A List Of 142 Adjectives To Learn For Success In The Ielts.docx

A list of 142 adjectives to learn for success in the IELTS, TOEFL, or any other English exam. To communicate more powerfully in English, avoid weak, boring and overly-used words such as goodor bad. Instead, choose one of the thousands of other more specific descriptive adjectives that can energize your language, convey greater meaning, and boost your IELTS and TOEFL scores.

PEOPLE

examples: She’s a helpful person. · He’s a selfish person.

PEOPLE Good

Bad

helpful

unhelpful

friendly

unfriendly

generous

selfish

kind

mean

compassionate

wicked

sympathetic

evil

reliable

unreliable

gentle

violent

honest

dishonest

loving

ruthless

caring

uncaring

humble

snobbish

receptive

rude

understanding

manipulative

cheerful

angry

patient

impatient

trustworthy

untrustworthy

loyal

disloyal

faithful

unfaithful

WEATHER

examples: The weather was warm and sunny. · The weather was cold and windy.

WEATHER Good

Bad

lovely

stormy

sunny

cold

warm

freezing

pleasant

windy

balmy

awful

beautiful

rainy

summery

humid

mild

foggy

fine

cloudy

clear

nasty

EXPERIENCE

examples: It was an amazing book. · It was a boring movie.

EXPERIENCE Good

Bad

amazing

boring

exciting

unpleasant

positive

negative

wonderful

difficult

enriching

frightening

interesting

scary

unique

horrible

magnificent

terrible

joyful

depressing

productive

traumatic

relaxing

stressful

OTHER EXAMPLES

examples: What a pretty dress. · What a terrible accident.

OTHER EXAMPLES Good

Bad

a pretty dress

a terrible accident

an attractive kitchen

an evil plot

a colourful painting

a tasteless meal

a splendid meal

a horrible day

a terrific show

a stupid idea

an amazing concert

a dreadful incident

a wonderful holiday

a violent demonstration

a superb actor

an exhausting trip

a magnificent collection

a bitter employee

an excellent presentation

a vengeful gang

an exceptional teacher

a tough customer

an extraordinary performance

a dirty room

a marvelous holiday

a dangerous neighbourhood

a fantastic movie

a tiring day

a tremendous honour

a difficult exam

an outstanding musician

a challenging quiz

a fabulous location

a notorious criminal

a beautiful woman

an illegal activity

a breathtaking performance

an immoral act

a lovely home

an isolated place

an exquisite painting

a lonely widow

an intelligent professor

a frustrating time

a gorgeous view

a confusing situation

a safe area

a disgusting smell

a proud parent

a shocking attack

a well-behaved child

a tense mood

a flexible policy

a helpless feeling

a fragrant garden

a cowardly act

a talented comedian

a strict rule

a comfortable bed

a careless driver

an optimistic attitude

a pessimistic view

This list features academic words that you may see or hear on the reading and/or listening sections of the TOEFL and IELTS tests. Becoming familiar with these and similar words will also help you on the writing and speaking portions of the tests. *note: this list uses British spelling. (ex. 'maximise' — not 'maximize'.)

v. = verb, n. = noun, adj. = adjective Academic Word List verb

access

to be able to enter, reach, approach, etc. something

“He couldn’t access his email account because someone had changed his password.” noun

access

the ability or right to enter, reach, approach, etc. something “I don’t have access to those files.”

adjective

accurate

“The victim was unable to provide an accurate description of the criminal.” verb

achieve

precise or exact; free from error (opposite = inaccurate)

to accomplish; to reach a certain standard

“As a result of her hard work, she achieved an excellent score on her final.” verb

acquire

to get or come into possession of something; to accumulate or collect

“Over 20 years of collecting stamps, I’ve acquired over 4,000 of them!” verb

analyse

“After analysing the DNA sample, the police were able to identify the killer.” noun

aspect

to help or aid someone (noun = assistance)

“They were assisted by an outside company when designing the program.” adjective

available

a part or an element of something

“Flexibility is just one aspect of being a successful gymnast.” verb

assist

to look at something closely; to examine in detail

free to help; present or in stock (in regards to inventory)

“We do not have enough resources available to complete the project.”

adjective

aware

having knowledge of something; being conscious or cognizant of something

“I wasn’t aware of the problem. Thank you for informing me.” verb

benefit (from)

to receive an advantage or make an improvement

“Society has greatly benefited from technological advancements.” adjective

benign

“ The military cannot afford to be benign in this war.” verb

comment (on)

verb

to give to a common cause, supply, or fund “I contributed over $300 to charity last year.”

verb

correspond (with/to)

to develop or build; to make

“Numerous condos are currently being constructed in the downtown core.”

