Discussing "Education" in the IELTS Test: A Vocabulary Guide
- James Bowers III
- 1 day ago
- 7 min read
Education is one of the most common, yet least expected topics on the IELTS exam. Whether it's a speaking question from the examiner about your favorite teacher or your university major, or a writing question about whether or not children should have homework, the following guide will make sure you are prepared to knock your answers out of the park.
In this guide, I have compiled some of the most useful collocations, synonyms, phrasal verbs, and idioms to help you speak and write about education-related topics.
*To keep this guide short, there are several useful words included in the examples; however, they are not highlighted. Therefore, I recommend reading all of the examples.
Collocations
Translating word-for-word is something you should aim to avoid in the IELTS exam. Misusing collocations is a guaranteed way to lower your IELTS score. With that said, let's start by going over some of the most useful collocations related to education
Here's an example of some frequently misused collocations:
“Students learn better if they make homework.” X
“Students learn better if they do homework.” ✓
"I never do mistakes." X
"I never make mistakes." ✓
Education Collocations
Distance learning: Online or remote education where students study from home.
Core subjects: The mandatory classes that all students must take (e.g., Math, Science, English - non-core subjects would be classes like art, music, or cooking).
Higher education: Education at a college or university level (the best phrase to avoid repeating the word "university").
Bare minimum: The least amount of work/effort required to complete a task or job.
School curriculum: The complete set of subjects and courses taught by a school.
Heavy workload: A large amount of work or studying that you are expected to do.
Test anxiety: A feeling of intense worry and stress before or during an exam.
Extracurricular activities: Activities or sports pursued in addition to the normal course of study.
Example sentences:
“A lot of universities now offer distance learning options, which is great for working professionals.”
“Schools should focus more on core subjects rather than filling the schedule with unnecessary electives.”
“Many young people believe that pursuing higher education is the only path to a successful career.”
"Many students do the bare minimum, they only want to pass the class and get their diploma"
“Physical education should remain a compulsory part of the school curriculum.”
"I used to suffer from terrible test anxiety, but now I just go to the gym early in the morning before an exam to feel more relaxed."
"Many university students face a heavy workload during finals week, which can lead to severe stress."
"Participating in extracurricular activities like sports or debate is a great way to make friends."
"Who Was Your Favorite Teacher & Why?"
In the IELTS, if you are discussing education, you will likely need to describe the learning environment. Rather than answering the above question by saying that your favorite teacher was Mrs. Bradley "because she was so nice," you should describe her class environment with the following terms.
Term | Meaning | Example |
Strict | Having lots of tough rules that you must follow completely. | "My high school English teacher was incredibly strict, and we weren't even allowed to drink water in his class." |
Lenient | Easygoing, relaxed, and not worrying too much about the rules. | "The math teacher was much more lenient; she never minded if we turned in our homework a day late." |
Engaging | Fun, interesting, and good at holding your attention so you don't get bored. | "Her classes were so engaging, the time flew by, and it was never boring." |
Interactive | Involving the students in discussions and activities rather than just listening. | "I think an effective class needs to be interactive; students need to be involved in a discussion or an activity." |
Key Adjectives
However, you may also need some quality adjectives to describe a teacher or learner.
Adjective | Meaning | Example |
Gifted | Naturally very smart or talented without having to try. | "He was gifted; he would study less than an hour each night, and he would get the best scores in the class." |
Meticulous | Very careful and paying deep attention to every tiny detail to make sure everything is perfect. | "Many of the girls were meticulous with their notes, while the boys' were a total mess." |
Resourceful | Great at using what is available to solve the problem or get something done, even when you don't have everything you should. | "In university, you need to be resourceful; some professors won't care, and you need to find a way to pass the class." |
Charismatic | Charming and influential. Able to make people interested in you and what you talk about. | "The charismatic teacher easily kept the whole class excited about history." |
Articulate | Able to clearly express ideas. | "Every student was able to understand the math teacher because he was so articulate." |
Brainy (or "a brain") | Highly intelligent, academic, and naturally good at schoolwork or mental tasks. | "Ask Sarah for help; she's really brainy." |
Astute | Quick to learn and understand things. (Also quick to notice important details.) | "The student did well because he was quite astute; he quickly understood the most important ideas and noticed things the teacher did not explain well." |
Studious | Spending a lot of time reading, studying, and taking schoolwork very seriously. | "He was a studious kid who spent most of his weekend afternoons in the library." |
Highly Useful Phrasal Verbs
When talking about your education, the following phrasal verbs will definitely come in handy.
