At a glance
| Topic | Collocations to use | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Education | tuition fees, gain a qualification, academic performance | Rising tuition fees put higher education out of reach for many families. |
| Environment | reduce emissions, renewable energy, tackle pollution | Cities need to tackle air pollution before it becomes a health crisis. |
| Technology | rapid advances, screen time, access information | Smartphones let people access information within seconds. |
| Health | a balanced diet, sedentary lifestyle, mental well-being | A sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of heart disease. |
| Work | job security, work-life balance, career prospects | Remote work can improve work-life balance for parents. |
| Cities | urban sprawl, public transport, affordable housing | Affordable housing is scarce in most large cities. |
| Trends (Task 1) | a sharp rise, a gradual decline, remain stable | Sales saw a sharp rise in the final quarter. |
1Accuracy beats rarity
Students often swap a simple word for a fancy synonym from a thesaurus and get it slightly wrong. "Children should be educated about nutrition" works. "Children should be enlightened about nutrition" sounds odd. If you are not sure how a word is used, use the simpler one.
2How to make new words stick
- Write each word in your own sentence, not just a definition.
- Use it in your next essay or speaking practice within a few days.
- Review the list every week and cross out words you now use comfortably.
Practice questions
Choose the word that completes each collocation naturally, then tap to check.
- 1
Governments must ______ the problem of youth unemployment. (make / tackle / do)
Answer: tackle
"Tackle a problem" is the natural collocation.
- 2
There was a ______ rise in house prices last year. (strong / sharp / big)
Answer: sharp
"A sharp rise" is standard for Task 1 trends.
- 3
Many people struggle to keep a healthy work-life ______. (balance / equality / mix)
Answer: balance
"Work-life balance" is a fixed phrase.
- 4
Students who ______ a qualification abroad often earn more. (gain / win / take)
Answer: gain
"Gain a qualification" is natural. "Win" is used for prizes.
- 5
Burning coal ______ large amounts of carbon dioxide. (gives / releases / makes)
Answer: releases
"Release" is the precise verb for gases.
Up next
Paraphrasing practice
Say the same thing in new words
Written by the AdmitVerse team. Last reviewed on . AdmitVerse is not affiliated with IELTS, the British Council or IDP. For official rules and test dates, see ielts.org.