Vocabulary to speak about family and friends

1. A lifelong friend – A friend that you have had for most of your life
2. A relationship of trust – a connection with another in which you have faith and confidence
3. Arrange a dinner date – Plan to share an evening meal
4. A shoulder to cry on – Someone to sympathize with you
5. Close knit family – A close family with common interests
6. Dear to my heart – Someone that I care about
7. Distant cousins – People who share a common ancestor but are not closely related
8. Extend the hand of friendship – Reach out to someone in a friendly manner
9. Extended family – Uncles, aunts and cousins form part of the extended family
10. Face to face – In person
11. Get to know one another – Learning different aspects of each other
12. Get together – Meet up
13. Immediate family – Spouse, parents, children, grandparents
14. Long lost friend – A friend that you have lost contact with
15. Long-term relationships – A committed relationship between partners
16. Nurture our friendships – Looking after our relationships with friends
17. Professional relationships – The relationships that we have in the workplace
18. Relationship problems – Difficulties with people with whom we interact regularly
19. Share a common background – The share a similar heritage or culture
20. Share the same ideas – To have similar opinions and views
21. Stand the test of time – To last a long time
22. Struck up a friendship – To make friends
23. To enjoy someone’s company – To enjoy spending time with someone
24. To have a good working relationship – To work together well
25. To have a lot in common – To have shared interests
26. To hit it off – To like each other straight away
27. To keep in touch with – To keep in contact
28. To lose touch with – To lose contact

Food vocabulary

1. A balanced diet – A diet of mostly healthy food that has the right amount of nutrients
2. A bottle of bubbly – Sparkling wine
3. A decadent chocolate pudding – Luxurious or self-indulgent chocolate pudding
4. A doggy bag – The leftovers of a meal in a restaurant taken home
5. A scrumptious meal – A delicious meal
6. A slap up meal – an expensive or very indulgent ‘treat’ meal
7. A sweet tooth – An enjoyment of sweet food
8. An English breakfast – A large cooked breakfast that includes egg and bacon
9. Calm the hunger pangs – To reduce the discomfort caused by hunger
10. Candle lit dinner – A romantic dinner by candlelight
11. Covered in a rich sauce – Covered in a creamy gravy
12. Cut down on – To reduce consumption
13. Daily consumption – The amount that you eat everyday
14. Dying of hunger – Very hungry
15. Exotic meals – Meals that originate in other countries
16. Fine dining – Food catering to expensive tastes in a formal setting
17. Food preparation – Preparing food
18. Food production – Producing food
19. Fussy eater – Someone dislikes many foods
20. Home cooked meals – Meals cooked at home
21. Homemade food – Food made at home
22. Junk food – Food with little nutritional value
23. Leafy vegetables – Vegetables such as spinach and cabbage
24. Mouth-watering meals – Delicious meals
25. Nutritious food – Food with many nutrients
26. Quick snack – a small meal that’s easy to eat ‘on the go’.
27. Packed with vitamins – Full of vitamins
28. Piping hot cup of coffee – Very hot coffee
29. Pub lunch – Lunch served in a bar
30. Rabbit food – Salad vegetables
31. Ready meals – Heat and eat meals
32. Refined carbohydrates – Foods such as white rice, white bread
33. Savouring the food – Enjoying the food
34. Scrumptious meal – An exceptionally tasty meal
35. Seasonal fruits – Fruits that grow in season
36. Starving hungry – Extremely hungry
37. Wining and dining – Entertainment that includes good food

