4000 IELTS Academic Words

Stories of USA Today
Materials for Reading & Listening Practice
Want to know your IELTS vocabulary level? Try the Test Page. You can also Report My Test to us; Our tutors may view your testing and give you a suggestion. It is a FREE service.
Vocabulary Study Online by Level
Vocabulary Study Online
Vocabulary Study Online By Level (VSOBL) is a Fast, Reliable, and Handy tool to prepare English exam vocabulary. (Available for all VIP accounts: US$2/Month). It has built-in word lists: 6000 IELTS words, 6000 TOEFL words, 5000 GRE words, and 3000 SAT words. You can load them by level with one click.
 Contents and Actions
 New IELTS Vocabulary
grace   ContextMore...   Speak
v. do honor or credit to (someone or something) by one's presence
blockbuster   ContextMore...   Speak
n. a thing of great power or size, in particular a movie or book that is a great commercial success
modest   ContextMore...   Speak
a. unassuming in the estimation of one's abilities or achievements
undeterred   ContextMore...   Speak
a. persevering with something despite setbacks
persist   ContextMore...   Speak
v. continue to exist; be prolonged in spite of difficulty
address   ContextMore...   Speak
v. speak to (a person or an assembly), typically in a formal way
theme   ContextMore...   Speak
n. the subject of a talk, a piece of writing, a person's thoughts
resilience   ContextMore...   Speak
n. the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties
solace   ContextMore...   Speak
n. comfort or consolation in a time of distress or sadness
cherish   ContextMore...   Speak
v. protect and care for (someone) lovingly
 4000 IELTS Academic Words
1   Overview:
IELTS academic test is widely accepted in English countries. Its score is one of the keys to university or college admission. This 4000 IELTS vocabulary is to help you own a strong words list in the IELTS academic test.

In all English tests, vocabulary level is an essential factor in evaluating language ability; IELTS has no exception. All test sections rely on strong vocabulary to succeed. However, IELTS academic word list isn't a fixed or constant word set. If you search on the Internet, you can see many vocabularies called IELTS academic vocabularies.

So the first step is to choose an IELTS vocabulary for your circumstance: Does this 4000 IELTS Vocabulary Words meet your case? We divide the words into 3 levels; each level consists of 4 groups. If you are interested in the words of all groups (1-12), watch them here.



If you think it matches your case, you can start to work on it. It's long but deserves to spend time. Besides, we remind you this list is based on IELTS general vocabulary. As academic test-takers, IELTS general vocabulary is the foundation, which you shouldn't ignore.

Last but not least, you should know that building vocabulary takes lots of time, and its result plays a crucial factor in the final score. We hope this word list can assist you in building IELTS academic vocabulary. If you cannot set your goal or doubt your plan, go to the IELTS Official Website, which will help you make a right decision.

2   Alternative Solutions:
If you doubt whether this 4000 IELTS Academic Vocabulary is the right option, this section gives you some alternative methods and vocabularies.

Alternative Methods
Study a word list isn't a unique way to enrich IELTS vocabulary, and this 4000 vocabulary isn't the only list either. If you have half or one year to prepare, there are some other options to accumulate IELTS vocabulary. 20 Ways to Build IELTS Vocabulary introduces some proven ways.

You may learn new words in TV, news, ads, and daily readings that IELTS exam materials likely come from. Every word has own frequency in specified circumstance. IELTS test has own convention to select materials too, for example, many recent academic reading objects are originated from Economist or BBC.

Alternative Vocabularies - Writing and Speaking
However, if your time frame is very tight, or this 4000 vocabulary is relatively tough, you have to get a more flexible and practical substitute to work. Pick up a dictionary by random to prepare IELTS test isn't a good idea. Your effort and reward both depend on your current level.

For those who want to sharpen IELTS writing vocabulary, this 4000 words list seems large. Instead, IELTS Writing Task Vocabulary collects a short but hard writing vocabulary.

If speaking test is your shortage, enhance speaking vocabulary from 100 IELTS Speaking Words will strengthen your confidence to face examiners.

Alternative Vocabularies - Other Wordlists
Students with separate levels or situations may choose differently. Some like a shortlist because time matters; others prefer to learn difficult and large vocabulary in order to pursue a high score. We do know this 4000 IELTS vocabulary cannot cover all test takers' cases, for those who are looking for lighter or smaller lists, 10 Popular IELTS Vocabularies may give some clues.

Two of them possibly you are interested.

If your schedule is very tight, or you just need a passed score, suggest to view 500 IELTS Vocabulary, a short but proven academic vocabulary for students who are in English countries.

The 6000 IELTS Vocabulary Words actually consists of 2000+ words that are not in the 4000 IELTS Academic Words, low frequency but useful, an excellent supplement after your finishing the first 4000 words.

3   Words' PDF List and Cards:
IELTS Vocabulary PDF List
Some students like using PDF lists to learn and review words. We do offer a handy feature to make a PDF word list of each group. Below are demos of Level 1's first group, including 9 non-English explanations.If you have a VIP account, you can print all groups' word list from the website; the details are in:

IELTS Vocabulary Cards
Cards are useful tools for some students to study new words. We offer two buttons to make one-side and two-side flashcards for each group. Below are one-side cards for Level 1's first group, including 9 non-English explanations.If you have a VIP account, you can print all groups' cards, either one-side or two-side, from the website; the details are in:

DIY - PDF of IELTS vocabulary
May I DIY PDF file of the 4000 IELTS words? Yes, you can run Print Vocabulary in PDF directly. This app can load all vocabularies of this website, please select '4000 IELTS Academic Words', filter and edit words, and create PDF by browsers. It's a free and handy tool to make your IELTS vocabulary PDF file.

