Four words — "good", "bad", "nice", "very" — appear in almost every Band 5 and 6 response. They're not wrong. They're just not enough. Lexical Resource is scored on range and precision. Overusing simple descriptors signals a limited vocabulary ceiling to the examiner.
You don't need rare words — you need the right words
Lexical Resource is not about showing off obscure vocabulary. It's about using the most precise word for the context. "Rewarding" describes an experience differently from "satisfying" — both differently from "fulfilling". All three are simple words. But choosing the right one signals genuine language acquisition.
| Replace this | With these alternatives |
|---|---|
| good | rewarding / effective / valuable / outstanding |
| bad | detrimental / problematic / counterproductive / concerning |
| nice | pleasant / enjoyable / welcoming / appealing |
| very | remarkably / considerably / notably / particularly |
Natural word combinations signal genuine acquisition
Examiners score collocation — words that naturally go together in English. "Make a decision" (correct) versus "do a decision" (wrong). "Raise awareness" versus "increase awareness". These pairs sound similar but only one is natural to a native speaker.
Collocation can't be crammed with vocabulary lists. It's acquired through extensive reading, listening, and exposure. But you can accelerate it by learning topic-specific collocations rather than isolated words: "address a problem", "tackle a challenge", "spark a debate".
5 precise words per topic, 10 IELTS topics = 50 upgrades
The 10 most common IELTS speaking topics are predictable: education, technology, environment, health, travel, work, family, culture, media, and cities. For each topic, identify 5 overused words you currently use and replace them with precise alternatives.
- Education: "important" → "pivotal", "central", "foundational"
- Technology: "helpful" → "transformative", "instrumental", "indispensable"
- Environment: "problem" → "crisis", "threat", "challenge", "strain"