contribute convert (into)

regular and seemingly permanent (adverb = constantly)

“It is difficult to deal with constant disagreement when working in a group.” verb

construct

to be made of something; to be composed of something

“A healthy relationship must consist of trust and mutual respect.” adjective

constant

a result or effect of something

“He was executed as a consequence for his heinous actions.” verb

consist (of)

to focus your attention on something

“In order to move forward, we must concentrate on finding realistic solutions to the problem.” noun

consequence

a part or element of something (see also: aspect)

“To understand the whole problem, you must look at all of its separate components.” verb

concentrate (on)

to give an equivalent or a return for something else

“If the government expects citizens to do this, they must compensate their citizens fairly.” noun

component

to make a statement about something

“First, I would like to comment on the current environmental situation” verb

compensate (for)

gentle or kind; favorable; passive or inactive

to change or transform into

“That building was recently converted into a restaurant.” verb

to be similar to something; to be in agreement with something

“The words of politicians often don’t correspond with their actions.” adjective

very important; vital

crucial

“The media was crucial to changing public opinion about the Viet Nam war.” verb

define (as)

to provide a definition; to give clarity or definition to something

“The word ‘crucial’ can be defined as ‘extremely important’ or ‘vital.’” verb

demonstrate

“This satellite will demonstrate the technological power of our organization” verb

design

to provide a demonstration or to show how something functions

to create or model

“The factory assembly line was partially designed by Henry Ford.” noun

disposal

the act of arranging or distributing; getting rid of something

“A general is responsible for the effective disposal of his soldiers.” adjective

distinct

clear and having easily-identifiable or specific characteristics

“Dark chocolate is known for its distinct smell and taste.” verb

emphasise

“The media constantly emphasises the dangers of illegal drugs.” verb

erode

not rigid; able to be shaped (opposite = inflexible)

“Employers need to be flexible to the needs of their employees.” noun

function

to get or obtain something from something else

“Physical torture is not an effective means of extracting information from a human being.” adjective

flexible

to keep someone/something from entering a group, society, project, etc.

“When I was in high school, I was excluded from many activities due to my disability.” verb

extract

to make an educated guess; to give a projection

“Scientists have been estimating a massive population explosion over the next two decades.” verb

exclude

a mistake

“Despite constant reminders and protests, governments continue to make errors.” verb, noun

estimate

to destroy slowly over time; to disintegrate

“Many religious leaders feel that secularism has eroded morality.” noun

error

to place emphasis or special focus on something

the working purpose of something; ability

“Cell phones are useful because they can serve multiple useful functions.”

adjective

identical

“The problem I have with suburban neighbourhoods is that all the houses look identical.” verb

identify

to recognise or verify the identity of someone/something

“Even today, scientists continue to identify new types of plants and animals.” verb

indicate

to show or give evidence of something

“Research indicates that cell phones can cause cancer.” noun

indication (of)

a sign or token “High blood pressure is a clear indication of stress.”

noun

interpretation

an explanation or perception of something “Religious writings can have multiple interpretations.”

noun

item

a separate piece or article of something

“Anthropologists have recently uncovered 200 physical items pertaining to the Incas.” the act or process of making laws; the laws which have been made

noun

legislation

“The current health legislation will be difficult for all political parties to accept.” noun

the place of something

location

“Niagara Falls is a popular location for tourists.” adjective

logical

the greater part or number; over 50% of the population

“The majority of citizens oppose the government’s proposed budget.” verb

maximise

to use to maximum effect or potential “The goal of any business is to maximise its profits.”

verb

minimise

to reduce as much as possible

“In any war, one of the primary objectives should be to minimise civilian casualties.” verb

monitor

to watch and give attention

“Companies have numerous ways to monitor employee behaviour.” verb

obtain

able to be explained or understood clearly (opposite = illogical)

“The CEO has promised to take logical steps to ensure the future success of the company.” noun

majority

the same or alike in appearance and/or character

to get or receive “In order to obtain respect, a person has to earn it.”

adjective

clear and easy to see

obvious

“There are some obvious similarities between French and English vocabulary.” verb

occur

to happen or take place

“An earthquake is expected to occur here in the next 2-3 years.” noun

option

a choice; one of several possibilities to be chosen

“When our options are limited, we are more likely to act decisively.” verb

participate

to take part in something

“Thousands of talented athletes participate in the Olympics.” noun

participation

the act of taking part in something “Portugal was ridiculed for its participation in slavery.”

noun

period

a portion of time; a significant interval of time in history

“The 1700s were a period of great scientific advance.” adjective

precise

exact or definite

“It is important for a teacher to give precise instructions.” adjective

predictable

prohibited

able to be predicted (opposite = unpredictable) “The goal of science is to find predictable results.”

