.
- My mobile phone company is always trying to persuade me to upgrade to the latest
model.
software – the programmes and other operating information used by a computer and
related devices.
- Bella was able to create some amazing photographic effects after installing the
new software on her computer.
hardware – the physical parts of a computer and related devices.
- Computer hardware includes the monitor, keyboard, disk drive, mouse and wiring.
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to crash – to suddenly stop working.
- Guti was in the middle of his online English lesson when his computer crashed.
Technology Vocabulary Set 5: The internet
internet – the extensive global system of connected computers that allows people to
share information and communicate with each other.
- I love the fact that I can get free English lessons on the internet.
to surf the internet – to look at a series of websites one after the other.
- I spent hours surfing the internet searching for the best holiday deals.
online – connected to the internet.
- Most of my friends do their grocery shopping online but I prefer to go to the
supermarket and choose my food items myself.
website – a set of pages of information on the internet about a particular subject,
published by a single person or organization.
- I found an excellent website about how to train puppies the other day.
to browse – to look for and look at information on the internet.
- I often browse the internet for gift ideas when a friend has a birthday coming up.
wifi – using radio or microwaves rather than wires to connect to the internet.
- Having a wifi connection gives me so much more freedom in the way I work as I’m
no longer tied to my desk.
wifi hotspot – an area with an accessible wireless network, often a public place.
- Whenever the ship was in port, the crew flocked to the nearest wifi hotspot to
connect with their families back home.
internet connection – the link between a computer and the internet.
- There is such a poor internet connection where I live that I have to go to the library
when I want to get online.
social media – websites and computer programmes such as Facebook or Twitter that
allow people to connect and share content online.
- I have to admit that I connect with my friends on social media more often than I see
them face-to-face.
viral – an image, video or piece of information that becomes very popular very
quickly on the internet.
- The video of her cat riding on a giant tortoise went viral and achieve nearly a
million views.
e-commerce – commercial transactions conducted electronically on the internet.
- Their business really took off when they built an e-commerce website and started
selling their products online.
e-book – a book published in digital form and read on a computer or other dedicated
electronic device.
- The best thing about e-books is that you can download them instantly and start
reading them immediately.
Technology Vocabulary Set 6: Internet security
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privacy – the right to keep personal information secret.
Many internet users are very concerned about the privacy of their personal
information.
censorship – suppressing or stopping certain information being available to the
public.
- The Chinese have their own social media channels as
government censorship means they can’t access Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
internet security – computer systems implemented or actions taken by computer
users to protect their data while using the internet.
- Internet security is a real concern for people making credit card purchases online.
internet safety – computer systems implemented or actions taken by computer users
to stay safe while using the internet.
- I want to learn more about internet safety as I’ve heard many stories about children
being befriended by paedophiles online and I want to protect my own kids
hacker – a person who illegally gains access to a computer system to steal
information or tamper with the system.
- Computer hackers cause huge disruption within the organisations they target and
could even pose a threat to our country’s security.
computer virus – a piece of code which is capable of copying itself and typically has
a detrimental effect, such as corrupting the system or destroying data.
- Timor's computer was infected with a computer virus and many of his files were
damaged.
cyber – involving, using, or relating to computers, especially the internet.
- Many business owners live in fear of a cyber attack, especially infection of their
computer network with a virus.
cybersecurity – the measures taken to protect against the criminal or unauthorised
access of electronic data.
- Cybersecurity has become a major industry as computer hackers have become
more and more skilled at breaking into supposedly secures computer systems.
cybercrime – criminal activities carried out by means of computers or the internet.
- Identity theft, where someone steals and misuses your personal information, is one
of the most common types of cybercrime.
Technology Vocabulary Set 7: Other useful words
device – a thing made or adapted for a particular purpose, especially a piece of
mechanical or electronic equipment. It is usually quite small.
- A FitBit is a device that helps people improve their health by tracking their activity,
exercise, food, weight and sleep.
labour-saving device – a device or piece of equipment that reduces the effort needed
to do something.
- The labour-saving device I’m most grateful for is my washing machine.
gadget – a small mechanical or electronic device or tool, often ingenious, novel or
fun as well as being useful.
- Paulo is always buying the latest gadget to go with his digital camera.
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user-friendly – simple to understand and easy to use.
- I didn’t find my new mobile phone user-friendly at first but my grandson was able
to show me how to use it and now I understand what to do.
microchip – a very small piece of silicon with electronic circuits on it that can hold
large quantities of information or perform mathematical and logical operations.
- One of the greatest technological breakthroughs of modern times was the
development of the microchip.
the digital age – the time since personal computers were introduced and became
central to people’s lives.
- I envy people born in the digital age as they’ve grown up with computers and seem
to find it easier to adapt to new technologies than us older generation.
AI (artificial intelligence) – the development of computers or computer-controlled
robots to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence.
- Although AI is still largely confined to science fiction, some people believe there
will come a time when computers will rule the world.
electronic – a device that operates by electric current passing through it.
- Electronic games are extremely popular with both adults and children.
appliance – typically a piece of electrical equipment, such as a kettle or toaster, that
uses less advanced technology.
- Modern kitchen appliances make cooking and baking much easier than they would
have been 100 years ago and save so much time.
IELTS-Style Speaking Test Questions and Answers
Common technology vocabulary is highlighted in bold.
Part 1
1) How often do you use a computer and for what purpose?
I use a computer every day, mostly for my work. I’m a copywriter so my job involves
a lot of word processing. In my leisure time, I love to connect with my friends and
family back home on social media.
2) Have you ever taken a course to improve your computer skills?
I’ve never taken a proper course like at a college but did once pay someone to teach
me how to use some specific software I needed for my business. Mostly, I’ve learnt
by trial and error and watching YouTube videos. I’m no computer buff but I can do
everything I need to.
3) Which device do you prefer to use for browsing the internet?
I’d sooner use my laptop to surf the internet as you can see so much more on the
large screen than on a smaller device. If my laptop is switch off I tend to browse on
my iPad to saving booting up the computer.
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4) Do you enjoy using the internet?
I find it exciting using the internet because I love to learn new things. These days
you can find out almost anything online so computers have been a real game
changer for people like me who enjoy discovering new information.
5) What sorts of things do you buy online?
The items I buy most often online are books, sometimes e-books that I read on my
Kindle. I also browse the internet when I need a new gadget to help me develop
my website, such as the microphone I bought the other day.
Part 2
Describe an item of technology you have that is very important.
You should say:
 what the technology is
 when you got it
 how often you use it
and say how different your daily life would be without it.
I have several electronic devices that I use on a daily basis but the one I’m going to
describe is my mobile phone.
I’m never the quickest to adopt new technology and all my friends had them long
before I did. I eventually bought one back in 1999 after my dad had a stroke and was
rushed into hospital. I needed to be in constant contact with my family during this
difficult time so I had to join them in owning a mobile.
I now have an iPhone and keep it with me at all times in case of emergencies but
mainly use it for texting and keeping in touch with my rowing club friends via
WhatsApp. The phone is so high techthat, not being a techie, I only understand and
use a few of the functions. It’s incredible what it can do though, and every now and
then I discover something new about it. In fact, this happened just the other day when
I was out walking my dog.
I often get ideas for my work when I’m out and about and usually carry a notebook
and pen to jot them down before I forget them. If I forget to take the notebook, I type
short notes on my iPhone to remind me of my thoughts. Then last week, I notice a
microphone icon and thought I’d try recording my ideas to play back later.
When I tried this, I found that my mobile actually types out the words as I say them. I
was amazed and over the moon as I’d discovered a quicker and easier way to make
notes. It saves me lots of time and means that I never lose a good idea. I can record as
I’m walking along rather than having to stop and write things down, so my dog’s
happier too as he used to get fed up with me stopping all the time.
It’s quite incredible the advances in technology since I bought that first mobile all
those years ago. Back then you could just make calls and send texts. Having started
as a reluctant user, I now consider my mobile an indispensable part of my life and
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wouldn’t be without it. My life wouldn’t actually be very different if I didn’t have it
as I’m not addicted to the internet or social media like many people. However, I do
feel a sense of security having one and it also gives me peace of mind knowing that
any of my family can contact me if they have a problem.
lost without their mobile phone.
Part 3
1) Do you think most electronic devices are user-friendly?
For the most part, I’d say that they are once you’ve learnt how to use them. The
problem for me is always getting started. I’m a bit of a technophobe and don’t find it
easy to understand newtechnology. You rarely get a written instruction manual with
a new device and the help is generally online. You often have to really search for
what you need.
Also, technology advances so quickly that as soon as you’ve mastered the device,
the software is upgraded and you have to learn new stuff to be able to use it.
I really envy young people today as they are natural techies. They seem to know how
to operate electronic devices without even being shown. I certainly think that many
people of the older generation would say that modern electronic gadgets are
not user-friendly.
2) Do you think parents should control what internet sites their teenagers use?
Internet safety is a huge concern for parents these days. Computers and
the internet have so many benefits for young people, for their education and for
staying connected with friends and family, but there are some unpleasant
people online who target children on social media and trick them into building
harmful relationships.
Teenagers are particularly vulnerable because they have a lot of freedom as to who
they connect with and they can be too trusting. Most own mobile devices so can go
online when they’re away from home and their parents can’t see
what websites or social media platforms they’re browsing. Many youngsters are
pressured into posting pictures of themselves naked or lured into sexual relationships,
which is just awful.
I do think that parents should monitor what internet sites their teenagers use,
although this is difficult because of this freedom their kids have and how easy it is to
get online. On laptops and PCs there are settings for limiting access to parts of
the internet, which parents should activate. I’m not sure if you can do this on
mobile devices.
Perhaps the best things parents can do is to discuss internet safety with their children
and make them aware of the dangers they could face online.
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3) Could you suggest reasons why some people are deciding to reduce their use
of technology?
Many people’s whole lives are controlled by technology, especially the internet.
With so many different devices available and the number of wifi hotspots increasing
all the time, people can surf the internet anytime they want to. It’s easy to waste
hours browsing or posting trivia on social media. This is often for no real purpose
but simply because people are addicted to it. Everywhere you go you see people
tapping away on their mobile phones rather than engaging with the people around
them.
I think some people realise that they’re slaves to technology and have made a
conscious decision to cut down on their use of the internet and their mobiles in
particular. It’s hard to relax with emails, social media posts and texts pinging at you
all the time. There’s more understanding these days of mindfulness and the need to
regularly step back from our frantic, stressful lives. Reducing the use of
our electronic devices can certainly help a great deal with this and I believe this is
many people’s motivation for doing so.
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Environment Vocabulary – Common Words & Phrases
Environment Vocabulary Set 1: Key Definitions
environment – the natural world, as a whole or in a particular geographical area,
especially as affected by human activity.
- Picking up litter is a simple way to help protect the environment.
environmental – relating to the natural world and concerning the impact of human
activity on its condition.
- A survey revealed a number of environmental issues concerning the development
of the land for housing, most notably, that it was the habitat of a rare breed of frog.
environmentalist – a person who chooses a lifestyle that is designed to minimise
their impact on the natural environment and who campaigns for environmental issues.
- Plans to build a new road alongside the lake drew fierce oppositions
from environmentalists.
environmentally-friendly – not harmful to the environment.
- There are many environmentally-friendly cleaning products on the market that
don’t contain chemicals that damage the environment.
natural environment – the natural world as opposed to, for example, a working
environment.
- When the injured seal had been nursed back to health in the rescue centre, it was
returned to its natural environment.
environmental hazard – a substance or an event which has the potential to threaten
the surrounding natural environment.
- The illegal storage of toxic waste presents a significant environmental hazard.
environmental disaster – a catastrophic event affecting the environment due to
human activity.
- When the oil tanker ran aground, it caused an environmental disaster from which
it took the local wildlife many years to recover.
conservation – the protection of plants, animals and natural resources, usually by
planned human action.
- It was Dimitri’s dream to get a job in conservation.
conservationist – a person who takes action to protect the environment from damage
caused by humans.
- Conservationists are working hard to protect the breeding grounds of sea turtles.
conservation programme – an organised plan to protect a specific natural area or
aspect of the natural environment.
- Next year I’m planning to volunteer on a conservation programme in Spain which
researches dolphins.
Collocations:
 wildlife conservation – the protection of wildlife.
 nature conservation – work that protects natural resources including wildlife,
rivers, forests and other natural landscapes.
 energy conservation – the effort made to use less energy.
Environment Vocabulary Pronunciation
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Environment Vocabulary Set 2: The natural world – wildlife, plant life &
habitats
wildlife – animals that live in the wild in natural conditions. Birds, fish and insects
are often included in the definition.
- Every evening, a wide variety of wildlife came to the waterhole to drink.
local wildlife – the wildlife to be found in a particular area.
- The children did a school project on their local wildlife.
native wildlife – wildlife that naturally lives in a particular area and is not there as a
result of human intervention.
When cats were introduced to the island, they hunted the native wildlife and cause a
rapid decline in many species.
creature – any living thing that can move independently.
There are some fascinating creatures living in the deep ocean that we know hardly
anything about.
fauna – the animals of a particular region or habitat.
- The group of scientists lived in tents while studying the fauna of the remote
mountain region.
flora – the plants of a particular region or habitat.
- Much of the native flora of Australia isn’t found naturally anywhere else in the
world.
vegetation – the collective name for all the plants growing in a particular place or
area.
- Tropical regions are known for their dense vegetation.
species – a group of animals or plants that have similar characteristics and can
reproduce together.
- Lions are a species of wild cat.
Collocations:
 endangered species – a species that is in serious danger of extinction.
 threatened species – a species that is likely to become endangered in the near
future.
 rare species – an uncommon or scarce species.
 protected species – a species which it is forbidden to harm by law.
 extinct species – a species of which there are no more alive.
ecosystem – all the living things in an environment and the complex relationship
between each of them and that environment.
- Coral reefs have a delicately balanced ecosystem which can be seriously damaged
by overfishing.
Collocations:
 delicately balanced ecosystem – an ecosystem where the loss of a key
species, or several significant species, can seriously affect it.
 fragile ecosystem – an ecosystem that does not adapt easily to change and is
easily destroyed by human or physical impact.
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Mother Nature – nature or weather considered as a force that controls all living
things.
- It’s far better to try and work with Mother Nature than again it.
diverse – varied and very different from one another.
- They were able to grow a diverse range of crops in the rich, fertile soil.
biodiversity – the variety of animal and plant life found in a particular place.
It is important to preserve biodiversity in order to protect our ecosystems.
Collocation:
 loss of biodiversity – when species become extinct in an area and there is no
longer such a great variety of species.
ecology – the relationship between animals, plants, people and their environment in a
particular area, or the study of this.
- Ben studied the coastal ecology of Lundy Island in his final year at university.
habitat – the natural home or environment of an animal, plant or other organism.
- The loss of their natural habitat through deforestation is a serious threat to the
orang utan in Borneo.
to inhabit – to live in a certain place.
- The rainforest is inhabited by many different species of monkey.
natural surroundings – the habitat in which a species would naturally live.
- The best thing about going on safari is seeing the animals in their natural
surroundings rather than caged up in a zoo.
to adapt – to change or adjust in response to new conditions.
- With the loss of large areas of countryside to housing development, foxes have had
to adapt to living in towns.
to evolve – change or develop gradually.
- Scientists now believe that humans evolved from apes.
evolution – the process by which living things slowly change and develop over a
long period of time.
- The theory of evolution states that all life on Earth today evolved over millions of
years from simple organisms.
thrive – to grow and develop well or quickly.
- The leopard seal is well adapted to the cold and thrives in the fish-rich waters of the
Arctic.
marine – related to or found in the sea.
- Marine wildlife is badly affected by the amount of waste plastic in our oceans.
nocturnal – active at night.
- Almost all species of bats are nocturnal, preferring to hunt or search for food at
night rather than during the day.
migrate – to move from one region or habitat to another, usually when the season
changes.
- Many birds migrate south to warmer climates in the winter.
extinction – being completely destroyed so that it no longer exists.
- The dodo, a flightless bird once found in Mauritius, was hunted to extinction by
1681.
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dying out – to become increasingly less common, almost to the point of extinction.
- Tigers are in serious danger of dying out in the wild.
Environment Vocabulary Set 3: The natural world – resources & environment
climate – the general weather conditions usually found in a particular place.
- Egypt has a hot, dry climate with very little rainfall.
climate change – a change in global or regional temperature patterns.
- Climate change has led to the melting of the polar ice caps.
Collocation:
 combat climate change – to stop or reverse the effects of climate change.
- It is only by countries working together to combat climate change that we will
save our planet.
natural resources – materials or substances that exist in nature, such as coal, oil, and
timber, and can be used by people.
- The success of humans as a species has been largely due to their ability to exploit
the Earth’s natural resources.
Collocation:
 rich in natural resources – having a lot of natural resources.
- It is believed that Antarctica is rich in natural resources but many fear an
ecological disaster if mining is allowed to go ahead.
fossil fuels – a fuel, such as coal, oil and gas, that is formed in the earth from dead
plants and animals.
- Fossil fuels give off large amounts of carbon when burned which is damaging to the
atmosphere.
atmosphere – the layer of gases surrounding the Earth or any other planet.
- Asteroids usually burn up when they enter the Earth’s atmosphere.
ozone layer – a layer of the colourless gas ozone that exists high above the Earth's
surface and which prevents harmful ultraviolet light from the sun from reaching the
Earth.
- Without the ozone layer, it would be very difficult for anything to survive on Earth.
carbon dioxide – a gas formed when carbon is burned, or when people or animals
breathe out.
- Trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen which helps to keep our
atmosphere healthy.
carbon monoxide – a poisonous gas formed by the burning of carbon, especially in
the form of car fuel.
- You can’t smell carbon monoxide which makes it a deadly killer, so it’s important
to install a carbon monoxide alarm near your gas boiler.
greenhouse gas – a gas in the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide, that absorbs
radiation and gives off heat.
- Greenhouse gases contribute to the problem of global warming.
greenhouse effect – the gradual warming of the surface of the Earth due to
greenhouse gases being trapped in the atmosphere above the Earth.
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-The greenhouse effect is believed by many to be responsible for climate change.
Environment Vocabulary Set 4: Environmental issues
erosion – the gradual wearing-away of something by the natural forces of the wind,
rain and water.
- Crop rotation is important to ensure the soil isn’t left bare and subject to erosion by
the wind and rain.
Collocations:
 coastal erosion – damage to the coastline caused mainly by waves.
 soil erosion – removal of the upper layer of the soil, mainly by water or wind.
 wind erosion – a process where soil or rocks are worn away by the wind.
deforestation – the cutting down or burning of all the trees in an area.
- Deforestation results in the loss of habitat for millions of species, leads to soil
erosion and, according to scientists, is a major cause of climate change.
land clearance – the process of removing vegetation to create new areas of land
suitable for farming.
- Land clearance leaves the soil bare and at risk of serious erosion.
logging – to cut down trees for their timber.
- Uncontrolled logging is destroying vast areas of our precious rainforests.
pollution – damage to water, air or land by harmful substances and waste materials.
- In some cities, the air pollution is so bad that people have to wear face masks when
they go out.
to pollute – to contaminate water, air or land with harmful substances and waste
materials.
- In many countries, heavy industry continues to seriously pollute the environment.
emissions – the production and discharge of something, especially gas.
- Many countries are reluctant to reduce toxic emissions as the huge expense
involved can affect the rate of economic growth.
carbon footprint – the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere as a
result of the activities of a particular individual or organization.
- I have reduced my carbon footprint by cycling to work instead of driving.
global warming – a gradual increase in world temperatures caused by polluting
gases, such as carbon dioxide, which are collecting in the air around the Earth and
preventing heat from escaping into space.
- It’s not too late to reverse the effects of global warming but we must act right now.
Collocations:
 to fight / to combat / to tackle global warming – take action to reverse the
effects or promote the issue of global warming.
 contribute to global warming – to add to the problem of global warming.
 the effects of global warming – the environmental changes caused by global
warming such as climate change.
disposable products – items that are intended to be thrown away after use, generally
after just one or a few uses.
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- When I was young, things were made to last a long time and be used over and over
again, but now we live in a world of disposable products and have a huge waste
problem.
dumping ground – a place where things that are not wanted are left
- If we continue treating our oceans as a dumping ground, it will eventually become
too polluted to sustain life.
acid rain – rain rainfall made so acidic by atmospheric pollution caused by burning
fossil fuels that it causes environmental harm, especially to forests and lakes.
- In Poland, large areas of forest have been destroyed by acid rain.
to contaminate – to make something poisonous as a result of adding waste or
chemicals.
- Pesticide and fertilisers used on the field can contaminate rivers and kill all the
fish.
degradation – the process in which the quality of something is damaged or
destroyed.
- Soil degradation due to over-farming means that many farmers have had to move
to the cities in search of work.
depletion – the reduction in the number or quality of something.
- Over-fishing has led to the depletion of the ocean’s fish stocks.
fumes – strong, unpleasant and sometimes dangerous gas or smoke.
- Car exhaust fumes are a major contributor to air pollution.
smog – a mixture of smoke, gases, and chemicals, especially in cities, that makes the
atmosphere difficult to breathe and harmful for health.
- Some days the smog is so bad that people are forced to stay indoors.
air quality – the extent to which the air is free of pollution.
- When the company was forced to install filters in their factories chimneys, the air
quality in the area improved considerably.
poisonous – having chemical properties that can cause harm or kill.
- Hundreds of people became seriously ill when poisonous chemicals from the
nearby factory seeped into the water system.
toxic – poisonous.
- The dumping of toxic waste in the ocean is totally unacceptable and must be
stopped.
threat – something or someone that is a risk or a danger.
The greatest threat to the environment comes from the actions of human beings.
to endanger – to expose something to harm or destruction.
- Organised poaching is endangering the survival of the African rhino.
poaching – the illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals.
- Elephant’s valuable tusks make them a target for poaching.
drought – a long period when there is little or no rain.
- The severe drought meant that the crops failed for the second year running and
many people faced starvation.
flooding – when an area of land that is normally dry is covered with water.
- We have been told to expect more violent storms and frequent flooding as a result
of global warming.
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flash floods – a sudden, local flood caused by very heavy rainfall.
- The flash flood washed a whole village from the hillside, killing dozens of people.
Environment Vocabulary Set 5: Protecting the environment
to protect – keep safe from harm, injury or damage.
- Many charities have been set up around the world for the purpose
of protecting endangered species.
to preserve – to keep something as it is
If we don’t take steps to preserve the environment, we will lose some important
natural habitats in the very near future.
Collocation:
 wildlife preservation – the practice of protecting wild plant and animal
species and their habitats.
to recycle – to collect waste materials and process them to create new materials and
products that can be used again.
- We can dramatically reduce the amount of rubbish we send to landfill sites
by recycling our waste plastic.
biodegradable – able to decompose naturally without harming or polluting the
environment.
- I always try to buy products with biodegradable packaging.
carbon-neutral – replacing the same amount of carbon dioxide as we produce
through actions such as planting trees.
- Becoming carbon-neutral is something for both individuals and industries to work
towards.
sustainable – involving methods that do not use up or destroy natural resources.
- With advances in technology, it is hoped that we will eventually be able to replace
fossil fuels with sustainable energy sources.
sustainability – the idea that we should meet our own needs in ways that do not
damage the environment and that do not use resources that cannot be replaced.
- It is encouraging to see an increasing number of companies making a commitment
to environmental sustainability.
renewable energy – energy from a source that is not depleted when used.
- Where I live, both solar power and wind power are important sources of renewable
energy.
solar power – power obtained by harnessing the energy of the sun's rays.
- Hussan fitted solar panels to his roof last year and is now able to produce all the
energy he needs to run his home from solar power.
energy-efficient – using only as much energy as is needed without any waste.
- When I buy a new appliance, I look for one that is energy-efficient as it will be
cheaper to run and be more environmentally-friendly.
wind turbine – a tall structure with blades that are blown round by the wind and
produce power to make electricity.
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- Many farmers in my area have installed wind turbines to provide the electricity
they need.
wind farm – a group of wind turbines.
- We were horrified when they got permission to build a wind farm in our beautiful
countryside, but we’re used to it now and understand how important it is to generate
renewable energy.
clean energy – energy produced from renewable energy resources and which doesn’t
produce emissions that contribute to global warming.
- Scientists predict that clean energy could reliably and affordably provide up to 80
per cent of U.S. electricity by 2050.
organic farming – farming without the use of synthetic chemicals.
- Concern for the environment is leading to changes in agricultural methods and
especially to a greater interest in organic farming.
afforestation – the action of planting trees on an area of land in order to make a
forest.
- Afforestation is vital if we are to reduce the carbon-dioxide levels in the
atmosphere.
to go green – to choose an environmentally-friendly lifestyle.
- In an attempt to go green, my family is recycling everything we can and we no
longer buy bottled water.
on foot – to walk rather than use a form of transport.
- When the weather is fine, I go to work on foot rather than catching the bus.
safeguard – take action to protect something from harm or damage.
- It is the responsibility of all of us to safeguard the environment for future
generations.