IELTS vocabulary about travel

1. Affordable destinations – Places within a reasonable price range
2. Affordable travel – Travel which is within your price range
3. Around the world – In all corners of the globe
4. Arts and culture – The art, music and other cultural aspects of an area
5. Craft markets – Stalls where goods made by the local people are sold
6. Do as the locals do – Enjoy the activities as the local people do
7. Efficient public transport – A functioning transport system intended for the use of residents and visitors
8. Exotic destinations – Unusual or strange holiday destinations
9. Get around – Get from place to place
10. Guided tours – Walking, hiking or driving visits led by a guide who knows the area
11. Holiday brochures – Pamphlets advertising holiday destinations
12. Holiday destination – Place to which you leave on holiday
13. Long haul flights – Long distance flights
14. Lush rainforests – Luxuriant equatorial forests
15. Magnificent landscapes – Impressive scenery
16. Make advance reservations – Booking ahead of time
17. Memorable experiences – Activities that you will remember for years
18. Off the beaten track – A place that is not on the main thoroughfare
19. Out of season – Outside the most popular holiday period
20. Packaged deals – Travel deals that are put together by an agency and sold as a package
21. Quaint villages – Old fashioned or charming small towns
22. Scenic views – Lovely scenes
23. Self-catering accommodation – A Place to stay where you see to your own food
24. Spectacular beaches – Impressive sandy shorelines
25. Stunning architecture – Magnificent buildings
26. Swarming with tourists – Full of holidaymakers
27. Time on their hands – Available time to do as you choose
28. To get away from it all – To get away from everyday routines
29. To go sightseeing – Take a trip around an area to see what it has to offer
30. Travel abroad – Travel to overseas destinations
31. Travelling light – Travelling with little luggage
32. Value for money – A good return on investment 3
33. Visa regulations – Laws that relate to entry into a country
34. Wildlife safari – A guided tour through a game park

Technology vocabulary

1. Access to the Internet – Able to connect to the Internet
2. Advances in technology – Progressive forward movement in technology
3. Back up your files – To save your data to another device
4. Become rapidly obsolete – Quickly become out of date
5. Computer literate – Adequate knowledge of a computer
6. Control remotely – To control technology from a distance
7. Downloading from the Internet – Take data off one computer to another via the Internet
8. Electronic Funds Transfer – EFT Payment via the Internet
9. Emerging technology – Brand new machines and software
10. Glued to the screen – Unable or unwilling to leave the digital device
11. Hacking into the network – To gain illegal access to the computer
12. Internet access – The ability to enter the Internet
13. Internet of Things – A network connecting machines in a location so that they can be remotely controlled
14. Internet-enabled – Machines or appliances that have Internet access
15. Keep a hard copy – Keep a paper copy
16. Labour saving device – An appliance that saves work
17. Not rocket science – It is not very difficult
18. Online piracy – The downloading of licenced media without payment
19. Re-install the programs – To put computer programs back onto the computer
20. Shop online – Shop via the Internet
21. Shut down – Turn the computer off
22. Social media networks – Online platforms for communication between people and organisations
23. State of the art technology – The best technology available
24. Surfing the web – To move from one site to another on the Internet
25. To click on an icon – To use the mouse to click on the pictures to get into programs
26. To crash – To stop working suddenly
27. To Log in – To sign onto the computer
28. To upgrade your computer system – To get a larger, quicker or more modern computer
29. Wireless hotspots – A location where the Internet is available

Vocabulary about Environment and Pollution

? outskirts of large towns: areas outside the city centre, suburbs or industrial district
? factory emissions: smoke and pollution from factories
? toxic fumes: smoke which is poisonous
? traffic jams: large queues of cars not moving
? pollutants in foods: dangerous chemicals
? pesticides: chemicals to keep bugs and animals away from plants
? chemical fertilizers: chemicals added to make soil stronger
? commute to work: drive or travel to work every day
? Mantra: frequently repeated statement
? reuse and recycle: use products again or find another purpose for them
? industrial waste is incinerated: waste which is burnt
? facilities for recycling: places where you can dispose of plastic / cardboard
? education programme: teaching and learning in school or elsewhere
? consequences: the outcomes
? interspersed with (birds): mingled with, mixed with
? campaign: high profile policy for the public
? scientists predict: ideas for the future
? disintegrate: break down into small particles
? microplastics: very tiny pieces
? single-use applications: use once then throw out
? own- brand products: unique to the shop or supermarket
? policy should be rolled out: implemented all over the country
? documentaries: factual TV programmes

Vocabulary about People, personalities and character

? confident: in control
? awkward: uncomfortable
? underneath the surface, I am paddling like a swan: looking calm but not feeling it.
? put up a fa?ade: to pretend to be something you are not
? a control freak: to want to do things yourself
? an eye for detail: making sure everything is perfect
? reliable and dependable: be trusted not to let someone down
? punctuality: being on time
? disrespectful: impolite
? a negative trait: bad characteristic
? parental way: behave like a mother or final
? interpersonal skills: be good at talking to others
? empathetic: understanding others emotions
? generous listener: take time to hear what others are saying
? to emulate: to be like
? considerate: kind and thoughtful
? insecure: shy and not confident
? moody: sometimes happy and sometimes sad/ cross

