Useful Words and Phrases to use in IELTS Essay
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- Written by IELTS Mentor
Being able to use convincing arguments, relevant examples, academic vocabulary, brilliant introduction and a logical conclusion will definitely ensure a high band score in your IELTS Writing Task 2 part. To make a great impression, you have to use the right language and proper vocabulary. Developing your language skill and enriching your vocabulary takes time. But when you are in control and can use the right language, you can produce compelling and outstanding essays. In this article, we will present to you some really useful words and phrases with examples which will help you write essays that score well. This is not a big list and does not include difficult vocabulary. The aim of this list is to enhance your vocabulary as well as IELTS essay writing skills quickly. Good luck!
1. Delve: (Verb) - To carry on intensive and thorough research for information, Investigate.
Synonyms: Research, inquire, investigate, explore, examine, probe.
Example:
A. This essay delves into the issue, examine the arguments from both perspectives and reach a logical conclusion at the end.
B. To delve into the issue of child labour laws, we have to ensure a sustainable economic formation for underdeveloped countries like Nepal.
2. In order to: With the purpose of.
Synonyms: To, for.
Example:
A. In order to reduce the population in the city areas, new employment opportunities must be created in rural areas.
B. The government should not waste any time in order to show our allies that we have taken plenty of initiations to tackle corruption.
3. Concur: (Verb) - To agree, to accord in opinion, be with the same opinion.
Synonyms: Agree, be in accordance.
Example:
A. I concur with the view that the government should invest in this sector.
B. They concur that smoking should be banned in all public places.
4. Curb/ Kerb: (Curb - American | Kerb - British) (Verb) - To control, check, restrain, limit, a check or restraint on something.
Synonyms: Contain, hamper, restrain, control, tame.
Example:
A. To kerb the number of road accidents, the government has to strictly impose the traffic rules and regulations.
B. This is due to kerb the number of accidents that happens each year.
5. To put it another way: (Phrase) - To explain something in a different way, put another way.
Synonyms: Paraphrase, put in other words, In other words.
Example:
A. To put it another way, whether we like it or not, the authority is going to impose a heavy tax on the citizens.
B. To put it another way, this is one of the major causes of the greenhouse effect.
6. Furthermore: (Adverb) - In addition, additionally.
Synonyms: Moreover, besides, also, further, what's more, on top of that.
Example:
A. Furthermore, advancement in technology has reduced the time required to prepare our food.
B. Furthermore, women have a natural quality of being kind and helpful to the children.
7. Another key thing to remember: (Phrase) - another key point, also, another key point to remember.
Synonyms: Furthermore, Besides, Again.
Example:
A. Another key thing to remember is that space research costs a huge amount of money which could be utilised to enhance the living standards of citizens.
B. Another key point to remember here is the environmental damages these cheap flights cause.
8. Not to mention: (Adverb) - What's more, furthermore, besides, as well.
Synonyms: Moreover, plus, in addition to.
Example:
A. Not to mention, the devastating accidents drunk driving causes every day alone in the USA.
B. Not to mention, second-hand smoking is often more dangerous than first-hand smoking.
9. Having said that: (Phrase) - Despite what has been said, however, on the contrary.
Synonyms: Nonetheless, oppositely, on the other side.
Example:
A. Having said that, technology also has a dark side and this is why we should be wary of its use in our daily life.
B. The government, in my opinion, has a vital role to play to fight the crime, but having said that, mass people also have to come forward and contribute to fighting the crime and corruption.
10. Provided that: (Idiom) - If only, on the condition that.
Synonyms: If, supposing that, granted that, assuming that.
Example:
A. The community people would agree to the establishment of a new factory provided that it would reserve 20% jobs for them.
B. Fathers should take responsibility for the upbringing of children. Provided that, they often stay outside, the mother would then take control.
11. Nonetheless/ Nevertheless: (Adverb) In spite of that, notwithstanding.
Synonyms: However, but, still, yet, though, regardless, anyway, anyhow.
