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IELTS Speaking practice: Education

Travel & Holidays Friends Technology Sport Food Education Weather Environment Music Books & Films Health

This is a full IELTS Speaking sample with questions related to Education topic .

See IELTS Speaking vocabulary for Education topic >

You probably know what do such phrases as " bookworm " or " bachelor's degree " mean. However, it's not enough to simply know the meaning! In IELTS Speaking test you are assessed for your fluency and coherence , and thus you have to accurately use your advanced vocabulary while speaking. In this IELTS Speaking sample we collected various questions + model answers on Education Topic that you may encounter on the speaking test.

Our special formatting styles:

Useful linking phrases are in blue IELTS speaking vocabulary is in bold (put your mouse over such text to see explanations).

Do you work or are you a student?

At the moment I'm studying. I’m doing a graduate degree in molecular biology in the Vanderbilt University.

Why did you choose that subject?

I've always loved life sciences, particularly biology... And when I received my bachelor's degree An undergraduate course which usually lasts 3 or 4 years. I took a research internship in a laboratory where I studied interactions between proteins... And then I understood that I want to pursue my career in To continue career path in. biochemistry or molecular biology.

Can you describe yourself as a good student?

Well , overall I think I am a good student. ... I am not an eager beaver A very enthusiastic and hard-working person. , nor the teacher's pet Student whom teachers like the most. ... but I'm good at scientific subjects and, most importantly , I like studying.

Do you study English now?

Did you enjoy/Do you enjoy studying at school?

I've never really liked school... I'm not a bookworm A term to describe someone who really likes to read and spends a lot of time on it. and a lot of humanities subjects seemed too boring to me. However , the workload An amount of work one should do in a specific time period. was not too big... The other good thing about school is being able to see your friends. And fortunately , I had wonderful classmates.

Now, have a look at the card and prepare a monologue.

• When it was
• Why was it hard
• What you were doing at that time

I would like to talk about my last school year. It was really diffucult due to enormous amounts Very big amounts. of homework I had to do and all the exams I had to prepare for... Em, so I studied hard, having no time to goof around Spend time doing nothing important. ... Moreover , I forgot a lot of things from the school curriculum, that's why I had to do a lot of revision... But despite the tough preparation, I managed to set aside some time To take some time. to rest and interact with my friends and family... After all , my efforts were not in vain Without result. ... I passed all the exams well and was admitted to the university of my dream.

What are some essential qualities every teacher should have?

As for me , every teacher should be able to catch student's attention To interest someone. . It is very important to make your subject interesting to the others... Also , teacher should be a subject specialist A person who is very talented in one specific field. and a kind, helpful person. .

What are some pros of studying on a distance learning course?

To be honest , I think it's very advantageous to study in such way... It gives you more time flexibility, especially if you have a job... Not to mention that it is fairly cheap Not very expensive. , compared to face-to-face classes A traditional way of studying: in a classroom with a teacher. ...

Does everybody get equal opportunities to study?

Definitely not . I think it really depends on a country you live in... Moreover , it depends on your financial capabilities An ability to pay for something. ... Some schools and universities are just too expensive... Only a small fraction Small part. of people can afford to study there.

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IELTS Topic: Education

Posted by David S. Wills | Jun 23, 2020 | IELTS Tips | 0

In this article, I am going to tell you all about education and IELTS. As you know (if you follow this website), the best way to learn new vocabulary is to study in terms of topics . There are many IELTS topics , such as environment , space , sports , health , and crime. We have talked about education many times in the past but today I will devote a whole article to it.

I intend to look at this topic in a structured way. We will explore it as such:

• Reading & Listening

You can either study the whole lesson or else skip to the part that is most interesting for you.

Education Vocabulary

If we look at the topic of education and IELTS , we can quickly see that there is a huge amount of vocabulary to learn. In fact, this is a vast topic. I will assume that you already know the basic words like “school” and “teacher” (or else you are probably not reading this right now). Instead, I will look at some more advanced vocabulary for IELTS education.

First of all, let’s look at some school subjects.

School Subjects

There many be some regional differences in the words used for these subjects (for example, mathematics is known as “maths” in British English and “math” in American English.

Depending on where you study, most people learn a subject called “science” when they are young and later this becomes several subjects, including chemistry, biology, and physics. We also have “social sciences.” This includes many areas of study. You can read about it here .

British English vs American English

I actually wrote in depth about the differences between British and American English last year . For now, though, I will focus on the differences in language when it comes to education. Here are a few ways in which we talk about these differences.

*The British and American school systems are quite different and what is known as “secondary school” in the UK lasts for up to six years. As such, this overlaps the American version. Anyway, those final years in the UK would more likely be called “fifth/sixth form” or “fifth/sixth year,” depending on which part of the country you come from. In England, it is usually “sixth form” and in Scotland it is “sixth year.”

