IELTS Speaking Band Score 8.0 Vocabulary
IELTS Speaking Band Score 8.0 Vocabulary
0 Vocabulary with
answers.
PART 2:
The examiner may ask you to talk about the clothes you like to wear or your
answers below and pay attention to the phrases in bold. Use the
‘Definitions’ section at the bottom of the page to check the meaning of any
Pedro: I used to … yes … like most young people I was a bit of a slave to
fashion and I’d always have to buy that must-have shirt or pair of shoes …
something old fashioned but I’m not as bothered as I used to be about what I
wear …
Marco: I prefer casual clothes actually … I hate getting dressed up for special
but that’s my opinion … I don’t think my wife would call me a fashion icon
that’s for sure …
Sylvia: Yes … there are lots in my town … apart from the big chain stores
we’ve got a couple of really nice shops that sell vintage clothes … old clothes
but in a classic style that never really go out of fashion … I love going there …
Describe someone you know who dresses well. You should say
Tomoko: I’d like to talk about one of my teachers … Miss Evans … she
what she’s going to wear when our lessons start … she’s always very well
dressed and takes a lot of pride in her appearance … it’s not that she
dresses in very smart clothes … she doesn’t come to school dressed to kill or
anything like that … but what she wears really suits her … and she has a great
sense of style as well … we often ask her where she gets some of her clothes
and most of the time they’re just off the peg … and she says she’s not
interested in designer labels or anything like that … she doesn’t seem too
concerned about keeping up with the latest fashion … she just wears clothes
that are timeless … yes … Miss Evans is the person I think looks great in the
Examiner: What factors do you think affect the clothes we choose to wear?
you are going out to a club or party you’re going to dress for the occasion …
and then there are those who think it’s important to look like they’re on
trend … they’ll want to wear the latest fashions … there are lots of factors
really …
should be wearing?
Martin: I suppose the big fashion houses and fashion shows must have an
effect but the clothes you see on the catwalk don’t always reflect what
normal people wear … so I suppose it will be things like what singers are
Corinna: I’m sure it is … yes … I suppose it’s about having an eye for what
looks good … knowing how to mix and match different items of clothing that go
well together … I think you can pick up great bargains in charity shops …
Definitions
clothing
to dress for the occasion: to wear clothes suitable for a particular event
fashionable: in fashion
clothes
fashion show: an event where modals show off the latest in fashion
designs
special
to have a sense of style: the ability to wear clothes that look stylish
demand
on the catwalk: the stage that modals walk along to show off the latest
fashions
a slave to fashion: someone who always feel the need to wear the latest
fashions
During the IELTS Speaking exam you may be asked to talk about someone’s
answers below and pay attention to the phrases in bold. Use the
‘Definitions’ section at the bottom of the page to check the meaning of any
Paula: Everyone tells me I take after my mum as I’m quite laid-back … I think
I’m good company but you should ask my friends if they agree …
Manuel: I seem to be attracted to introverts … not people who are painfully shy
but most of my friends are a little reserved … and I think that’s what I’m
like …
Mira: I think my brother and I are very similar … I’d say we’re fun-loving and
tend to be a bit extroverted … my brother is certainly the life and soul of the
Describe a teacher you once had who you enjoyed being taught by. You
should say
and describe what it was about their character that you liked.
Thomas … this was a few years ago now and she was my teacher at a time
when I was getting a little bored with being at school … unlike some of the
other teachers Miss Thomas never lost her temper … she was very calm and
easy-going … she was also very broad-minded … we were able to ask her
questions about lots of subjects that some other teachers would refuse to
discuss which made us respect her even more … she had a great sense of
humour too … she’d laugh at our jokes as well as making us laugh … and
she would also bend over backwards to help us with our work … she always
put us first and often stayed around at the end of class to talk with anyone who
needed help … apparently she was highly respected within her field but you
would never know as she was the type that hid her light under a bushel … she
was very modest and self-effacing … so yes … Miss Thomas was a teacher I
have fond memories of …
our children?
self-assured … I really believe that people who feel good about themselves
are in a good position to face what life has to offer them … and I’d hope they
person?
