IELTS Academic word list (online and pdf)

On this page you can find an ultimate IELTS academic wordlist that consists of 5 sub-lists with 100 words in each. The lists get increasingly difficult. By learning these words you will learn the most common and important vocabulary that occurs in IELTS.

Vocabulary is equally important for reading and writing. By knowing a lot of prevalent words you will understand the reading texts better. Moreover, vocabulary is one of the four marking criteria used to assess you IELTS writing. So one of the secrets of a successful essay is a broad range of vocabulary.

Simply memorizing the words is not enough: you need to know how to adopt the words in your writing.

So, having learnt the word resolute, you should be able to apply it in your writing. For example: her resolution to become a designer has led her to success.

Don’t worry if you haven’t learnt all of the word lists: quality is more important than quantity! It’s much better to learn 1 word list well than 5 word lists poorly.

Download academic-wordlist

List 1

Words 1-10	Words 11-20	Words 21-30	Words 31-40	Words 41-50
achieve administration affect analysis approach appropriate area aspects assistance assume	authority available benefit category community complex concerning conclusion conduct consequence	consistent constitutional consumer context create culture data definition destructive discovery	distinction economic element environment error equation establish estimate evaluation evidence	factors feature final financial focus function global identify impact income
Words 51-60	Words 61-70	Words 71-80	Words 81-90	Words 91-100
indicate individual injury investment involve issue item legal maintenance major	media method modern normal obtain restrict occur participation percent period	policy positive potential previous primary process purchase range recent region	regulations relevant require research resident resources response sector security significant	similar solution source specific strategy structure theory threat traditional transport

 

List 2

Words 1-10	Words 11-20	Words 21-30	Words 31-40	Words 41-50
access activity alter alternative amendment annual apparent application approximate artificial	attitude aware capacity challenge circumstance comment communication concentration conflict considerable	constant contact contribution core correspond criteria cycle debate decline deduction	demonstrate despite dimension domestic dominant emerge emphasis enable energy enforcement	ensure equivalent evolution exclude exposure external facilitate fundamental funds generation
Words 51-60	Words 61-70	Words 71-80	Words 81-90	Words 91-100
hence hypothesis illustrate image immigration implement initial integration layer legislation	location logic marginal maximum mechanism medical mental modification negative network	occupation option orientation outcome overall parallel perspective philosophy precise predict	project promote proportion psychology reaction remove resolution specify stability subsequent	sufficient summary supply task technique technology transition trend version volume

 

List 3

Words 1-10	Words 11-20	Words 21-30	Words 31-40	Words 41-50
abstract accurate acknowledge adaptation adequate adjust adult advocate aid attribute	author brief capable civil classical comprehensive contrary coordination couple decades	definite deny discrimination disposal diversity domain dynamic eliminate equipment estate	exceed expansion expert fees flexibility foundation gender global grade guarantee	identical ignorance imply incentive incorporated index infrastructure inhibition innovation instance
Words 51-60	Words 61-70	Words 71-80	Words 81-90	Words 91-100
instruction intelligence interact interval investigation isolated justification lecture liberal migration	minimum monitoring motivation neutral obvious overseas parameter phenomenon prohibit publish	pursue rational recovery reject release reveal role satisfy scope sequence	simulation solely somewhat status stress style substitution successive survey survive	sustainable symbolic topic trace transformation ultimate underline unique utility visible

 

List 4

Words 1-10	Words 11-20	Words 21-30	Words 31-40	Words 41-50
accommodation accompany advance analogous anticipate appendix appreciate arbitrary assure automatically	behalf bias cease chart clarity coherence coincide commodity confirm contemporary	contradict controversy conversely cooperate crucial currency denote detect deviation device	devote differentiation diminish displacement display distorted dramatic duration ethical eventually	exhibit explicit exploitation extract federal fluctuations format founded guidelines highlighted
Words 51-60	Words 61-70	Words 71-80	Words 81-90	Words 91-100
implicit incompatible induce inevitably inherent intensity intermediate internal manual mature	medium military mutual norms notion nuclear objective paragraph passive perceive	portion precede predominantly priority prospect qualitative radical random reinforce relax	revision revolution scenario schedule sphere suspended target team temporary tension	theme thereby uniform validity vehicle via violation virtual vision widespread

 

List 5

Words 1-10	Words 11-20	Words 21-30	Words 31-40	Words 41-50
abandon abate abrupt accumulation acquisition adjacent aggregate albeit ambiguous ancestor	assembly assessment assign attain avert coal collapse colleagues combat commit	compile complement comprise conceive concurrent confined conform confuse consciousness convinced	creditable deceive depression derive distribution divergent doubt drastic election empirical	encounter enhance enormous entirely entrepreneur erosion forbearance forthcoming frustration goal
Words 51-60	Words 61-70	Words 71-80	Words 81-90	Words 91-100
homogenous inclination indulge infer initiative insight inspection integral intervention intrinsic	invoke justify likewise link manage manipulation merge nonetheless notwithstanding odd	ongoing overlap persistent pose possess preliminary presumption ratio refine relate	reluctant restore restraint rigid route sacrifice scale so-called straightforward subordinate	substantiate supplementary sympathy termination transmission undergo unify vital voluntary whereby