Environment Vocabulary Set 6: Other useful words
urban – relating to, or characteristic of a town or city.
- In the UK, foxes thrive in urban areas and can often be seen on the streets at night.
rural – in, relating to, or characteristic of the countryside rather than the town.
- I was born in a small village and still prefer to live in a rural area.
IELTS-Style Speaking Test Questions and Answers
Common environment vocabulary is highlighted in bold.
Part 1
1) Do you think pollution is a big problem nowadays?
I think it’s a massive issue. It really worries me how much damage we are doing to
the natural environment, especially how we pollute the oceans with plastic waste
and release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
2) What do you do to prevent the environment from pollution?
29
I recycle as much rubbish as I can and I walk when possible rather than driving or
taking public transport in order to reduce my carbon footprint.
3) Are you worried about climate change?
Most definitely. In my country, the weather is changing because of global
warming and we get more bad storms than before. Governments and individuals
need to do more to combat climate change.
4) Do you use renewable energy?
Not at the moment. I wanted to change my house to solar power but the panels are
too expensive for me to buy so, unfortunately, I still use fossil fuels.
5) Do you take an interest in nature?
I love all wildlife. My garden is the perfect habitat for hedgehogs. They
are nocturnal but if I go out after dark with a torch I sometimes see one.
Part 2
Describe an environmental problem you’ve heard about.
You should say:
 what it is
 how long it has existed
 how it affects people’s lives
and explain how you think the problem will develop in the future.
There are a number of serious environmental problems being covered by the media
at the moment but the one I’d like to talk about is the deforestation of vast areas of
rainforest to grow palm oil. I’m not sure when it started to become a concern
to environmentalist but I know that they’re increasingly worried about it.
This land clearance is on a huge scale and the forest is often just burned down. This
sends large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere which
contribute to global warming and climate change. This affects everyone on the
planet.
Just as important is the effect on the native wildlife. Deforestation to grow palm oil
in Borneo and Sumatra destroys the natural habitat of orang utans as well as many
other animals. Conservationistsestimate that unless the situation changes, the orang
utan and Sumatran tiger could become extinctin the wild in the next 5-10 years. In
fact, a third of all mammal species in Indonesia are thought to be
critically endangered because of this type of unsustainable development.
Furthermore, the oil palm plantations that replace the rich vegetation of the rainforest
support very low levels of biodiversity and create a totally a different ecosystem. I
don’t fully understand why the loss of biodiversity is such a problem but I did read
somewhere that it means that our food crops are more vulnerable to pest and diseases.
This could lead to serious food shortages in the future.
I think that the palm oil industry and its associated problems are going to be difficult
to change. Perhaps it’s consumers who can have the biggest impact by refusing to
30
buy products containing palm oil which is in around 40-50% of common household
products in many developed countries. In the UK, there’s already one major food
retailer that has promised to ban palm oil in its own products. This I really
encouraging and I hope other companies will do the same soon.
Part 3
1) What do you consider to be the most serious environmental issues in the
world today?
I’d say that global warming and climate change have to come top of the list because
these threaten the very future of life on our planet. There are many contributing
factors such as the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation for agriculture and due to
illegal logging, and large-scale livestock farming.
Another serious concern is for the marine life in our oceans which is under
serious threat from pollution, especially waste plastics. These kill or injure
thousands of sea creatures every day. Many species of wildlife are also being
pushed to the verge of extinction by poaching. It’s shocking to think that beautiful
animals such as the tiger are dying out in the wild because of the actions of human
beings.
There are many other environmental problems that we need to solve but these are
the ones I believe to be the most serious.
2) Do you think it is the responsibility of governments alone to protect the
environment?
Not at all. It’s the responsibility of every individual to do their bit
to protect the environment. Of course, governments can do a lot to
address environmental issues through their policies and the laws they pass. I
certainly think that governments should put more pressure on industry to use clean
energy and
to
cut
down
on
the emission of greenhouse
gases that pollute the atmosphere and add to global warming.
In my country, the government encourages people to live an environmentallyfriendly
lifestyle by
providing recycling services
and
facilities
and
subsidising renewable energy by giving grants to people wanting to run their homes
on solar power. If more people took advantage of this, it would certainly help the
environment.
3) What measures can individuals take to protect the environment?
There are many ways that each of us can help to care for the natural environment.
Firstly, we can recycle as much of our rubbish as possible or, even better, cut down
on our use of disposable products.
Secondly, we can become more energy-efficient by insulating our homes, turning off
lights when they don’t need to be on and making short journeys by bicycle or on
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foot rather than going by vehicle. Cutting down on car journeys also means fewer
polluting exhaust fumes entering the atmosphere.
Finally, we can make sure that we know about the major conservation issues our
world is currently facing. If we are well-informed then we can take action to bring
about change.
These are all measure we can take as individuals to help safeguard the environment.
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Weather Vocabulary – Common Words & Phrases
Weather Vocabulary Set 1: Key definitions
weather – the temperature or conditions outside with regard to heat, cloudiness,
dryness, sunshine, wind, rain, etc.
- The weather can change very quickly up on the moor, so make sure you take your
waterproofs when you go walking.
climate – the general weather conditions usually found in a particular area.
- The climate in the Andean mountains of Peru is very different to that found on the
coast.
climate change – a change in global or regional temperature patterns.
- Scientists believe that climate change will lead to more extreme weather in the
future.
global warming – a gradual increase in world temperatures caused by polluting
gases, such as carbon dioxide, which are collecting in the air around the Earth and
preventing heat from escaping into space.
- It’s not too late to reverse the effects of global warming but we must act right now.
Weather Vocabulary Pronunciation
Weather Vocabulary Set 2: Seasons
season – time of year characterized by certain weather.
- In Europe, we have four seasons but in some parts of the world, they have only two,
such as the Philippines which has a wet season and a dry season.
winter – the coldest season of the year, December to February north of the equator
and from and June to August in the southern hemisphere.
- I don’t like the winter as it’s very cold and there isn’t much daylight.
spring – the season between winter and summer when the weather becomes warmer
and vegetation starts to grow again.
- In spring I love to watch nature come to life again; to see leaves sprouting on the
trees and lambs in the fields.
summer – the warmest season of the year, June to August north of the equator and
from and December to February in the southern hemisphere.
- We can’t wait for summer and are already planning the outdoor activities we’re
going to enjoy in the nice weather.
autumn – the season between summer and winter when the leaves change colour and
fall from the trees and it becomes cooler.
- Autumn is a great time for hiking as the weather is often pleasant and the trees look
stunning as their leaves change to red, yellow and orange.
fall – Term for autumn in American English.
- In the US, fall is the time for celebrating Halloween and Thanksgiving.
Weather Vocabulary Pronunciation
Weather Vocabulary Set 3: Snowy weather
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snow – water vapour frozen into ice crystals and falling to the ground as white flakes.
- I live in a hot climate so we don’t get snow but I’ve seen it in photos and it looks so
beautiful.
snowflake – a single particle of snow.
- Did you know that every single snowflake is different which is quite amazing?
snowing – when snow is falling to the ground.
- It was so exciting to wake up this morning to find that it was snowing.
snowy – when it’s snowing or things are covered with snow.
- Children love snowy weather as it often means that the schools are closed.
fresh snow – snow that has recently fallen.
- The fresh snow glistened in the moonlight, the pristine carpet of white not marked
by a single footprint.
heavy snow – when a lot of snow falls.
- The weather forecast predicted heavy snow so we got out our sledge ready to have
some fun.
a blanket of snow – a complete covering of snow.
- It snowed heavily all afternoon and the countryside was soon covered in a blanket
of snow.
snowstorm – when a large amount of snow falls, often mixed with wind.
- I was still at work when the snowstorm hit and had to sleep in my office as the
buses were cancelled and I couldn’t get home.
blizzard – a storm with very heavy snow and strong winds.
- It’s dangerous driving on the roads in a blizzard.
whiteout – snowfall that is so heavy that it’s almost impossible to see anything.
- I was so glad I decided not to drive to the shops as the light snowfall soon turned
into whiteout conditions.
flurry – very light snowfall.
- The children were hoping for heavy snow so they could make a snowman but all we
got were light flurries.
avalanche – a large mass of snow and ice sliding rapidly down a mountainside.
- It was reported that five skiers were caught in the avalanche and rescuers are trying
to dig them out.
snowdrift – a bank of deep snow formed by the wind.
- The road was blocked by snowdrifts blown by the strong winds.
sleet – a mixture of rain and snow.
- The sleet made the pavements slippery and it was difficult not to fall over.
slush – partly melted snow
- As the temperature rose slightly, the glistening white snow turned to mucky slush.
Weather Vocabulary Pronunciation
Weather Vocabulary Set 4: Cold weather
below freezing – below zero degrees Celsius or 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
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- I put on a thick coat, gloves, hat and a scarf before going outside as it was
well below freezing.
ice – very cold water in a solid state; you only see it when the temperature is below
freezing.
- I had to clear ice from my car windscreen before I could drive to meet my friend.
icy – covered in ice; slippery because of ice.
- It’s better for elderly people to stay indoors when it’s icy as they can easily fall over
and break a bone.
frozen – when the temperature is so cold that water has turned to ice or expression to
mean feeling very cold.
- It was so cold that the surface of the pond was frozen.
- Ingrid got absolutely frozen watching her son’s team playing football.
freezing cold – very cold.
- Bruno was reluctant to take the dog for a walk as it was freezing cold outside.
bitterly cold – extremely cold.
- The sun was shining but there was a bitterly cold wind blowing.
hail – pieces of ice falling from the sky; frozen rain.
- I hate being out in hail because it really hurt when it strikes your face.
frost – ice crystals on a frozen surface.
- I could tell from the frost on the ground that the temperature overnight had fallen
below freezing.
hard frost – when it gets very cold overnight and everything is covered with thick
frost.
- The hard frost turned everything white and made the garden look like a magical
frozen wonderland.
Jack Frost – mythical character who comes out at night and lays out frost.
- We woke in the morning to see that Jack Frost had been in the night.
frostbite – injury to any part of the body caused by overexposure to extreme cold.
- Frostbite is one of the greatest dangers faced by Arctic explorers.
to dress up warm – to wear warm clothes to protect yourself against wintry
conditions.
- If you go out to play in the snow, be sure to dress up warm.
to melt – the process by which snow or ice changes to water as the temperature rises
above freezing.
- After a week of freezing conditions, the temperature rose and the snow finally
began to melt.
a cold spell / cold snap – a short period of cold weather.
- The weather is usually mild at this time of year but the forecasters say we’re in for
a cold spell next week.
- The sudden cold snap had us searching for our hats, gloves and scarves.
chilly – uncomfortably cold.
- Fuyuko was feeling a bit chilly so she turned the heating up.
Weather Vocabulary Pronunciation
35
Weather Vocabulary Set 5: Rainy weather
precipitation – water that falls to the earth in the form of rain, hail, mist, sleet, or
snow.
- The average annual precipitation in London is 23 inches (58 cm) which makes it
drier than New York which has an average of 50 inches (127cm) of rain per year.
heavy rain – intense rainfall.
- The heavy rain kept the children indoors all day despite it being the weekend.
torrential rain – very heavy rain.
- The torrential rain was making driving conditions hazardous.
driving rain – heavy rain mixed with strong wind.
- We walked on through the driving rain, wanting to get home as quickly as
possible.
to pour – to rain heavily.
- It was pouring with rain when I set off for the bus stop.
downpour – heavy shower of rain.
- Christian got caught in a downpour on his way to the party but fortunately had an
umbrella with him.
cloudburst – sudden rainfall that it over quickly.
- The sudden cloudburst took them by surprise and they had to run for shelter.
raining cats and dogs – raining heavily.
- What miserable weather. It’s been raining cats and dogs all day.
to get drenched / soaked – to get very wet.
- Ekrem left her coat at home and got drenched in the cloudburst.
- The children had great fun playing in the rain but got soaked to the skin.
rainy day – a day when it rains a lot.
- I quite like a rainy day as I can be lazy and cuddle up by the fire with a good book.
a drop of rain – a small amount of rain.
- There was a drop of rain in the afternoon but it didn’t spoil our day out.
drizzle – very light rain.
- There was a bit of drizzle in the air as we set off on our walk but it didn’t come to
anything.
gentle rain – light rain.
- The gentle rain was quite welcome at the end of a long, hot day as it really cooled
the air.
shower (of rain) – a quick, light rainstorm.
- It was only a shower of rain so we didn’t get too wet.
- It was only a quick shower so we didn’t get too wet.
to get caught in the rain – to be outside when it rains unexpectedly.
- Meena was soaked through having got caught in the rain without a coat on.
to be rained off – to be cancelled or postponed because it’s raining or expected to
rain.
- The pupils were looking forward to the school sports day but sadly it got rained off.
let up – to stop raining.
- We’ll go out for a walk if there’s a let up in the rain.
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to clear up – when clouds or rain disappear.
- The forecast says that it will clear up by this afternoon.
puddle – a small pool of water usually formed by rainfall.
- When I was young, I loved splashing in puddles.
to flood – when a large amount of water flows over an area of land that is normally
dry.
- There had been so much rain that the road was flooded.
a flash flood – a sudden and severe flood.
- The flash flood brought mud and debris gushing down the road bringing traffic to a
standstill.
burst its banks – when a river overflows onto the land due to heavy rainfall and
causes flooding.
- After nearly three days of continuous rain, the river burst its banks flooding the
town.
rainbow – an arch of colours seen in the sky during or after rainfall when it is also
sunny.
- As the storm passed, a beautiful rainbow appeared in the sky.
monsoon – the season of heavy rain in tropical climates.
- Nearly all of the country’s annual rainfall falls during the monsoon.
rainy season – another term for the time of the monsoon.
- The rainy season in my country is normally July to October.
horrid weather – unpleasant weather.
- I’m fed up of this horrid weather and can’t remember when I last saw any
sunshine.
foul weather – bad weather.
- The foul weather kept the fishing boats in the harbour as it was too dangerous for
them to go to sea.
Weather Vocabulary Pronunciation
Weather Vocabulary Set 6: Sunny weather
sunshine – direct sunlight unbroken by cloud.
- Isabella usually had lunch in the canteen but today she bought a sandwich and ate it
in the sunshine.
sunny – bright with sunshine.
- Looking out at the pouring rain, Svetlana longed for a sunny day.
sunny spells – short periods of sunny weather.
- It was mostly cloudy for our trip to the zoo but there were some sunny spells in the
afternoon.
heatwave – a period of very hot weather.
- Summer weather in the UK can be very unpredictable but this year we had a
real heatwave.
to come out (the sun) – when the sun appears out of a cloudy sky.
- We were so pleased that the sun came out for our wedding photos as it had been a
bit of a dull day up to then.
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baking hot / boiling hot – very hot.
- Sunday was baking hot so Duong and his friends headed to the river for a swim.
scorcher – a very hot day.
- The day was a real scorcher, far too hot to be out in the sun for very long.
drought – a long period with no rainfall.
arid – having had little or no rain for a long time; too dry to support vegetation.
- Large areas of Australia are suffering from drought. The land has become arid and
cattle and sheep on the ranches are dying from a lack of food and water.
humid / humidity – hot and damp conditions
- Celeste found the climate in Florida too humid and moved to California where it
was still hot but with less humidity.
stifling – uncomfortable hot; can make you feel breathless.
- The heat of the day was stifling so the expedition travelled only at night when it
was cooler.
sweltering – extremely hot.
- My classroom is sweltering in the summer so I take the children outside and we
have lessons in the shade of a large tree.
close – warm and uncomfortable.
- We don’t have a humid climate in the UK but in summer it is often close which
leaves you feeling sweaty and lethargic.
warm – a temperature in between hot and cold.
- Feeling the warm spring sunshine on your face is such a treat after the long, cold
months of winter.
sunburn – painful red skin caused by being in the sun too long.
exposed to sunlight – allowing strong sunshine to fall on the skin.
- It’s important to limit our exposure to sunlight as sunburn can lead to skin cancer.
suntan / tanned – brown skin caused by long periods of exposure to sunlight.
- Jay got a great suntan on his sailing holiday in Greece and arrived home
looking tanned and healthy.
sunscreen / suntan lotion – a cream or lotion that protects the skin from the
damaging UV (ultraviolet) rays of the sun.
- As children, we were never allowed out to play in the sun without sunscreen on.
glorious weather – wonderful weather.
- We had glorious weather on our holiday in France.
fine weather – lots of sunshine and no rain.
- The fine weather we’re having at the moments has lifted everyone’s spirits.
pleasant weather – warm temperatures and mainly clear skies.
- Jerry made the most of the pleasant weather to get some gardening done.
a break in the weather – when the rain stops for a while.
- I waited for a break in the weather before taking the dog for a walk.
a spell of fine weather – a short period of good weather.
- It’s been a pretty awful summer but we’re finally enjoying a spell of fine weather.
clear blue skies – a sky without clouds.
- The clear blue skies drew hordes of tourists to the beach.
not a cloud in the sky – when no clouds are visible.
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- There wasn’t a cloud in the sky and it promised to be a glorious day.
Weather Vocabulary Pronunciation
Weather Vocabulary Set 7: Cloudy weather
cloud – a grey or white mass, made up of very small drops of water, floating in the
sky.
- As the dark clouds drifted overhead, Yana rushed to the garden to bring in her dry
washing before it rained.
cloudy – when there are lots of clouds in the sky.
- Although it was a cloudy day, they still had a good time on the beach.
overcast – very cloudy with no sun is visible.
- Thahn was disappointed that it was overcast for the barbecue but at least it wasn’t
raining.
partly cloudy – when it is sunny and cloudy at the same time.
- The TV weather forecast has said partly cloudy but it ended up being overcast for
most of the day.
dull – not clear, bright or sunny.
- Dull days can be rather depressing, especially at this time of year when it’s cold
outside and daylight hours are short.
Weather Vocabulary Pronunciation
Weather Vocabulary Set 8: Windy weather
wind – a natural current of air.
- There wasn’t enough wind to go sailing so they kayaked instead.
windy – when there is a lot of wind.
- It was a windy day and Dan spend the afternoon flying his kite.
breeze – light wind
- The flag was hoisted to the top of the mast where it flapped gently in the breeze.
high wind – strong wind.
- The forecast warned of high winds and a risk of fallen trees.
gale – a very strong wind.
- The gale blew all night and caused damage to several buildings.
gust – a sudden, strong blast of wind.
- It was a fierce storm with gusts of up to 80 miles an hour.
blustery – blowing in strong gusts.
- Kali’s umbrella turned inside out in the blustery weather.
wind chill (factor) – when the wind makes the air feel colder than the actual
temperature.
- It was just above freezing but the wind chill factor made it feel more like minus 5.
picking up – becoming stronger
39
- The wind started picking up at about 3.00 pm and an hour later had reached gale
force.
Weather Vocabulary Pronunciation
Weather Vocabulary Set 9: Foggy weather
fog – a thick cloud of tiny water droplets close to the ground or sea that makes it
difficult to see.
- I hate driving in fog as it’s hard to see other cars on the road.
foggy – when there is a lot of fog.
- It’s so foggy today that I can hardly see the houses across the street.
smog – fog-like cloud caused by pollution.
- The smog hung over the city and many people wore masks when they went out to
stop them breathing in the polluted air.
Weather Vocabulary Pronunciation
Weather Vocabulary Set 10: Stormy weather
storm – severe rainy and windy weather.
- The storm brought a tree down in our garden which only just missed our house.
thunder – a loud rumbling or crashing noise heard in the sky, especially during a
storm.
- We heard the thunder in the distance and knew that a storm was on its way.
lightning – electric flash of light in the sky.
- The lightning lit up the whole sky and was quite spectacular.
thunderstorm – a storm that includes thunder and lightning.
- My pets hate thunderstorms. The dog barks at the thunder and the cat hides under
the bed.
tropical storm – a storm with very high winds typical of tropical regions.
- The first time I was in a tropical storm I was very frightened as I’d never
experienced such high winds before.
Hurricane / cyclone / typhoon – a tropical storm with extremely strong, damaging
wind. The difference between them is where the storm originates in the world.
Hurricanes come in from the Atlantic Ocean, cyclones from the Indian Ocean and
typhoons from the Pacific Ocean.
- In 2017, a hurricane devastated the Caribbean island of Anguilla.
Weather Vocabulary Pronunciation
Weather Vocabulary Set 11: General weather terms
changeable – weather that often changes.
- The weather is very changeable at the moment and it’s difficult to decide what to
wear to go out.
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unpredictable – likely to change suddenly and therefore not easy to predict.
- The weather in the Scottish islands is notoriously unpredictable so it’s best to carry
a raincoat at all times.
weather permitting – if the weather allows it.
- We’ll be having a family picnic in the park at the weekend, weather permitting.
the weather holds – fine weather continues.
- I hope the weather holds as I have a few days off next week.
freak weather conditions – weather conditions, often extreme and destructive, that
are not normal for that place.
- Freak weather conditions are becoming more common due to global warming and
climate change.
Weather Vocabulary Pronunciation
Weather Vocabulary Set 12: Weather forecasting
weather forecast – a prediction of what the weather is likely to be, broadcast on
TV/radio programmes and printed in newspapers.
- I’ve just seen the weather forecast and we’re in for a nice day.
long-range forecast – the weather forecast for several days or weeks ahead.
- The long-range forecast is a bit disappointing as it predicts rain by the weekend.
mild – gentle, not harsh or extreme.

mild weather
- We’re having really mild weather for the time of year.

mild climate – a climate without extreme weather conditions.
- We have a mild climate in the UK with no extremes of heat or cold and
few violent storms.

mild winter – a winter that isn't particularly cold.
- It’s been a mild winter with only one real cold snap.
temperature – how hot or cold it is
- It’s cold in the shade but the temperature rises significantly when you step into the
sun.
thermometer – instrument for measuring temperature.
- The thermometer on the wall showed that it was almost 100 degreesº.
degrees – measurement for temperature. Denoted by the symbol º.
- Temperature can be measured in degrees Celcius or Fahrenheit.
Celsius – measurement of temperature where freezing point is 0º and boiling point is
100º.
Fahrenheit – measurement of temperature where freezing point is 32º degrees and
boiling point is 212º.
meteorology – the scientific study of weather.
- Nandor had always been fascinated by what caused different weather conditions and
wanted to be study meteorology at university.
meteorologist – a person who studies weather patterns.
- Meteorologists are far better at predicting the weather than they were a decade ago.
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List of Weather Idioms
We'll start with a couple of general ones:
in all weathers – in every kind of weather, both good and bad.
- I belong to a rowing club and we train on the water in all weathers.
to feel under the weather – to not feel very well.
- Uma decided not to go to the party as she was feeling under the weather.
Weather Idioms Related to Rain
raining cats and dogs – raining heavily.
- It’s been raining cats and dogs all day.
as right as rain – to be healthy.
- I had a horrible cold last week but I feel as right as rain now.
to take a rain check – to decline an offer or invitation for the time being.
- Yes, I’d love to see the movie with you but I’ll have to take a rain check tonight as
I’ll be late finishing work.
it never rains but it pours – when several things go wrong in quick succession.
- First I got stuck in traffic, then I couldn’t find a parking space and now the lift isn’t
working. It certainly never rains but it pours.
to save for a rainy day – to save money for the future, especially to cover
unexpected expenses.
- I always put 10% of my wages in a savings account as I believe it’s important
to save for a rainy day.
come rain or shine – whatever the situation.
- Good friends are always there for you come rain or shine.
to chase rainbows – when someone pursues something they’ll probably never get or
achieve.
- Kalifa is convinced this new business idea will make him millions but he’s
just chasing rainbows.
Weather Idioms Related To The Wind
to throw caution to the wind – to do something without worrying about the risk or
the results.
- I’m a bit nervous about going on holiday on my own but I’m throwing caution to
the wind and booking a trip to Venice.
to get wind of something – to begin to suspect something or hear a rumour.
- Beatrice got wind of the account manager’s resignation and thought she might go
for her job.
to sail close to the wind – to behave in a manner that is close to the limit of what is
acceptable, allowed, or safe.
- I admit that he gets some great deals for the company but I think he’s sailing a bit
close to the wind this time.
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windfall – a large amount of money that is won or received unexpectedly.
- Asha was delighted to receive a windfall on the death of a wealthy relative she
hardly even knew.
to be a breeze: to be very easy or simple.
- I was dreading the English exam but it turned out to be a breeze.
Weather Idioms Related To Clouds
to have your head in the clouds – to be out of touch with reality or have unrealistic
ideas; to be a daydreamer.
- I’m not sure the new secretary was the right person to appoint for the job, she seems
to have her head in the clouds most of the time.
to cast a cloud – to cause people to feel unhappy about something.
- Their argument in the car on the drive down to the coast cast a cloud over the
whole weekend break.
every cloud has a silver lining – for every bad situation there is something good that
can come out of it.
- I was so cross when I missed the train but every cloud has a silver lining and on
the later train, I sat next to a lovely girl who’s agreed to go on a date with me.
on cloud nine – to be extremely happy.
- Jamilla had been waiting for years for her boyfriend to propose and was on cloud
nine when he finally asked her to marry him.