vocabulary about fitness and health

? balanced diet: eating a sensible mix of different foods
? conscientious about my health: watching and caring about your heath
? flavoursome and appealing: good to eat and looking attractive
? convenient take away: food which you can eat at home
? healthier eating habits: eating less sugar or salt
? productive at work: achieving more, better results
? processed meat: meat in which there are additives or chemicals
? function successfully: to work, perform in a great way
? tempted by diets: interested in other ways of eating
? adopted a vegan diet: a vegan does not eat meat, or dairy foods
? broad minded: open to other ideas
? Sceptical: not believing something
? over production of meat: factories or agricultural methods which are focused on this
? Public service education message: advice from the government
? Positive reinforcement: rewarding people for doing the right thing

vocabulary about school and education

? authentic: real, true
? old-school strict: traditional learning with punishments and controlling teachers
? teacher centred: where the teacher is leading the class
? encourage collaboration: learning together through discussions
? pressure to meet deadlines: having to finish work by a certain time / date
? assignments: homework or essays
? sail through them: not to have to work hard and to find things easy
? learning expectations: what the teacher expects from their student
? role plays: acting out a situation to simulate or practice it
? dictation: writing down what the teacher says, accurately and fast.
? breakthrough: a new development
? inspiring: something which makes you want to do better
? intonation: the ‘singing’ sound of speech
? paid off: was worth the effort
? outdated: old fashioned
? league tables: tables which rank the position of schools according to academic success
? alumni: students who used to go to a certain school or college
? boarding school: where students live at school during the term time
? extra- curricular activities: anything NOT academic, eg sport, drama
? peer group: students of your own age, in your class
? remote: not being physically there / learning via computer

Vocabulary about work and career

? A field (of work): an area or type of career
? Motivated about: wanting to do well in
? Internship: working for a short time, sometimes unpaid
? Apprenticeship: hands on, or practical work to learn a job
? Hands on: getting involved and doing everything to help
? Innovative small companies: with new, creative ideas
? Cutting edge: the best new technology
? Diagnose: to find out what is wrong
? Pediatrics: specialist child medicine (also spelled paediatrics)
? Routine check ups: a regular (not urgent) visit to the doctors
? Huge appreciation: gratefulness and gratitude
? Follow up care: an appointment after an operation or illness
? Lucrative: money making or profitable
? Highly merited: well deserved
? Career ladder: moving up through promotions to the top of the company
? Pension scheme: money for retirement
? Job security: knowing you can keep your job / job safety
? Start up community: new small businesses sometimes internet based

Vocabulary about University and student life

? Challenging: academically difficult
? Day in, day out: full time with out a break
? Wide ranging: covering a large spectrum / area of different knowledge
? Undergraduate: studying for a degree but having not yet achieved it.
? Postgraduate: having achieved a degree and now studying for a higher qualification, possibly a professions qualification
? STEM subjects: Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths
? Further education: studies after leaving school
? Technical colleges: places which do not demand such high entrance qualifications as university
? Vocational studies: focus on learning or mastering a skill
? Hands on training: practical work/ learning
? To apply for a course: the process of registering for a university
? To get an (un)conditional offer: an offer which does not depend on previous exam results
? Halls of residence / student accommodation: a particular place to live for students
? Student union: an organisation for students / sometimes a physical place
? A fresher / an undergraduate / a graduate: a new student, someone studying for a Bachelors degree, a student who has finished their Degree
? A graduation ceremony: a formal occasion when Degrees are given out
? To take a gap year: a year between study and university
? To drop out of university: to leave before the course is finished
? Out of my depth: finding work / study too hard
? Seminar: smaller class of students with a Professor leading the discussion
? Lecture theatre: large building for a talk / lecture
? Extensive research: in depth work done in a particular academic field

Vocabulary about books, film, and art

? Challenging: academically difficult
? Day in, day out: full time with out a break
? Wide ranging: covering a large spectrum / area of different knowledge
? Undergraduate: studying for a degree but having not yet achieved it.
? Postgraduate: having achieved a degree and now studying for a higher qualification, possibly a professions qualification
? STEM subjects: Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths
? Further education: studies after leaving school
? Technical colleges: places which do not demand such high entrance qualifications as university
? Vocational studies: focus on learning or mastering a skill
? Hands on training: practical work/ learning
? To apply for a course: the process of registering for a university
? To get an (un)conditional offer: an offer which does not depend on previous exam results
? Halls of residence / student accommodation: a particular place to live for students
? Student union: an organisation for students / sometimes a physical place
? A fresher / an undergraduate / a graduate: a new student, someone studying for a Bachelors degree, a student who has finished their Degree
? A graduation ceremony: a formal occasion when Degrees are given out
? To take a gap year: a year between study and university
? To drop out of university: to leave before the course is finished
? Out of my depth: finding work / study too hard
? Seminar: smaller class of students with a Professor leading the discussion
? Lecture theatre: large building for a talk / lecture
? Extensive research: in depth work done in a particular academic field

