Precision Beats Pretension — Every Time
Meta Description:
Think “big words” will boost your IELTS Writing score? Think again. This lesson busts the vocabulary myths that hurt students and shows you how to use real, Band 7+ vocabulary with power and control.
Key Insight
Most students think big words = big scores. But the truth is:
Examiners reward natural, precise, and flexible word use — not memorized phrases.
That means sounding fluent, not forced.
Teaching Points
1. Why Memorized Vocabulary Hurts You
Phrases like:
- “It is irrefutably evident that…”
- “Every coin has two sides…”
- “The modern era of globalization…”
These signal to the examiner that you’re using templates, not thinking.
They lower your Lexical Resource and Coherence scores.
2. What High-Band Vocabulary Actually Looks Like
The 4 Traits of Band 7+ Vocabulary:
| Trait | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Topic-specific | Related to the question’s subject | renewable energy, emissions (Environment) |
| Collocationally correct | Words that commonly go together | address a concern, make progress, gain access |
| Used flexibly | Adjusted to fit your sentence, not copied | unemployment → “reduce unemployment” or “unemployed citizens” |
| Contextually accurate | Matches tone, logic, and grammar | “challenge” (not “problem”) in academic tone |
3. The “1 Powerful Word per Paragraph” Rule
You don’t need to stuff your essay with big words.
Instead, focus on one high-impact, topic-specific word or phrase per paragraph — and use it well.
Example:
“One key factor behind this trend is lack of affordable housing.”
✔ Key factor = precise + natural + appropriate
Avoid this:
“It is an irrefutable truth that the aforementioned trend causes massive dilemmas.”
✘ Sounds memorized, awkward, and unnatural
Example: Weak vs. Strong Vocabulary Use
| Weak (Memorized) | Strong (Natural) |
|---|---|
| “In the modern era of globalization…” | “Today, many people face pressure from social media…” |
| “It is a well-known fact that…” | “Research shows…” or “One major cause is…” |
| “This has both pros and cons.” | “This creates both opportunities and challenges.” |
Exercise 1: Fix These Sample Introductions
Instructions: Identify and replace memorized, unnatural phrases.
Original 1:
“It is an irrefutable truth that technology plays an integral role in modern society.”
Your Rewrite:
→
Original 2:
“Every coin has two sides, and in the era of globalization, fast food is both good and bad.”
Your Rewrite:
→
Original 3:
“There are many merits and demerits of online education in today’s world.”
Your Rewrite:
→
Exercise 2: Choose Simpler, Stronger Vocabulary
Instructions: For each idea, choose a stronger alternative from the word bank.
| Idea | Weak Word | Better Word (Choose 1) |
|---|---|---|
| Something is bad | bad | harmful / inefficient / problematic |
| A lot of people | many | individuals / citizens / consumers |
| Important | big / good | crucial / significant / key |
| Help | fix / solve | address / tackle / resolve |
| Fast | quick | rapid / accelerated / growing |
Bonus: The “Vocabulary Sanity Check”
Before you submit your essay, ask:
- Does my vocabulary sound natural — or memorized?
- Have I used topic-specific words where they make sense?
- Did I use any phrases just because I saw them online?
- Did I avoid idioms and generic templates?
- Does every word pull its weight?
If not — cut the fluff. Keep the power.
Final Message
You’re not in a vocabulary contest.
You’re building an argument with control, rhythm, and clarity.
Band 7+ writers use real language for real ideas.
Next Step: Download the Real Vocabulary Upgrade Pack
Includes:
- “IELTS Vocabulary Myths” cheat sheet
- Band 6 vs Band 7 sentence rewrites
- 100+ topic-specific words by theme (education, health, environment, etc.)
- Collocation clusters (e.g., address a problem, play a role, raise awareness)
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