Weather Idioms Related To Sunshine or Fine Weather
to take a shine to – to like someone immediately.
- My brother’s really taken a shine to the girl who’s just moved in next door.
ray of sunshine – a person who brings happiness into the lives of others (sometimes
used sarcastically about someone with a negative attitude).
- I always hope that Grace is on reception when I go to the dentist. She’s such a ray
of sunshine and makes the visit much less stressful.
ray of hope – something that provides a small amount of hope in a difficult situation.
- The new drug offers a ray of hope to people suffering from this rare genetic
disorder.
fair-weather friend – a friend who cannot be relied on in difficult times.
- Amir got on really well with Julio from his football team but he turned out to be just
a fair-weather friend and stopped coming round when Amir got dropped from the
team.
dry spell – a period of little or no productivity, activity or success.
- I used to achieve top salesperson in our company nearly every month but I’m going
through a bit of a dry spell at the moment.
out of the blue – unexpectedly, without warning.
- I thought she was happy in our marriage but then, out of the blue, she said she was
leaving me.
bolt from the blue – an unexpected or sudden event, usually unwelcome.
- The threat of redundancies came like a bolt from the blue.
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Weather Idioms Related To Storms
to go down a storm – to be popular or well received.
- The new flexible working hours went down a storm with the staff.
calm before the storm – a period of calm and stability before a time of great activity
or difficulty.
- The children would be arriving for her daughter’s party in just over an hour but
everything was ready so she sat down for a cup of tea in the calm before the storm.
to weather a storm – to successfully deal with a problem or to get through a difficult
situation.
- The business nearly went under during the recession but they managed to weather
the storm and profits are now rising steadily again.
a storm brewing / a storm on the horizon – a situation where something unpleasant
is about to happen despite everything currently being calm.
- Although no-one has openly objected to the radical shake-up on the team, the coach
could sense astorm brewing.
- Cherie is yet to find out that her best friend went out with her ex-boyfriend and I
sense a storm on the horizon.
stormy relationship – a relationship characterised by lots of arguments.
- Katia and Hugo had always had a stormy relationship so no-one was surprised
when they split up.
to take by storm – to suddenly be very successful in a particular place or with a
certain group of people.
- The new band took the audience by storm when they appeared at their first gig.
storm in a teacup – a small problem or event that has been made more significant
than it really is.
- The row over who used the last teabag was just a storm in a teacup.
to steal someone’s thunder – to take the attention away from someone or deny them
praise or success but saying or doing something they were going to do or say first.
- I was so angry at Arash for leaking information to the staff about the exciting bonus
package I was going to reveal in the meeting. He really stole my thunder.
face like thunder – looking very angry.
- I knew Mum had told Dad about the dent I’d put in his car because he stormed into
the room with a face like thunder.
Weather Idioms Related To Ice or Snow
tip of the iceberg – a hint or suggestion of a much larger problem or more complex
hidden issue.
- When she called in the accountant after finding an error in the bookkeeping, it was
soon discovered that this was just the tip of the iceberg and that a large sum of
money was missing from company funds.
to break the ice – do or say something to relieve tension or get a conversation going
in a strained situation or when strangers meet.
- I always invite Freja to charity dinners as she’s great at breaking the ice.
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snowed under – very busy, or overloaded with work or things to do.
- I really try to get home in time to eat with the family in the evening but I’m snowed
under at work at the moment and rarely manage it more than once or twice a week.
put on ice – to postpone for another time.
- We were making good progress with the project but it had to be put on ice when
government funding dried up.
IELTS-Style Speaking Test Questions and Answers
Common weather vocabulary is highlighted in bold.
Part 1
1) What is the weather like in your country?
Our weather is very unpredictable. One minute it can be lovely sunshine, the next
we’re experiencing a downpour. The UK is well-known for this.
2) Do you like the weather in your country?
Yes and no. I get frustrated that we have so many rainy days but we do have
some glorious weather as well. When the sun comes out and there’s not a cloud in
the sky, I couldn't be happier.
3) Is the weather the same in all parts of your country?
There are some quite marked regional differences. I live in the south-west where
it's mild but we get high precipitation. It’s drier in the east and they actually had
a drought this summer. Further north, it’s very cold in winter and they get heavy
snow.
4) Are there any problems with the climate in your country?
We certainly seem to have experienced more violent storms and torrential rain in
recent years. This has caused serious flooding in some places. A village near where I
live had a flash flood this summer which washed away cars and a few buildings.
People say global warming is to blame.
5) Does the weather ever affect the way you feel?
Most definitely. I feel so much more cheerful and full of energy when it’s sunny,
whatever season it is. Even a break in the weather on an overcast day lifts my
spirits.
Part 2
Describe your favourite season.
You should say:
 what the season is and when it occurs
 what the weather is like during this season
 what your typical activities are during this season
and explain why it is your favourite season.
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That’s really difficult as I like things about every season but if I had to choose one, I
guess I’d go for spring. It covers the months of March, April and May in my country
and is actually the time of year I was born.
I spend the cold winter months looking forward to the first signs of spring as nature
comes back to life with the change of the season – things like the snowdrops poking
through the soil, colourful daffodils and crocuses, blossom on the trees, shiny new
leaves and the birds singing their hearts out as they build their nests. It’s such a lovely
time of year.
The weather gradually improves week by week, although we can still get frost right
up to the end of April and even snow, but it’s usually just sleet and turns to slush as
soon as it touches the ground. Hail storms are quite common and bright rainbows,
which we see as a promise of fine weather to come.
Whilst there’s plenty of warm sunshine in spring, a shower of rain is never far
away and the windtends to be quite chilly so you need to dress up warm to go out. I
keep a close eye on the weather forecast before making plans as to what to do.
To sum up the weather, you’d have to say that it’s changeable – a mixture of sunny
spells and cloudbursts is how I’d describe it.
As the temperature rises, I definitely get more active. I start to take longer walks and
go out on my bike more often. Weather permitting, we often have a barbecue on my
birthday.
I also get stuck into some gardening. There’s always lots of cutting down and
clearing up to do, plus the grass begins to grow again and needs cutting. At
weekends, I go to the garden centre to buy bedding plants ready for a
colourful summer display.
One of the best things of all about spring is the lighter evenings, such a relief after
the dark wintermonths. You can now spend evenings outdoors if you want to rather
than being stuck in watching TV.
So you see, there are lots of reasons why spring is my favourite month. I love the
hotter weather of the summer, of course, but there’s something about the freshness
of spring that makes it special.
Part 3
1) How do the different seasons affect the lifestyle of people in your country?
As we have a fairly mild climate, people are able to enjoy the outdoors all times of
the year. Of course, summer is the most popular time for going to the beach and such
like but even on blusterywinter’s days, you’ll see people out walking along the
shore enjoying the fresh air. With ourunpredictable weather, we’re used to
getting caught in the rain whatever the season so we just put on our waterproofs and
off we go.
When it’s warm, people tend to take a picnic when they go out walking or cycling
but in chillyweather, they’re more likely to stop off at a cosy pub or café for
something to eat.
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One of the biggest differences in our lifestyle through the seasons is down to the
variation in daylight hours. In summer, it’s light until around 10.30pm whilst in the
middle of winter it’s dark by 3.30pm. No-one feels much like going out when it’s
cold and dark so we stay at home more.
2) Do you think people who live in cold places have different personalities to
people who live in warm or hot places?
That’s something I’ve never considered but now I come to think of it, I’m sure they
do. From my experience, people living in cold countries are fairly reserved and quite
serious. Those living in hot climates, on the other hand, are more outgoing and full of
life. That’s apart from the most humidregions where it’s so hot and sticky that you
just want to sit around and do nothing all day.
Although I’d have to agree overall, I think there are many other factors
than temperature and the weather that affect people’s personalities.
3) Do you think there are any problems with the world's climate now?
I believe that we’re facing many serious issues with our climate at the moment and
they're only going to get worse unless we do something about global warming soon.
In my country, the winters are getting milder and wetter and serious flooding is
becoming common. It’s a real problem in many areas. However, that’s nothing
compared to the devastating tropical storms that some parts of the world are
experiencing, more violent ever before. Meteorologistspredict that they will get even
stronger in the future which is a great concern.
One of the most serious problems of climate change is the melting of the icecaps as
it’s causing rising sea levels. It’s possible that many coastal areas could be under
water by the end of the century. Now that really is a worry.
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Education Vocabulary – Common Words & Phrases
Education Vocabulary Set 1: Key Definitions
education – the process of teaching or learning, especially in a school, college or
university, or the knowledge that you get from this
- Education is a low priority for the governments of some developing countries.
- Most children receive their education in schools but some are taught at home.
to educate – to give someone intellectual, moral or social instruction, typically at a
school, college or university
- At the school I visited in Kenya the children are educated in classes of over 60
pupils.
educational – relating to the provision of education
- When I was at school we had an educational visit to the British Museum in London
to see Tutankhamun’s treasures.
educational institution – a place where people gain an education, such as a school
- We are fortunate to have many excellent educational institutions in our area.
formal education – education normally delivered by trained teachers in a systematic
way in a school, college or university.
- In Norway, formal education starts when children reach the age of six.
compulsory education – the legally-required period of time that children are
expected to attend school. In the western world, these laws generally require that
children attend school from the ages of 5 to 16 or 18.
- One day, a formal education will hopefully be compulsory for all children.
Education Vocabulary Set 2: Educational institutions
preschool – a school for children who are too young to begin their formal education
- Most children in the UK go to a preschool but it isn’t compulsory.
nursery school (UK)/kindergarten (US) – preschool education
- In the UK, most children begin nursery school at the age of four.
primary school (UK)/elementary school (US) – the type of school for children ages
5-11
- Bindi was so excited about starting primary school when the new term started in
September.
primary education – the education of 5-11 year olds
- In an ideal world, primary education would be compulsory in every country.
secondary school (UK)/high school (US) – the type of school for children age 11 to
16, sometimes 18
- I want to teach in a secondary school when I finish my teacher training as I really
enjoy working with older pupils.
co-educational/mixed – a school where girls and boys are taught together.
- These days, most schools in the UK are co-educational.
single-sex school – a school for either male or female students but not both
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- Both my parents went to single-sex schools but it’s more normal these days to go to
a mixed school.
state school – a school that is funded and controlled by the government and for
which no fees are charged
- The government is facing growing criticism for the underfunding of state schools.
comprehensive school – a state school that accepts pupils regardless of their level of
academic ability or achievement
- There is an ongoing debate as to whether all young people should
attend comprehensive schools or if schools that select pupils on academic ability are
still relevant.
grammar school (UK) – state secondary school that selects their pupils by means of
an examination taken by children at age 11
- Although many people are against selective education where some school places go
to the most academically able pupils, grammar schools are still popular.
private school – a school that is not supported by government money, where
education must be paid for by the children’s parents
- Jonah’s parents decided to pay for him to go to a private school because most
classes only had 20 pupils in.
private education – education parents have to pay for
- Only a small percentage of parents can afford to give their children a private
education.
public school (UK) – an exclusive, expensive school, run independently
public school (US) – a school which is free and paid for by the government
higher education (also called tertiary education) – education beyond the age at
which it is compulsory, usually in a college or university
- Most of Vijay’s friends wanted to leave school and get a job as soon as possible but
he was determined to go on to higher education to improve his career prospects.
boarding school – a school where students live and study during the school term.
- Yu Yang hated boarding school as she missed her family and felt very homesick.
college – a place of higher education where people study specialized subjects or
undertake vocational training for a skilled job
- Hugo applied for a place at the local college to train to be a chef.
university – a high-level educational institution where students study for degrees and
academic research is done.
- Fuyuko wanted to study nursing at university in Australia but had to get a band 7 in
her IELTS exam to be accepted.
Education Vocabulary Set 3: Course types & levels
course – a series of lessons in a particular subject
undergraduate – studying for a degree but having not yet achieved it.
postgraduate – having achieved a degree and now studying for a higher
qualification, possibly a professions qualification
vocational – education or training directed at a particular occupation and its skills,
often requiring practical skills
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intensive – fast-paced courses which give a lot of information quickly and in a short
time
Education Vocabulary Set 4: Qualifications
qualification – an official record showing that you have achieved a certain level of
education or skill in a particular subject or skill area
- Riya was determined to leave school with good qualifications so she could get a
well-paid job to support her family.
certificate – an official record of achievement, generally issued for a short course
- Shona was delighted to be presented her TEFL certificate on passing her course to
become an English teacher.
diploma – issued for a higher education course that is shorter than a degree
- Greg did so well in his two-year engineering diploma that his tutor persuaded him
to study for another year to qualify for a degree.
bachelor’s degree/or just degree (BA/BSc etc) – qualification issued by a university
or college at the end of three or four years of study
- I’m studying for a bachelor’s degree in marine biology.
- I’m studying for a BA in history.
master’s degree/or just master’s (MA/MSc etc) – qualification issued by a
university when the student has completed further study beyond a degree, often in a
more specialisn'ted field than a bachelor’s degree
- Alonso wanted to stay on at university an extra year to study for his master’s but
his parents couldn't afford the fees.
doctorate (PhD) – the highest level of degree qualification issued by a university
- I’m so proud of my sister for achieving a PhD in biochemistry.
fellowship – a teaching or research post given to a person studying for an advanced
degree.
- Being awarded a research fellowship at my university is a dream come true as it
enables me to stay on and study for my doctorate.
Education Vocabulary Set 5: People in education
headteacher/principal – the person in charge of a school
- Our headteacher had been principal for 12 years when he retired.
teacher – a person who teaches, especially in a school
- My favourite teacher at school was Mr Webber because he made lessons so
interesting.
tutor – a teacher who works privately with one student or a small group
- Our son struggles with maths so we’ve got him a private tutor to help him with his
work.
lecturer – a person who teaches at a college or university.
- My cousin is a lecturer in physics at the University of London.
professor – a teacher of the highest rank in a department of a British university, or a
teacher of high rank in an American university or college
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- Professor Stephen Hawking was one of the most influential figures in modern
science.
an academic – a person who teaches in a college or university and continues to
research and increase knowledge about their specialist subject
- She was such a bookworm at school and always in the library researching some
topic or other, so it’s no surprise that she became an academic.
pupil – a person, usually a child at school, who is being taught
- The pupils loved Miss Lefebvre’s French lessons as she gave them fun learning
games to play.
student – a person, usually a college or university, who is being taught
- The beginning of the academic year was so busy with all the new students starting
their college courses.
mature student – an adult student who attends college or university some years after
leaving school
- Jose was so grateful for the chance to study for a degree as a mature
student having left school with very few qualifications.
a graduate – a person who has finished their college or university education
- University graduates can usually get higher paid jobs than people with vocational
skills.
peer – a person who is in the same class, age group or social group as someone else
Pupils these days are under a lot of pressure to dress and behave like their peers.
Education Vocabulary Set 6: School subjects
curriculum – the subjects comprising a course of study in a school or college
- Her parents chose the school because it offered a broad curriculum including
drama and dance which were her favourite subjects.
syllabus – an outline or summary of the subjects to be covered in a course
- The new syllabus included environmental science which was becoming more
popular as a school subject.
maths/math/mathematics – the study of numbers, shapes and space
literature – the study of written works (such as poems, plays, and novels) that are
considered to be very good and to have lasting importance
the three R's – the basic educational skills of reading, writing and arithmetic
(maths)
- Most schools put a high priority on teaching the three R's.
language – a system of communication used by a particular country or community
often studied as a subject by non-native speakers
- To her surprise, Jenna found that she was quite good at languages at school.
humanities – studies about human culture, such as literature, languages, philosophy,
and history.
- Tuma couldn’t decide whether to study history or philosophy at university so opted
for a degree in humanities.
science – the study of the structure and behaviour of the physical world, divided into
subjects such as physics, biology and chemistry
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physics – the branch of science concerned with the nature and properties of
matter and energy
 biology – the study of living organisms
 chemistry – the branch of science concerned with the substances of which
matter is composed
geography – the study of the physical features of the earth and its atmosphere, and of
human activity as it affects and is affected by these
religious studies – the study of religion and belief systems
history – the study of past events, particularly in human affairs
information technology (IT or ICT) – the study of the development, maintenance,
and use of computer systems, software, and networks for the processing and
distribution of data
physical education (PE) – instruction in physical exercise and games, especially in
schools
art – the study of artistic techniques such as drawing, painting, sculpture, etc. or the
appreciation of works of art
music – the study of how to play a musical instrument or sing, how to read music,
how to compose music, etc
drama – the study of acting and theatrical performance
home economics – cooking and other aspects of household management, especially
as taught at school

Education Vocabulary Set 7: School vocabulary
to play truant – to be absent without permission from parents or teachers
- Helios was always playing truant from school which he regretted when he failed
his exams and struggled to find a good job.
to skip classes – to be absent from lessons you are supposed to attend
- I was never brave enough to skip classes as my parents would have been furious if
they’d found out.
bookworm – a person who loves reading and/or studying
- My best friend is a real bookworm but is a great person to have on your quiz team
because his general knowledge is excellent.
rote learning – a teaching style based on learning by memorisation through
repetition
- My parents’ education was based on rote learning but there was more emphasis on
learning by investigation by the time I went to school.
literacy – the ability to read and write, sometimes use as a subject title for reading
and writing
- Afghanistan has one of the lowest literacy rates in the world with just 28% of
people able to read and write.
literate – to be able to read and write
- In the past 20 years, the proportion of adults in the world who are literate has
increased from 75% to 84% which is a great improvement.
illiterate – to be unable to read and write
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- There are many children in the poorest countries of the world who have little or no
access to education and are illiterate.
remedial – involving pupils who need extra help with a particular area of study or
subject
- Pupils who got poor grades use to be put in a remedial class but now they are given
extra support from a learning assistant.
additional needs/special needs – related to students who need special help due to a
learning or physical difficulty
- Shona spend the later part of her teaching career working in a school for students
with additional needs.
extra-curricular activities – activities or subjects offered in addition to the normal
curriculum usually offered outside normal class hours, such as art, cooking or
computer clubs and extra sporting activities
- The most popular extra-curricular activities at Westcroft School were pottery,
badminton and computer programming.
school uniform – a particular set of clothes that has to be worn by pupils
- Do Hyan looked so smarting setting off for school on his first day wearing his
new school uniform.
discipline – a set of rules governing conduct or behaviour
- Schools where a high level of discipline is maintained, generally have above
average exam results
 impose discipline
 maintain discipline
 lack of discipline
timetable – a chart showing times of particular events, such as lesson times in the
school day
- Ruby wasn’t very happy with her new timetable as she had double maths followed
by double science on a Monday, both subjects she found hard.
Education Vocabulary Set 8: Facilities
classroom – where lessons take place in a school
- The noisy classroom fell silent when the headteacher walked through the door.
lecture theatre/hall – a room or hall for lectures with seats in tiers
- There was excitement in the lecture theatre as the famous actor stood up to give
the drama students a lecture on method acting.
studio – a room where students studying art, photography, media studies, etc. create
work
- The studio was set up with recording equipment for the students to practice editing
techniques.
library – a building or room containing collections of books, professional journals
and other academic literature and material relevant to student's studies
- Sabiha spent all day in the university library doing research for her essay on
globalisation.
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laboratory – a room or building with scientific equipment for doing scientific tests or
for teaching science
- Kate’s favourite part of her degree course in molecular biology was
the laboratory work.
campus – the buildings and grounds of a university or college
- It took me a long time to find my way around the campus when I first started at
university.
halls of residence – a college or university building where students live
- In his first year at college, Somchai lived in a hall of residence, but in his second
year, he rented a house with some other students.
student accommodation – living accommodation for college or university students
- The university offered a range of student accommodation including studio
apartments, flats, halls of residence and shared houses.
Education Vocabulary Set 9: Academic work
assignment – a piece of work given to someone as part of their studies
- I have three more written assignments to complete this term.
coursework – written or practical work done by a student during a course of study,
often assessed in order to count towards a final mark or grade
- Helga was really bad at exams so she chose a course where 50 per cent of the
overall marks came from assessed coursework.
dissertation – is a long formal piece of writing on a particular subject, especially for
a university degree.
- It was hard getting my dissertation finished by the deadline and I handed it in on
the very last day.
thesis – a long piece of writing on a particular subject, especially one that is done for
a higher degree
- Adao wrote his PhD thesis on the effect of organic fertilizers on soil fertility in
tropical climates.
presentation – a speech or talk given in front of an audience
- As part of their end of year assessment, the students had to give a presentation on
the theories of learning for children under 3 years of age.
lecture – a formal talk on a subject given to a large group of students who would
normally take notes
- She was so pleased that the lecture was cancelled as it gave her time to catch up on
some coursework.
tuition – teaching or instruction, especially of individual pupils or small groups
- Dana was unable to get to lectures after breaking her leg but the college provided
individual tuitionfor her until she recovered.
tutorial – a small group study session with a tutor often following a lecture
- He always found tutorials helpful as it was a chance to ask questions about what
they’d heard in the lecture.
seminar – a class at university in which a specific topic is discussed by a teacher and
a small group of students
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- At university, I found seminars far more useful than lectures as I learn best in a
small group.
lesson – a period of learning or teaching, usually in a school
- Walter was late for the history lesson and got into trouble with the teacher.
homework – additional coursework work given to pupils to complete in their own
time outside school hours
- Most pupils hate homework as they’d rather be out with their friends or playing
computer games than studying.
correspondence course – a course of study in which student and tutors communicate
by post
- Juan’s local college didn’t offer a course in accountancy but he found a
good correspondence course to give him the qualification he needed.
distance learning – a way of studying in which lectures are broadcast or lessons are
conducted by post or via the internet without the student needing to attend a school or
college or have in-person teacher interaction
- I prefer to study by distance learning as I can work when I want and at the pace I
want.
online learning – Similar to distance learning but done 100% via the internet and
often involving in-person interaction with a teacher online
- I find online learning ideal for preparing for my IELTS exam and enjoy connecting
with my teacher via Skype.
to sit an exam – to take an exam.
- I want to carry on learning for the rest of my life but after I finish my training I hope
I never have to sit an exam again.
Education Vocabulary Set 10: The cost of education
tuition fees – the money paid for a course of study, especially at a private school or a
college or university
- High tuition fees mean that many young people can’t afford to go to university.
a grant – money given by the government to support a student while studying
- Bernice was successful in her application for a grant which meant that she could
attend her local university.
a student loan – money which a student can borrow while they are studying, but
which has to be repaid
- Geraint took out student loans of £9000 a year to pay for his tuition of fees and left
university heavily in debt.
a scholarship – money given to someone, often by the institution they are studying
at, to help pay for their tuition
- He was overjoyed to receive a scholarship to Oxford University as his parents
couldn’t afford to pay the fees.
internship – a period of work experience (often unpaid) offered by an employer to
give students and graduates experience of working in an industry related to their field
of study
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- All students on the course were expected to secure an internship during the long
vacation between the second and third years of their degree course.
Education Vocabulary Set 11: Common terms related to college or university
unconditional offer – the offer of a place at an educational institution for which you
already meet the entry requirements
- Mustafa was delighted to receive an unconditional offer from his first choice
university and accepted immediately.
conditional offer – the offer of a place at an educational institution which requires
you to meet certain entry requirements, usually specific exam grades
- She was fairly confident that she would get the exam grades she needed to take up
the conditional offer at Bristol University.
to major in – to choose as your main subject
- I want to major in primary education with a specialism in science.
to read (a subject) – to study a specific subject
- Hans read geology at university and is now working for an oil company in the
States.
faculty – department in a university that specialises in a specific subject
- It was a proud day for the university when the faculty of science move into the new,
state-of-the-art building.
research – a detailed study of a particular subject
- I’m really enjoying this research project on the migratory behaviour of the golden
eagle.
 conduct research
 carry out research
Education Vocabulary Set 12: More common words, phrases & expressions
to work your way through university – to have a paid job while studying to support
yourself financially
- With the steep increase in tuition fees, many students are forced to work their way
through university.
to keep up with your studies – to not fall behind with your work
- Giang would have to limit his time socializing with his friends if he was going
to keep up with his studies.
to fall behind with your studies – to not get your coursework and assignments done
in the time allowed
- She was a hard-working student but fell behind with her studies after catching
pneumonia and having to spend time in hospital.
to learn something by heart – to memorise it
- By the end of his first week learning English, Elisha had learnt all the days of the
weeks and months of the year by heart.
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gap year – a period, typically an academic year, taken by a student as a break
between school and university or college education
- Many students spend their gap year travelling to get more experience of life before
they settle down to studying for a degree.
to take a year out – to take a gap year
- Before going to the university, I took a year out to travel and also earn some
money.
to enrol – to officially register on a course at a college or university
- She didn’t know an old friend had enrolled on the same course until they met up on
the first day.
sign up for – to commit to something for a specific period such as the duration of a
course
- Having signed up for the photography course, she now had to ask her brother if she
could borrow his camera.
to drop out – to leave a course before completing it
- Hiran was forced to drop out of university when his father became ill and he had to
take over the family business to support his family.
a dropout – a student who fails to complete a course of study and leaves the
educational institution with no qualifications
- Many famous and very wealthy entrepreneurs are college dropouts, which proves
that you don’t need a degree to succeed in life.