Example:
A. Nevertheless, the real essence of university education is not the books we read or assignments we complete, but the methodology of learning which finally help create enlightened society.
B. Nonetheless, many people would not follow the rule spontaneously and for them to abide by the rules, monetary fines are essential.
12. Notwithstanding: (Preposition) - Despite/ in spite of, regardless of. | (adverb) - however, nevertheless/nonetheless.
Synonyms: However, despite, anyway, even so, anyway, having said that.
Example:
A. Notwithstanding the evidence, the police failed to make any arrest regarding the incidents.
B. I do not completely agree with the proposition. Notwithstanding, I would like to say that I realise why so many people support that view.
13. Venerate: (Verb) - Revere, regard with respect.
Synonyms: Respect, worship, revere, idolise, honour, esteem.
Example:
A. The young generation venerates those sports stars and often mimic their playing style, fashion and lifestyle.
B. Our veneration for our politicians and leaders are declining faster and this is quite alarming.
14. Invoke: (Verb) - Pray to, appeal to, call on someone as a witness for inspiration, solicit, cite, refer to.
Synonyms: Conjure, adjure, summon, implore.
Example:
A. The announcement might invoke both positive and negative impressions on the mass people.
B. This action invokes negative consequences that we must not forget.
15. To give an illustration: For example, to give an example.
Synonyms: For instance, to cite an example, as an example, as evidence, to give an example.
Example:
A. To give an illustration, elementary education in Finland primarily focuses on playing and learning.
B. To illustrate, urban citizens often deliberately dump their wastes into the nearby creeks and drainage canals causing them to become clogged.
16. Notably: (Adverb) - Especially, particularly.
Synonyms: Primarily, principally, in particular, remarkably.
Example:
A. The amount of rubbish we produce every day is notably higher than at any time in history.
B. The establishment of the university in our area would make it notably crowded.
17. Incisive: (Adjective) - An action which is quick and direct, a person who is intelligently analytical and sharp.
Synonyms: Acute, keen, sharp-witted, astute, intelligent, smart, penetrating.
Example:
A. Though it took the government some time to take appropriate measures, the incisive decision proved to be very effective.
B. The authority, in the past, was not as comprehensive and incisive as it should have been, but they are our only hope at this time of desperation.
18. Compelling: (Adjective) - Captivating, Spellbinding.
Synonyms: Enthralling, gripping, absorbing, fascinating, irresistible.
Example:
A. Their arguments might be compelling to a certain extent but that lacks the touch of practicality or reality.
B. the compelling cricket tournaments attract thousands of fans and they spend money to enjoy these competitions.
19. All things considered: (Idiom) - making a judgment after taking all the facts into account.
Synonyms: Considering everything, weighing of all circumstances.
Example:
A. It is not the best policy, but, all things considered, it is not too bad either.
B. We can safely assume, all things considered, the damages caused to the environment is irreversible.
20. Myriad: (Noun/Adjective) - A large, a great number of.
Synonyms: Multitude, innumerable, countless, numerous, a lot, mass, army, horde, a large number quantity.
Example:
A. There is a myriad of people who have excellent communication skills in English even though they have never been to an English-speaking country.
B. There are myriad of sectors which can be greatly benefitted y the use of nuclear technology.
21. Assert: (Verb) - Claim, declare, state.
Synonyms: Argue, stand up for, establish.
Example:
A. A group of people assert that rich nations should provide monetary help to poor nations.
B. Though many assert that we should focus on rapid development and industrialisation, others, however, advocate prioritising education and traditional lifestyle.
22. Erroneous: (Adjective) - Incorrect, wrong, inaccurate.
Synonyms: Invalid, mistaken, misleading, false, fallacious, faulty, imprecise.
Example:
A. It's pretty easy to have an erroneous impression of the severity of environmental degradation, but it is a problem for all.
B. There is no more evidence to warrant the wholly erroneous statement sometimes made that emancipation was an economic setback for the Asian region during this century.