vocabulary about climate change

? The ravages of something: destruction of something
? Hybrid car: a car that uses both petrol and electricity
? Carbon footprint: how much carbon dioxide is released as a result of one’s activities
? Recycle: breaking down products to create new products from the materials
? Growing season: the time of the year when plants grow
? Yields: amount of a crop produced
? Crops: a plant grown in large amounts
? Eco-conscious: describes someone who shows concern for the environment
? Natural fertilizer: fertilizers that come from animal waste, animal matter or plant matter
? Chemical fertilizer: fertilizers that are made from synthetic materials
? Contaminate: to make something impure, poisonous or polluted
? Groundwater: water that is below the earth’s surface
? Vegetable scraps: bits of vegetables that are discarded
? Non-chemical compost: decaying matter such as food, leaves or manure used to fertilize soil
? Organic: describes something that does not use chemical fertilizers
? Commute: travel to and from work
? Solar panels: panels that collect rays from the sun to be used as energy for electricity or heating
? Household cleaning products: products that are used to clean one’s home
? Time-consuming: describes something that takes a lot of time
? Environmentally conscious: when a person or business is aware of their effect on the environment and attempts to minimize this affect
? Green lifestyle: a way of living that attempts to reduce usage of water & power, waste and toxic substances
? Sustainable: describes something that causes minimal damage to the environment
? Emulate: to copy someone’s behavior out of respect
? Conventional products: products that have been in use for a long time
? Energy saving: describe products designed to reduce use of electricity or other form of energy
? Fuel emissions: gases that lead to air pollution through the burning of fuel
? Electric cars: vehicles that run on electricity
? Food miles: the distance food travels from the time it is produced until it reaches its end customer
? Local food: food that is produced a short distance from where it is consumed
? Fossil fuels: coal, gas or oil that is used in industry, homes and vehicles
? Carbon monoxide: a dangerous gas produced from the partial burning of fuels
? Dispose: throw away
? Waterways: lakes, rivers, oceans and canals
? Ecosystem: the geographic area where animals, plants and other organisms interact
? Natural habitat: the area where a plant or animal normally lives
? Tackle: to try to deal with a problem
? Collective effort: when a group of people try to do something
? Forge: to create something strong or successful

vocabulary: talking about working from home

? Flexibility: being able to change or be changed depending on circumstances
? Work-life balance: the time spent at your job in comparison to the time spent on your personal life
? Distraction: something that takes away your attention from something else
? Burnout: fatigue or tiredness from being overworked
? Sense of community: when members of a group have a feeling of belonging and that they matter to one another
? Colleagues: people you work with
? Camaraderie: the feeling of friendship and trust that people who work together or spend time together share
? Teamwork: when people work together to accomplish a goal
? Isolation: the feeling or state of being separated from others
? Productivity: how much you work you produce in relation to how much time you spend
? Workplace: any location where a person performs a job
? Work remotely or remote work: when an employee works from home rather than an office and uses the phone and/or computer to communication
? Telecommute: same as “remote work”
? Chained to a desk: when someone feels forced or obligated to work exclusively from their desk
? 9 to 5: the typical hours of work in many countries. Also can mean normal sometimes boring or mundane jobs.
? Carbon footprint: how much carbon dioxide someone/ somethings actions create
? Sustainability benefits: the results of protecting the environment through less waste and less pollution
? Environmentally friendly: describes things or activities that do not harm the environment
? Financially viable: describes something that allows companies to generate income, fulfill responsibilities and continue to grow
? Supervision: when someone manages a person or department to make sure rules are followed and work is done correctly
? Lockdown: when people are not allowed to leave an area as a security measure
? Hybrid work: work from both home and office
? Autonomy: when you make decisions for yourself without the control of others

