IELTS Vocabulary
IELTS Vocabulary for Band 7 — 60 Essential Academic Words
📅 July 2026
⏱ 9 min read
✍️ BandUp Team
Lexical Resource counts for 25% of your Writing and Speaking scores. The difference between Band 6 and Band 7 is often just vocabulary — using precise, academic words instead of basic, overused ones. Here are 60 essential words grouped by topic, each with a word upgrade showing exactly what to replace.
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How to use this list
For each word, notice the weak word → strong word upgrade. This is exactly what IELTS examiners look for. Learn 10 words per day and actively use them in your next practice session.
🌍 Environment & Society
deteriorate
verb
get worse→deteriorate
To become progressively worse
"Air quality has deteriorated significantly in major cities."
alleviate
verb
reduce→alleviate
To make a problem less severe
"Renewable energy can alleviate the effects of climate change."
exacerbate
verb
make worse→exacerbate
To make a problem more severe
"Deforestation exacerbates the global warming crisis."
sustainable
adjective
good for environment→sustainable
Able to continue without damaging the environment
"Sustainable development must balance economic growth with environmental protection."
unprecedented
adjective
never happened before→unprecedented
Never done or experienced before
"The flooding caused unprecedented damage to coastal communities."
mitigate
verb
reduce the effect→mitigate
To lessen the severity of something harmful
"Governments must act swiftly to mitigate the effects of pollution."
🎓 Education
facilitate
verb
help / make easier→facilitate
To make a process easier or more likely to happen
"Technology facilitates access to education in remote areas."
equip
verb
give / prepare→equip
To provide with the skills or resources needed
"Universities must equip students with practical skills for the workplace."
cultivate
verb
develop / build→cultivate
To develop a quality, skill, or relationship over time
"Schools should cultivate critical thinking from an early age."
compulsory
adjective
must do / required→compulsory
Required by law or rules; not optional
"Physical education should be compulsory in all secondary schools."
curriculum
noun
subjects / course→curriculum
The subjects comprising a course of study
"The national curriculum should include financial literacy."
instil
verb
teach / give→instil
To gradually establish a quality or attitude in someone
"Parents and teachers must instil a love of learning in children."
💻 Technology
revolutionise
verb
change a lot→revolutionise
To change something completely and fundamentally
"Artificial intelligence is revolutionising the healthcare industry."
proliferation
noun
increase / spread→proliferation
Rapid increase in the number of something
"The proliferation of smartphones has transformed communication."
automate
verb
do by machine→automate
To use technology to perform tasks without human input
"Many manufacturing jobs have been automated, displacing workers."
innovative
adjective
new / creative→innovative
Featuring new methods or ideas; creative
"Innovative solutions are needed to address urban congestion."
accessible
adjective
available / easy to use→accessible
Able to be easily obtained or used
"The internet has made information accessible to people worldwide."
detrimental
adjective
bad / harmful→detrimental
Tending to cause harm or damage
"Excessive screen time can be detrimental to children's development."
🏥 Health
sedentary
adjective
not active / sitting a lot→sedentary
Involving little physical activity
"A sedentary lifestyle is a leading cause of obesity and heart disease."
prevalent
adjective
common / widespread→prevalent
Widespread in a particular area at a particular time
"Mental health disorders are increasingly prevalent among young adults."
obesity
noun
being very fat→obesity
The condition of being excessively overweight
"Childhood obesity rates have doubled in the past two decades."
epidemic
noun
big health problem→epidemic
A widespread occurrence of a disease or problem
"Stress has become an epidemic in modern workplaces."
holistic
adjective
complete / whole→holistic
Considering the whole person, not just symptoms
"A holistic approach to healthcare addresses both physical and mental wellbeing."
substantial
adjective
big / large→substantial
Of considerable importance, size, or worth
"Exercise has a substantial impact on mental health and wellbeing."
💰 Economy & Government
implement
verb
do / start / use→implement
To put a plan or policy into effect
"The government must implement stricter environmental regulations."
disparity
noun
difference / gap→disparity
A great difference between things
"The growing disparity between rich and poor is a global concern."
incentivise
verb
encourage / reward→incentivise
To motivate with rewards or benefits
"Tax breaks incentivise businesses to invest in renewable energy."
gross domestic product
noun phrase
country's money / wealth→GDP
The total value of goods produced in a country
"Education spending should represent at least 5% of GDP."
regulate
verb
control / manage→regulate
To control by means of rules or laws
"Social media platforms must be regulated to protect users' privacy."
subsidise
verb
pay for / support→subsidise
To support financially with public money
"The government should subsidise public transport to reduce car usage."
📝 Useful Academic Phrases
It is widely acknowledged that
phrase
Everyone knows that→It is widely acknowledged
Used to introduce a generally accepted fact
"It is widely acknowledged that early childhood education has lifelong benefits."
There is growing evidence that
phrase
Studies show that→There is growing evidence
Used to introduce research findings cautiously
"There is growing evidence that screen time affects children's attention spans."
contrary to popular belief
phrase
But actually→Contrary to popular belief
Used to challenge a common assumption
"Contrary to popular belief, working longer hours does not always increase productivity."
a significant proportion of
phrase
many / a lot of→a significant proportion of
A large but not specific percentage of something
"A significant proportion of young people struggle with financial literacy."
have a profound impact on
phrase
affect a lot→have a profound impact on
To affect something deeply and significantly
"Social media has had a profound impact on how people consume news."
it could be argued that
phrase
I think / maybe→it could be argued that
Used to present an opinion cautiously and academically
"It could be argued that governments have a responsibility to fund the arts."
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The One Word Upgrade method
Every time you write a basic word — stop and ask: "Is there a more precise academic alternative?" Over time this becomes automatic. IELTS BandUp's AI Writing assessment identifies your weakest word choice after every practice session and suggests a stronger alternative — so you improve with every attempt.
Practice Using These Words
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