Top ielts speaking tips advanced vocabulary idioms and phrasal verbs năm 2024

Many students get confused about this and use inappropriate vocabulary in the test, and so get a low score in the test. The truth is you do need to show a ‘wide range of vocabulary’ in order to get a high score.

However, many students try to squeeze lots of complex words into every sentence. This makes them sound unnatural and it also means they are likely to make more mistakes, which will lower their score.

You need to balance simple and complex vocabulary.

You should try to sound as natural as possible. Most importantly, if you don’t know how to use a new word really well, don’t use it in the test.

That said, let’s move on and show you 10 words that, when you learn them well and feel confident to use them, can help you get a higher score in the IELTS Speaking test

Sound like a native speaker with these common expressions, phrases, idioms, collocations and slang that are used in the USA and around the world.

Most importantly, improve your IELTS score by mastering new vocabulary words. That’s where the IELTS Speaking Vocabulary Builder comes in. You’ll see the words and expressions used in a dialogue, find out what it means and then get an opportunity to practice what you’ve learned in the 40 lessons. It’s everything you need to improve your English vocabulary and score higher on the IELTS exam.

Jackie Bolen has fifteen years of experience teaching ESL/EFL to students in South Korea and Canada. With her help, you'll improve your English vocabulary skills in no time at all! She's helped thousands of students improve their scores on English proficiency exams.

Pick up a copy of the book today if you want to...

• Have hundreds of words and expressions in American English at your fingertips.
• See how they are used in real life.
• Improve your American English.
• Speak English fluently and confidently.
• Have some fun while learning English vocabulary.
• Improve your IELTS score to a band 7 or 8.

These are the vocabulary words that you’ll hear over and over again in real life. Spend time mastering them and you'll be speaking, reading, writing and listening in English like a pro. Speak more fluently, gain some confidence, and improve your English exam scores. Yes, it really is that easy with these 40 engaging and interactive vocabulary lessons!

The IELTS Speaking Vocabulary Builder by Jackie Bolen will help you stay motivated while consistently improving your English skills. Get your copy today. If you are preparing for IELTS Speaking, you might have heard that vocabulary range is an important criterion that can influence your IELTS score. The examiner will look at what vocabulary you use and how you do it, i.e. your accuracy matters as well. You can demonstrate the width of your vocabulary by using synonyms, set expressions, idioms, phrasal verbs, etc.

Using phrasal verbs where appropriate makes you sound more fluent. That is because most of the time native speakers of English use these short multiple-word verbs in their sentences. Phrasal verbs will make your speech more lively and natural, as a result, you will be able to increase your score in the Speaking section of the exam.

It’s also good to use phrasal verbs in your speaking because a lot of them are idiomatic, i.e. their meaning is not the same as the individual words, which is also good for improving your score.

We have collected a list of advanced phrasal verbs that will help you dwell on various topics, and we have also provided you with their definitions and examples.

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Phrasal Verb Meaning Example cut down on sth reduce I had to cut down on sugar and coffee to lose some weight.bank on sth/sb to expect and hope something will happen I’d banked on getting a pay rise this year.

I could always bank on my father’s support.

brush up on sth to improve a skill you haven’t practice for some time I thought I’d brush up on my French before going to Paris.bring sb downmake sb upset I am not fond of listening to heavy metal because it brings me down.check in arrive at the hotel or airport and register We checked in online, so we didn’t need to waste time on queuing. check out leave a hotel We checked out the next morning right after breakfast.cheer up / cheer sb upbecome / make sb happier I love listening to pop music because it always cheers me up.clean up / tidy uprestore order, make sth clean I tidy up my room every Saturday. My mom was always tired of asking me to clean up my room.come down with sth become sick When I was 6 I came down with chickenpox.dress upput on special clothes / put on formal clothes He dressed up as a cowboy for the party.

You don’t need to dress up to go to the mall – jeans and a T-shirt are fine.

drop outto quit school, a class / stop doing something before you have completely finished He dropped out of school when he was sixteen.end upto finally be in a particular place or situation After walking my way round the world, I ended up teaching English as a foreign language.fall apartto fail or stop working Their marriage fell apart after she found out about his affair. get acrosscommunicate sth, make understandable The novel is good at getting the experience of war across to the reader.get around to sth to do something you have intended to do, but not had time I’d love to learn how to cook, but I just haven’t got around to it yet.get along / get on with sb to have a good relationship / to deal successfully with the situation I don’t get on well with my father.

I think I’m getting along well with my new job.

give upquit a habit/ stop doing something I started learning English 2 years ago and I‘m not intended to give up.grow apartgradually begin having a less close relationship / stop being friends over time There was nobody else involved – we just grew apart when my friend changed school.hang outspend a lot of time together We enjoyed hanging out with each other when we were kids.keep sth from sb to not tell someone about something He says it’s alright, but I think he’s keeping something from me.look down on sb to think that you are better than someone She thinks they look down on her because she’s unemployed.look up to sb to admire and respect someone I’ve always looked up to my grandfather.mull sth overthink carefully about something for a long time I need a few days to mull things over before I decide.pan outto develop in a particular way or in a successful way His attempt to start a new business didn’t pan out.pass up sth to fail to take advantage of an opportunity My friend is never one to pass up a free meal.put sb downinsult/ make a negative statement about someone The teacher put the new student down in front of everybody because he couldn’t answer his question.run up against sb/sth to experience an unexpected difficulty/to meet someone who is difficult to deal with He’s the slickest talker I’ve ever run up against.

I think we’re going to run up against more crime in the future.

run outhave none left His patience was starting to run out.

They squatted in an old house when their money ran out.

set sth uparrange, organize the activity We only had a couple of hours to set up before the exhibition opened.show offto behave in a way that is intended to attract attention or admiration, and that other people often find annoying She only bought that sport car to show off and prove she could afford onestumble upon/across/on sth/sb to find/ meet someone or something by chance/ to discover Workmen stumbled upon the mosaic while digging foundations for a new building.take afterto be similar to an older member of your family in appearance or character I take after my mother’s side of the family.think backto remember something that happened in the past When I think back to when I was her age, my parents used to treat me differently. wear offto stop having an effect or influence / disappear The vaccine wears off after ten years.

I was looking forward to a splash of colour that didn’t wear off.

while sth awayto spend time in a relaxed way We whiled away the afternoon playing cards in front of the fire.

Remember it’s not recommended to use phrasal verbs in IELTS Academic Writing. We recommend that you replace them with single verb equivalents.

Is it good to use idioms in IELTS speaking?

Idioms add colour to our conversation and help us to read between the lines (understand the hidden meaning). By learning more idioms and phrasal verbs, this will build your vocabulary and help to improve your lexical resource. It will then help to improve your band score and lead to test-day success.

What are idioms in advanced speaking?

Idioms are short expressions with figurative meanings that differ from their literal interpretations. For instance, “it's not my cup of tea” means you don't like something. Some phrasal verbs can be idioms, but not all of them.

Is it OK to use phrasal verbs in IELTS speaking?

Phrasal verbs are a type of idiomatic expression and using them helps you sound more informal and natural in English. You can use them in the IELTS speaking exam if they are relevant to the tasks or topics. This can help you achieve a higher band score!

How to use idioms naturally?

Practice makes perfect That's the best way to learn about language. Native speakers use idioms naturally, so you need to be careful not to use them too much. Make sure the idiom fits the topic you're talking about. Also, avoid using ones that are used too often and sound unnatural.