Education Vocabulary Pronunciation
well-educated – someone who has received a high level or good standard of
education
- You could tell that he was well-educated by the way he spoke.
to meet a deadline – to complete a piece of work by the required date
- I didn’t think I’d get my essay written in time but I just met the deadline.
note-taking – to take notes in a lesson or lecture when the teacher is talking
- I find note-taking in a lecture really difficult as I miss much of what is being said
while I’m writing.
to revise – study or read something again in order to remember it better, often before
exams
- No matter how hard I revise, my mind goes blank as soon as I get into the exam
room.
to review – to read over something again. Similar to revise, but generally done just
after a lesson or lecture rather than in preparation for an exam
- Bella found that reviewing her notes just before going to sleep helped her to
remember the key points.
workload – the amount of work that has to be done
- The course workload felt overwhelming at first but became more manageable once
the students had covered the theory and moved on to the more practical part of the
course.
to pass with flying colours – to pass an exam or test easily and with excellent result
- He was sure he was going to fail his maths exam but passed with flying colours.
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scrape through – to just pass an exam
- She ran out of time in the exam and left many questions unanswered but
just scraped through with a pass mark.
to resit/retake an exam – to take an exam again in order to get a better result
- Madee needed band 7 in her IELTS Speaking test but only got 6.5, so she had
to retake the exam.
IELTS-Style Speaking Test Questions and Answers
Common education vocabulary is highlighted in bold.
Part 1
1) At what age do children begin school in your country?
Formal education starts at five years of age but most children go to preschool when
they are around three. This isn’t compulsory but really helps them to develop
socially.
2) What kind of school did you go to as a child?
My family moved around a lot when I was growing up so I went to many different
schools including three primary schools, a grammar school and a coeducational comprehensive school. I even attended a private school for a year.
3) Did you enjoy your time at school?
I can’t say that I particularly enjoyed my early education. With changing schools so
often, I was always the new kid which I found hard.
4) Would you say you were a good student?
Yes, I was definitely a good pupil. I was a quiet, shy child who never caused
my teachers any trouble or played truant. I worked hard on my coursework and got
on well with my peers.
5) Did you do any extra-curricular activities?
Back in my day, there weren’t many opportunities to do extra-curricular activities.
However, I was in the school choir at my secondary school. We use to put on
concerts and one year we did a tour of Germany.
Part 2
Describe a subject you enjoyed studying at school.
You should say:
 when and where you started studying it
 what lessons were like
 what made it different from other subjects
and explain why you enjoyed the subject.
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There There
were
three
subjects
I
particularly
enjoyed
at
school, English, geography and P.E. but if I had to choose a favourite, I guess it
would be geography.
I suppose you start learning about the natural features around you and other countries
in primary school but geography first appeared on the curriculum as a specific
subject in secondary school. I’d been fascinated with other places and cultures for as
long as I could remember. My dad had travelled a lot and had a large map on the wall
with pins in all the countries he’d been to. I loved looking at it so perhaps that’s
where my interest in geography first started.
The geography classroom was great; full of globes, atlases and books about places
that were very different to where I lived. We had a nice teacher called Mrs Rose who
used lots of pictures and maps in her lessons. This was perfect for me as I’m a visual
learner. If Mrs Rose had just talked all the time, as some of our teachers did, I
probably wouldn’t have enjoyed the subject so much or learnt so easily.
I even liked doing geography homework. I can remember sitting at my desk at home
spending hours carefully drawing maps and adding all the features. When my mum
took me to the library on a Saturday morning, I’d look for adventure stories set
around the world or books on how people live in other countries.
When I reached the sixth form and had to choose just three subjects to
study, geography was one of them, although I actually failed my final exam. My
family moved house yet again just before I took it and I was very unsettled. I had a
private tutor for a few months then retook the exam and got a good grade.
At university, I trained as a teacher myself. I chose primary education so
taught geography along with many other subjects. However, during one of my
training placements, the headteacher asked me to spend three weeks teaching the
subject to every class in the small village school, from 5 year olds up to 11 year olds.
It was one of the happiest times in the whole of my career even though I hadn’t even
got my teaching qualification yet.
Part 3
1) What impact do universities have on the places where they’re located?
I believe that the presence of a university in a town or city has a significant positive
impact on the area. For a start, it's often the largest employer, offering jobs at all
levels from cleaners and maintenance staff to lecturers and top academics.
Large educational institutions like this bring in lots of investment from around the
world from foreign students and for important research projects. The presence of
thousands of students during term times is also a massive boost to the local
economy.
In
addition
to
the
financial
benefits,
there
several
ways
in
which universities contribute socially. For example, university towns and cities tend
to be vibrant, with a great social life due to the large numbers of young adults living
there. What’s more, the campus itself usually has a number of facilities that can be
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used by local people. A university city I used to live in had an excellent theatre that
attracted top plays, shows and performers from around the country.
2) What is it more important for academics to do, research or teaching?
It was only recently, after reading an article about a local university, that I realised
just how much research goes on in them. It was about a new facility in the
medical faculty and outlined the important research they will now be able to carry
out on stem cells and brain tumours. This type of work is vital if we are to combat
illness and disease in the future.
For most people though, universities are places of learning where you go to get
your degree and prepare for your future career, so teaching must have a high priority.
As teachers, academics have the role of passing on knowledge to the next
generation.
Weighing it up, I think that the teaching side of their work is the most important
because unless they instruct and inspire their students, there will be no-one to fill the
most important jobs in society or to carry on the research work the academics do.
3) What are the advantages of studying a distance learning course?
For many people, especially mature students who work, distance learning is the
ideal way to study. There are several benefits that immediately come to mind. Firstly,
the cost is far less than it would be to attend a college or university with their
high tuition fees.
Secondly, you can study anywhere and in your own time and at your own pace.
Some students, myself included, find that this method of learning suits them better
than sitting in lectures or going to tutorials. You do have to be self-motivated to
keep up with the coursework though, and you still get assignments to write and
sometimes a dissertation, but you can fit these around your daily life.
Thirdly, there’s a huge range of correspondence courses and online
courses available these days so you can take almost any subject you want to and even
study for a degree qualification this way. So all in all, distance learning courses
have many advantages over other methods of study.
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Sports Vocabulary – Common Words & Phrases
Sports Vocabulary Set 1: Key definitions
sport – an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or
team competes against another following rules
- Jamie always struggled with his school work but was excellent at sports.
extreme sport – a sport that is exciting but also dangerous such as skydiving
- Esther became interested in extreme sports when she tried bungee jump on a trip to
New Zealand.
fitness – the condition of being physically fit and healthy
- I’m trying to improve my fitness by walking to work each day.
Sports Vocabulary Set 2: Fitness
to keep fit – to keep the body in good physical condition by exercising regularly
- I do several things to keep fit but dancing is the one I enjoy the most.
fitness fanatic – to be obsessed with keeping fit
- Dylan is a real fitness fanatic and goes to the gym every day.
to exercise – to do an activity requiring physical effort, generally in order to improve
health and fitness
- I make sure that I exercise every single day even if it’s only taking the dog for a
walk.
strenuous exercise – exercise that needs a lot of physical effort.
- I used to hate strenuous exercise until I took up running to lose weight and now
really enjoy it.
to get into shape – to become fit
- Jae Hwa was so determined to get into shape that she started cycling to work.
to take up (a sport) – to start playing a sport.
- I have always wanted to take up archery and am going to join the new club that has
just started in my area.
to warm up – to prepare for strenuous activity by doing gentle exercise first
- We always warm up before we start our workout session in the gym.
to cool down – to end a session of strenuous activity with gentle exercises to allow
the heart rate to come down and the body return to a near resting state.
- It’s important to cool down after exercising hard as this helps to prevent injury.
to be out of condition – to be not physical fit (unfit)
- My friend is so out of condition that she gets out of breath walking up the stairs.
training – to work hard at physical exercise and skills in order to be fitter and better
at a sport
- I often don’t feel like training but I know I have to if I want to win more races.
to train hard – to train with a lot of effort and passion
- The team trained hard before the match and beat the other team easily.
fitness programme – a planned timetable of activities to help someone improve
their health and physical condition
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- Following a fitness programme at my local gym helped me to stay motivated as I
got back into shape after having a baby.
aerobic fitness – having strong heart and lungs and being able to carry out sustained
exercise such as jogging, swimming or cycling
- In order to be a competitive rower, you need a high level of aerobic fitness.
to work out – to exercise, usually in a gym.
- Dhruv worked out at the gym three evenings a week.
a workout – a session of exercises, usually in a gym.
- Cressida found that a workout at the gym helped her de-stress after a hard day at
work.
to bulk up – to make your body bigger and heavier, especially by gaining more
muscle
- He felt so much stronger since he started working out with weights and his body
was really beginning to bulk up.
boot camp – a short, intensive, and rigorous course of training
- William couldn’t believe he’d agreed to go along to the boot camp with his friend.
He didn’t even like exercising.
Set 3: Sports facilities
sports facilities – places and buildings used for sporting activities such as swimming
pools and running tracks
- There are excellent sports facilities at my university which is one reason I chose it.
stadium – a large building, with tiers of seats for spectators, where people watch
sports events such as football matches or athletics
- The stadium was buzzing with excitement as the two teams came out onto the pitch
for the start of the match.
fitness centre – a place where people go to do physical exercise; usually has a gym,
weights equipment and rooms for exercise classes
- I can’t wait for the new fitness centre to open as they’re advertising some great
exercise classes.
sports centre – a building where people can do a range of different sports
- We have a great sports centre in our town which offers everything from martial
arts training to indoor bowls.
gym – a large hall or room with special equipment for doing physical exercises
- If it’s raining when I want to go running, I run on the treadmill in the gym instead.
an athletics track – a sporting facility with a track for running and areas for other
sports such high jump, long jump and javelin throwing
- Each summer we have a big competition for all the schools in our area down at the
local athletics track.
pitch – a surface on which a particular sport is played, such as a football pitch or
baseball pitch, that is marked out with lines
- Victor felt nervous as he waited with his team to go out onto the pitch for the first
big match of the season.
court – a surface where you play sports such as tennis, badminton and squash
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- Shelley was playing an excellent opponent who made her run from one side of the
tennis court to the other throughout the match.
swimming pool – an area of water, often in a building, created for swimming in
- My mum took me to the swimming pool every Saturday morning when I was a
child.
changing room – a room in a sports building or school where people can change
their clothes before exercise
- The changing room smelt awful with all the sweaty bodies in there after the
football match.
locker room – a changing room where people can leave their clothes in a small
lockable cupboards
- Matilda put in a complaint as many of the lockers in the locker room were broken.
Set 4: People in sport
athlete – a person who is very good at sports or physical exercise, especially one who
competes in organised events
- Kofi trained hard for many years to become one of the top athletes in his country.
coach – an expert who trains someone learning or improving a skill
- The coach made them focus on their tackling skills as this was a weakness in their
game.
trainer – similar to a coach but often relates more to the fitness side of training
- Janine has been concerned about working with the new trainer but her performance
improved considerably after just one month.
personal trainer – a coach or trainer who works with someone on a one-to-one basis
- If you find it hard to stay motivated when working out on your own, I recommend
hiring a personal trainer.
competitor – someone who takes part in a sports competition
- There were nearly 100 competitors in the cycle race, so Megan was delighted to
come tenth.
referee – a person who is in charge of a sports game and who makes certain that the
rules are followed
- It’s hard being a referee as not everyone agrees with your decisions.
umpire – a referee in sports such as tennis and cricket
- The umpire ruled that the ball was out of court.
goalkeeper – the player whose job it is to stop the ball going into the goal in games
such as soccer and hockey
- Our goalkeeper was the star of the match after saving two goals in the penalty
shootout.
Set 5: Sporting achievements
a personal best – to get a better score or achieve a faster time in your sport than
you’ve ever done before
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- Although Hicham didn’t win the 400m, he achieved a personal best of 45.38
seconds so was delighted with his performance.
to set a record – to achieve the best result in a particular sport
- I knew my jump was a good one but I couldn’t believe it when I learnt I’d set a new
long jump record for my college.
to break a record – to do something that is better, faster, etc. than anything that has
been done before
- The crowd in the stadium went wild when Usain Bolt broke the 200m record yet
again.
prize – a reward that you get for being successful in a sports competition
- Fahmi didn’t compete for the prize money but because she loved playing tennis.
Set 7: Other sports vocabulary
equipment – the items necessary to work out or do a sport
- My gym is going to install some new equipment as some of it is old and worn out.
kit – special clothing and equipment that you use when you take part in a particular
activity, especially a sport
- Mandy was furious when her son decided to give up playing football just after she’d
bought him some new kit.
membership – the state of belonging to a group, a club or organisation
- Like many people, I take out a gym membership every New Year but have usually
stopped going by February.
a home game – a sports match played in the teams own stadium
- I’m so glad my team has a home game this week as my car has broken down.
an away game – a sports match played in the opposing team’s stadium
- I don’t enjoy playing away games as much as home games as fewer of our own
supporters are there.
supporter – someone who admires a sports team and watches them play regularly
- I’ve been a Manchester United supporter all my life and watch live games
wherever I can.
a fan – someone who admires a specific person, sport or a sports team
- I’m a huge rugby fan and especially enjoy watching the international matches on
TV.
a competition – an event or contest in which individual people or teams take part in
order to establish who is best
- The coach was pleased with the way the new team was playing and entered them in
the under 12’s competition.
contest – a competition, often involving two people
- Tosin was very nervous before the contest as he was up against a very good boxer
from Cuba.
match – a sports competition in which two people or teams compete against each
other
- They were really disappointed to have lost the match after being ahead in the first
half.
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championship – a large and important competition
- She was overjoyed to be selected to run for her country in the
world championships.
tournament – a competition for teams or single players in which a series of games is
played, and the winners of each game play against each other until only one winner is
left
- The school team arrived home with a large trophy after winning the regional
hockey tournament.
regatta – a sporting event involving boats
- Gregor has only been learning to sail for six months when he took part in his
first regatta.
Sports Vocabulary Pronunciation
versus/v – against, used to denote competing teams or players in a sports contest
- The final of the men’s tennis championship was Nadal versus Federer.
to compete – to take part in a competition or sports event
- Jolene was so excited about competing in her first professional golf competition.
competitive – involving competition; wanting very much to win or be more
successful than other people
- Danny was very competitive and trained harder than anyone else in the effort to be
the best hurdler at his county.
league – a group of sports teams who take part in competitions between each other
over a period of time
- If they won the next game, they would end the season top of the league.
to score – to get a point or goal in a game or sport
- Baz scored in the last minute of the match and won the game for his team.
the score – how many points an individual or team has
- The final score was 3-1 to the home side so there was much celebration in the town
that evening.
a draw – when two competitors or teams get the same score
- When the final whistle blew the score was 34-34 so the basketball match was
a draw.
reserve – an extra player who is ready to play if needed
- Narong was pleased to be selected as a reserve but really hoped he’d have a chance
to play.
to drop out – to not do something that you were going to do, or to stop doing
something before you have finished
- She was leading the race until she pulled a muscle and had to drop out in the third
lap.
to pull out – to withdraw before an event or competition
- The crew had to pull out of the regatta after they all fell ill with a stomach bug.
injury – when part of the body is damaged or hurt
- Lena was favourite to win the golf tournament until she picked up a
shoulder injury.
season – a period of the year when a particular sport is played
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- I love it when the cricket season comes round each year as it means that summer
has finally arrived.
a season ticket – an entry ticket for all of a team’s home games during a specific
season
- For my thirtieth birthday, my family bought me a season ticket to watch my
favourite soccer team play.
amateur – a person who engages in a pursuit, especially a sport, on an unpaid basis
- Although he only played rugby in an amateur team, it was his dream to turn
professional one day.
professional – a person is paid for playing a sport
- Professional racing drivers get paid vast sums of money.
Set 8: Sports idioms
blow away the competition – to easily beat the opposing competitor or team
- I thought it was going to be a challenging race but he blew away the competition.
neck and neck – when two competitors are level with each other and have an equal
chance of winning
- Coming down the home straight, the two front-runners were neck and neck until
Yoshi edged ahead as they reached the finish line.
front-runner – the person or team considered most likely to win
- There were some excellent gymnasts in the competition but Nadia was definitely
the front-runner and the one to beat.
to get second wind – to experience renewed energy after a period of fatigue
- He began to struggle in the final stages of the marathon but hearing the crowd cheer
him on, he got second wind and finished in the top twenty.
underdog – a competitor thought to have little chance of doing well or winning
- The British skiing team were definitely the underdogs in the competition so
everyone was shocked when they got third place.
IELTS-Style Speaking Test Questions & Answers
Common sports vocabulary is highlighted in bold.
Part 1
1) Do you like sport?
I’m a great sports fan. I sometimes watch on it TV but I prefer actually taking part
in sport.
2) What sports did you do at school?
Sport was my favourite thing at school. In the autumn and spring terms I
played hockey and during the summer months we did athletics. I even
enjoyed cross-country running which most people hated.
3) How important is keeping fit to you?
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Keeping fit is and very important part of my life. In fact, my friends would say I’m a
bit of a fitness fanatic. It helps to keep me healthy and I also work out to be
in good shape for taking part in my sport of rowing.
4) What do you do to keep fit?
I do several things to keep fit. I take weight training classes, go jogging, train on
the water with my rowing crew and walk my dog twice a day.
5) Is violence a problem at sporting events in your country?
There used to be a serious problem with football fans getting involved in fights both
inside and outside stadiums but a lot has been done to stop this happening. It’s much
safer to go to matches now and they have become family events again.
Part 2
Describe a sports club you belong to or used to belong to.
You should say:
 what club it is
 when you joined
 why you joined
and explain the benefits of belonging to your club.
I belong to Barnstaple Pilot Gig Club. It’s a rowing club but we row a very special
type of boat called a pilot gig. They’re traditional wooden boats, about 30 foot long
and with six rowers and a cox. In the old days, these gigs would have been used to
take a pilot out to sailing ships coming into port and they were also used as lifeboats.
Now gig rowing has become a competitive sport which is gradually growing in
popularity.
I joined the club when it started back in 2010. I’d wanted to row pilot gigs from the
age of 12 when my family started taking holidays in the Isles of Scilly where gig
races between the islanders took place every Friday evening in the summer. I loved
going out on the passenger boats to watch and cheer on the crews. As soon as I heard
about a gig club starting in my own town I jumped at the chance to join.
Back when I was young, I never imagined that one day I’d be racing in the Pilot Gig
World Championships in the Isles of Scilly but I’ve done so with my club several
times now. It’s an amazing experience with over 140 boats taking part. …a bit
different to all those years ago when I used to watch just seven or eight boats racing
while on my holidays.
Although we mostly row on the river, we also train on the sea to prepare us
for rowing in competitions. We compete in regattas all year round but the
main season is from March to September.
Rowing is very strenuous exercise and you need a high level of aerobic fitness as
well as strength. We train hard both on the water and in the gym and I really
enjoy working out and training with the other club members. We’re all close friends
and often enjoy social activities together. I’d go as far as to say that the club is my
social life as well as my sport.
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I guess that sums up the main benefits of belonging to my club. It contributes so
much to both my physical and mental well-being that I can’t imagine it not being a
part of my life.
Part 3
1) Do you think people in your country exercise enough? If not, why?
In my opinion, the majority of adults in the UK definitely don’t get enough exercise.
You only have to look around at the level of obesity to see that this is true. I’d go as
far as to say that the majority of people are very out of condition and never do
any strenuous exercise.
I really don’t understand why this is the case. There’s more knowledge than ever
before about the advantages to both physical and mental health of keeping fit, and
the negative effects of not taking enough exercise are well-known.
Every town has a range of sports facilities including fitness
centres, gyms and swimming pool for people to use. Or they could just walk more
or maybe cycle to work. There really isn’t any excuse not to take at least
some exercise every day.
Many doctor’s surgeries even run their own fitness programmes or will recommend
some that you can join to help you get in shape. I wish more people would take
their fitness seriously and take advantage of the opportunities to stay healthy.
2) Do you think competitive sport should be part of the school curriculum?
Yes, I definitely think it’s important for children to take part in competitive sports at
school. In recent years there’s been a trend of having non-competitive sports days so
that less sporty kids can take part without always being the loser. I disagree with this.
I was good at sport and it was the only thing I really achieve a high level of success
in at school. This was extremely important to me, so it works both ways. Life
is competitive and schools need to help children to cope with this.
I’m not saying that those children who hate sport and always fail at it should put
through this negative experience. Rather, I think schools need to rethink how sport is
taught. There is such a huge range of sporting activities to choose from these days
that I truly believe there’s something every child can enjoy participating in. Schools
need to provide the opportunities.
3) What are the benefits of international sports events?
I think there are several major benefits of international sporting competitions. Firstly,
it helps to build relationships between people of different nationalities and cultures.
This is so important in our divided world. While the competitors may be rivals
during competitions, there is friendship when the contest is over. You can see this
and the respect they have for each other when you watch big sporting events on TV.
Secondly, when top international athletes compete together, they motivate and
inspire each other. This is why new world records are often set at events such as the
Olympics and many athletes achieve personal bests.
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Finally, international sporting events encourage people to get involved
in sport themselves, especially the younger generation. The TV coverage
of competitions for disabled sportspeople in recent years has led to a massive
increase in people with disabilities taking up sports which is life-changing for them.
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Shopping Vocabulary – Common Words & Phrases
Shopping Vocabulary Set 1: Going Shopping
to go shopping – to go to the shops to buy things
- I won’t be home until 6pm tonight because I’m going shopping after work.
to do the shopping – the activity of buying items from shops
- I hate doing the shopping as it’s always so crowded in the supermarket.
goods – things that are sold
- Department stores have a wide range of goods on sale.
window shopping – the activity of looking at goods for sale, especially in shop
window displays, without the intention of buying anything
- One of my favourite activities on a Saturday is to go window shopping with my
friends to see the latest fashions.
bargain hunting – looking for products that are good value for money, usually
because they are on sale at a lower price than normal
- I love bargain hunting and feel great when I find something I need at a knockdown price.
shop around – compare prices before buying something
- I always shop around before buying high value items as prices can vary
considerably.
browse – looking at things in one or more shops without a firm intention to buy
anything
- When I go into town, I often browse around the clothes shops to see if I can pick up
any bargains.
retail therapy – the practise of buying things in order to make yourself feel better
when you are unhappy
- I need some retail therapy to help me get over the disappointment of not getting a
promotion at work.
to go on a shopping spree – a short period of time in which someone buys a lot of
things
- I’ll have to go on a shopping spree before my holiday next month as I’ve lost so
much weight that my beachwear doesn’t fit me anymore.
hit the shops / stores – to go on a shopping spree
- I’m taking a bus into the city with some friends on Saturday and we’re going to hit
the shops.
an impulse buy – an unplanned purchase when something is bought suddenly
without careful thought
- My waterproof jacket was an impulse buy as I was actually looking for some new
walking boots, but it was such a bargain that I just had to get it.
a shopaholic – someone who loves shopping and does it often, sometimes to the
point of it being an addiction
- My friend Sally is a true shopaholic but I do worry about her as she can’t really
afford all the designer clothes she buys.
Shopping Vocabulary Pronunciation
to try on – to put on an item of clothing to see if it fits or looks good
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- Can I try on these two dresses please as I’m not sure which size will fit me best?
take something back – return an unwanted item to a shop
- I’m going to have to take this jacket back to the shop as the colour doesn’t match
my skirt.
to return an item - to take or send something back to the retail outlet it was
purchased from
- I’ll have to return the jumper I bought online as they sent the wrong size.
exchange – change an item that has been purchased for a different one
- The shirt I bought my dad for his birthday is too large so I’m going to exchange it
for a smaller one.
for sale – available to buy
- I was really impressed by the quality of goods for sale in the new furniture shop in
town.
shopping list – a list of the things you want to buy when you go shopping
- I always take a shopping list when I go to the supermarket so that I don’t forget
anything.
customer service – any activity designed to increase the level
of customer satisfaction, such as help them find finding the right product and
guidance about its use
- I was really impressed with the customer service at the computer shop as a sales
assistant helped me to choose the best laptop for my needs rather than trying to sell
me a more expensive one.
to give someone the hard sell – try to sell someone something in a forceful way
- When I said I needed to go away and think about it before buying the car, the
salesman tried the hard sell on me.
shoplifting - take goods from a shop without paying for them
- My cousin was caught shoplifting again and might be sent to prison this time.
shop online / internet shopping – to buy things over the internet
- It’s really popular to do your grocery shopping online these days and have it
delivered to your house.
- The increase in internet shopping is leading to many local shops closing down
to order – to request a product over the internet or from a shop when the required
item is not in stock
- I must remember to go online and order the computer game my brother wants for
his birthday or it won’t arrive in time.
Shopping Vocabulary Pronunciation
Shopping Vocabulary Set 2: People
shopper – a person who is shopping
- It was the start of the summer sales and the high street was packed with shoppers.
customer – a person who buys goods or services from a shop or business
- I like to do my shopping early in the morning before the shops get busy
with customers.
