This information is beneficial for the purpose of paraphrasing in the listening and reading sections of the IELTS exam, as well as demonstrating a diverse vocabulary during the speaking test.
1. Happy: Joyful, content, delighted, pleased, glad
2. Sad: Unhappy, melancholy, dejected, sorrowful, blue
3. Big: Large, huge, enormous, gigantic, mammoth
4. Small: Little, tiny, miniature, petite, diminutive
5. Hot: Warm, heated, boiling, scorching, sizzling
6. Cold: Chilly, frigid, icy, frosty, cool
7. Good: Excellent, great, wonderful, superb, fantastic
8. Bad: Poor, awful, terrible, lousy, dreadful
9. Beautiful: Attractive, pretty, stunning, lovely, gorgeous
10. Ugly: Unattractive, unsightly, homely, plain, hideous
11. Intelligent: Smart, clever, brilliant, sharp, astute
12. Stupid: Dumb, foolish, idiotic, silly, unintelligent
13. Brave: Courageous, valiant, heroic, fearless, bold
14. Cowardly: Timid, fearful, scared, spineless, craven
15. Fast: Quick, rapid, swift, speedy, hasty
16. Slow: Gradual, unhurried, sluggish, leisurely, tardy
17. Rich: Wealthy, affluent, prosperous, well-off, loaded
18. Poor: Needy, impoverished, destitute, indigent, penniless
19. Clean: Tidy, spotless, pristine, immaculate, hygienic
20. Dirty: Messy, grimy, filthy, soiled, unclean
21. Funny: Hilarious, amusing, comical, entertaining, humorous
22. Serious: Grave, solemn, sober, earnest, intense
23. Tired: Exhausted, fatigued, worn-out, drained, sleepy
24. Energetic: Lively, vigorous, dynamic, spirited, active
25. Easy: Simple, uncomplicated, effortless, straightforward, painless
26. Difficult: Hard, challenging, complicated, complex, tough
27. Old: Elderly, senior, aged, ancient, mature
28. New: Fresh, novel, innovative, modern, original
29. Quiet: Silent, hushed, peaceful, tranquil, calm
30. Loud: Noisy, boisterous, cacophonous, raucous, deafening
31. Sweet: Sugary, saccharine, pleasant, delightful, charming
32. Sour: Tart, acidic, sharp, tangy, bitter
33. Happy: Ecstatic, elated, euphoric, jubilant, thrilled
34. Sad: Depressed, disheartened, gloomy, mournful, sorrowful
35. Smart: Intelligent, brilliant, knowledgeable, wise, insightful
36. Dumb: Ignorant, unintelligent, foolish, silly, dim-witted
37. Big: Massive, colossal, enormous, substantial, considerable
38. Small: Minute, tiny, microscopic, minuscule, negligible
39. Rich: Opulent, luxurious, lavish, affluent, well-heeled
40. Poor: Penniless, destitute, impoverished, needy, indigent
1. Ask around – to ask many people for information
2. Back up – to move backwards, or to support or confirm something
3. Bear out – to support or confirm something
4. Blow up – to explode or to increase suddenly in size or intensity
5. Break down – to stop working or functioning properly
6. Bring about – to cause something to happen
7. Bring up – to start talking about a particular subject
8. Call off – to cancel something
9. Carry out – to complete or perform a task
10. Catch on – to understand or become popular
11. Check out – to investigate or examine something or someone
12. Clean up – to tidy or clean a space
13. Come across – to find or discover something by chance
14. Count on – to rely on or trust someone or something
15. Cut back – to reduce or decrease something
16. Do away with – to get rid of something
17. Draw up – to create or write a document
18. Drop off – to fall asleep or to deliver something to a location
19. End up – to reach a certain result or destination
20. Fall apart – to break or collapse
21. Fill out – to complete a form or document
22. Find out – to discover or learn information
23. Get along – to have a good relationship with someone
24. Get away – to escape or take a break
25. Get over – to recover from something or to overcome a problem
26. Give in – to surrender or yield to something
27. Give up – to stop doing something or to surrender
28. Go along – to agree or follow with something or someone
29. Go over – to review or examine something
30. Hang out – to spend time with someone or in a certain place
31. Hold on – to wait or to grip tightly
32. Keep up – to maintain or continue something
33. Kick off – to start or initiate something
34. Knock out – to defeat or render unconscious
35. Look forward to – to anticipate or await with pleasure