Marianne: Well … people who are very narrow-minded are difficult to get on
with … it’s nice when someone is open to other people’s opinion and willing
to think about their own views … and people who are two-faced can be a little
irritating … relationships are built on trust and without honesty there’s not
much left …
Examiner: Which personality types do you think are less likely to suffer from
stress or anxiety?
Sol: Probably people who are thick-skinned … who don’t let people or
problems affect them too much … and if you are fair-minded you’ ll be less
to be the life and soul of the party : a fun person, someone who is the
centre of activity
to hide one’s light under a bushel: to hide one’s talents and skills
reserved: shy
self-assured: confident
two-faced: not honest or sincere. Will say one thing to someone to their
During the IELTS Speaking exam you may be asked to talk about the subject
of business. This might involve describing a business you know well or talking
about your own ambitions. Read the following IELTS-style questions and
answers below and pay attention to the phrases in bold. Use the
‘Definitions’ section at the bottom of the page to check the meaning of any
cosmetics … I set up the business 5 years ago and I’m really enjoying
Kaori: I don’t think I’d enjoy working for a big company … I think I’d like to
would be but I think I’d enjoy the process of drawing up a business plan and
used to be a busy centre but lots of shops have gone bust … it must be very
difficult to make a profit when you have huge supermarkets in the area and a
Describe a business you know that you admire. You should say
I’d like to do something similar in the future … it’s a small niche business
that runs courses in how to cook … especially bread … the owner uses his
kitchen for the courses and went into business with a local community shop
and sells a lot of the bread and cakes they make in the shop … I first got to
hear about the business last year … my wife paid for me to do one of the
baking courses and I got to know the owner during the training … it’s a
expand into new areas … he’s happy earning a living doing the thing he
loves … I really admire what he does and I’m sure a lot of people would love
to do something similar … he has a web presence … in fact that’s how we
got to find out about his company … and he uses social media to raise the
company profile … but he’s the only person involved in running the business
that must make it really satisfying … as long as he’s managing to balance the
books and the cash flow is healthy I’m sure he must be very pleased with
Marion: I suppose it’s the idea of being in control of your own destiny … or of
believing in a product or service idea you may have … plus it must be very
Hiro: Well … obviously you need to have a good idea … some people say you
wants … if you don’t do this you could go under … and if it is a good idea the
chances are someone else is doing the same thing so you could end up facing
stiff competition …
Examiner: What are some of things you have to do when running your own
business that might not appeal to everyone?
Katy: Personally i don’t like being in debt so taking out a business loan
wouldn’t suit me at all … and I know a lot of companies do cold calling to try
people off if the business gets into trouble … that would be horrible …
Definitions
to balance the books: to not spend more money than you are earning
to cold call: to make a sales call to someone without asking them for
permission first
cut throat competition: when one company lowers its prices, forcing
becomes unprofitable
unsuccessful
business
employment
to make a profit: to earn more money than it costs to run the business
area of work
individual or company
During the IELTS Speaking exam you may want to talk about what people look
like. This might involve describing their physical appearance or the type of
clothes they like to wear. Read the following IELTS-style questions and
answers below and pay attention to the phrases in bold. Use the
‘Definitions’ section at the bottom of the page to check the meaning of any
Carlo: No … not at all … take my brother for example … he has short cropped
hair and has quite a pointed face … he’s also quite fair-skinned compared to
me …
Andrea: My father’s getting on a bit … he’s in his 60s … but he looks very
young for his age … he still does lots of exercise and is quite well-built …
Mandy: She’s the same age as me … she has shoulder-length hair … fair
Monique: OK … I’d like to talk about my aunt … her name’s Marta and
appearance … she’s a little overweight I suppose but not too much … she
has a friendly round face framed by thick blonde hair … she has a lovely
complexion and she’s always well-turned out … she actually always looks
like she’s going out for the evening to somewhere special … there’s never
a hair out of place … I’ve always thought she bears a striking resemblance to
and always seems to have a different pair on every time I see her … I like the
way she looks because she wears clothes that are right for her age and
yes … I’ll be happy if I look like her when I’m her age …
Mark: It depends where you’re going … I know some people get done up just
to go to the shops … but I don’t see the point … you shouldn’t go out
looking scruffy with disheveled hair but I really don’t see the point in getting
Examiner: Do people worry too much about their appearance as they get older?