Major in: To specialize in a particular subject at a university.
“I decided to major in economics because I wanted to become an economist.”
Burn out: To become mentally exhausted from long periods of overworking or studying too much
"In my first semester of university, I studied really hard and tried to get the best scores, but I burned out at the end of the semester and could not finish the classes"
To look back: To think about or remember something that happened in your past.
"When I look back, I think my English classes in high school were not very useful; we only learned grammar, and it was not practical at all."
Knuckle down: To stop wasting time and start working or studying very hard.
"When I was in my senior year, I decided to knuckle down and start studying more so I could get into a graduate program."
Idioms for Education (and Daily Life!)
If you are aiming for a band 7 or higher, idioms are something you will want to get comfortable with. These education-related idioms are great because you can easily use them in a variety of contexts, from school to work, projects, and personal life.
Idiom | Meaning | Example |
Hit the books | To study (a synonym for the word "study"). Working adults may also "hit the books" to prepare for a presentation. | "I need to hit the books tonight because my exam is this Friday." |
Pull an all-nighter | To stay awake all night to study or work. (Highly common in jobs with tight deadlines). | "The lawyer had to pull an all-nighter to prepare for the trial." |
Pass with flying colors | To pass a test with a very high score or excellent result. | "She was nervous about her driving test, but she ended up passing with flying colors." |
To learn something the hard way | To learn something by making a mistake and dealing with the bad results | When my cellphone was stolen, I learned the hard way not to leave my phone on the table when I go to the bathroom. |
IELTS Speaking: Questions & Sample Answers
Here is how to weave these vocabulary words together naturally to ace your IELTS Speaking test.
Q1. Do you prefer studying alone or with a group? (Part 1)
"Well, it depends on the subject. If I am preparing for a difficult exam, I prefer to hit the books alone because my attention span is quite short and I could get easily distracted with others. However, if I am trying to complete a big project, I definitely prefer to work as a group. Not only is it more effective, but you can also learn some practical life skills like leadership, communication, and problem-solving, which you simply cannot learn from a textbook."
Q2. Describe a teacher who made a strong impression on you. (Part 2)
"I’d like to talk about my high school history teacher, Mr. Davis. Unlike other teachers who were incredibly strict, he was very lenient with us. He made his classes very student-centered and interactive. He was one of the most engaging teachers and made history seem exciting. Although I was definitely not a bookworm back then, he made me very curious about the topics that we were studying. Looking back, his classes were definitely my favorite, and I think many other students felt the same way......."
Q3. Why do some people do well in school and others do not? (Part 3)
"Well, that's a tough question to answer. I believe there are probably many reasons why some are successful in school, and others are not. The most common issue is test anxiety. I have heard so many people talk about this issue and how they know the material in great depth, but when it comes to taking exams, their anxiety gets the best of them. Actually, I can even remember many classmates who did the bare minimum often scored better than the students who put in the most effort simply because they could handle the tests better. So that's one reason, but another big reason is that some people are gifted........."
Q4. How do you think education will change in the future? (Part 3)
"I believe that universities will be dramatically different within the next 10 years or so. I think we are going to see a rise in popularity of distance learning. Many people can't access higher education; they either live in remote areas or are working, and it's just not practical. However, distance learning solves both of these issues; you can study from anywhere in the world and at any time that fits your schedule......"
More Questions (Part 3):
Do you think children should study art in school?
Do you think the internet is important for education?
Is university expensive in your country?
What are the advantages of getting a university degree?
What makes a good teacher?
Comments