How to build vocabulary for IELTS Reading

If you need to achieve a score of 7 or higher in IELTS Reading, it is essential not only to know how to answer different types of questions and scan for keywords but also to have an advanced level of vocabulary.

The texts for the Reading module are not specifically created for the test; they are taken from books, magazines, and newspapers and adapted for the exam. Therefore, a good preparation method is to read non-fiction and magazines in English on various topics – from economics and history to biology and space exploration. Texts for IELTS are often sourced from scientific magazines like “New Scientist” and “Live Science.” Other valuable resources include BBC, National Geographic, The Time, and The Economist.

How to read:

• Pay attention to interesting and new words, expressions, sentence structures, and idioms in context;

• Summarize the articles using this vocabulary;

• Practice spaced repetition of the new vocabulary: before sleep, the next day, after 2-3 days, and after a week;

• Group the vocabulary by IELTS themes: transportation, ecology, technology, etc.

The vocabulary you acquire in this way will also help you succeed in other IELTS modules.