23. Engender: (Verb) - Cause, give rise to.
Synonyms: Produce, create, promote, rouse, provoke, incite, trigger, instigate, lead to.
Example:
A. Many people hope that recent events in our country, as well as a few neighbouring countries, will engender our authority to take necessary actions on gun safety.
B. It is hoped that the protest from students of this university will engender a widespread awareness about the environment and finally the authority will deter from cutting those trees.
24. Salient: (adjective) - Most noticeable and important, major, main.
Synonyms: Important, principal, chief, primary, notable, striking, arresting, prominent, remarkable, pivotal, vital.
Example:
A. It may be worthy to point out that the salient feature in pursuing higher education in a foreign country is the skills and knowledge gathered by the students and not to mention, how their degrees are valued in the future.
B. One of the salient and positive features in letting employees work from home is that it ensures employee loyalty.
25. Craft: (Nour, verb) - Activity, pursuit, exercise skill in making an object.
Synonyms: Work, skill, occupation, guile.
Example:
A. The human has crafted its own fate by bringing innovations and by discovering tools throughout history.
B. We should, therefore, employ the best available art and skill in improving the craft of gift-making.
26. Substantiate: (Verb) - Prove, support, give proof of, confirm.
Synonyms: Affirm, justify, validate, verify, prove something, authenticate, endorse, establish, support.
Example:
A. The evidence simply substantiates why the gap between the rich and poor is not healthy for a sustainable economy.
B. An attempt to substantiate this point will be explained in the following example from an internal management perspective.
27. Elucidate: (Verb) - Explain, illustrate, resolve.
Synonyms: Clarify, annotate, clear up, exemplify, explicate, enlighten, illuminate, throw/shed light on.
Example:
A. The above examples elucidate why we need a collaborative approach to fight crimes on the street and why should we do it immediately.
B. Further discoveries and more research work may elucidate the problem from different perspectives.
28. Oppose: (Verb) - disagree, be against, argue, debate, protest.
Synonyms: Defy, deny, dispute, resist, contradict, counter, confront, challenge.
Example:
A. I wholeheartedly oppose the proposition and believe that we should focus on more pressing issues at hand than to prepare for something that might or might not bring any benefits in the future.
B. While I oppose the idea of taking away personal freedom, I firmly agree that public smoking should be banned considering public health and the environment.
29. Articulate: (Adjective | verb) - speak fluently and coherently, persuasive.
Synonyms: Utter, enunciate, express, effective, coherent, intelligible, understandable.
Example:
A. The advocates of the issue were very articulate with their presentation and argument, which gave them a competitive advantage.
B. It is the responsibility of the teachers to articulate the course requirements to the students at the beginning of the semester.
30. Vocalise: (Verb | noun) - Utter, express in words, express.
Synonyms: Convey, enunciate, verbalize, speak firmly.
Example:
A. Many children, in schools, do not vocalize their distress and teachers should be friendly with such students so that they express themselves without hesitation and fear.
B. Showing children pictures or illustrations in the classroom sometimes helps them to vocalize their ideas.
31. Sheer: (Adjective | Adverb) - Utter, total, perfect, abrupt.
Synonyms: Precipitous, absolute, very steep, vertical, complete, surpassing, stark.
Example:
A. This may lead to a sheer number of problems and that is why I would suggest not to stay at the college hostel for young students.
B. Experts have already stated that its completeness, setting, size and sheer magnificence make it the finest citadel on earth.
32. Predominant: (Adjective) - Main, leading, strongest.
Synonyms: Chief, uppermost, foremost, cardinal, paramount, dominant, potent, prevalent.
Example:
A. There are primarily three reasons why increasing fuel price is not a good idea, and the predominant of them is the effects it will have on the price of daily commodities.
B. In my judgement, admittedly from a very narrow perspective, it is anger which is the predominant emotion that is evoked when we face such adversity.