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retailer – a business or person that sells goods to individual customers, as opposed to
a wholesaler or supplier, who normally sell their goods to another business
- Although supermarkets are primarily food retailers, they also sell many other
things such as electrical goods and clothing.
bargain hunter – someone who is looking for goods that are very good value for
money, usually because they are on sale at a lower price than normal
- My sister is a keen dedicated bargain hunter and rarely pays full price for
anything.
shop assistant / sales assistant – a person who serves customers in a shop
- These days, shop assistants are often too busy chatting to one another to help their
customers.
cashier - the person who takes the money in a shop
- The cashiers were all busy and I had to join a queue to pay for my groceries.
market trader / market vendor – a person who runs a stall at a market
- I was late getting into town and many of the market traders were already packing
away their stalls.
store detective – a person employed by a store to detect and prevent theft from the
store by shoplifters.
- The store detective stopped the man as he was leaving the store and discovered a
stolen bottle of wine in his coat pocket.
Shopping Vocabulary Pronunciation
Shopping Vocabulary Set 3: Types of shop
shop / store / retail outlet – a place where customers can buy goods
- My favourite shop / store / retail outlet to visit when I’m in London is Harrods.
chain store – a group of shops that belong to one company
- These days, most towns in the UK are full of chain stores and there are very few
independent retailers left.
independent stores – shops not owned by large companies
- When I want to buy a special outfit for a wedding, I shop in an independent
store so that I can be sure that no one else will be wearing the same thing.
department store – a large shop that sells different types of items in different areas
or departments of the store
- The department store in our town sells everything from clothes and shoes to
bedding, kitchenware and cosmetics.
convenience store – a small local shop that is open for long hours and sells a limited
range of everyday food and other goods
- If we run out of bread or milk, I send one of the kids down to the convenience
store at the end of the road to buy some.
supermarket – a large shop that sells mainly food and household items
- I buy most of our food at the supermarket, although I do like to go to the local
butcher for meat.
discount store – a shop that sells goods at less than the normal retail price
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- Having a motor parts discount store near my home means that I can keep my car on
the road quite cheaply.
grocery – shop that sells groceries (the collective term for items of food sold in a
grocery or supermarket)
- I hope that our local grocery store doesn’t close down now that a big supermarket
has been build near town.
greengrocer – person or shop that sells fresh fruit and vegetables
- When I was young I was always given a free apple when I went to
the greengrocer with my mum.
butcher – person or shop that sells fresh meat
- My butcher makes the best sausages in the area.
bakery – shop that sells fresh bread and cakes
- Fresh bread from a bakery always tastes much better than bread bought from a
supermarket.
fishmonger – person or shop that sells fresh fish
- Our fishmonger buys his fish straight off the local fishing boats so it’s very fresh.
farm shop – a shop which sells produce from a farm directly to the public
- Buying from a farm shop helps to support the local economy and guarantees the
produce is fresh.
Shopping Vocabulary Pronunciation
pharmacy – shop that sells medicines
- They were very helpful at the pharmacy and recommended some cough mixture
that has calmed my chesty cough.
chemist (UK) / drugstore (US) – sells medicines and toiletries
- I was glad that mum asked me to pick her tablets from the chemist as they had an
offer on razor blades and I needed some new ones.
newsagents – shop that sells newspapers and magazines
- Harry stopped off at the newsagents on his way to the train station each weekday
morning to buy his daily paper.
pet shop – shop that sells food and other items for dogs, cats and other pets and
sometimes small pets as well
- My dog loves visiting the pet shop with me as he knows that I’ll buy him a dog
chew.
bookshop – shop that sells books
I buy lots of Christmas and birthday present from bookshops as all my family are
keen readers.
DIY store – shop that sells things for home improvement
- Dad has promised me some shelves in my room so we’re off to the DIY store at the
weekend to buy some planks of wood and screws.
hardware shop / ironmonger – shop that sells goods such as nails, screws and hand
tools.
- I love browsing in hardware stores as they sell so many interesting bits and pieces.
delicatessen (deli) – shop that specialises in cooked meats, cheeses, and unusual or
foreign prepared foods
- My special treat is a venison and mushroom pie from our local deli.
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market – a place where people sell produce and good on small stalls
- I buy all my fruit and vegetables at the market because they are fresher than in the
supermarket.
flea market – a group of stalls selling old furniture or clothes
- The flea market in Portobello Road, London, started in the 1800s and is still
popular with both locals and tourists.
shopping mall – a large enclosed shopping area from which traffic is excluded
- The first time I visited a shopping mall I was so excited to see so many big brand
name shops all in one place.
shopping centre – a large building or a group of buildings containing lots of
different stores, often build away from town centres
- One of the reasons why people like out-of-town shopping centres is that you get
free parking.
Shopping Vocabulary Pronunciation
Shopping Vocabulary Set 4: Buying things
to buy / to purchase – to acquire something by paying for it
- Juan bought himself a new suit for his job interview.
- Kari couldn’t decide whether to buy the red or the blue pair of shoes so
she purchased both of them.
gift voucher – a card that you buy at a shop to give as a gift, which entitles the
person to exchange it for goods worth the same amount
- I often give my nieces and nephews gift vouchers for their birthdays so that they
can buy what they want.
discount voucher – a ticket or piece of paper, often with a code on it, that gives
money off the purchase price
- When I bought my new TV, I got a discount voucher for 20% off my next
purchase from the shop.
coupon – a voucher, often printed in a newspaper or magazine, that can be used to
get something without paying for it, or at a reduced price
- There’s a coupon in our local newspaper this week for a free cupcake from the new
bakery in town.
store card – a plastic card that can be used to buy goods in a particular store that you
pay for at a later time
- My Macy’s store card saves me lots of money as I get 10% off everything I buy
with it.
loyalty card – a card issued by a shop that enables customers to save money on the
basis of how much they spend
- I have 9 points on my bookshop loyalty card and next time I buy a book I’ll get a
second one for free.
debit card – a plastic card used to pay for items that takes the money directly from
your bank account
- My debit card is now contactless so I don’t even need to enter my PIN number for
small purchases.
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credit card – a plastic card that you use to buy goods or services and pay for them
later
- I’m careful as to how I use my credit card as it is very easy to overspend with one.
cash – money in the form of notes and coins
- I hardly ever use cash these days as I do most of my shopping online.
receipt - a piece of paper showing the amount of money you have paid for something
used as proof of purchase
- I always keep the receipt when I buy something in case I have to return it.
refund – money given back to a customer when they return a product they are not
happy with
- I took the faulty clock back to the shop and asked for a refund.
Shopping Vocabulary Pronunciation
Shopping Vocabulary Set 5: Prices and cost
price - the amount of money you have to pay for something
- I was delighted when I looked at the price of the pretty blue dress and found that it
was less than I had expected.
price tag – a label that states the price of an item
- When I see an item of clothing I like, I check the price tag first to see if I can afford
it.
discount – a reduction in the price of something
- If I’m buying lots of items from a shop, I always ask for a discount.
a sale – a period during which a shop sells goods at reduced prices
- I need a new vacuum cleaner but I’m waiting until the January sales to save money.
on sale / on offer - for sale at a reduced price
- Umbrellas are on sale at the moment so I’m going to buy one ready for the rainy
season.
to pick up a bargain / to snap up a bargain – to buy something cheaply
- She picked up some great bargains in the sale.
knock-down price – extremely cheap or costing much less than the usual amount
- Now that spring is here, they’re selling off winter coats at a knock-down price.
to slash prices - to reduce prices a great deal
- Mr Patel is closing down his clothes shop and has slashed prices to sell off his
stock.
expensive – costing a lot of money
- Stefan bought his girlfriend an expensive necklace for her birthday.
inexpensive / cheap – something that does not cost a lot of money
- Hyun-Gi looked in the sales for an inexpensive watch to wear for work.
- Wan-Soo said he’d seen some nice watches going cheap in the market.
to be value for money – to be worth the cost
- My new laptop was quite expensive but has all the latest features so I think it was
good value for money.
over-priced – to cost more than you think it is worth
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- The sunglasses made me look really cool but they were over-priced so I didn’t buy
them.
to save up – to put money aside for something until the required amount is reached
- Khalil was saving up to buy a new bicycle.
haggle – to negotiate the cost of an item
- I had to really haggle with the car salesman to get the price I wanted.
Shopping Vocabulary Pronunciation
Shopping Vocabulary Set 6: In a shop
checkout – the place where payment is made for goods, especially in a supermarket
- The girl on the checkout was very friendly and chatted as she took the payment for
my groceries.
queue – a line of people waiting
- The supermarket was really busy and I had to queue for ages at the checkout.
shelves – the place where they put the products in a shop, especially in a supermarket
- With Christmas only a few weeks away, the shelves were stacked with festive food.
trolley – a large container with wheels that you use to put products in, especially in a
supermarket
- It’s important to pack your trolley carefully so that your fruit and eggs don’t get
squashed under heavy items.
changing room / fitting room – place in a shop where you can try clothes on before
buying them
- Belita wasn’t sure which size blouse would fit her best so she took a small and a
medium into the changing room to try on.
opening hours – the times when a shop is open for business
- In recent years, many shops have extended their opening hours to stay open later
and catch customers leaving work.
Shopping Vocabulary Pronunciation
Shopping Vocabulary Set 7: Other shopping vocabulary
brand – a unique design, symbol or words, or a combination of these, used to create
an image that identifies a product and differentiates it from its competitors
- When I buy new fitness trainers, I always choose a well-known brand like Nike so
that I can be sure of the quality.
big brand names – large, well-known companies or product names
- Shoppers generally look for big brand names as their products usually have a good
reputation.
brand-name goods – products made by a well-known company
- Teenagers are a huge market for brand-name goods as having the same brand as
the cool kids makes them feel cool too.
high street names – well-known shops
- If you visit any town in the UK, you will see all the familiar high street names such
as Boots, Marks & Spence and W.H. Smith.
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a luxury – something expensive that you do not need but you buy for pleasure or
comfort
- One day I’m going to treat myself to a luxury car but while the kids are young, a
station wagon is far more suited to our family needs.
status symbol – a product that people want to have because they think othe people
will admire them for owning it.
- Designed clothes are an important status symbol among young people.
second-hand – something that is for sale but has been used before
- I often browse the second-hand clothes shops to see if they’ve got anything worth
having in my size.
fake – imitation or counterfeit
- The sale of fake designer clothes and perfumes is illegal but can make dealers a lot
of money.
genuine – what it is meant to be, not fake
- The leather jackets were so cheap that Marlon doubted that they were genuine.
throwaway society – the idea that we have become a society that consumes a lot of
stuff and readily throws it away, replacing it with new goods
- Whilst the transition to throwaway socieities is good for economic growth, it's
leading to a huge waste problem.
Shopping Vocabulary Pronunciation
Shopping Vocabulary Set 8: Idioms
the real McCoy – genuine, not fake
- I was worried that the gold bracelet I bought in the market wasn’t made of real gold
but I showed it my uncle who’s a jeweller and he said it’s the real McCoy.
going for a song – on sale for a very low price
- I was glad I went to the end of season sale at the garden centre as many of the plants
were going for a song.
to shop until you drop – to continue shopping until you are exhausted; to shop
intensively over a short period of time
- I’m meeting my best friend in town on Friday afternoon and we’re going to shop
until we drop.
Part 1
1) How do you feel about shopping?
I love going shopping, especially bargain hunting in the sales. Every few months I
go into the city on a shopping spree with my friends.
2) What types of shops do you use regularly?
I go to the supermarket once a week for my groceries, although I buy all my meat
from the local butcher. When I go into town, I always have a browse around
the department stores.
3) What changes have you seen in those shops in the past few years?
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I’ve noticed that the supermarket seems to sell a wider range of goods and services
every year. They now even have their own pharmacy. I think that the main
difference in the department store in an improvement in their customer service.
4) Do you like shopping on the internet?
Yes, I do enjoy shopping online. You have so much choice on the internet and it’s
easy to shop around. Also, you can purchase things immediately and they are often
delivered the next day. It’s much quicker than waiting until you have time to go into
town.
5) What kinds of things do you buy online?
I purchase books, electrical goods, gifts, stationery and, in fact, most everyday
products on the internet. It’s really only clothes and shoes that I always buy on the
high street as I like to try them on first.
Part 2
Describe your favourite shop.
You should say:
 where it is
 what it sells
 how often you go there
and explain why you think it is a good shop.
I particularly like browsing shops that sell outdoor wear, things like waterproof
jackets, walking boots, hiking trousers and rucksacks. There are several in my home
town but my favourite is called No Sweat. It’s an independent store and they stock
all the big brand names in outdoor gear. Their goods are expensive but top quality
One reason I enjoy shopping there is their excellent customer service. The sales
assistants are very helpful and do their best to advise you on the best products for
your needs. They never try and give you the hard sell and will recommend a
different brand that they don’t sell if they think it would suit you better.
They are extremely knowledgeable about outdoor gear, which is more than can be
said of the shop assistants in similar stores in town. The other retail
outlets are chain stores and they don’t give you the same personal service or feeling
of confidence that they really know what they’re talking about.
I can’t say that I go to No Sweat very often but I always pop in for a spot of bargain
hunting if they have a sale on or if I need something in particular. I try to avoid
the shop otherwise as it’s just too tempting to spend money I can’t really afford. If I
want something like an expensive new jacket, I generally save up for it.
The last time I went there was to buy a new pair of walking boots. By chance, they
had an offer on a fabulous lightweight waterproof jacket in my favourite colour. It
was at a real knock-down price so I just had to buy that as well. I also bought a
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couple of t-shirts that were reduced. It all added up to quite a lot of money but they
gave me a free pair of walking socks and some stuff to clean my new boots. They
usually give you free products if you make a large purchase. It makes you feel
valued as a customer.
I think that’s why the shop has been so successful when most independent stores are
struggling to compete with the big high street names. It’s because of the way they
value their customers and give good value for money.
Part 3
1) Do you agree or disagree that women spend more time shopping than men?
I would definitely say that women go shopping more often than men and also spend
longer looking for what they want. For a start, it is usually women
who buy the groceries each week and also clothes for the children if they have a
family. Many women I know purchase most of their husband’s clothes as well
because their men hate shopping.
I think this is less the case with younger men as they are more fashion conscious and
happy to hit the shops themselves. Brand named clothes are a status symbol with
the younger generation as they like to dress to impress. Men more readily pay
for expensive items, especially the latest electronic gadgets, and aren’t too bothered
about discounts.
For women, shopping is often a social activity done with friends. It’s common to
go window shopping and my sister’s idea of a fun morning is browsing the secondhand shops in town. You never see men doing either of these things.
2) Do people generally prefer to buy products from their own or from other
countries?
I think it varies very much from person to person. On the one hand, there’s an
increasing number of people who choose to buy their meat and vegetables from farm
shops rather than supermarkets. This is partly to support the local economy but also
because they are concerned that transporting produce around the world is contributing
to global warming.
Unfortunately, supermarket products are often cheaper despite having travelled
many miles to the shops. For example, I live in the countryside and can see sheep out
of my window and yet it’s cheaper to buy lamb from New Zealand, 11,000 miles
away, than it is to purchase local lamb.
So, on the other hand, you have people on a low budget who are forced
to buy cheaper supermarketimports even if they don’t want to.
With most goods other than food, there’s often little choice but to buy foreign
imports as most things in the shops come from abroad.
3) Why do you think some people purchase things that they do not need?
In my opinion, unnecessary purchases are made for several reasons. Firstly, many
people, especially the younger generation, like to have the latest gadgets and fashions
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so they quickly discard old stuff. We have become a real throwaway society. Also,
they want to have the same products as their friends whether they need them or not.
Secondly, these days we tend to have more spare cash to buy luxuries that our
parents would not have been able to afford at our age.
Finally, I think that aggressive advertising convinces people that they need things that
they don’t and, of course, the internet encourages impulse buying as shopping
online is so quick and easy.
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Accommodation & Home Vocabulary – Common Words &
Phrases
Home Vocabulary Set 1: Key definitions
house – building where people (usually one family) live
- Our house is near the park.
home – place where someone lives, where they feel they belong
- It’s nice to come home in the evening and spend time with my family.
accommodation – a building or set of rooms where someone lives or stays
- Oti started looking for accommodation as soon as her university place was confirmed.
a property – building and the land it is built on
- Our present house is too small now that we have children so we are looking for a new property.
single storey – with only a ground floor level
- My elderly parents are buying a single storey house as they find it difficult to climb the stairs.
two-storey – with two floors levels
- Sanjay found a lovely two-storey property to rent close to his workplace.
Home Vocabulary Pronunciation
Home Vocabulary Set 2: Types of home
detached house – a house that is not connected to any other houses
- We’d love to buy one of the new detached houses being built near the lake but they’re out of our price
range.
semi-detached house – a house that is joined to another house on one side
- Meena lived in a semi-detached house and could sometimes hear her neighbours arguing through the
adjoining wall.
terraced house (UK) / row house (US) – a house in a row of similar houses joined together on both
sides
- Having a property either side of us means that our terraced house stays warm in winter.
townhouse – a house built in a row but larger in size than a terraced house, often having more than two
storeys
- Townhouses are popular with families as they often have extra bedrooms in the attic.
bungalow – a house with only one storey; built all on one level
- Many people move to a bungalow when they retire so they don’t have to climb the stair as they get
older.
cottage – a small house, usually located in the countryside
- For lots of people, a cottage in the countryside is their idea of a dream home.
flat / apartment – a set of rooms for living in that are part of a larger building and are usually all on one
floor
- It was a big day when their son left home and moved into his own flat.
fully-furnished flat / apartment – one that you rent with furniture already in it
- The young couple didn’t have much money so looked for a fully-furnished apartment to rent when
they got married.
studio flat / apartment – a small flat that has one main room for living, eating and sleeping in
- Hilda had the choice of three studio flats in the converted property and chose the one with pink walls.
Home Vocabulary Pronunciation
bedsit – a rented room that has a bed, table, chairs, and somewhere to cook in it but a shared bathroom
- The bedsit is small but has everything I need to create a little home for myself.
condominium (condo) – a building or complex of buildings containing a number of individually owned
apartments or houses
- Manuel decided that if he got the big promotion, he would buy a condo down by the river.
apartment block / high-rise – an apartment building with at least 10 floors
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- There is little space for housing in my city and most people live in a high-rise.
block of flats / tower block – a tall building with flats on many levels
- They are clearing some of the old terraced houses in our town and replacing them with blocks of flats.
penthouse – an expensive flat at the top of a tall building in a fashionable area of a city
mansion – a large, impressive house
- If we were rich, I would buy a penthouse in London overlooking the River Thames but my husband
would prefer a mansion on the coast.
villa – a large, often luxurious house in the country or near the sea, especially in southern Europe, and
often rented out for holidays
- We stayed in a fabulous villa when we visited Greece. It even had its own swimming pool.
student digs – student accommodation, often in a shared house
- I was apprehensive about moving into student digs but I’m enjoying it and get on well with my
housemates.
hall of residence – a college or university building where students live in flats
- Shishka lived in a hall of residence for her first year at university then rented a house with some
friends.
Home Vocabulary Pronunciation
Home Vocabulary Set 3: Location
residential area – area in which most of the buildings are houses
- Our town is growing rapidly with several new residential areas currently being developed.
suburb – a residential area on the edge of towns or cities
- Nearly all my colleagues at work live in the suburbs and commute by train each day.
on the outskirts – the areas that form the outer edge of a town, city or village, that are furthest away
from the centre
- It’s great living on the outskirts. It’s easy to get into the city but we are also close to the countryside.
downtown – near the centre of a town or city, especially the business or shopping areas
- I’m looking for a flat downtown so I don’t have to commute far to work.
housing estate – a large group of houses built at the same time and in the same style
- In the UK, most new homes are built on housing estates.
within walking distance – not very far; close enough to reach by walking
- We chose to live here because it’s within walking distance of the school.
close-knit community – a neighbourhood where people are helpful and supportive
- This is a close-knit community and there’s always someone to turn to if you need help.
to live on campus – to live on the university or college grounds
- I like living on campus as I don’t have far to go to lectures or the student’s union bar.
Home Vocabulary Pronunciation
Home Vocabulary Set 4: Rooms
bedroom – room used for sleeping in
- I’ve painted my bedroom yellow as it makes me feel cheerful when I wake up.
living room / lounge / sitting room – room used for relaxing
- In the evenings I chill out in the living room with a book or watch a bit of TV.
bathroom – room with a bath and/or shower and often a toilet
- With five people in my family, we have to queue for the bathroom in the morning.
kitchen – room where food is prepared and cooked, and sometimes eaten
- The kitchen is my favourite room in the house because I love cooking.
dining room – room in which meals are eaten
- I usually eat my breakfast in the kitchen but we always have family meals in the dining room.
study – a room for doing paperwork and studying in
- Kamal spent all day in the study working on his essay.
hall / hallway – open area inside the main entrance which leads to other rooms and usually the stairs
- Having a large hallway is so useful if you have a baby as there’s plenty of space to store the buggy.
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landing – area at the top of the stairs
- I’m always telling the kids off for leaving their toys on the landing in case someone trips over them
and falls down the stairs.
utility room – room used for storage and equipment such as the washing machine, freezer, etc.
- It’s a rule in our house that all muddy boots are left in the utility room.
basement / cellar – room below ground level used for storage and sometimes for accommodation
- The children are so excited that our new house has a basement as we’ve promised to turn it into a
playroom for them.
porch – a covered shelter protecting the front entrance of a building
- I’m so grateful for the porch on a wet day when I have to stop and wipe the dog’s feet before going
indoors.
conservatory – a room with a glass roof and walls, attached to a house at one side
- It was Klaus and Meena’s dream to build a conservatory on the side of their house as somewhere to
relax in the sun.
attic / loft – space in the roof used for storage and often converted into accommodation
- Margit regretted putting so much junk up in the attic now that she had to clear it out ready for the
builders to start work on the loft conversion.
pantry / larder – small, cold room used for storing food
- We had a proper larder when I was young but nowadays, most people keep food in the fridge, freezer
or a cupboard.
balcony – a platform enclosed by a wall or bars on the outside of a building, with access from an upperfloor window or door
- My dream home would have a balcony overlooking the sea.
Home Vocabulary Pronunciation
Home Vocabulary Set 5: Owning and renting
to rent – to pay money to the owner of a property to be allowed to live there
- One day I hope to own my own home but for now, I can only afford to rent.
to rent out / let out – to allow someone to live in your property for a fee
- I inherited my mum’s bungalow when she died and I’ve decided to rent it out.
rented accommodation – a property for which a person pays a fixed amount to live in it to the person
who owns it
- Being a university town, Exeter has lots of rented accommodation for the students.
landlord / landlady – the owner of a building or room that is rented out to others
- I have an excellent landlord who always fixes things quickly when something needs repairing.
tenant – someone who rents a flat or house from the person who owns it
- The people renting Adil’s flat gave notice last week so he’s looking for new tenants.
to give notice – to inform someone that you will be leaving or that they are required to leave
- We gave the landlord the required 30-day’s notice that we would be moving out of the flat.
to put down a deposit – to make an initial payment as part of a rental agreement or to secure a purchase
- The landlord said that once we’d put down the deposit of £200, the flat was ours.
lease – the contract a tenant signs when renting a property
- We gave him the £200 deposit immediately and agreed that we’d visit the office later to sign thelease.
short-term rental / lease – a rental agreement that lasts for a short time, usually 3 - 6 months
- The flat was only available on a short-term lease as the landlord wanted to sell it.
evict – to force tenants to leave a property if they fail to pay the rent or they behave unacceptably
- The tenants in the flat above us used to play loud music all night long but thankfully the
landlady evicted them.
fully-furnished – a rented property with all furniture included
- As a student, I didn’t have any money to buy furniture so always rented fullyfurnished accommodation.
Home Vocabulary Pronunciation
estate agent (UK) / real estate agent (US) – someone whose job it is to help people buy and sell
property. Some deal with rentals as well.
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- Tuyen told the estate agent what sort of property she was looking for and he gave her the details of ten
houses she might be interested in looking at.
to get on the property ladder – to buy a low priced property with the aim of buying another bigger or
more expensive one later in life
- They were fed up with paying high rents and longed to get on the property ladder and invest in a
home of their own.
mortgage – a large loan given to buys a house or flat
- Julio was delighted when his mortgage application was accepted and he could go ahead with his
house purchase.
to take out a mortgage – to borrow money from the bank in order to buy a house
- Taking out a mortgage is a big commitment and most homeowners spend all their working life
paying it off.
first-time buyer – someone buying a property for the first time
- The developer converted the old house into four apartments that would be affordable to first-time
buyers.
repossess – to take back possession of something, especially a property when mortgage payments have
not been made
- Luther lost his job and couldn’t pay his mortgage so the bank repossessed it.
Home Vocabulary Pronunciation
Home Vocabulary Set 6: Inside a home
(all the) mod cons – appliances in the home that make it easy to do jobs like washing, cooking,
cleaning, etc.
