4000 IELTS Academic Words

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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
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
acclaimed   ContextMore...   Speak
a. publicly praised; celebrated
viral   ContextMore...   Speak
a. relating to an image, video, etc., that is circulated rapidly and widely
sensation   ContextMore...   Speak
n. a widespread reaction of interest and excitement
 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:
appeal   Pronounce
n. attraction; charm; attract; fascinate; challenge
Oxfam is making a big appeal for humanitarian aid to Darfur and neighboring Chad, where millions of people have been made homeless by fighting.
Show examples and contexts   Close

apply   Pronounce
v. exert; put into service; avail oneself to;
You cannot apply all money to your mortgage.
Show examples and contexts   Close

appreciate   Pronounce
v. be thankful for; increase in worth; be thoroughly conscious of
I am truly thankful for the stocks, which would appreciate in value considerably in future years.
Show examples and contexts   Close

appropriate   Pronounce
v. acquire; take possession of for one's own use; set apart for specific use
The ranch owners appropriate the lands that have originally been set aside for the Indians' use.
Show examples and contexts   Close

area   Pronounce
n. a plane surface, as of the floor of a room; open space in a building; the enclosed space; extent; scope; range
His special interest lies in the area of literature.
Show examples and contexts   Close

arrogant   Pronounce
a. arising from feeling or assumption of one's superiority toward others
He often speaks in an arrogant tone, which doesn't encourage others to discuss with him.
Show examples and contexts   Close

This is 6 words quick view. View words of the list
7   Word meaning matching - Test words you know:
apply  Speak
Exercise
electrical device that provides a path for electrical current to flow
Exercise
treated with confidence; trusted in; trustworthy; secret
Exercise
exert; put into service; avail oneself to
Exercise
condemn; rebuke; find fault with; censure
appointment  Speak
Exercise
act of putting a person into a non-elective position; arrangement
Exercise
an inlet of the sea, usually smaller than a gulf; a small body of water set off from the main body
Exercise
exert; put into service; avail oneself to
Exercise
termination of pregnancy; failure of a plan
assume  Speak
Exercise
condemn; rebuke; find fault with; censure
Exercise
tutor; teacher; a vehicle carrying many passengers
Exercise
suppose; presume; take on; bear
Exercise
pasteboard for paper boxes; pasteboard box
attractive  Speak
Exercise
appealing; pleasing; inviting; tempting
Exercise
trunks, bags, parcels, and suitcases in which one carries one's belongings while traveling; luggage
Exercise
clump; cluster; gathering
Exercise
carrying another part; patient endurance; suffering without complaint; the act of producing or giving birth
auction  Speak
Exercise
act of putting a person into a non-elective position; arrangement
Exercise
breathe with great difficulty, as when experiencing a strong emotion; reduce the air supply
Exercise
occurring or payable every year
Exercise
public sale of property to the highest bidder
blank  Speak
Exercise
mental or physical ability; ability to accommodate
Exercise
exert; put into service; avail oneself to
Exercise
of white or pale color; without color; empty; void
Exercise
suppose; presume; take on; bear
This is 6 words matching. Try matching quizzes of the list
8   Interactive spelling - Check your spelling skill online:
Read [Esc]
n. sour; water-soluble compounds having a sour taste; quality of being sarcastic, bitter, or scornful


Spelling Word: acid
Read [Esc]
n. a business that serves other businesses; an administrative unit of government


Spelling Word: agency
Read [Esc]
v. be broadcast on television or radio


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


Spelling Word: ally
Read [Esc]
a. solitary; by oneself, not with any other people  


Spelling Word: alone
Read [Esc]
n. field hospital organized as to follow an army in its movements; a wagon for conveying the wounded to hospital


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