vocabulary: social media

? Viral: if a post/ video is viral or “has gone viral,” that means it is spreading very rapidly across the internet,
? Troll: used as a verb and a noun. A troll is a person who purposely creates offensive or provocative posts or comments to arouse anger in other social media users.
? Hater: a person who posts negative or critical comments about others
? Vlogger: a person who regularly creates short videos to be posted online
? Meme: a humorous image or text that is easily sent to others over the internet
? Anonymity: The state of being anonymous, of people not knowing your identity
? DM: direct message
? Emoji: a small digital image used in social media/ emails/ text to display an emotion, object or idea
? Badger: to bother someone repeatedly
? Derogatory: offensive, hurtful, disrespectful
? Censor: to keep certain images. Texts, etc from being displayed or published because it is offensive or immoral
? Follow: to subscribe to the page of a person or business on social media
? Harass: to create a hostile situation through written or verbal communication
? Catfishing: the act of creating a false internet profile in order to deceive or scam someone
? Grooming: preparing someone (often a minor) over the internet in order to eventually commit a sexual offense
? Influencer: a person who promotes a product online to his/her followers so that they may purchase it
? Photoshop: software that allows users to digitally alter their images
? Filters: preset photo enhancements that users can select to apply to their images or videos
? Block: stopping or banning someone from interacting with you on social media or viewing your posts/ profile
? Scam: a dishonest attempt to trick or cheat you

vocabulary about advertising

? Commercials: an advert on tv or radio
? Imagery: visual images
? Tantalizing: something that creates desire and excitement
? Live up to its hype: when something is as good as you expected it to be
? Product placement: a practice in movies or tv shows when a product or its brand name appear on screen visibly in order to gain exposure
? Celebrity endorsement: when a famous person advertises a product by saying he or she uses it
? Grating: describes sounds that are annoying
? Inclined to purchase: likely to buy
? Potential customers: people who might possibly buy your product
? Turn someone off: to make someone uninterested in something
? Pop-ups: advertisements that suddenly appear on a computer or device screen.
? Subconscious: the part of the brain that sees, hears or remembers things that you do not actively remember
? Subliminal: describes something that can influence the subconscious mind without the conscious mind realizing it
? Billboards: a large outdoor board, usually alongside large roads, used to display an ad
? Flyer: a small paper advertising a product, business or event
? Website traffic: the internet users who visit a website
? Brand awareness: when customers recognize or remember a brand and its qualities
? Jingle: music that accompanies commercials
? Telemarketing: the marketing of good or services over the phone
? Bombard: attack continuously
? Buying power: the money someone has to buy things
? Free-for-all: a situation with no rules, limits or restrictions
? Impressionable: describes a person who is easily influenced

vocabulary for fashion and shopping

? Clothes horse: someone who really likes to buy nice clothes
? Well put together: describes someone who looks good and who has made effort to do so
? Pick up: buy
? Bargain price: a discounted price
? Be up on the latest trends: to be informed of what is fashionable
? Social media feed: the updated list of new content available on various social media platforms
? In fashion: fashionable
? Replicate: to copy
? Looks: appearance
? Lower priced: inexpensive, cheap
? A fraction of the cost: a small part of the total cost
? A (great) eye for something: able to notice or make correct judgments about something
? Clothes rack: rail where clothes are hung for display
? Shoe display: place where shoes are shown
? Level of attention: the amount of attention someone pays to something
? Luxury goods: things that are very expensive to buy but are not considered necessities
? High-end designers: people who design products sold at very high prices
? Out of my price range: describes something that is too expensive for someone to buy
? Incomparable: cannot be compared because it is so good
? Over the top: extreme, excessive, exaggerated
? Avant garde: describes music, art, etc, that are unconventional or experimental
? Ambience: the atmosphere of a location
? Unparalleled: exceptional; in a category of its own because of its excellence
? Customer service: the assistance given to customers of a product or service
? Top-notch: high quality
? Blow money on something: spend large amounts of money
? “it” item: something very fashionable
? Place pressure on: to try to influence or persuade
? Stay current: to be up to date
? Spoiled for choice: to have a lot of options available to you
? High street: the main street where shops, banks and businesses are located.
? Unfathomable: unimaginable
? e-shops: stores that do business online
? click of a button: on a computer or device, something that requires very little effort
? at your doorstep: at your home or near where you live
? superimposed: when something is placed over something else so that the image of both items is clear
? frame: the size and shape of someone's body
? digital imagery: the collection of pixels on a screen that create an image
? brick and mortar stores: a physical shop as opposed to an online shop
? counterparts: someone who does the same job as someone else somewhere else