- The furnished apartment I’m interested in renting has all the mod cons, including a dishwasher and
tumble drier which many rentals don’t have.
appliances – a device, machine or piece of equipment, especially an electrical one, that does a specific
job in the home, such as a cooker or washing machine
- It must have been such hard work for my grandmother running a home without all the timesaving appliances we have today.
fitted kitchen – a kitchen with the cupboards and units designed to fit the space exactly and then fixed
in place
- My new fitted kitchen has built-in appliances which make so much better use of the space.
built-in wardrobe – a wardrobe that is part of a room and fixed to the wall
- I didn’t need to buy much bedroom furniture for my first flat as it had built-in wardrobes.
carpeted – the floors have carpet on them
- Some people like bare floorboards in their home but I prefer the rooms to be carpeted.
furniture – items in a home that make it comfortable and functional to live in such as chairs, tables,
beds, etc.
- Wolfgang and Angelika went to town to choose some furniture for their new extension.
utilities – gas, electricity, water
- On top of the rental fee, they had to pay for the utilities as well.
spacious – having a lot of space inside
- Sally loved her friend’s new home, especially the spacious kitchen.
cosy – giving a feeling of warmth, comfort and relaxation
- Old cottages have really thick walls which makes them cool in summer but cosy in winter.
natural light – light from the sun
- I hate houses that are dark inside and like my home to be full of natural light.
elevator (US) / lift (UK) – a box-like compartment housed in a shaft for raising and lowering people or
things to different levels in a building
-Vadim often walked up the stairs to his tenth-floor flat but took the lift if he was carrying shopping.
Home Vocabulary Pronunciation
Home Vocabulary Set 7: Outside a home
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garden – area of grass or other vegetation beside a house and belonging to the property
- I would hate to live in a house without a garden as I love to grow my own vegetables.
lawn – an area of grass that is cut short, especially in someone's garden
- Our garden is mostly lawn with some flower borders and a vegetable patch.
backyard – a small space surrounded by walls at the back of a house, usually with a hard surface (US –
an enclosed area covered with grass)
- The kids are out playing in the backyard.
terrace / patio – paved area close to the house for relaxing, eating, etc
- In the summer we enjoy relaxing on the patio and often set up the barbeque there.
hedge – a line of bushes or small trees growing close together around a garden or field
The property had a high hedge which gave it good privacy from the neighbours.
fence – a flat upright structure made of wood or wire that surrounds a garden or other area of land
- We had to put up a new fence at the side of the house as the old one blew down in a gale.
shed – small wooden building in a garden usually used for storing garden tools
- I don’t like going into the shed to get tools out as there are large spiders in there.
garage – building intended for storing a car, usually attached to the side of a house
- Most people in the UK use their garage for storage and don’t have room for the car.
Home Vocabulary Pronunciation
Home Vocabulary Set 8: Improving a property
to convert – to change the form of something
- Our plan is to convert the garage into a study.
loft conversion – to turn the loft/attic into living accommodation
- Doing a loft conversion will mean that each of the children will be able to have a bedroom of their
own.
to add an extension – to build an extra room onto a house
- Many people add an extension as their family grows rather than buying a larger house.
to redecorate – to paint one or more rooms again or put new wallpaper on the walls
- The colour scheme in their new house was dull and old-fashioned so they redecorated before they
moved in.
to do up a property – to repair and update an old property
- Jai couldn’t afford the smart new houses he looked at so he decided to buy an old property and do it
up.
to renovate – to restore to a good state of repair
- The property has been empty for several years but we're planning to renovate it and turn it back into a
nice home.
to paper the walls – to put up wallpaper
- My friend is a decorator and is going to help me paper the walls in my new flat.
to tile the bathroom – to cover a wall with tiles to make it water resistant
- We’ve nearly finished the new extension and just need to tile the bathroom.
a lick of paint – a small amount of paint; one layer of paint
- There was very little that needed doing before we move into the house but we gave the walls a lick of
paint to brighten them up.
Home Vocabulary Pronunciation
Home Vocabulary Set 9: Other vocabulary
dream home – a home you regard as perfect
- My dream home would be a cottage by the sea.
modern – based on up to date styles
- Most modern houses are very similar to look at and have small rooms and not much storage space.
house-hunting – looking for a property to live in
- We’ve been house-hunting for three months but can’t find anything that really suits us.
house-warming party – a party to celebrate moving into a new home
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- I’m going to a colleague’s house-warming party on Saturday and can’t wait to look around her new
home.
to have a place of your own – to have your own home and not have to share it with anyone else
- I love living at home with my family but I’m 21 now and have a good job so I feel it’s time to find a
place of my own.
to move in – to begin to live in a property
- Niko was impressed with the recently renovated hall of residence and couldn’t wait to move in.
to move out – to stop living in a particular place
- Veronica broke up with her boyfriend and moved out of their flat.
downsize – to reduce in size; to buy a smaller house
- Many parents downsize when their children have left home as they don’t need such a large house.
to feel homesick – to feel unhappy because you are away from home and are missing your family,
friends, and home very much
- For the first few months at university, Dalia felt very homesick but she began to feel better once she
started to make new friends.
there’s no place like home – an expression that means your home is a special place
- I do enjoy travelling the world and visiting amazing places but there’s no place like home.
next door – the property next to yours
- A new family has just moved into the house next door.
a view – what you can see from a particular place
- The thing I remember most about my grandmother’s house was the lovely view of the mountains.
IELTS-Style Speaking Test Questions and Answers
Common accommodation and home vocabulary is highlighted in bold.
Part 1
1) What kind of property do you live in?
My home is a semi-detached bungalow.
2) How long have you lived there?
I moved in on my 21st birthday and I'm nearly 25 now so I've been there for almost four years.
3) Do you plan to live there for a long time?
Buying and selling a house is very stressful and I said that I would never do it again after last time.
Besides, I love my home so think I will stay there forever.
4) Is there anything about your house you would like to change?
Not really. I have thought about doing a loft conversion to give me another bedroom for when friends
come to stay but that’s all.
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5) What's the difference between where you live now and your last home?
I used to live in an apartment by the sea. It had a wonderful view but no garden. Now I have a
largelawn surrounded by a high hedge, and a patio where I like to sit in the sun. I’m very happy to have
a garden again.
Part 2
Describe a home you have visited that you really liked.
You should say:



where it was
whose house or apartment it was
what it was like
and explain why you liked it.
A few years ago I saw a photo in the window of an estate agent of a fabulous property in a village
quite near to where I live. It was my idea of a dream home so I just had to have a look around it. I felt a
bit bad about doing this as I knew I couldn’t afford the house. I’ve never done anything like it before, or
since.
The house itself was quite modern. It had three bedrooms, separate kitchen and dining rooms and
a spacious lounge. It was mostly carpeted and the large windows let in plenty of natural light. There
was also a utility room and a double garage. It was actually a fairly ordinary house but would have
made a lovely home and it certainly felt cosy.
All the windows had wonderful views over the surrounding countryside which is something I would
make a priority if I was house-hunting for real. The owners said that they often saw deer out on the
hillsides.
All this was very nice, but I haven’t told you about the best part of the property yet, the garden. That’s
what had attracted me in the photo. It was amazing and exactly what I would love to own. For a start, it
was huge. There was a large area of lawn, several pretty flower beds and a terrace sheltered by a fence.
Even better than that was the stream running through the garden into a big pond with ducks on it. I wish
I had that in my garden. You crossed the stream via a little wooden bridge that led to a small field that
was also part of the property. It was perfect.
The location of the house was also ideal. It was down a small lane on the outskirts of the village. I
know the village well and it’s a close-knit community, something else that would be important to me if
I was thinking of moving house. While the area is beautiful countryside, the beach is only 15 minutes
away so it has the best of both worlds.
I’m glad I visited the property. One day I’ll buy a home like it but for now, I’ll just keep dreaming.
Part 3
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1) What are the advantages of living in a house compared to an apartment?
I’d say that the biggest advantage is that you don’t have people living above and below you as you do in
a flat. Noisy neighbours can be a real problem if you live in an apartment block.
Secondly, most apartments don’t have a garden, although some do have a communal outdoor that all
the residents share. That was what I missed most when I lived in a block of flats. It was the main reason
I decided to move to a house.
Finally, a house feels more like a home of your own, even if you rent it, as you aren’t sharing any part
of the building with other people.
2) Do you think that everyone would like to live in a larger home?
Certainly not. In my opinion, it’s mainly people with young families who want a more spacious home.
As their family grows, they like to have a separate bedroom for each child and more than
one bathroom. Because it’s so expensive to buy and sell a property, many people add
an extensionrather than buying a larger house.
Once the children have left home, many parents downsize as they no longer need so many rooms. They
often use the money they make from buying a smaller property to help their children get
a mortgage and buy a home of their own.
Also, many retired people move from a two-storey house to a bungalow so they don’t have any stairs
to climb as they get older. Modern bungalows are cosy and cheap to heat so there’s a saving
on utility bills as well. This is important when you’re living on a pension.
In conclusion, although many of us would like a nicer home, I don’t think size is the most important
thing for a lot of people.
3) What do you think living spaces will be like in the future?
That’s not something I’ve ever thought about but I would guess that more people will live in highrisesbecause some places in the world are running out of space for building new houses.
I saw a programme on TV recently where someone had designed a small apartment where
the furniture folded away so you could quickly change the same space from a living room to a dining
room and then into a bedroom. The kitchen appliances were hidden in cupboards so were shut away
until you needed to use them. It was amazing and I think this sort of accommodation could become
common in the future.
However, in places with more land available I don’t think there will be much change in the near future.
Perhaps in fifty years, people will be living in space but I can’t imagine what
their accommodation would look like.
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Buildings Vocabulary – Common Words & Phrases
Buildings Vocabulary Set 1: Key definitions
building – a structure that has a roof and walls
- There used to be a field behind my house but now it’s covered in buildings.
architecture – the practise of designing buildings; the style in which buildings are
made
- Paulo studied architecture at university before joining the family building business.
- My favourite style of architecture is Georgian because it is bold and beautiful but
not too ornate.
architect – a person who designs buildings
- Tammy’s friends laughed when she said she wanted to design houses when she left
school but she grew up to be an award-winning architect.
feature – a distinctive attribute or aspect of something
- The best feature of the new church in our town is the stunning, modern spire.
façade – the front of a building, especially a large or attractive building
- The British Museum in London is famous for its grand Classical façade.
landmark – an object or building that is easily seen and recognized from a distance,
especially one that enables someone to establish their location
- The Eiffel Tower is probably the best-loved landmark in Paris.
heritage – things, such as buildings and traditions, that are important to a nation's
history
- Some people complain that large historic houses cost a lot to maintain but they are
part of our heritage and should be preserved.
Buildings Vocabulary Pronunciation
Buildings Vocabulary Set 2: Building Materials
building material – any material which is used for construction purposes
- The house would look fabulous when it was finished but at the moment it was little
more than a pile of building materials.
brick – a small rectangular block typically made of fired or sun-dried clay, used in
building
- They decided to build their house with bricks rather than concrete blocks.
concrete – building material that is made by mixing together cement, sand, small
stones and water
- Concrete is a very popular building material because it is strong and can be
moulded into different shapes.
reinforced concrete – concrete with metal bars or wire embedded in to increase its
strength
- Reinforced concrete is the perfect material for constructing large structures such as
tower blocks and bridges.
steel – a strong hard metal that is made of a mixture of iron and carbon
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- Modern architects such as Zaha Hadid use steel to create stunning Futuristic designs
rather than just using it to form the hidden framework of a building.
timber – wood that is prepared for use in building
- In Sweden, timber is a popular building material because they have lots of forests.
stone – a hard, solid substance found in the ground, used for building
- Stone has been used as a building material for centuries.
glass – a hard, brittle, man-made material that you can see through
- These days, they can make glass that is so strong that you can have whole walls
made out of it.
marble – a type of hard stone, often with a beautiful lined pattern going through it,
that can be highly polished
- The Taj Mahal is the most famous building in the world made from marble.
Buildings Vocabulary Pronunciation
Buildings Vocabulary Set 3: Types of building
See my Home Vocabulary list for 18 different types of house/accommodation.
Other types of building:
manor house – a large country house surrounded by land that belongs to it
- It’s so nice to see the old manor house being renovated after the previous owners
let it fall into disrepair.
castle – a strong building, often large, built in the past by a ruler or important person
to protect the people inside from attack
- Most castles were built on a hill so that the occupants could see the enemy
approaching.
sky-scraper – a very tall building
- With the development of stronger building materials, they are able to
build skyscrapers higher and higher.
office block – a building made up of many different offices, often of different
companies
- Many old buildings in the city are being demolished to make way for smart
new office blocks.
warehouse – large building built for the storage of raw materials or manufactured
goods before they are distributed for sale
- There is a real trend for converting old warehouses into fashionable apartments.
public building – a building owned by the state or local government and used by the
public, e.g. townhall, library, museum, leisure centre
- Many public buildings are quite old and cost a lot of money to maintain
commercial building – buildings that are used for commercial purposes, such
as, office blocks, shops and warehouses
- Most of my architect friends design houses but I much prefer working
on commercial buildings.
prefabricated building (prefab) – buildings that are made in sections in a factory
and can be put together quickly
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- Prefabs were popular after the war when many new homes had to be built quickly
but are coming back into fashion with new technology and modern designs.
historic building – an old building that is important to history
- We are fortunate in my country to have many magnificent historic buildings.
a ruin – a building reduced to a state of decay and collapse
- One of the most visited historic sites in the world is the Inca ruins at Machu Picchu
in Peru.
monument – a statue, building, or other structure erected to commemorate a notable
person or event, often of historical importance
- India gate is one of the most recognisable monuments in India.
Buildings Vocabulary Pronunciation
Buildings Vocabulary Set 4: Features of buildings
column – large, upright pillar, typically cylindrical, supporting the upper part of a
building
- The huge columns of many ruined Greek temples are still standing today.
pillar – a tall vertical structure of stone, brick, wood, or metal, used as a support for a
building
- The roof was supported by two rows of brick pillars.
arch – a curved symmetrical structure spanning an opening and typically supporting
the weight of a bridge, roof, or wall above it
- Old churches are one of the best places to see impressive arches.
steeple – a tall pointed roof, usually on a church
- The church steeple could be seen for many miles away from the town.
spire – similar to a steeple but usually a narrower structure
- Skyscrapers such as the Shanghai World Finance Center often have a spire built on
top to make them taller and thus increase their prestige.
tower – a tall, narrow building, either free-standing or forming part of a large
building such as a church or castle
- There was an amazing view over the city from the top of the tower.
dome – a rounded roof
- The dome of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul is one of the most recognisable domes in
the world.
balcony – a platform enclosed by a wall or bars on the outside of a building, with
access from an upper-floor window or door
- My dream home would have a balcony overlooking the sea.
Buildings Vocabulary Pronunciation
Buildings Vocabulary Set 5: Popular styles of architecture
(These words are all proper nouns so start with a capital letter.)
Classical – characteristic of the architecture of ancient Greece and Rome
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Gothic – characterised by large expanses of glass, clustered columns, sharply pointed
spires, intricate sculptures and pointed arches
Georgian – based on the simple elegance of classical architecture, with little
ornamentation. Symmetry of design was important.
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Victorian – characterised by sash windows set in bay windows, an asymmetrical
shape, bright colours and decorative features
Art Deco – characterised by simple, clean shapes, usually with a ‘streamlined’ look
and decoration that is geometric or stylised forms of plants, animals and sunrays
Islamic – known for its arches, domes, minarets, geometric designs, courtyards and
often colourful tile decoration
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Modernist – typically characterized by simple designs in glass, steel and reinforced
concrete and no ornamentation
Futuristic – extremely modern and unusual in appearance, as if belonging to a future
time
If there is a particular style of architecture that you like, focus on that one and learn
appropriate vocabulary related to it. There may also be styles of architecture very
specific to your own country.
If there’s a style of architecture common in your town or city, learn the buildings
vocabulary that will enable you to talk about it easily.
Buildings Vocabulary Pronunciation
Buildings Vocabulary Set 6: Descriptions
elegant – graceful and stylish in appearance
- Amira loved the elegant lines of the building’s Art Deco façade.
stunning – extremely impressive or attractive
- Igor had doubts about the Futuristic design of the new library building but had to
admit that it looked absolutely stunning when finished.
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eye-catching – very attractive or noticeable
- She found the carved stone pillars particularly eye-catching.
ornate – covered with a lot of decoration, especially complicated designs
- It’s common for grand manor houses to have ornate ceilings.
a radical design – extreme
- Pilau liked his buildings to stand out and was well-known for his radical designs.
controversial – something that people have strong opinions about; something that
people either love or hate
- The design of the new town hall was certainly controversial and strongly opposed
by many people.
iconic – in architecture, a design that is 'ground-breaking' and sets new standards or a
building that represents a particular style of architecture
- The Sydney Opera House is Australia’s most iconic building.
state of the art – incorporating the newest ideas and features
- The new hospital was state of the art and medical professionals from across the
country were eager to work there.
spacious – having lots of space for people to move around in
- Older properties tend to have more spacious rooms than modern homes.
geometric – patterns or shapes consisting of regular shapes or lines
- Many styles of architecture incorporate geometric designs both for strength as well
for decoration.
symmetrical – where one side is the same as the other
- If you cut a symmetrical design in half, one side is the mirror image of the other.
ugly / unsightly – unpleasant to look at; not attractive
- I think that the houses being built on many new housing estates are really ugly.
monstrosity – a thing, especially a building, which is very large and unsightly
- The civic centre in our town, of typical 1960’s design, is a total monstrosity and I
wish they’d demolish it to build something more attractive.
eyesore – a building that is not attractive
fall into disrepair – to be in a damaged state, often to the extent that it is dangerous
- The cinema used to be a beautiful building but has become a bit of an eyesore since
it fell into disrepair.
past its heyday – no longer at the peak of popularity or success
- Although Victorian architecture is past its heyday, Victorian townhouses are still
very popular as they make spacious family homes.
derelict – in very poor condition as a result of disuse and neglect
demolish – completely destroy a building
They are going to demolish the derelict buildings down at the docks to make way for
a development of new waterside apartments.
Buildings Vocabulary Pronunciation
Buildings Vocabulary Set 7: Improving a property
See my Home Vocabulary list for some home improvement words and phrases.
Here is some related buildings vocabulary:
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preserve – to keep looking the same
- The National Trust is a charity in the UK that is dedicated to restoring
and preserving historical buildings.
transform – to change something completely, usually to improve it
- The new owners transformed the derelict manor house into a stunning country
hotel.
maintain – keep something in a good condition by checking and repairing it
regularly
- Old buildings generally cost more to maintain than ones built with modern
materials.
Buildings Vocabulary Pronunciation
Buildings Vocabulary Set 8: Buildings & the environment
energy efficient – using little electricity, gas, etc.
- These days, one of the most important considerations in building design and the
choice of building materials is energy efficiency.
insulation – material used to stop heat escaping
- In cold climates, it’s important for buildings to be well insulated and glass fibre is
often used as roof insulation.
double glazing – windows which have two layers of glass with a space between
them, designed to reduce the loss of heat and exclude noise
- The first thing they did to improve the old property was to put in double
glazed windows.
eco-friendly – not harmful to the environment
- Installing solar panels to cut down on the use of fossil fuels is one of the best ways
to make your home eco-friendly.
wheelchair friendly – meets the needs of people who use a wheelchair in terms of
access and internal services
- Historic houses that are open to the public are required to make alterations to ensure
that they are as wheelchair friendly as is practically possible.
Buildings Vocabulary Pronunciation
Buildings Vocabulary Set 9: Basic vocabulary
exterior – the outside of something, especially a building
- The exterior of the pretty little cottage was painted pink.
interior – the inside of something, especially a building
- The cottage had small windows, making the interior quite dark.
ceiling – the top inside surface of a room
- A popular feature of Georgian properties is their high ceilings which make rooms
feel really spacious.
floor – the lower surface of a room that people walk on
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- Bare floorboards are very popular in the homes of today but I prefer carpet as it
makes floors warmer to walk on.
stairs – a long set of steps inside a building joining the different levels
- The children were told not to leave their toys on the landing in case someone
tripped over them and fell down the stairs.
storey – a level of a building
- The three-storey house with an extra bedroom in the attic was perfect for Milek,
Edyta and their four children.
fireplace – a space in the wall at the base of a chimney for a fire to burn
- When people renovate Victorian properties they often remove the old fireplaces but
some keep them as decorative features.
For the vocabulary related to the different rooms in a house see my Home
Vocabulary list.
Buildings Vocabulary Pronunciation
Buildings Vocabulary Set 10: Other vocabulary
blueprint – a design plan or other technical drawing
- Bruno and Claudia were so excited when the architect rang to say that
the blueprints of their new house were ready for them to look at.
design – a plan or drawing produced to show the look of something, e.g. a building,
before it is created
- Rahul worked closely with his clients to create a design that perfectly matched their
idea of their dream home.
planning permission – formal permission from a local authority for the erection or
alteration of a building
- It’s very difficult to get planning permission to make alterations to a historic
building.
building site – an area of land on which a building or a group of buildings is in the
process of being built or altered
- It was fascinating watching the muddy building site gradually transformed into a
smart new housing estate.
to construct – to build
- It took five years to construct the Buri Khalifa skyscraper in Dubai.
to put up – to build
- They are putting up an ugly office block on the site of the lovely old theatre.
IELTS-Style Speaking Test Questions and Answers
Common buildings vocabulary is highlighted in bold.
Part 1
1) What types of buildings are there where you live?
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In the town, there are lots of Victorian houses constructed from locally
made bricks and some modern shops and offices. We certainly don’t have any highrise apartments or skyscrapers in the area.
2) Are there any monuments in your hometown?
The most famous monument is a clock tower called the Albert Clock in memory of
Prince Albert the husband of Queen Victoria. There’s also a war memorial in the
park.
3) Do you like to visit historic buildings?
Yes, I particularly enjoy visiting old manor houses and I’m lucky that there are
several interesting ones in the area where I live. I also like looking around
old ruins both in my own country and abroad.
4) What are the landmarks in your hometown?
I’d say that there are three – a church with a tall steeple, a six-storey office
block that’s an uglymonstrosity and a hill that used to have an old castle on it.
5) Have you ever visited a famous structure?
When I was in Australia, I went to the Sydney Opera House. It’s the
most stunning piece of architecture I’ve ever seen and such an iconic building.
Part 2
Describe a style of architecture that you like.
You should say:
 what style it is
 what it looks like
 where you can see it
and explain why you like this style.
I like many different styles of architecture but my favourite is probably Art Deco.
The exterior of buildings designed in this style generally looks symmetrical.
They’re not at all ornate, in fact, you’d say they were quite plain. Yet I find them so
beautiful, with elegant lines and simple shapes.
The façade is often decorated with geometric patterns created from straight lines or
from stylised designs based on plants, animals and sunrays like you see on Art
Deco furniture, jewellery and other artefacts of the 1920s and 1930s when the style
was developed. The most popular building material was concrete but
glazed brick was also used.
Architects designed Art Deco houses, public buildings and commercial
buildings and most of them are still standing today. During the 20s and 30s, many
cinemas were built in towns and cities across the country. Lots of them closed down
when new multiplex movie theatres were constructed. Some fell into disrepair and
had to be demolished but others have been renovated for use as shops and their Art
Deco features preserved. There is one in my town which is now a night club.
Although it’s long past its heyday, Art Deco has remained popular as a design style
and you can sometimes see it in modern buildings. For example, the new bus station
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in my town has many Art Deco features, in particular, the style of the windows, the
shape and symmetry of the building and the decoration around the large clock set in
the wall.
For people who are real fans of Art Deco architecture, I recommend that they visit
the town of Napier in New Zealand because almost every building is Art Deco. It’s
an amazing place. They have tour guides to show you around and tell you about the
history of the town. Sadly it was destroyed in an earthquake in 1931 and completely
rebuild in the architectural style of the day – Art Deco. I don’t think there is
anywhere else in the world like it and I’m sure that it was my visit there that really
got me interested in this beautiful architectural style
Part 3
1) What kinds of people like to visit historic buildings?
In my country, people of all ages and from many different backgrounds enjoy looking
around historic buildings. At the weekends and during school holidays they are
popular with families who visit for a day out. Many old manor houses have
extensive grounds which are ideal for the kids to run around and play in.
Lots of historic sites offer educational tours and activities for schools as they are the
perfect place to learn about how people lived in the past. So, most historic houses get
school trips visiting. Old castlesare particularly popular with school kids.
Another common group of visitors is retired people because they have plenty of time
for leisure activities. I think they are attracted by the tearooms as much all the
interesting things there are to look at and learn about as most historic houses have one
and they always serve delicious cakes.
Finally, I mustn’t forget the tourists. For the most famous historic buildings, they are
the largest group of visitors.
2) Do you think it’s worth the money to preserve old buildings?
That’s such a difficult question to answer. It costs millions of pounds
to preserve historic buildingsand there are many other important things that the
money could be spent on. I suppose it depends where the money comes from.