all go grey eventually and get hard of hearing … we start to lose our figure …
grow old gracefully and not worry too much about how we look …
Phoebe: I’d like to say no … it shouldn’t matter what we look like in terms of
taken more seriously if they are good looking with a slender figure with perfect
make up and so on …
Definitions
to grow old gracefully: to act in a way that embraces the fact you are
getting older
to look young for your age: to look younger than you are
to lose one’s figure: to have a figure that has lost its toned shape
further
slender figure: a figure that is tall and slim
to be well-built: to be muscular
In the IELTS Speaking exam you may be called upon to showcase your
questions and answers below and pay attention to the phrases in bold. Use the
‘Definitions’ section at the bottom of the page to check the meaning of any
we have all the facilities you need … good public transport … a good shopping
Andrea: Yes I do … I like going out with my friends and there are lots of lively
culture vulture as well so it’s great to have access to art exhibitions and that
kind of thing …
Mandy: Not really no … I live in the inner-city and the area is a little run
down … it’s basically a lot of high-rise flats and many of the shops are
Describe an interesting town or city in your country that visitors might enjoy.
Monique: Anyone who comes to my country really should spend some time
in Barcelona … it’s a beautiful place … it’s not what you would call a
sprawling city … it’s quite compact really and you could walk across the city
public transport system so it’s easy to get around … there are various
districts all with their own character … you have the upmarket shops in the
centre … you’ll find lots of chain stores you’ll recognise from your own
country but also local brands as well … we have the narrow streets in the
there’s the Olympic area and the beaches along the coast … and dotted
around the city are some lovely public spaces … parks and squares in the city
centre and on the outskirts of Barcelona where people relax with their friends
and family … and of course pavement cafes everywhere … all that and some
Carrie: I think it’s having access to local facilities really … local shops as well
as access to larger shopping malls in the city centre … and if you’re well-off
you can afford to live in the suburbs away from the busy traffic …
Mary: Some can be yes … especially those with a historical interest … but
sometimes they’re full of ugly office blocks … multi-story car parks … and
Examiner: What are some of the challenges facing towns and cities?
out-of-town supermarkets and retail parks mean lots of town centre shops are
closing down … plus a shortage of good quality housing … I think these are
Definitions
inner-city: the central part of a city where people live and where
in the suburbs: the outer area of large towns and cities where people
live
public spaces: areas in a town or city that are open to the public
public transport system: public vehicles such as buses and trains that
sprawling city: a city that has grown over time and which covers a wide
area
or city
In the IELTS Speaking exam you may be asked questions about the music you
listen to or instruments you play. Read the following IELTS-style questions and
answers below and pay attention to the phrases in bold. Use the
‘Definitions’ section at the bottom of the page to check the meaning of any
instrument … I’d love to be able to play the guitar … but I think I’m a bit
Marco: I’m really into live music … I go to a lot of music festivals … I think a
Millie: Well … I’m a little older than most students and when I was young
Abba the Swedish pop group were very famous … I don’t think it was cool to
like them even though they had a huge following but I think now people have
realised what wonderful songs they wrote … one piece of music in particular
it … it’s a song for parents and it’s all about how quickly our children grow
up … it’s a slow number and like a lot of their songs it’s a very catchy
tune … the two women in Abba had great voices and it’s the kind of music
you can also sing along to easily … even if you don’t have a great voice … I
listen to Abba when I feel like a sing-song … and I especially like to listen when
I’m doing the housework … it stops me thinking about the hard work …
Thomas: On the one hand it’s good for marketing new musical talent or
particular bands but it’s so easy to share and download tracks for free I think
sciences at school?
