Why Topic Vocabulary Matters
In IELTS, CELPIP and TOEFL, vocabulary is scored separately — as Lexical Resource in IELTS and as Vocabulary in CELPIP. Examiners look for two things:
- Range: Do you know topic-specific words, or do you repeat good, bad, thing, a lot of?
- Accuracy: Do you use the words in the right collocations?
Most exam questions come from a small group of themes. This lesson covers four of the biggest ones plus the phrases you need to give and support an opinion.
Phrases for Giving Opinions
"I think" is fine, but using it in every sentence makes your answer sound repetitive. Try these:
| Strength | Phrase |
|---|---|
| Strong | I'm firmly convinced that... / I strongly believe that... / There's no doubt in my mind that... |
| Neutral | In my view,... / From my perspective,... / As far as I'm concerned,... |
| Balanced | On the one hand... on the other hand... / While it's true that..., I'd argue that... |
| Tentative | I'd tend to think that... / It seems to me that... / I'm inclined to believe that... |
Supporting your opinion:
- The main reason is that...
- A good example of this is...
- This is largely because...
- In my own experience,...
Conceding a point (showing the other side):
- Admittedly,...
- Of course, some people would argue that...
- That said,...
Education
| Word / phrase | Example |
|---|---|
| tuition fees | Rising tuition fees discourage many students from applying. |
| student debt | Many graduates start their careers with heavy student debt. |
| curriculum | Financial skills should be part of the school curriculum. |
| hands-on / practical skills | Apprenticeships teach hands-on skills employers need. |
| rote learning | Rote learning doesn't develop critical thinking. |
| to drop out (of school) | Some teenagers drop out because they need to work. |
| distance / online learning | Online learning gives flexibility to working adults. |
| lifelong learning | Lifelong learning is essential in a changing job market. |
Technology
| Word / phrase | Example |
|---|---|
| screen time | Children's screen time has increased dramatically. |
| to be addicted to | Many teenagers seem addicted to social media. |
| automation | Automation may replace some routine jobs. |
| artificial intelligence (AI) | AI tools are changing how people work and study. |
| data privacy | Users are increasingly worried about data privacy. |
| digital divide | The digital divide leaves older people behind. |
| cutting-edge | The hospital uses cutting-edge equipment. |
| to stay connected | Video calls help families stay connected. |
Environment
| Word / phrase | Example |
|---|---|
| climate change / global warming | Climate change affects every country. |
| greenhouse gas emissions | Cars produce a large share of greenhouse gas emissions. |
| renewable energy | Investing in renewable energy creates jobs. |
| carbon footprint | Flying less reduces your carbon footprint. |
| sustainable | We need more sustainable ways of producing food. |
| single-use plastics | Many cities have banned single-use plastics. |
| to take action / tackle a problem | Governments must tackle air pollution urgently. |
| extreme weather events | Wildfires and floods are extreme weather events. |
City Life and Society
| Word / phrase | Example |
|---|---|
| urban / rural | Rural areas often lack public services. |
| affordable housing | There's a shortage of affordable housing in big cities. |
| cost of living | The cost of living in Vancouver is very high. |
| public transit / transport | Better public transit would reduce traffic. |
| traffic congestion | Traffic congestion wastes hours every week. |
| green spaces | Parks and other green spaces improve mental health. |
| community | Volunteering builds a sense of community. |
| infrastructure | The city needs to invest in infrastructure. |
Talking About Causes, Effects and Solutions
Most opinion questions ask you to explain a problem or suggest a solution.
- Causes: ...is caused by... / ...is mainly due to... / One reason for this is...
- Effects: This leads to... / As a result,... / This has a negative impact on...
- Solutions: One possible solution would be to... / The government should... / It would make sense to...
Sample Answers
IELTS Speaking Part 3: "Do you think children spend too much time on screens?"
"By and large, yes. I'd say the main problem isn't technology itself but how it's used. Many children are practically addicted to games and short videos, and this has a negative impact on their sleep and concentration. That said, screen time can be valuable when it's educational. One possible solution would be for schools to teach children how to manage their time online."
CELPIP Writing Task 2 (survey): "Should the city spend money on a new sports stadium or on more affordable housing?"
"I am firmly convinced that the city should invest in affordable housing. The main reason is that the cost of living has risen so much that many young families are leaving the city. Admittedly, a stadium could attract tourists, but ..."
Overused Words and Better Alternatives
| Overused | Better |
|---|---|
| good | beneficial, valuable, effective, positive |
| bad | harmful, damaging, negative, detrimental |
| a lot of | a large number of (countable), a great deal of (uncountable), many, numerous |
| big | significant, major, considerable |
| thing | issue, factor, aspect, problem |
| very important | essential, crucial, vital |
Common Mistakes
- "The environment is polluted by many problems" → say what pollutes it: Factories and cars pollute the air.
- "Make a solution" → find / come up with a solution.
- "The technology is developing" (general meaning) → Technology is developing. (No the for technology in general.)
- "Informations / advices" → information, advice are uncountable.
Practice Tips
- Build a mini word bank for each topic: ten words plus one example sentence you would really use.
- Answer one question a day out loud for one minute, using at least three words from this lesson and one "conceding" phrase.
- Replace the overused words in something you wrote recently, using the table above.