I think it’s true to say that most of the money spent on restoring and maintaining the
old properties in my country comes from donations, entrance fees and charitable
funds. People want to visit historic buildings and are happy to pay for them to be
looked after. If the government was responsible for their upkeep, it would be more
difficult to justify the huge costs involved.
Of course, historic properties are part of our heritage and that’s important preserve.
They also attract a large number of overseas tourists who contribute a significant
amount to our economy.
So, weighing it up, I’d have to say that I do think it’s worth the money
to preserve old buildings.
3) How have buildings changed in the past few years?
As far as houses are concerned, there are 3 main differences that I can think of. First,
it’s now common to see three-storey homes on new housing estates which you never
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used to get and there are not so many bungalows being built. This is because there is
less building land available than, say, twenty years ago.
Second, new houses are more eco-friendly, with better insulation and
improved double glazing to make them more energy efficient.
Third, there are new rules concerning things like the width of doors and the height of
switches so that new properties are wheelchair friendly.
With regard to public buildings and commercial buildings, the development of
stronger building materials and new construction techniques means
that architects are beginning to design more Futuristic buildings.
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Transportation Vocabulary – Common Words & Phrases
Transportation Vocabulary Set 1: Key definitions
vehicle – a machine, usually with wheels and an engine, used for taking people or
goods from one place to another, especially on roads
- Three vehicles were involved in the accidents near my house.
to transport – take or carry people or goods from one place to another using a
vehicle
- Their furniture was transported to their new house in a large lorry.
transportation – a vehicle or system of vehicles, such as buses, trains, etc. for
getting from one place to another
- What form of transportation are you going to use to get to the airport?
a means / form of transportation – any vehicle that you can travel in or on or use to
carry goods in
- Bicycles are a cheap means of transportation and also keep you fit.
transport system – a facility consisting of the means and equipment necessary for
the movement of passengers or goods
- The transport system in my country needs a lot of improvement.
public transport – a system of vehicles such as buses and trains that operate at
regular times on fixed routes, charge set fares and are used by the public
- It’s much cheaper to use public transport in the city than drive a car.
private transport – means of transport that are not available for use by the general
public such as your own car
- Most people prefer to use private transport to public transport as it makes them
more independent.
traffic – the vehicles, pedestrians, ships, or planes moving along a route
- There was a lot of traffic on the roads this morning.
infrastructure – the basic systems and services, such as transportation and power
supplies, that a country or organization uses in order to work effectively
- The earthquake caused serious damage to the area’s transport infrastructure.
a journey – the act of travelling from one place to another, especially in a vehicle
- The train journey took them through beautiful countryside.
Transportation Vocabulary Set 3: Roads & traffic
road – a long, hard surface built for vehicles to travel along
- Shakira waved to her mum as the bus drove off down the road.
lane – a division of a road marked off with painted lines and intended to separate
single lines of traffic; a narrow rural road
- I find it quite scary driving in the fast lane of the motorway.
cycle lane – part of a road marked off with painted lines, for use by cyclists
- There have been far fewer cyclists killed on the roads since the government
introduced cycle lanes in our towns and cities.
bus lane – part of a road marked off with painted lines, for use by buses
- Car drivers are not allowed to use the bus lanes.
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bypass / ring road / beltway – a road which circles a town or city and enables you to
go faster from one point to another.
- I usually take the ring road to visit my brother as the roads through town are
always congested.
freeway / highway / expressway – a public road, often with multiple lanes,
especially an important road that joins cities or towns together
- The traffic in the city centre moved slowly but once Raul hit the freeway there was
less traffic and he was able to drive much faster.
motorway (UK) – a road with three lanes going each way
- Motorways are vitally important for the transportation of goods around the UK.
overpass – a bridge that carries one road over another road
- No-one believed that the new overpass would really ease traffic congestion but it
has made a noticeable difference.
junction – where two roads meet
- Aksel only just missed the car that pulled out in front of him at the junction.
roundabout – a road junction at which traffic moves in one direction around a
central island to reach one of the roads converging on it
- The traffic flowed much better when they replaced the traffic lights with
a roundabout.
traffic light – a set of automatically operated red, amber and green lights for
controlling traffic at road junctions and pedestrian crossings
- I have to drive through ten sets of traffic lights on the way to work and if I’m late,
you can be sure they’ll all stop on red.
traffic jam – a line of vehicles moving very slowly or not at all
- The traffic jam was caused by roadworks near the shopping centre.
Collocations:
 to be caught in traffic / a traffic jam
- Mayuree missed her train after getting caught in traffic on the way to the
station.
 to get stuck in traffic / a traffic jam
- I nearly always get stuck in a traffic jam on my way to work.
heavy traffic – a lot of vehicles on the road
- A sunny weekend is forecast so there will be heavy traffic on the roads as people
head to the coast.
to be congested – when a road or place is so crowded with traffic or people as to
hinder or prevent freedom of movement
- The roads are particularly congested during the rush hour.
congestion – the state of being congested
- Congestion is a serious problem in most cities across the world.
queue – a line of people or vehicles waiting for something
- There were so many people heading into town for the sales that I had to queue for
the car park.
roadworks – building or repair work on a road
- The roadworks were causing long delays for people travelling to work.
diversion – a different route used because a road is closed
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- The accident closed the road and traffic had to take a two-mile diversion to get into
town.
to be held up – to be stopped and delayed because of work on the road, diversions or
accidents
- Soo-min apologised for being late and explained that she’d been held up in traffic.
bottleneck – a place where a road becomes narrow or a place where there is often a
lot of traffic, causing the traffic to slow down or stop
- The roadworks were causing a serious bottleneck on the main road into town.
speed limit – the fastest rate at which you are allowed to drive in a particular area
If you are caught exceeding the speed limit, you will have to pay a fine.
speed camera – camera set up by a road to photograph cars exceeding the speed limit
- Most drivers slow down when they are approaching a speed camera.
road accident / car crash – a bad incident involving vehicles that happens
unexpectedly and unintentionally, typically resulting in damage or injury
- Two people were taken to hospital following the car crash on the freeway.
Transportation Vocabulary Set 4: Travel
to commute – travel some distance between one's home and place of work on a
regular basis
- When Talin got her new job, she moved closer to the city so that she wouldn’t have
to commute too far each day.
to travel by – to use a particular mode of transport, e.g. bus, car, train, bike, etc, to
get from one place to another
- To get to work, I travel by bus.
to take – to use a particular mode of public transport, e.g. bus, train, taxi, plane
- She didn’t want to wait for a bus in the pouring rain so took a taxi instead.
to get on – to get into a bus, train or plane
- They arrived at the station just in time to get on the train before it left.
to get off – to disembark from a bus, train or plane
- Shona pushed the bell as she wanted to get off the bus at the next stop.
bus route – the fixed, regular journey made by a bus
- One of the reasons I moved to my new address is because it’s on the main bus
route into town.
bus service – a public facility whereby the general public can travel on a bus from
one place to another along set routes for a fixed fee
- There is a good bus service into town from where I live.
timetable / schedule – a plan of the times when particular events are to take place
- Jared’s interview was at 9.30 a.m. and the timetable showed that the early train
would get him there in plenty of time.
rush hour – the times at the beginning and end of the working day when many
people are travelling to or from work
- Ogasi was so fed up with the rush hour traffic jams that he bought a bike to cycle
to work.
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carpool (US) / car share (UK) – an arrangement between people to make a regular
journey together in a single vehicle, usually taking turns to drive
- If more people organized carpools, the roads wouldn’t be so congested.
park-and-ride – a system for reducing urban traffic congestion, in which drivers
leave their cars in car parks on the outskirts of a town or city and travel into centre on
public transport
- The park-and-ride scheme was so successful that a second one was set up on the
other side of the city.
the outskirts – the areas that form the outer edge of a town, city or village, that are
furthest away from the centre
- It’s great living on the outskirts. It’s easy to get into the city but we are also close
to the countryside.
convenient – fitting in well with a person's needs, activities, and plans
- There’s a bus stop right outside my house which makes it very convenient for
catching the bus to work.
independent – not influenced or controlled in any way by other people or events
- I’m so much more independent now that I have a scooter to get around.
overcrowded – full with too many people for it to be comfortable or safe
- The tube is so overcrowded in the rush hour that it’s impossible to get a seat.
unreliable – something or someone that is not trustworthy or efficient
- Our local bus service is very unreliable and is usually running late.
Transportation Vocabulary Set 5: Transport systems
network – a group or system of interconnected people or things
- The new government made a commitment to improving the country’s
transport network.
Collocations:
 road network– a system of interconnected roads
 rail network– a system of interconnected railway lines
the underground / the tube / the subway / the metro – an underground railway
system in a city
- The quickest way to get around London is on the underground.
canal – an artificial waterway constructed to allow the passage of boats or ships
inland
- Ship canals such as the Panama Canal and Suez Canal are vitally important for
world trade.
a shuttle – a vehicle or aircraft that travels regularly between two places
- Itsuki took the shuttle from his hotel out to the airport.
Transportation Vocabulary Set 6: Transportation & the environment
fuel – a substance that is used to provide heat or power, e.g. petrol, diesel, gasoline,
oil,
usually by being burned
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- Scientists are working hard to develop more environmentally friendly fuels.
emissions – an amount of something, especially a gas such as carbon dioxide, that is
sent out into the air and harms the environment
- Car manufacturers are under pressure to reduce exhaust emissions.
emit – to produce and discharge something, especially a gas
- Vehicles emit high levels of harmful gases into the atmosphere.
exhaust fumes – harmful gases emitted from a vehicle engine
- Many cities have a big problem with air pollution caused by exhaust fumes.
energy efficient – using only a small amount of fuel
- I chose this make of car because it is very energy efficient.
air pollution – the presence of harmful substances in the air, often consisting of
waste emissions from vehicles
- Air pollution is so bad in some cities that people have to wear face-masks when
they go out.
environmentally-friendly – not harmful to the environment
- Electric cars are a more environmentally-friendly than those that run on petrol.
gas guzzler (informal) – a vehicle that uses a lot of fuel
- For many people, a large car is a status symbol and they aren’t concerned about the
harm their gas guzzler is doing to the environment.
Transportation Vocabulary Set 7: The future
autonomous vehicle / driverless car / self-driving car – a car capable of driving
itself through a computer system
- I would be very nervous of riding in an autonomous vehicle and don’t think that
they are safe.
space travel – travel through outer space
- They say that it won’t be long before members of the public are able to enjoy space
travel.
high-speed rail – a passenger train that travels at a very high speed using specialised
rolling stock and a system of dedicated track
- In the future, high-speed rail networks will take over from traditional railways.
Transportation Vocabulary Pronunciation
Transportation Vocabulary Set 8: Other vocabulary
to go on foot – to walk somewhere
- The restaurant was only a mile from our house and we decided to go on foot so that
we could all enjoy a bottle of wine and no-one had to worry about driving home.
pedestrian – a person who travels on foot
- Some areas of our city are for pedestrians only and vehicles aren’t allowed there.
to run a car – to own and drive a car
- It’s not really worth running a car if you live in the city as it’s easier and cheaper
to get around on public transport.
toll – money that you pay to use a particular road or bridge
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- Some countries charge motorway tolls but most of our motorways are free to travel
on.
a speeding fine – a sum of money that must be paid as punishment for driving faster
than legally allowed
- I was really cross with myself for getting a speeding fine but it was my own fault
for driving too fast.
Transportation Vocabulary Set 9: Idioms
bumper to bumper – very close together, as cars in a traffic jam
- The traffic is usually bumper to bumper when I take the kids to school.
beat the traffic – to leave early to avoid travelling when the roads are crowded
- Sharon left for the airport at 7.00 a.m. in order to beat the traffic.
hit the road – set out on a journey
- They hit the road early as they wanted to reach the holiday cottage by lunchtime.
hitch a lift / ride – to get a ride in someone else’s vehicle
If I miss the bus, I can usually hitch a lift with a colleague who lives a few streets
away from me.
IELTS-Style Speaking Test Questions and Answers
Common environment vocabulary is highlighted in bold.
Part 1
1) Do you think pollution is a big problem nowadays?
I think it’s a massive issue. It really worries me how much damage we are doing to
the natural environment, especially how we pollute the oceans with plastic waste
and release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
2) What do you do to prevent the environment from pollution?
I recycle as much rubbish as I can and I walk when possible rather than driving or
taking public transport in order to reduce my carbon footprint.
3) Are you worried about climate change?
Most definitely. In my country, the weather is changing because of global
warming and we get more bad storms than before. Governments and individuals
need to do more to combat climate change.
4) Do you use renewable energy?
Not at the moment. I wanted to change my house to solar power but the panels are
too expensive for me to buy so, unfortunately, I still use fossil fuels.
5) Do you take an interest in nature?
I love all wildlife. My garden is the perfect habitat for hedgehogs. They
are nocturnal but if I go out after dark with a torch I sometimes see one.
Part 2
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Describe an environmental problem you’ve heard about.
You should say:
 what it is
 how long it has existed
 how it affects people’s lives
and explain how you think the problem will develop in the future.
There are a number of serious environmental problems being covered by the media
at the moment but the one I’d like to talk about is the deforestation of vast areas of
rainforest to grow palm oil. I’m not sure when it started to become a concern
to environmentalist but I know that they’re increasingly worried about it.
This land clearance is on a huge scale and the forest is often just burned down. This
sends large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere which
contribute to global warming and climate change. This affects everyone on the
planet.
Just as important is the effect on the native wildlife. Deforestation to grow palm oil
in Borneo and Sumatra destroys the natural habitat of orang utans as well as many
other animals. Conservationistsestimate that unless the situation changes, the orang
utan and Sumatran tiger could become extinctin the wild in the next 5-10 years. In
fact, a third of all mammal species in Indonesia are thought to be
critically endangered because of this type of unsustainable development.
Furthermore, the oil palm plantations that replace the rich vegetation of the rainforest
support very low levels of biodiversity and create a totally a different ecosystem. I
don’t fully understand why the loss of biodiversity is such a problem but I did read
somewhere that it means that our food crops are more vulnerable to pest and diseases.
This could lead to serious food shortages in the future.
I think that the palm oil industry and its associated problems are going to be difficult
to change. Perhaps it’s consumers who can have the biggest impact by refusing to
buy products containing palm oil which is in around 40-50% of common household
products in many developed countries. In the UK, there’s already one major food
retailer that has promised to ban palm oil in its own products. This I really
encouraging and I hope other companies will do the same soon.
Part 3
1) What do you consider to be the most serious environmental issues in the
world today?
I’d say that global warming and climate change have to come top of the list because
these threaten the very future of life on our planet. There are many contributing
factors such as the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation for agriculture and due to
illegal logging, and large-scale livestock farming.
Another serious concern is for the marine life in our oceans which is under
serious threat from pollution, especially waste plastics. These kill or injure
thousands of sea creatures every day. Many species of wildlife are also being
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pushed to the verge of extinction by poaching. It’s shocking to think that beautiful
animals such as the tiger are dying out in the wild because of the actions of human
beings.
There are many other environmental problems that we need to solve but these are
the ones I believe to be the most serious.
2) Do you think it is the responsibility of governments alone to protect the
environment?
Not at all. It’s the responsibility of every individual to do their bit
to protect the environment. Of course, governments can do a lot to
address environmental issues through their policies and the laws they pass. I
certainly think that governments should put more pressure on industry to use clean
energy and to cut down on the emission of greenhouse
gases that pollute the atmosphere and add to global warming.
In my country, the government encourages people to live an environmentallyfriendly lifestyle by providing recycling services and facilities and
subsidising renewable energy by giving grants to people wanting to run their homes
on solar power. If more people took advantage of this, it would certainly help the
environment.
3) What measures can individuals take to protect the environment?
There are many ways that each of us can help to care for the natural environment.
Firstly, we can recycle as much of our rubbish as possible or, even better, cut down
on our use of disposable products.
Secondly, we can become more energy-efficient by insulating our homes, turning off
lights when they don’t need to be on and making short journeys by bicycle or on
foot rather than going by vehicle. Cutting down on car journeys also means fewer
polluting exhaust fumes entering the atmosphere.
Finally, we can make sure that we know about the major conservation issues our
world is currently facing. If we are well-informed then we can take action to bring
about change.
These are all measure we can take as individuals to help safeguard the environment.
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Music Vocabulary – Common Words & Phrases
Music Vocabulary Set 1: Key definitions
Set 1: Music genres
There are many different styles of music around the world. These are some of the
mainstream genres but do add others to your own music vocabulary list if there are
particular styles you like that aren’t included here.
music genre – a distinct type or style of music
- My favourite music genre is rap.
pop – popular music; music liked by a broad range of the population
- Pop songs are enjoyed by lots of different types of people because they have a good
rhythm, a catchy melody, and are easy to remember and sing along to.
rock music – music that is based on amplified instruments, especially the electric
guitar and electric bass, and characterized by a strong bass line and strong rhythms
- The Rolling Stones play some of the best rock music ever written.
heavy metal – a type of highly amplified harsh-sounding rock music with a strong
beat, characteristically using violent or fantasy imagery
- I like some rock music but find heavy metal a bit too loud.
rap – a type of music in which the words are not sung but are spoken in a rapid,
rhythmic way
- Whilst I’m not a great fan of rap music, I do think it’s amazing how they speak so
fast and remember the words.
country music – a form of popular music originating in the rural southern US. It is a
mixture of ballads and dance tunes played characteristically on fiddle, banjo, guitar,
and pedal steel guitar.
- There’s a great country music venue in my town where everyone dresses up as
cowboys when they go to gigs.
jazz – a style of music that is generally loud and rhythmic, where the musicians often
make the music up as they go along
- Louis Armstrong is still a popular jazz musician many decades after his death.
reggae – a form of music with a distinct beat that originated in Jamaica and is still
associated with the Caribbean
- Bob Marley was the first internationally known reggae musician.
blues – African-American music that expresses grief or sorrow about injustice and a
longing for a better life
- Did you know that the blues is named after the expression ‘to feel blue’ which
means to be sad or depressed?
Music Vocabulary Pronunciation
traditional music – songs and tunes particular to a country or region which have
been performed over a long period of time, usually several generations
- Traditional music is part of our culture and should be preserved.
folk – traditional music which included songs written a long time ago and new songs
written in the old style
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- We have some talented young folk musicians in my country who love performing
songs from the old days and writing new folk songs for our generation.
classical music – a form of music developed in Europe mainly in the 18th and
19th centuries by musicians highly skilled in musical composition
- I find that classical music really stirs up the emotions and I particularly enjoy
listening to Beethoven and Bach.
opera – a musical play, often very dramatic, in which most of the words are sung
- I’m not a fan of opera as I really don’t like the style of singing.
musical – a play or film that uses singing and dancing in the story but also includes a
lot of spoken dialogue
- Although there are lots of great new musicals being written, I still love West Side
Story the best.
instrumental music – music where you just hear instruments playing and there is no
singing
- I’m not happy when they play instrumental music on my favourite radio station as
I like to be able to sing along the lyrics.
easy listening – a type of music that is not complicated, is pleasant to listen and
doesn’t need much of your attention
- When I get home in the evening I put on some easy listening to help me relax after
a busy day.
background music – music that is playing while something else is happening
- My friend likes to have background music on while she’s studying but I need a
quiet place to work.
Music Vocabulary Set 2: Musical instruments & playing music
If there are any traditional musical instruments popular in your country that you
might want to talk about, add them to your own music vocabulary list.
instrument – something you play to make music
traditional instruments – a type of instrument that has been played for many
generations or that was popular in the past, often unique to a country or region
- A sitar is a traditional Indian musical instrument.
to take up (a musical instrument) – to begin learning a musical instrument
- I’m going to take up the guitar.
to read music – to understand and follow written musical notes
- I’m so glad I learnt to read music when I had piano lessons as a child because it
really helps me now that I sing in a choir.
to play by ear – to play without reading the musical notes
- Many talented musicians can’t even read music and only play by ear.
talented – to be naturally skilled at something
- I never got the hang of playing an instrument even though both my parents
are talented musicians.
to be musical – have a skill in or a great liking for music
- My friend Sally is very musical and can play several different instruments.
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self-discipline – the ability to make yourself do things you know you should do even
when you do not want to
- You need a lot of self-discipline to learn the piano as you have to practise every day
and play boring scales.
sense of accomplishment – to feel like you've achieved something you can be proud
of
- Bernie felt a real sense of accomplishment at passing his Grade 2 flute exam.
vocals – a part of a piece of music that is sung
- My parents met in a band. Dad was a guitarist and Mum sang vocals.
Music Vocabulary Pronunciation
Music Vocabulary Set 3: Musicians
musician – a person who plays a musical instrument, especially as a profession, or is
musically talented
- It was Jai’s ambition to be a professional musician and play in a famous orchestra.
bass player – someone who plays the bass
conductor – the person who leads the orchestra
guitarist – someone who plays the guitar
keyboard player – someone who plays the keyboard
pianist – someone who plays the piano
drummer – someone who plays the drums
cellist – someone who plays the cello
violinist – someone who plays the violin
vocalist – someone who sings
- Phil Collins was unusual in being both the drummer and lead vocalist in a band, the
famous Genesis.
choir – a group of singers singing together
- Lulu really enjoyed singing in the choir, especially when they performed at
concerts.
orchestra – a large group of musicians who play many different instruments together
and are led by a conductor
- Jason was delighted when he was asked to play violin in the school orchestra.
band – a group of people who sing together and also play instruments
- I was so excited to be asked to play bass guitar in the new band.
group – a collection of people who sing together but do not necessarily play
instruments
- All the groups performing in the contest were excellent and it was hard for the
judges to pick the best.
composer – a person who writes music, especially as a professional occupation
- My favourite classical composer is Mozart.
Music Vocabulary Pronunciation
Music Vocabulary Set 4: Live music
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a performance – the act of entertaining other people by dancing, singing, acting or
playing music
- The choir gave a wonderful performance at my sister’s wedding.
a gig – a performance of a band
- My new band is playing their first gig at the weekend.
a show – a performance, especially involving music
- I’m going to my kid’s school this evening to watch them perform in a show.
live music – music performed in front of an audience
- We have many clubs in my city and I often go along with friends to listen to live
music.
Collocations:
 live show
 live performance
 live gig
music festival – an organized event, typically lasting several days, featuring
performances by various musicians, singers and groups
- I try to go to at least one music festival each summer.
concert – a performance of music by one or more musicians or singers
- My orchestra is going to perform at a concert organized to raise money for charity.
stage – a raised platform on which musicians, actors or entertainers perform
- I felt nervous when I walked out on stage and saw the large audience waiting to
hear me sing.
venue – the place where a public event such as a concert happens
- The disused warehouse was the perfect venue for a rock concert.
Music Vocabulary Pronunciation
Music Vocabulary Set 5: Recorded music
recording / recorded music – music that has been stored on a record, CD, computer,
etc., so that it can be heard again
- I have recordings of many of my favourite bands stored on my computer.
MP3 player – an electronic device that can store and play digital audio files
- I always carry my MP3 player with me so that I can listen to music whenever I
want to.
headphones / earphones – an electronic device that fits over or in the ears for
listening to music
- I wear earphones to listen to music on my MP3 player while I’m out jogging.
album – a collection of recordings issued as a single item on CD, record or another
medium.
- I can’t wait for my favourite band’s new album to come out.
to download tracks – to obtain music from the internet
- I heard a great band at the gig last night and I’m going to download some of
their tracks.
speakers – a piece of electrical equipment for playing recorded sound, through which
the sound is played
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- The jazz album I got for my birthday sounds amazing through my new speakers.
Music Vocabulary Pronunciation
Music Vocabulary Set 6: Describing music & songs
a song – a usually short piece of music with words that are sung
- My favourite Ed Sheeran song is “Thinking Out Loud”.
lyrics – the words to a song
- Leonard Cohen wrote some of the best lyrics of all time and many artists still
perform his songs today.
a melody – the main tune in a piece of music that is often played or sung more than
once
- I had trouble picking up the melody of the new piece we started learning at choir
rehearsal today and will practise it at home.
a tune – the musical part of a song, especially one that is pleasant and easy to
remember
a catchy tune – a tune or a song that's easy to remember and stays in your mind so
that you find yourself humming or singing it
- I heard a really catchy tune of on my kid’s TV programme this morning and I’ve
been humming it all day.
piece of music – a musical composition, especially but not necessarily an
instrumental one
- My piano teacher has given me a new piece of music to learn before my next
lesson.
taste in music – the music someone likes
- My boyfriend and I have the same taste in music and go to live gigs whenever we
can.
rhythm – a regular, repeated pattern of sounds
- I love the rhythm of reggae music.
beat – a characteristic rhythm in some types of music
- Rap music has such a distinctive beat.
harmony – a pleasant musical sound made by different notes being played or sung at
the same time
- One of the reason I enjoy country music so much is because many songs have
lovely harmonies.