adjective, verb

not allowed; forbidden

“These days, smoking is prohibited in many public places.” noun

proportion

a part of a larger whole; the size of something

“A large proportion of modern problems are a result of negligence.” noun

prospect

a potential candidate; a possibility of success, profit, etc. “I was excited by the prospect of winning the lottery.”

adjective

psychological

relating to the mind or psychology

“We must pay attention to our psychological health.” verb

purchase

to buy “We’re planning to purchase a house next year.”

verb

pursue

to chase or follow “Acting is a difficult career to pursue.”

adjective

relevant

connected to the current situation; pertinent (opposite = irrelevant)

“In an essay, we must only focus on relevant supporting details.” adjective

reliable

able to be predicted or trusted; dependable (opposite = unreliable)

“Finding a reliable babysitter is difficult for most parents.”

verb

require

to have need of something; to need

“To take a masters course, one requires an undergraduate degree.” noun

requirement

something which is obligatory, demanded, or needed “You do not meet the requirements for this position” a support, supply, or aid of something that can be used when needed

noun

resource

“If you want me to do this presentation, I will need more resources.” verb

respond

to reply

“When faced with a bully, it is important not to respond with anger.” verb

retain

to remember; to continue to use

“The most difficult part of learning is retaining the information” noun

role

a position or customary function

“The role of a parent is to provide safety for his/her child.” noun

sector

a part or subdivision

“It is the government’s job to protect all sectors of society.” adjective

secure

“Everyone wants to live in a secure neighbourhood.” verb

to choose

select

“We selected the best candidate for the job.” adjective

significant

safe; protected from harm (opposite = insecure)

important; of consequence (opposite = insignificant)

“Man landing on the moon was a significant achievement for science.” any place, person, or thing from which something else comes or originates

noun

source

“We can’t seem to locate the source of the problem.” noun

status

someone’s position in relation to other people; the state or condition

“His status as the top player in the game is unquestionable.” noun

structure

“The structure of the education system needs to change.” noun, verb

substitute

to represent or be a symbol for something

“In most cultures, it is understood that the dove symbolises peace.” noun

task

a replacement for someone/something

“If you want to succeed, there is no substitute for hard work.” verb

symbolise

the organization or arrangement of something

a job or duty to be performed “Raising a family is not an easy task.”

noun

technique

“Most people don’t know that cooking requires hundreds of difficult techniques.” adjective

topical

pertaining to current or local events or interests

“Global warming has been extremely topical in the first half of the 21st century.” verb

transform

a specific way of doing something; a certain skill

to change into a different form

“The internet has transformed the way we communicate.” noun

trend

a style that is currently popular; the general course of something “Fashion trends are always changing.”

verb

vary

to be different; to alternate; to change or alter; to diversify

“To write a good essay, you need to vary your vocabulary.” adjective

veritable

“I felt a veritable pain in my abdomen” adjective

visible

able to be seen (opposite = invisible)

“There has been a visible shift in public opinion towards the government.” verb

wane

being truly or very much so

to decrease in strength, intensity, etc.

“My interest in the movie waned the longer we watched it.”

A clause is a unit of grammar that expresses a proposition. In other words, it is part of a sentence that contains some form of meaning. Example: Although there was a storm, I walked to work. Here, there are two clauses. “Although there was a storm” expresses a proposition, and so does “I walked to work.” The first clause in the example above is called an adverb clause, which means that it is part of a sentence that contains a subordinating conjunction, a subject, and a verb. There are essentially fivetypes of adverb clauses, and they can use a variety of subordinating conjunctions. They are: Place – wherever, anywhere, everywhere, where Example: Everywhere she goes, she brings a camera. Time – since, while, as soon as, before, after, until, when, anytime Example: While we were waiting for the pizza guy to arrive, we played poker at the kitchen table. Reason – because, since, as, for, so that Example: Because it was exceptionally cold, I wore my winter jacket.