33. Formidable: (Adjective) - Intimidating, daunting, alarming.
Synonyms: Terrifying, horrifying, dreadful, frightening, dangerous, ominous, fearsome.
Example:
A. Among a formidable list of adversity for economic progress, corruption may be the most dangerous.
B. Interestingly he still has a formidable presence in the sports world, still charismatic and respected after seven years of fame.
34. Phenomenal: (Adjective) - Exceptional, Outstanding, Amazing.
Synonyms: Extraordinary, remarkable, stunning, marvellous, magnificent, astounding, staggering, incredible, wonderful, inconceivable.
Example:
A. The euphoria reached phenomenal levels when the scientist announced his findings.
B. The phenomenal evidence that supports this point is not only overwhelming but also very scientific and methodical.
35. Stipulate: (Verb) - Specify, set forth, demand.
Synonyms: State clearly, to require, prescribe, provide, impose, impose.
Example:
A. There has been much confusion over the process and all the figures are stipulated.
B. Let's stipulate that the fate of the poor population does not rely on the mercy of the state and politicians.
36. Dubious: (Adjective) - Uncertain, doubtful.
Synonyms: In doubt, unsure, wavering, sceptical, unreliable, questionable, dodgy, arguable, equivocal, improbable, uncertain.
Example:
A. I am increasingly dubious about the luxury projects the authority is spending money on as the money could have been better spent on more important sectors.
B. That is why computer experts warn ordinary citizens over and over again not to open dubious emails and whose senders are not known to them.
37. Manifest: (Adjective | Verb) - Clear and obvious, definite, visible, perceptible, display, exhibit.
Synonyms: Embody, illustrate, prove, signify, reveal.
Example:
A. I agree that the very idea of manifest destiny encouraged men and women to dream big dreams and then work hard to make them come true.
B. Among the young participants, a number of them manifested the idea to the authority but nothing was done about it.
38. Exhibit: (Verb | Noun) - Display, show to the public.
Synonyms: Show, reveal, manifest, put on display, unveil, item, piece.
Example:
A. It is important for teachers to understand that identifying the talent of their pupils and then providing an opportunity to exhibit it is of immense importance.
B. Due to this, a safe place to exhibit and store such important artefacts were necessary.
39. Constitute: (Verb) - Compose, make something up, account for, create.
Synonyms: Form, establish, comprise, organize, construct, integrate, make.
Example:
A. Consequently, increasing car ownership constitute a significant problem for cities.
B. The world is, surprisingly, made up of basically, two classes of people - lifters and leaners, and the leaners constitute by far the larger class.
40. Portray: (Verb) - Depict, characterise, describe.
Synonyms: Represent, Show, render, personate, sketch, draw, present, illustrate.
Example:
A. Most adverts, these days, especially on TV, portray their products to be supreme while others are just banal.
B. It is surprising that they falsely pretend to be impartial and independent, but when you judge them thoroughly, they portray themselves to be the same as other politically biased publications.
41. Exemplify: (Verb) - illustrate by giving an example, epitomize.
Synonyms: Show, demonstrate, depict, elucidate, embody, represent, instantiate.
Example:
A. All these possibilities exemplify the phenomenon of technology and its widespread use in our modern world.
B. Both of these points exemplify the rapaciousness that is the norm in our society when it comes to amassing wealth.
42. Paramount: (Adjective) - prime, highest, supreme.
Synonyms: Uppermost, central, topmost, major, predominant, foremost, primary, cardinal, leading.
Example:
A. There is no denying that women's role as mothers is of paramount importance to society.
B. A further example where performance reliability is paramount is in aviation and air traffic control.
43. Adept: (Adjective | noun) - Expert, skilled and proficient at something, someone who is proficient at something.
Synonyms: Skilled, gifted, talented, expert at something, master.
Example:
A. We need adept and honest politicians who would not lie to the nation.
B. More adept teachers are required in our elementary level education to build a truly powerful nation and the policymakers have to agree with that.