Music Vocabulary Pronunciation
to be out of tune – to play or sing slightly wrong notes
- My dad likes to sing along the radio but is so out of tune that it sounds terrible.
to be in tune – to play or sing with the correct pitch
- Before the performance, the guitarist tightenend the strings of his guitar so that it
was in tune.
to have a great voice – to sing well
- I think my friend should enter the singing competition as she has a great voice.
to be tone deaf – to be unable to distinguish the different notes in music
- I’d really like to able to sing but I'm tone deaf so I don’t think there’s much chance.
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chorus – a regularly repeated line or group of lines in a song
- The choir sang lots of well-known songs and encourages the audience to sing along
to the choruses.
upbeat – cheerful or lively
- If I’m feeling sad I put on some upbeat music and feel better almost at once.
nursery rhyme – a simple traditional song or poem for children
- I can still remember many of the nursery rhymes I learnt as a child.
lullaby – a quiet, gentle song sung to send a child to sleep
- If my baby wakes up in the night I just sing him a lullaby and he soon goes back to
sleep.
sing to sleep – to make someone feel sleepy by sing them a gentle song
- My mum used to sing us to sleep when we were young.
Music Vocabulary Pronunciation
Music Vocabulary Set 7: Music & the emotions
passionate – to feel strongly about something
- I’m passionate about playing the saxophone.
to cheer up – to cause to feel better
- Upbeat music always cheers me up if I’m feeling down.
relax / chill out – to become less tense or anxious
- After a stressful day at work, I lie in the bath listening to classical music as this
helps me to chill out.
energise – to make someone feel energetic or eager
- Reggae music energises me so that’s what I Iisten to when I feel sluggish and need
motivating.
Music Vocabulary Pronunciation
Music Vocabulary Set 8: Other music vocabulary
rock band – a group of musicians that play rock music
- One of the great things about living in Manchester is that all the top rock
bands perform here.
pop star – a famous singer or musician who performs pop music
- Many teenagers have the dream of being a pop star as they want to be rich and
famous.
famous – known about and recognized by many people
- The Beatles are one of the most famous bands ever to have existed.
frontman – lead singer of a band
- Roger Daltrey has been the frontman of The Who for over 50 years.
fan – a person who admires, supports or follows a person, band or team
- I’ve always been an Elvis Presley fan even though he died before I was born.
huge following – to have a large number of fans
- Modern pop stars have a huge following which they communicate with on social
media.
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to go on tour – to go on a planned series of performances around a region or country
- I hope my favourite band go on tour again soon as they put on an amazing live
show.
sellout – a performance or sports event for which no more tickets are available
because it’s so popular
- The Bruno Mars concerts were a sellout at every venue on the tour.
record company – a business that makes and sells musical recordings
- Our band is getting well-known across the country and we’re hopeful of getting
signed by a record company.
record label – a brand or trademark associated with the marketing of music
recordings and music videos
- You know you’ve hit the big time if you get signed up with one of the big record
labels such as Sony.
hit the big time – to become successful and/or famous
- After winning the TV talent show, Shelley hit the big time and was soon singing in
huge venues around the world.
a hit – to be popular; a record that sells lots of copies
- “Happy” was a massive hit for Pharrell Williams.
Music Vocabulary Pronunciation
the charts – a list of individual songs or musical performances ranked in order of
number of sales or downloads over a specific period of time which indicates their
popularity
- Ariana Grande’s new record is brilliant and I’m not surprised it’s made it to No.1
in the charts.
to sing along to – to join in singing
- My favourite songs in the charts are always the ones you can sing along to.
a sing-song – to sing informally, often with other people
- I have wonderful memories of my gran playing popular songs on the piano at family
get-togethers and everyone joining in for a sing-song.
music-lover – someone who really enjoys listening to music
- I can’t say I’m a great music-lover although I do enjoy listening to the radio when
I’m driving.
applause – approval or praise expressed by clapping the hands together
- The applause continued even after the band had left the stage.
 a round of applause – an outburst of clapping from an audience to show
approval
- The audience gave the choir an enthusiastic round of applause as they came on
to perform.
to be into / not into – to be interested in or involved with / to not be interested in
- I’m really into folk music but not into jazz at all.
to improvise – create and perform music, drama or verse spontaneously or without
preparation
- I don’t enjoy listening to jazz when it’s improvised as it sounds like the musicians
are all playing different tunes.
once in a blue moon – hardly ever
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- I’m definitely a music-lover but only go to live gigs once in a blue moon.
IELTS-Style Speaking Test Questions and Answers
Common music vocabulary is highlighted in bold.
Part 1
1) What types of music do you like to listen to?
It depends on what mood I’m in but generally, I like easy listening although I am a
massive fan of country music and play this genre more than any other.
2) Are there any kinds of music that you dislike?
I’m not really into jazz. It’s just not my taste in music, especially when
the musicians improvise. It sounds like they are all playing different tunes and
there’s no harmony.
3) Do you ever go to music gigs?
I love listening to live music and go to local gigs at least once a month. I only go
to concerts by top bands once in a blue moon as I live a long way from the big
music venues.
4) Have you ever been in a music group or a band?
I was a vocalist in my church music group for several years and also sang in
the choir when I was in school.
5) Does your country have a traditional type of music or dance?
Folk music and Morris dancing are both traditional in the UK. The music for this
type of dancing is often played on the fiddle and accordion, with a drum to give the
dancers a good rhythm and beat.
Part 2
Describe your favourite music group or band.
You should say:
 what group or band is it
 what type of music they play
 how long you have been listening to their songs
and explain why you like this music group or band.
I like many different groups but the one that comes top of my list has to be Bruce
Springsteen and the E Street Band.
I first heard their music way back in 1980. I had a boyfriend who had one of
their albums and I was a fan from the first track I heard. I’ve been listening to them
ever since. The song that really hooked me was “The River”. It’s still one of my
favourite songs of all time. It has a slow, haunting melody and beautiful lyrics.
In those days, very few people in my country had heard of Bruce Springsteen but all
these
years
later
his band are
often on
tour here
and
they
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play sellout concerts around the world. His nickname is “The Boss” which shows
how much people respect him and his great music.
Although the E Street Band are essentially a rock band, there are strong influences
of folk, rock and roll, blues and country in their music which helps then appeal to a
wide audience.
I was once given two tickets to one of the band’s concerts at Cardiff Arms Park
rugby stadium; a great venue. They were a Christmas present and I took my sister
along with me. It’s the only time I’ve seen them at a live gig but it’s an event I shall
never forget. What a wonderful experience. We sang along to all the songs.
The highlight of the show was when they performed “The River. At the end,
the band stopped playing and Bruce led the audience in singing the chorus over and
over again. It was amazing and a very special moment. I actually found it quite
moving as that was the song that had started me as a fan all those years ago and there
I was singing it with him. There was silence when it finally ended and then
the applause started and went on for what seemed like forever.
It’s hard to put in words why I like Bruce Springsteen and his band so much. I think
it’s because their lyrics are so real while most of the songs have a strong melody that
stirs your soul. That’s the best way I can put it.
Part 3
1) Is it important to listen to music with other people?
I think that listening to music can be both a social experience and a personal one.
Young people in particular like chilling out with friends while listening to their
favourite tracks. There’s also something special about attending a live gig with your
mates and singing along to the familiar tunes with all the other fans.
I’ve only ever been to a couple of music festivals but what I remember as much as
the bands and the fantastic music was the atmosphere of the events and that was
created by all the people who were there.
On the other hand, you can enjoy music just as much when listening on your own.
The fact that everywhere you look there are people walking around
wearing earphones or headphone seems to be proof of this. So, in conclusion, I
would say that while it’s nice to share music with others, it’s not especially
important.
2) Why do you think older and younger generations prefer different types of
music?
That’s something I’ve never really thought about but I suppose it’s because they grew
up listening to different types of music as styles change over time.
Speaking for myself, there are many talented new bands and singers that I enjoy
listening to. I often buy their albums and download them onto my MP3 player, but
there’s nothing quite like the music I loved when I was in my teens. Perhaps it’s as
much to do with the memories it brings back as the music itself.
That’s how I see it and I guess that many other people probably feel the same.
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3) Do you think that music should be a compulsory subject in schools?
I do believe that music should be taught in schools. This is for several reasons.
Firstly, it’s important to develop children’s creativity and music is a great way to do
this. They should be encouraged to learn to play a musical instrument, but it’s
valuable if they just enjoy learning and singing a few songs together.
Secondly, making music is an excellent way of teaching youngster how to work
together in a fun way and most of them enjoy performing to their friends.
Finally, most schools put on concerts and other musical performances. Taking part
in these gives children confidence and they are an important part of the curriculum.
While older children may drop the subject for exams, having
school choirs and orchestras provides other opportunities for them to continue their
interest in music.
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Family Vocabulary – Common Words & Phrases
Family Vocabulary Set 1: Types of Family
family – a group of people who are related to each other
- Mohit was very nervous when he met his girlfriend’s family for the first time.
immediate family – your closest relations, such as your parents, children, husband or
wife
- My immediate family are my dad, mum and two sisters.
nuclear family – parents and their children
- The average nuclear family in the US is made up of parents and two children.
extended family – a family unit that includes grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts, and
uncles, etc. in addition to parents and children
- I have a large extended family with many nieces, nephews and cousins.
dysfunctional family – a family that is not behaving or working normally, where
there is conflict, misbehaviour, etc.
- Cynthia came from a dysfunctional family and could often be seen wandering the
street on her own when she was young.
Family Vocabulary Pronunciation
Family Vocabulary Set 2: Family Members - General Terms
family member – someone who belongs to a specific family
- I have family members living all over the world.
to be related to – to belong to the same family as
- I’m related to many people in my village as my family has lived here for
generations.
a relative – someone who is part of your family
- We are going to visit relatives who live on the coast for our holiday this year.
blood relative – someone you are related to through birth rather than marriage
- Aunty Sylvia is my blood relative but Uncle George, her husband, is only related to
me by marriage.
distant relative – generally, a relative who is a third cousin or greater, or a great aunt
or uncle, especially when you have little or no involvement with him or her.
- A member of my family died last week but they were a distant relative and I didn’t
know them very well.
next of kin – the person or group of people you are most closely related to
- When you apply for a passport, you have to name your next of kin in case there is
an emergency while you are away travelling.
descendants – a person who is related to you and who lives after you, such as your
child or grandchild, and all future generations
ancestors – family members from past generations
- I’m writing my autobiography so that my descendants will know what life was like
for one of their ancestors.
household – all the people who live in one house
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- There are now only three people in my household as my older brother has gone
away to university.
Family Vocabulary Pronunciation
Family Vocabulary Set 3: Immediate family
father – a man in relation to his child or children
mother – a woman in relation to her child or children
parent – father or mother
husband – the male partner in a marriage; a married man
wife – the female partner in a marriage; a married woman
spouse – a husband or wife
son – a person’s boy child
daughter – a person’s girl child
brother – a male who has the same parents as another person
sister – a female who has the same parents as another person
big brother / older brother (or sister) – older than you
little sister / younger sister (or brother) – younger than you
- I have two younger sisters but I do wish I had an older brother.
sibling – a brother or sister
- I have three siblings, two brothers and a sister.
twin – either of two children born to the same mother on the same occasion
- My sister has just given birth to twins, a boy and a girl.
identical twins – twins who look exactly the same
- I have an identical twin brother and even our parents find it difficult to tell us apart.
an only child – a child who doesn’t have any brothers or sisters
- It can be lonely being an only child as you don’t have siblings to play with.
Family Vocabulary Pronunciation
Family Vocabulary Set 4: Extended family
uncle – the brother of your mother or father
aunt – the sister of your mother or father
nephew – the male child of your brother or sister
niece – the female child of your brother or sister
cousin – a child of your uncle or aunt
grandparents – the parents of your parents
grandfather – the father of your mother or father
grandmother – the mother of your father or mother
grandchildren – the children of your children
grandson – the son of your son or daughter
granddaughter – the daughter of your son or daughter
Family Vocabulary Pronunciation
Family Vocabulary Set 5: In-laws
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in-laws – the relatives of your husband or wife
- When we were first married, we couldn’t afford a place of our own so lived with
the in-laws.
mother-in-law – mother of your spouse
- Many people don’t get on with their mother-in-law but mine is really nice.
father-in-law – father of your spouse
- My father-in-law offered me a job in the family business so he is also my boss.
son-in-law – the husband of your daughter
- I didn’t like Amir when I first met him but he’s a great son-in-law and helps me out
whenever I need it.
daughter-in-law – the wife of your son
- We are very happy that our son has decided to marry Zehra and look forward to her
becoming our daughter-in-law.
brother-in-law – the husband of your sister
- My brother-in-law is lazy and not a very good husband to my sister.
sister-in-law – the wife of your brother
- I often help my sister-in-law to look after my baby niece.
Family Vocabulary Pronunciation
Family Vocabulary Set 6: Stepfamilies
step – in the context of family relationships, ‘step’ means that you are related to the
person because of one of your parents marries one of their parents
stepmother – the wife of your father, but not your biological mother
stepfather – the husband of your mother, but not your biological father
stepson – the son of your new wife or husband, but not your biological son
stepdaughter – the daughter of your new wife or husband, but not your biological
daughter
stepsister – the daughter of your stepmother or stepfather
stepbrother – the son of your stepmother or stepfather
half-brother – a brother you have only one parent in common with
half-sister – a sister you have only one parent in common with
Family Vocabulary Pronunciation
Family Vocabulary Set 7: Parenting
parent – a person's father or mother
- I’m glad that my parents live close by as it’s easy to visit them.
motherhood – the state of being a mother
- I’d like to have children one day but I’m not ready for motherhood yet.
fatherhood – the state of being a father
- Sakda is taking the responsibilities of fatherhood seriously and now only goes out
drinking with his friends once a month.
to start a family – to have children
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- Billy and I are planning to start a family as soon as we get married.
to give birth – to have a baby
- It was a special moment in Cesar’s life when he saw his wife giving birth to their
first child.
offspring – a person's child or children
- My two sisters are coming over later with their offspring so the house is going to be
very noisy.
family man – a man who enjoys being at home with his wife and children
- Deepak used to love partying but now that he has kids he’s become a real family
man.
family life – the kind of life a person normally leads when they are married and have
children
- My husband and I enjoy doing lots of activities with our children and we all have a
great family life together.
to raise (a child) – to take care of a child until they become an adult
- It’s a big responsibility raising children but I love being a parent.
to bring up (a child) – to raise a child
- When Jae-min’s husband died, she was left to bring up the children on her own.
upbringing – the way in which you are treated and educated when young, especially
by your parents
- I was fortunate to have a good upbringing but not all children have caring parents
who look after them well and teach them the right way to behave.
to support (a family) – to have enough money to be able to look after a family
- Egor earned very low wages and had to work two jobs to support his family.
Family Vocabulary Pronunciation
breadwinner – the member of a family who earns most of the money that the family
needs
- In many countries, men are expected to be the breadwinner in a family.
dependant – someone who depends on you for financial support, such as a child or
family member who does not work
- I‘m working hard to get a promotion and earn more money now that I’m a husband
and a father and have dependants who rely on me.
to adopt – to legally take another person's child into your own family and take care
of them as your own child
- Paul and Siri were unable to have children of their own and decided to adopt a
baby.
to foster – to take care of someone else’s child, usually for a limited time, without
becoming the child's legal parent
- Even though I’m an only child, I always had other boy’s and girl’s to play with
when I was growing up as mum and dad often used to foster other children.
over-protective parents – a parent who protect their child too much
- Overprotective parents can prevent their children from building confidence and
independence.
spoilt child – a child who shows bad behaviour because they have been allowed to do
or have anything they want
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- I don’t like playing with the girl next door because she’s a spoilt child and gets in a
temper if I don’t let her win all the games.
single parent – a person bringing up a child or children without a partner
- My sister is a single parent now that her husband has left her.
stay at home parent / stay at home mum – a parent who stays at home to take care
of their children rather than going out to work
- These days, it’s far more usual for men to be a stay-at-home parent than when I
was young when it was always the mother who looked after the kids.
to look after – to take care of
- I’m going to look after my daughter’s children on Saturday while she has a day out
with her friends.
childcare – the care of children, especially by a crèche, nursery or childminder while
parents are working
- Childcare is a big problem for many working parents and they are lucky if their
own parents can help out.
strict – strongly limiting someone's freedom to behave as they wish, or likely to
severely punish someone if they do not obey
- My parents are very strict with me and I have to finish all my homework before I’m
allowed to play or watch TV.
authoritarian – demanding that people obey completely and refusing to allow them
the freedom to act as they wish
- My father was very authoritarian when I was growing up and I was terrified of
him.
Family Vocabulary Pronunciation
Family Vocabulary Set 8: The Generations
generation – all the people of about the same age within a society or within a
particular family
- It’s hard to believe how much everyday life has changed for my
grandparent’s generation.
older generation – people of middle-age and older
younger generation – young adults, teenagers and children
- The older generation are often stuck in their ways, while the younger
generation welcome change.
generation gap – a difference of opinions between one generation and another
regarding beliefs and attitudes, often leading to a lack of understanding between them
- It’s a skilled politician who can bridge the generation gap.
teenager – a person aged between 13 and 19 years
- My lovely little boy turned into a rebellious monster when he was a teenager but
now he’s a lovely young man.
adolescent – a young person who is developing into an adult
- Many adolescents develop emotional problems as they try to find their place in the
world.
Family Vocabulary Pronunciation
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Family Vocabulary Set 9: Other vocabulary
sibling rivalry – the feeling of competitiveness that often exists between brothers
and sisters
- There was huge sibling rivalry between my two brothers and they were always
fighting but they are the best of friends now that they’re adults.
run in the family – a common feature in a family; something which is passed from
parents to children
- Artistic ability seems to run in the family.
hereditary – passed from the genes of a parent to a child
- Diabetes is hereditary in our family so I make sure that I eat healthily and keep fit
to lessen my chances of getting it.
childhood – the time when someone is a child
- Many children in the world do not have a happy childhood.
family background – the details of a person's family regarding education, social
status, etc.
- We want our son to marry a girl from a good family background.
family gathering / family get-together – an informal event where family members
meet up
- We’re having a family get-together to celebrate my mother’s birthday.
close-knit – involving groups of people in which everyone supports each other
- We’re a close-knit family and know that we can rely on each other when one of us
needs help.
family ties – the sense of connection between family members
- Family ties aren’t as strong as they used to be in my country because relatives often
live many miles apart and even in different countries.
to care for – to provide the things someone needs, especially someone who is young,
old, or ill
- In my country, sons and daughters are expected to care for their elderly parents.
a widow – a woman whose husband has died
- Her husband died young and she has been a widow for almost thirty years now.
a widower – a man whose wife has died
- My mother died last year so my father is now a widower.
to desert – to leave someone without help or in a difficult situation and not come
back
- My father deserted us when I was young and my mother has brought me up on her
own.
Family Vocabulary Pronunciation
Family Vocabulary Set 10: Idioms
There are many idioms about the family but I’ve chosen just a few that might prove a
useful addition to your family vocabulary. Pick only one or two to learn and make
sure that you know how to use them 100% or they won’t make sense.
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If you’re unsure about them, give them a miss rather than risking sounding silly.
get on with / get along with – to like someone and have a friendly relationship with
them
- I used to fight with my siblings when we were young but I get on with them really
well now that we’re adults.
to fall out with / to have a falling out – to have a disagreement which ruins a
relationship with that person
- I fell out with my sister when she started dating my boyfriend.
- The two brothers had a falling out over the broken toy.
on speaking terms – friendly enough to talk
- My parents had a big argument and are not on speaking terms at the moment.
to look alike – to look very similar to someone else
- My twin sister and I look alike and people often call us by each other’s names.
to take after (someone) – to be very similar to an older family member
- Mila was excellent at drawing. She took after her mother who was a famous artist.
a chip off the old block – the person is very similar (in character and personality) to
one of their parents
- Sanjay is always cracking jokes, just like his father. He’s a real chip off the old
block.
to follow in someone’s footsteps – to do the same thing as someone else did
previously, especially someone in your family
- I want to follow in my father’s footsteps and become a doctor like he is.
spitting image – to look extremely similar to someone
- Cher is the spitting image of her mother.
wears the trousers – to be the person in a family who holds the authority and makes
decisions
- My dad likes to thinks that he’s in charge but it’s my mother who wears the
trousers in our house.
black sheep (of the family)– someone who brings shame to their family by being
different or doing something wrong
- My brother first started getting into trouble with the police when he was a teenager
and he’s become the black sheep of the family.
IELTS-Style Speaking Test Questions and Answers
Common family vocabulary is highlighted in bold.
Part 1
1) How many people are there in your immediate family?
Four people make up my immediate family – my dad, my sister and my
two bothers. They all live close to me except for my youngest brother who moved
away because of his work.
2) Do you get along well with your family?
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Most definitely. I used to argue with my brothers and sister a lot when we were. It
was sibling rivalryI guess but we get on really well now.
3) Which member of your family are you closest to?
I’d have to say my sister but we’re a close-knit family and we all get along just
great.
4) How much time do you spend with your family?
We used to go to my parent’s house for Sunday tea every few weeks but since
my mother died, my oldest brother, my sister and I take turns to spend
time supporting our father. This means that we don’t all get together so often.
However, we still have family gatherings on special occasions.
5) When did you last have a family party?
Just a few weeks ago. It was for my father’s birthday. We had a get-together at his
house and we all took along cakes and snacks to share.
Part 2
Describe a family celebration that you attended.
You should say:
 where this celebration was held
 why it was held
 what you did at the event
and explain what you enjoyed about the celebration.
One of the most memorable family events of recent years was
my father’s 80th birthday. We wanted to have a special celebration for him but
decided to keep it a secret so as to surprise him on the day.
My youngest brother, who lives two and a half hours drive away from the rest of
my immediate family, told Dad that he’d come down with his family so we could all
go out for a meal together. What we actually did was to invite members of
our extended family to come as well without my fatherknowing. Most of them live a
long way away, like in London or Scotland, so we don’t see them very often. They
came down the day before and stayed in local hotels.
There was a lot to arrange and it was difficult to sort everything without Dad
guessing what we were up to. There were several times when I thought he must know
something was going on but was just playing along and pretending he didn’t.
We booked a table at a local restaurant and on the day, my sister decorated it with
balloons and other party bits and pieces. It looked amazing. It was a very long table
as in the end there were more than twenty family members at the meal. So, as well
as
my parents and
my siblings,
there
were
alsonieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins. I think it was probably the
biggest family gatheringwe’d ever had.
We arranged for Dad and Mum to be the last to arrive so that everyone else could be
seated at the table waiting for them. I’ll never forget Dad’s face when he walked into
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the restaurant. He hadn’t guessed what we were arranging and it was a real surprise to
him to see everyone there.
We had a lovely meal together but the best thing was spending time with all
our relatives. It made me realize what a close-knit family we are even though we
don’t see each other very often. I think that Dad enjoyed it too and I hope it showed
him how much he means to our whole family.
Part 3
1) In what ways can people in a family be similar to each other?
Both immediate and extended family members often have a lot of similarities. For
example, they can look alike. My brother Steve is the spitting image of
our cousin Peter, while my sister takes after our mother in the way she both looks
and talks.
Also, relatives may be good at the same things or do similar types of work. Most of
my extended family are either teachers or scientists.
Specific interests often run in the family. In my family, we all love the outdoors and
nature, particularly the older generation. Younger family members do like to go out
walking as well but now that my nieces and nephews are all teenagers, they spend a
lot of time on their electronic gadgets.
The final way that people in a family can be alike is in their personality, and
especially in their sense of humour.
2) In terms of personality, are people influenced more by their family or by their
friends?
In my opinion, personality is mostly hereditary. I think that the main traits of a
person’s character are passed down from parents to their offspring. Some people are
more like their father, others more like their mother but most of us can recognise
characteristics of both parents in our own personality. For example, I’m quiet like
my dad and have my mum’s creativity.
How children are raised also affects the way they think, feel and behave as they grow
up. Kids from a happy, stable family background generally have a normal
personality. However, an unhappy childhood, which may include some form of
abuse, will definitely affect a child’s mental development and their character later in
life.
This suggests that personality can change so it’s probably true that the people we
spend time with as friends and colleagues also influence the way we think, feel and
behave. However, I don’t think that they alter our deepest character.
So in conclusion, I’d say that an understanding of personality is quite complex and
involves both hereditary and social factors.
3) How has the role of elderly people in the family changed in recent times?
In the past, the older generation was highly respected in most cultures. They were
considered to be wise because of all the things they’d learnt in their long lives.
Elderly family members would have been family leaders, teachers and spiritual
127
guides to the younger generation. They helped to maintain the structure and stability
of the family.
One of their most important roles was to pass on the old traditions and to maintain
traditional culture. The other vital job they did, especially the grandmothers, was to
provide childcare for their grandchildren. They would certainly have played an
important role in their upbringing.
In my country, most of this changed when it became normal for adult children to
move away to study and get better jobs. Family ties are no longer so strong and
elderly people aren’t respected as they once were. Grandparents aren’t the people
we usually go to for advice these days. To be honest, many elderly people don’t have
a significant role in most families any more. However, many do still look
after the grandchildren if they live close to them.
128
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