Some other differences

American people talk about their school years in this way:

• Freshmen (1 st year)
• Sophomore (2 nd year)
• Junior (3 rd year)
• Senior (4 th year)

In the UK, we do not commonly use these terms but in the last few decades it has become normal to talk about “freshers” as people in their first year of university. For example, they often talk about “freshers’ week” as the first week in the university year because this is when the new students arrive.

Reading and Listening

Because education is something that affects pretty much everyone in the world, it is a topic that is really common in IELTS. It could appear in any part of the test , including the reading and listening sections.

When it does occur, you should be prepared. This means that you ought to know lots of vocabulary about this topic and also have some life experience and opinions on the matter. You can achieve that by including this topic in your regular reading.

There are many ways to achieve this. You can go on Google News (or any news service that you enjoy) and subscribe to their education feed.

Let’s take an article for an example and do a little practice. We will look first at a piece called “ With no students, small college town worries over its future .” Let’s look at the first two paragraphs:

What happens to a college town when the students disappear? Ithaca, a small upstate New York city nearby gorges and vineyards, is finding out. Most of the 24,000 students at Cornell University and 6,200 more from Ithaca College effectively vanished in March when the coronavirus pandemic struck, leaving behind struggling restaurants and shops. Locals still reeling from the outbreak and resulting exodus are wondering when — or if — things will get back to normal.

It is an interesting text that deals with a familiar situation: the fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic.

In this excerpt, you can see the word “exodus.” What do you think this means? Let’s isolate that sentence:

Locals still reeling from the outbreak and resulting exodus are wondering when — or if — things will get back to normal.

We can learn from the words around it. “Resulting” tells us that this thing happened because of the virus outbreak. We also know from the previous sentence that thousands of students are not coming to this place.

We can guess then, that “exodus” means “a mass departure of people.” This sort of skill is really important when it comes to IELTS reading. You need to be able to figure out the meaning of a word from context. Here is a video that shows you how to work out the meaning of difficult vocabulary:

I have covered the topic of education here many times, including this TED video lesson about making education better by introducing creativity to curriculums. (By the way, this is one of two possible ways to pluralise “curriculum”! The other is “curricula.”)

Here is another interesting video about education. This time it is about gender and education. Remember that sometimes IELTS topics overlap like this.

IELTS Speaking Topic: Education

The topic of education is really common in IELTS speaking. In fact, it is probably one of the most common topics that there is. As such, you need to be ready to answer these sorts of questions.

As you probably know, the first part of the IELTS speaking test is comprised of relatively simple questions that you should answer with one, two, or three sentences. You don’t need to develop your answers very much here.

Here are a few sample questions:

• Do you work or are you a student?
• Why did you choose that subject?
• Did you enjoy/Do you enjoy studying at school?
• Do you study English now?
• What kind of school did you go to as a child?
• Where do you study / Where did you study?
• What do you study/did you study in university?
• What was your favourite subject as a child?
• Who was your favourite teacher?
• Do you enjoy studying alone or with friends?

You don’t need to have dazzling grammar or vocabulary skills to answer these questions. You can just give pretty basic answers. For example:

Q: Do you work or are you a student?

A: I’m studying at the moment but I also have a part-time job.

Q: Where do you study?

A: I’m studying at Shanghai Jiaotong University . The word “jiaotong” literally means “traffic” but the common translation for the name is “Shanghai Communications University.”

Q: What are you studying there?

A: I’m studying English literature at the moment but I will move onto a business course next semester and continue studying English on the side. Literature was interesting for me but I don’t think it will help my career much.

Notice that there was very little specialist vocabulary here. The only word that I used that might require explanation is “semester.” A school year is made up of two semesters. (The word “term” can also be used but different countries have different systems. In some countries, an academic year is four terms, which means that two terms make up a semester. But this is not the same everywhere.)

There are countless possible education cue cards for IELTS speaking. You might be asked to describe one of the following:

• an important memory
• the actual school you attended

The list is extremely long, but let’s look at a few possible education cue cards in more detail.

Describe a Subject

You may well be asked to describe a subject that you studied in school or that you wish you had studied. Remember that it could be your favourite subject or a subject you hated. It is always important that you read the whole cue card and do not jump to conclusions.

Here is an example:

Describe a subject you enjoyed studying at school. You should say: – when and where you started studying it – what the lessons were like – what made the subject different from other subjects and explain why you enjoyed the subject

Describe a Lesson or Project

Describing a subject presents many possibilities. You can talk about many different aspects of your chosen subject, including the classes, the books, and the teachers. However, the cue card might present you with a more specific topic, like this one:

Describe a project that you did in school with your classmates or friends. You should say: – what the project was – what it was about – how you completed it and whether you enjoyed the project or not.