mean making children read music … but I do think they should be encouraged
to play instruments and to play things by ear perhaps … to keep the lessons
fun …
Sally: In lots of ways or places … as background music when they are doing
discos …
Definitions
happening
a catchy tune: a song that is easy to remember and makes you want to
sing it
classical music: music that is regarded as part of a long, formal tradition
region or country
days
a pop group: a small group of people who play or sing pop music
together
In the IELTS Speaking exam you may be asked questions about the topic of
‘the weather’, perhaps the weather in your country or when you’ve travelled to
other countries. Read the following IELTS-style questions and answers below
and pay attention to the phrases in bold. Use the ‘Definitions’ section at the
bottom of the page to check the meaning of any phrases you don’t understand.
Katie: It’s quite changeable really … we have periods of time with clear blue
Ernst: Well … I suppose it’s a matter of personal taste really … I like it around
the end of October and November … I’m not fond of the heatwaves we often
get during the summer … it’s not freezing cold during these months and we still
Junko: It depends … if I get caught in the rain and I get drenched I don’t like
should say
Cornwall in the UK … we’d been enjoying lovely sunny days … not a cloud in
the sky … when all of a sudden there was a change in the weather … we were
in town walking around the shops when it started to pour down … I’d never
seen such heavy rain before … within about 10 minutes the roads were full of
water … I think they call it a flash flood … it was like being in the middle of
forecast hadn’t predicted it so everyone was taken by surprise … I’m not sure
you could call it ‘extreme’ weather as a few hours later it started to clear
up … the sun came out and slowly the water level went down … but a lot of
people’s houses were flooded so it would have been extreme for them … I
Tierre: Absolutely … yes … I don’t mind the occasional cold spell but I think
the winter months can make you feel down. I hate having to leave the house in
the winter … there’s often a thick fog every morning and we sometimes
get bitterly cold winds … the winter certainly makes me feel a little
depressed … though having said that … it’s always nice to see the town
Ceri: I don’t know if it’s due to global warming or not but the weather in my
country is certainly changing … we’ve been getting quite mild winters lately …
the temperatures are sometimes below freezing but only occasionally … and
then during the summer it can get boiling hot with a lot of older people even
Sinita: Well … if you’re planning a trip or going on holiday it’s important to know
know what the long-range forecast is so they can plan their work … I suppose
people who organize outside events need to know as well in case things
get rained off.
Definitions
to come out (the sun): when the sun appears out of a cloudy sky
wintry conditions
ahead
tropical storm: a storm typical of ones that you find in tropical climates
It’s possible the examiner may ask you questions about your shopping
habits in the IELTS Speaking exam. Read the following IELTS-style questions
and answers below and pay attention to the phrases in bold. Use the
‘Definitions’ section at the bottom of the page to check the meaning of any
Maxine: When I can afford it yes … my college is in the city center and I do a
Jenny: We’ve got a few local shops nearby and a few independent stores but
none of the big high street names … I have to go into town for them …
Marco: It depends … I hate it when the sales are on … crowds of people all
trying to snap up a bargain … I find it all a bit stressful … I also get annoyed
when shop assistants try to give me the hard sell when all I want to do is look
around …
Part 2-style task
Describe a time when you bought something for someone. You should say
Coleen: I’d like to tell you about the time … about four years ago … my
husband and I bought a computer for our daughter … she was about to go to
university and we’d promised her we would treat her to one … at the time there
had been a big advertising campaign for the latest Apple MacBook and our
daughter was very keen to have one … she kept telling us they were value for
tried to shop around to see if we could pick up a bargain … this was in the
middle of the summer sales and wherever you went prices were being
ended up having to pay the full price … I remember my daughter justifying the
cost by pointing out how nice the Apple carrier bag was … but it was lovely to
see her so excited and the customer service she’s received during the four
years she’s had it has been excellent … so it was value for money after all …
Louisa: I think it’s almost certain … at the moment it’s still possible to pay in
cash but I’m sure this will change … the problem is people are more likely to
get into debt and run up a credit card bill when this happens.