Condition – if, when, unless, even if, even though Example: Even if they lose by five goals, people will still love them. Contrast – though, although, despite, in spite of, whereas Example: Despite the poor service provided by the wait staff, we still enjoyed the food and the atmosphere of the restaurant. English spelling can be tricky, even for English speakers! That’s because English is not 100% phonetic and also because there are so many exceptions. Study the 240 most commonly misspelled words below. Then, try the free spelling test at the end to check how well you’re doing. Jump to a letter: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z A                 

absence acceptable accessible accommodation accomplish achievement acquire address advertisement advice – (noun) advise – (verb) amateur apartment appearance argument athletic attendance

B      

basically beginning belief – indicating the noun believe – indicating the verb beneficial business

C            

calendar campaign category cemetery challenge characteristic cigarette clothes column committee commitment completely

       

condemn conscience conscientious conscious controversy convenient correspondence criticism

D             

deceive definitely definition department describe despair desperate development difference difficult disappointed discipline disease

E               

easily effect eighth either embarrass encouragement enemy entirely environment especially exaggerate excellent existence experience experiment

F         

familiar February finally financial foreign foreigner formerly forty fourth

G    

general generally genius government

   

grammar grateful guarantee guidance

H     

happily height heroes humorous hypocrite

I              

ideally imaginary immediate incredible independent influential insurance intelligent interference interrupt introduce island its – for possession it’s – for “it is” or “it has”

J  

jealous jealousy

K  

kneel knowledge

L           

later legitimate length library lightning likely loneliness lose (verb) loose (adjective) lovely luxurious

M       

maintain maintenance manageable management manufacture marriage married

      

millionaire misspell mischievous money mortgage muscle mysterious

N      

naturally necessary neighbor / neighbour ninety noticeable nowadays

O          

obedient obstacle occasional occurred official opinion opportunity opposition ordinary originally

P                       

particular peculiar perceive performance permanent personal personnel physical physician piece pleasant possession possible possibility potatoes practically prefer privilege professor professional pronounce / pronunciation psychology psychological

Q   

quantity quality questionnaire

 

queue quizzes

R               

realistic realize really receipt receive recognize recommend religion religious remember representative restaurant rhythm ridiculous roommate

S               

sacrifice safety scared scenery schedule secretary sentence separate similar sincerely strength surprise suspicious success successful

T        

technical technique temperature temporary their (possessed by them) there (not here) they’re (contraction of “they are”) themselves – not themself

U    

undoubtedly unforgettable unique until

V   

valuable village violence

  

violent vision volume

W          

weather – indicating climate – The weather is nice today. Wednesday weird whether – (indicating if) which woman – (singular) women – (plural) worthwhile width writing

XYZ  

yacht young   

ormal English: We use it when writing essays for school, cover letters to apply for jobs, or emails and letters at work. Informal English: We use it with friends, children, and relatives. The following list will help you to recognize the informal and formal ways of saying the same thing. The list is divided into sections of: verbs, transitions, emphasis words, abbreviations, and slang. 

Verbs – Informal & Formal

Informal

Formal

say sorry

apologize, apologise

go up

increase

go down

decrease

set up

establish

look at

examine

blow up

explode

find out

discover

bring about

cause

put off

postpone, delay

rack up

accumulate

make up

fabricate

stand for

represent

find out

discover, ascertain

leave out

omit

Informal

Formal

point out

indicate

go against

oppose

get in touch with

contact

It’s about

It concerns, It’s in regards to

need to

required

think about

consider

Get

obtain

put up

tolerate

deal with

handle

Seem

appear

Show

demonstrate, illustrate, portray

Start

commence

Keep

retain

Free

release

get on someone’s nerves

bother

ring up

call

show up

arrive

Let

permit

fill in

substitute, inform

block

undermine

give the go ahead, greenlight

authorize, authorise





Transitions – Informal & Formal

Informal

Formal

Anyways

Nevertheless

Plus/Also

Moreover/ Furthermore

But

However

So

Therefore/Thus

Also

In addition, Additionally

Informal

Formal

ASAP

as soon as possible/at your earliest convenience

Okay, OK

acceptable

In the meantime

In the interim

I think

In my opinion,

In the end,

Finally

To sum up

In conclusion,

In a nutshell/Basically

To summarize,

Anyway,

Notwithstanding

All right

Acceptable

Well, To top it all off, On top of it all, In order to 



Emphasis Words – Informal & Formal Informal

Formal

lots of/ a lot of

much, many

tons of, heaps of

large quantities of, a number of

totally

completely, strongly

really, very

definitely





Letter Expressions – Informal & Formal

Informal

Formal

Hi Robert,

Dear Sir or Madam

Just wanted to let you know…

I am writing to inform you…

Love,

Yours sincerely, Yours faithfully,

Cheers, Yours Truly, Best regards, kind regards Hope to hear from you soon

I look forward to hearing from you

You can call me if you need anything

Please do not hesitate to contact me





Abbreviations – Informal & Formal

Informal

Formal

ASAP

as soon as possible

T.V.

television

photo

photograph

Cell

cell phone

Net

Internet





Slang – Informal & Formal

Informal

Formal

Kids

children

Bad

negative

good

positive

really big

considerable

right

correct

wrong

incorrect

smart

intelligent

cheap

inexpensive

loaded

rich