44. Sublime: (Adjective) - Excellent quality or extreme beauty, awesome, magnificent.
Synonyms: Novel, lofty, awe-inspiring, majestic, glorious, superb, grand, outstanding, delightful, marvellous, fantastic, wonderful.
Example:
A. The country has ample picturesque and sublime scenery that attracts a large number of tourists every year.
B. The hypothesis is that all old and modern inventions, even the simplest, most complex, abstract and sublime, ultimately depend upon the dedication of some people.
45. Explicitly: (Adverb) - In a clear and detailed manner, leaving no room for confusion, clearly.
Synonyms: Definitively, precisely and clearly, accurately, unequivocally, bluntly, unambiguously.
Example:
A. The Babylonian calendars contain explicit directions for the observance of abstention from certain secular acts on certain days.
B. In this essay, we will explicitly consider sociological factors, namely social custom, and the notion of individual commitment for the arguments.
46. Proclaim: (Verb) - Reveal, indicate, announce something publicly.
Synonyms: Show, demonstrate, manifest, declare, enunciate, announce.
Example:
A. The government had to proclaim the necessary measures by imperial warrant and there had been a much easier way than this, according to many.
B. A wealthy person can proclaim himself, well, "wealthy", but he does not dare to announce that it has made him absolutely "happy".
47. Evoke: (Verb) - Recalling a feeling or memory.
Synonyms: Call up, bring to mind, conjure up, educe, inspire.
Example:
A. It is so surprising that a modern city can still evoke that kind of emotions and magic to the tourists and that's simply splendid!
B. It can evoke a false sense of security, but the reality is different and we should be prep[ared for that.
48. Idolize: (Verb) - Revere, worship, venerate, to highly love or admire.
Synonyms: Adore, highly admire, exalt, love, deify, lionize, adulate.
Example:
A. People, especially youths, idolize those sportsmen and that is why such famous personalities have a natural obligation to lead exemplary life to motivate people.
B. A large section of our society simply idolized him, even his opponents acknowledged his achievements.
49. Aver: (Verb) - State or assert to be the case, allege as a fact, claim, to assert something in a convincing way. [past & past participle - averred]
Synonyms: Assert, attest, affirm, avow.
Example:
A. Many people in my country aver their neutrality on this issue and yet it deserves a thorough investigation.
B. Even though the country is in crisis, its leader will aver the nation that it is doing well either to motivate them or to hide the fact.
50. Profound: (Adjective) - Deep, extensive, a person or statement having great knowledge or insight.
Synonyms: Deep-rooted, intense, radical, ardent, extreme, great, far-reaching, sincere, overwhelming, learned, intelligent.
Example:
A. These modern inventions have profound impacts on the way we socialise, work, think or even live our lives.
B. The experience we gather while studying in a college or university is so profound that it changes our life to a great extent.
Useful expressions for writing your Essay for a higher band score:
A) As we have seen, there are no easy answers to this question. On balance, however, I tend to believe that ……………..
B) Not agreeing with this proposition is tough and, I tend to believe that ……………..
C) I am a strong advocate of this approach, and the benefits of it will be covered in this essay.
D) A fundamental reason for this is that ……………..
E) The two primary reasons for this are ……………..
F) It is often argued that it is more advantageous to …………….., even if it doesn't ……………...
G) Despite being a supporter of this …………….. approach, I strongly recommend incorporating ……………..
H) I completely disagree with this opinion and think that ……………...
I) Whether or not ……………... is a contentious issue. On the bright side, ……………... On the flip side, ……………...
J) One of the most controversial issues today regarding ……………. In this essay, I am going to examine this question from both points of view.
K) On one side of the argument, there are people who argue that the benefits of ............... considerably outweigh its disadvantages. The main reason for believing this is that …………………. It is also possible to say that ……....... One good illustration of this is ………….
L) On the other hand, it is also possible to make the opposing case. It is often argued that ……….. People often have this opinion because …………… A second point is that ……….. A particularly good example here is…………..
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