If you need more flexible solutions, please go to Download IELTS Vocabulary PDF. In addition to print the whole group, it tells you how to leverage other free Internet PDF tools to produce a PDF file based on this IELTS vocabulary in a few minutes.

4   Manage Word Status:
To speed up your studying, you can manage words by marking them as New, Known, and Review status. There are two ways: Note page or Panel page to manage words' statuses. You can also save statuses to the cloud and sync back if your device has trouble or want to switch to other devices.

Word status works for all vocabularies on the website, including 4000 IELTS Academic Words. It is a handy flag to skip known words and focus on new and half-familiar words.

By Note
Manage IELTS Word by Note


By Panel
Manage IELTS Word by Panel


5   View all words by groups:        
Go to Word List by Group:
1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12 

Select Vocabulary Group:
1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12 

Words of Group 1: (Part of words, select list to view all.)
abandon
abort
abortion
absurd
abuse
academic
academy
access
account
accountant
accurate
accuse
accused
acid
acknowledge
address
adjust
administration
adopt
adore
adult
affect
affection
afford
agency
agenda
aggressive
agreement
aid
air
aisle
alarm
album
alien
alliance
ally
...
6   Demonstrate word list style:
concentrate   Pronounce
v. bring to or direct toward a common center; unite more closely; gather into one body
I was now able to concentrate my attention on the group by the fire.
Show examples and contexts   Close

concern   Pronounce
n. interest in any person or thing; regard; solicitude; anxiety
There is no telling what might have happened, now, but luckily the concern passed out of Aunt Polly's face.
Show examples and contexts   Close

condition   Pronounce
n. mode or state of being; fitness; existing circumstances
The Organization Man survives as a modern classic because it captures a permanent part of our social condition.
Show examples and contexts   Close

confess   Pronounce
v. acknowledge; admit that you have done something wrong
When any vicious simpleton excites my disgust by his paltry ribaldry, I cannot flatter myself that I am better than he: I am forced to confess that he and I are on a level.
Show examples and contexts   Close

confident   Pronounce
a. assured; having or marked by assurance
They don't sound confident about the future of the industry.
Show examples and contexts   Close

confirm   Pronounce
v. support or establish the certainty or validity of; verify
In the aftermath of Saturday's mass poisoning, the authorities imposed a virtual news blackout, refusing even to confirm how many people had died.
Show examples and contexts   Close

This is 6 words quick view. View words of the list
7   Word meaning matching - Test words you know:
access  Speak
Exercise
approach; entry; entrance
Exercise
rightful concern or responsibility; occupation, work, or trade-in which a person is engaged; commercial enterprise
Exercise
concern something  in a state of painful uneasiness;  state of restlessness and agitation
Exercise
shield away from; prevent
alternative  Speak
Exercise
a small room or apartment; room for privacy
Exercise
the central forward portion of the lower jaw; bottom of the face
Exercise
one of two or more things, ideas, or courses of action that may be used; option or choice
Exercise
one who maintains and audits business accounts
avoid  Speak
Exercise
outer part or edge of anything, as of a garment, a garden; margin; verge; brink; boundary
Exercise
shield away from; prevent
Exercise
separately, regarding space or company; in a state of separation as to place; aside
Exercise
passageway between rows of seats, as in an auditorium or an airplane; the wing of a building
barbecue  Speak
Exercise
a rack to hold meat for cooking over hot charcoal usually out of doors
Exercise
astonish; affect with wonder
Exercise
one who maintains and audits business accounts
Exercise
a small room or apartment; room for privacy
boom  Speak
Exercise
a formal act or set of acts performed as prescribed by ritual or custom
Exercise
bonanza; prosperity; prosper; expand; flourish
Exercise
a small room or apartment; room for privacy
Exercise
seek advice or information of; take into account; consider
buck  Speak
Exercise
law determining the fundamental political principles of a government; the act of forming something
Exercise
person or thing that promotes or helps in something done; helper; assistant
Exercise
electrical device that provides a path for electrical current to flow
Exercise
move quickly and violently; jump vertically; strive with determination
This is 6 words matching. Try matching quizzes of the list
8   Interactive spelling - Check your spelling skill online:
Read [Esc]
n. person or thing that promotes or helps in something done; helper; assistant


Spelling Word: aid
Read [Esc]
n. confederate; partner; collaborator


Spelling Word: ally
Read [Esc]
v. suppose; presume; take on; bear


Spelling Word: assume
Read [Esc]
n. the action of trying at something


Spelling Word: attempt
Read [Esc]
n. cellar; a part of a building that is below the level of the first floor


Spelling Word: basement
Read [Esc]
n. beating or pounding; set of guns or heavy artillery; a dry cell that produces an electric current


Spelling Word: battery
This is 6 words spelling. Try spelling exercises of the list