Friday’ where people are encouraged to shop until they drop and buy the
latest must-have products … then there are things like loyalty cards to get the
experience?
Tania: The main thing for me is not being pressurized to buy … I appreciate
that shop assistants are probably on commission but if I’m looking for clothes
for example I like to take my time … to try something on … and to ask for help
if I need it …
Definitions
buy something
something
want to have
to pay the full price: to pay the full amount for something
price
cheaply
summer sales: a period in the year when things are sold cheaply
buying anything
IELTS Environment Vocabulary
Topic Vocabulary >> Lesson 19: Environment
You may be asked questions about the environment or environmental problems in your
country. Read the following IELTS-style questions and answers below and pay
attention to the phrases in bold. Use the ‘Definitions’ section at the bottom of the page
to check the meaning of any phrases you don’t understand.
Describe an environmental problem that has been in the news. You should say
Examiner: What do you think is the main danger the world faces in terms of the
environment?
Spencer: Well … climate change is a real issue … in my country we have flash
floods and heatwaves on a yearly basis … so yes … I think global warming is the
biggest issue.
Examiner: What examples are there of how we damage the natural world?
Stella: There are so many examples … there are factories that empty toxic waste into
rivers and oceans … oil spills that damage the coastline … the way we destroy vast
areas of land and rain forests in search of fossil fuels or to increase agricultural
production …
You may be asked questions about advertising in your country. Read the
following IELTS-style questions and answers below and pay attention to the
phrases in bold. Use the ‘Definitions’ section at the bottom of the page to
Examiner: Are there any TV channels in your country that don’t have adverts?
Loraine: No … they’re all commercial channels and show adverts all day
long … too many really … and there’s also a lot of product placement going
on … especially in soap operas where they place an item just behind the
actors.
spoils the flow … and during prime time viewing they seem to squeeze even
Examiner: What are the best ways for ordinary people to advertise something
like the classified ads section of a local paper … or there’s the Internet of
course … there are lots of sites like eBay where you can buy and sell things
online.
Describe an advert you once saw that was very effective. You should say
Max: OK … well this was about 4 years ago … I was looking for some software
to create videos … one day I got an email from a mailing list I’d signed up to …
about a new product that was similar to what I was looking for … at the end of
the press release there was a link to the sales page … I hadn’t heard of the
company but I was interested and clicked the link to the ad …. what caught my
attention immediately were the number of testimonials from people who had
bought the software … I think testimonials are like the online equivalent
got to the bottom of the page there was a great big call to action button inviting
me to buy … I was totally persuaded and ended up making a purchase … what
made it so effective I think was the power of those testimonials … they’d been
written by people very much like me … they’d had a need and the software had
obviously turned out to be just what they were looking for … when you think
that this was a newish company they wouldn’t have had any brand
awareness at all … they probably wouldn’t have had much of a budget for
agency to support them …and yet they’d managed to create a great deal
of brand loyalty from previous customers … I think that was really effective.
the Internet … especially how it can be used to spread the word on social
media … so in this context a video that goes viral is probably the most effective
Stelios: I’d imagine the main advantage is you can reach your target
audience much more effectively … if you bring out a niche product for
name?
Raol: For me the most irritating is cold calling … we must get two or three of
these every day at work … then there’s junk mail that gets posted through
the letterbox … and of course the online equivalent of this … spam emails … I
Definitions
companies
on advertising
brand loyalty: the degree to which people continue to buy from the
buy and sell: often used to refer to the buying and selling of items
between individuals
magazine by individuals
to cold call: to call someone with the aim of selling something without
advertisements
social media
mass media: large media outlets like TV, newspapers and magazines
prime time: the time during the viewing schedule when most people
show or film
social media: websites that enable users to create and share content or
service to