36. Look into – to investigate or research something
37. Look out – to be cautious or careful
38. Look up – to search for information in a book or on the internet
39. Make up – to invent or create something or to reconcile with someone
40. Pass out – to faint or to distribute something
41. Pay off – to be beneficial or to pay a debt
42. Pick out – to select or choose something or someone
43. Put off – to delay or postpone something
44. Put up – to accommodate or to tolerate something
45. Run into – to meet or encounter someone unexpectedly
46. Set up – to establish or arrange something
47. Show off – to display something or to demonstrate a skill for attention
48. Take off – to remove something quickly or to leave or depart
49. Turn down – to reject or refuse something
50. Turn off – to stop a machine or device
1. Break a leg: Good luck. Example: “Break a leg” is often said to performers before a show.
2. Costs an arm and a leg: Very expensive. Example: The new car costs an arm and a leg.
3. Hit the books: To study. Example: I need to hit the books before the exam.
4. Let the cat out of the bag: To reveal a secret. Example: My sister accidentally let the cat out of the bag about my surprise party.
5. Barking up the wrong tree: To be mistaken or misguided. Example: The police were barking up the wrong tree when they arrested the wrong person.
6. Kill two birds with one stone: To accomplish two things at once. Example: I can kill two birds with one stone by exercising while listening to my audiobook.
7. Piece of cake: Very easy. Example: The test was a piece of cake.
8. Break the ice: To start a conversation. Example: We played a game to break the ice at the party.
9. Kick the bucket: To die. Example: My grandfather kicked the bucket last week.
10. Don’t judge a book by its cover: Don’t judge someone or something based on appearance alone. Example: The old car may look rusty, but it runs great. Don’t judge a book by its cover.
11. Out of the blue: Unexpectedly. Example: The job offer came out of the blue.
12. Cat’s out of the bag: The secret has been revealed. Example: The cat’s out of the bag now that everyone knows about the surprise party.
13. Once in a blue moon: Rarely. Example: I only get to see my old college friends once in a blue moon.
14. Break the bank: To spend too much money. Example: I can’t afford that luxury vacation; it would break the bank.
15. A piece of the pie: A share of the profits or benefits. Example: The new employees will get a piece of the pie if the company does well.
16. The ball is in your court: It’s your turn to take action. Example: I’ve given you all the information you need. Now the ball is in your court.
17. Put all your eggs in one basket: To risk everything on one opportunity. Example: It’s risky to put all your eggs in one basket and invest all your savings in one stock.
18. The early bird catches the worm: The person who acts first will have an advantage. Example: I always wake up early because the early bird catches the worm.
19. A penny for your thoughts: Tell me what you’re thinking. Example: You look deep in thought. A penny for your thoughts?
20. Break the news: To tell someone bad news. Example: I had to break the news to my parents that I failed my driving test.
| To Compare | To Contrast |
|---|---|
| both | but |
| and | although |
| same | however |
| identical | on the other hand |
| similar | while |
| like | In contrast |
| approximately the same | In comparison |
| Use of Modals in Academic Task 1 | |
|---|---|
| Ability | Can |
| Possibility | Could, might, may |
| Advice | should |
| Obligation | Must |
| Words for listing | Words for reinforcement |
|---|---|
| firstly, secondly, thirdly | also |
| First, furthermore, finally | furthermore |
| To begin, to conclude | moreover |
| next | adding further |
| After this | in addition |
| At a later stage | Besides |
| Words to show similarity | Words to summariz |
|---|---|
| Equally | To conclude |
| Likewise | In brief |
| Similarly | In conclusion |
| Correspondingly | To summarize |
| In the same way | In all… |
| Generalizing | Highlighting |
|---|---|
| In general | In particular |
| Generally | mainly |
| On the whole | Above all |
| usually | particularly |
| for the most part | especially |
| In most cases |