Describe a Period of Time

It can be harder to answer a cue card when the thing you must talk about is a memory or period of time. These can be a real challenge because thinking of the right vocabulary and grammar is quite difficult. When you are presented with this sort of question, you might have to be a little creative with your answers. Here is another example cue card:

Describe a period of time from your studies that was the most difficult for you so far. You should say: – when it was – why was it hard – what you were doing at that time and whether you felt you were successful in overcoming the difficulties.

Describe a Teacher

Finally, we come to the obvious IELTS speaking cue card: describe a teacher . This is definitely a common cue card and also quite an easy one. I think that most people who sit IELTS should be comfortable describing people like teachers. If you are not, you should look at my other lessons on how to describe people. You may also find this article about the good qualities teachers possess to be helpful.

There are lots of different ways that this could be phrases. It could be a teacher who influenced you, a teacher you liked, a teacher who helped you, your favourite teacher… and so on. There are numerous possibilities. But here is one example:

Describe a teacher from the past whom you remember. You should say: – what subject the teacher taught you – how old you were then – what were some special characteristics of this teacher and explain why you remember this teacher.

Of course, there are also lots of possible questions about education for part three of the speaking exam. In this section, you will most likely be asked questions like “are men and women equally capable of teaching?” and “should boys and girls be forced to take the same lessons?” The issues of gender , age, and other social issues will often intersect with the main topic.

Here are a few examples:

• What are some essential qualities every teacher should have?
• How are education priorities today different from those in the past?
• How well do you think schools should prepare young people for working life?

Education and IELTS Writing

When it comes to task 2 of the IELTS writing test, education is also a really common topic. Again, there are countless possible questions you could be given, so rather than prepare for any single question, it is better to build your skill in dealing with this topic.

You should be familiar with the vocabulary given at the start of this lesson and also with ideas about education on a global scale. It is ok to have different opinions from other people, but you should be aware of all sides of these issues.

Keep in mind that education does not just mean “school” or “university.” It involves much more: teaching, learning, childhood, adulthood, books, reading, etc. It could be about community colleges or distance learning. Do not be surprised by these questions and do not think that you can handle this topic just because you are comfortable talking about high school. There is much more to it than that.

Here, I will give you four sample band 9 answers to typical IELTS writing questions. Two are from task 2 and two are from task 1, both general and academic tests.

Question #1

Many businesses think that the new employees who have just graduated from schools lack interpersonal skills, such as working with colleagues as a team.

What has caused this and what are the solutions to this problem?

Sample Band 9 Answer

It is claimed by some business owners and recruiters that graduates nowadays tend to lack interpersonal skills. This essay will first explore why this is the case, before then suggesting how it may be remedied.

If it is true that graduates now lack the interpersonal skills necessary to succeed in the modern workplace, then that surely can be blamed on the exceptionally high level of theoretical knowledge necessary to achieve a good degree. As universities have become more competitive, the requirements for achieving a degree have gotten much more stringent, and students are required to spend all their time reading books and preparing for difficult assessments. It seems likely that this hinders their opportunities to socialize or work with others on productive tasks.

Solving this problem should not be terribly difficult. In fact, university faculties should pay attention to these complaints and implement solutions into their courses. Perhaps the most obvious suggestion is that students must be required to participate in more group activities throughout their education. For example, rather than studying all day and night to write an essay or sit an exam, students could be asked to prepare a group presentation together with their peers. Ideally, these groups should be picked at random to ensure that students develop the necessary skills to work with others whom they would not have previously chosen to work.

In conclusion, it appears that universities are failing students by not educating them in how to develop their interpersonal skills, and as a result they are struggling in the workplace. These universities should thus require students to develop their communicative abilities through specific group-based tasks.

Question #2

Some people think that a sense of competition in children should be encouraged. Others believe that children who are taught to co-operate rather than compete become more useful adults.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

People disagree over how to raise their kids, with many parents and teachers suggesting that competition is detrimental to their development. They think that children should be taught cooperation instead. This essay will look at both views, before deciding that these need not be mutually exclusive.

The argument against competition in children essentially revolves around the idea that it is unhealthy for children to be pitted against one another. Rather than teaching them to compete, these people argue, we should teach them to work together. Natural selection dictates that some children will invariably be winners while others will be losers, and in the modern era, this seems like an out-dated concept. All children should be winners.

On the other hand, competition is a part of life and therefore children should be exposed to it from the beginning. It needn’t be unfair, of course. When children are taught healthy attitudes towards competition – such as sportsmanship – then it is actually tremendously beneficial for them. They can learn how to participate in natural activities and then deal healthily with the result, whether that is victory or loss.

However, it seems to me that there is no real distinction between competition and cooperation. Team sports, after all, involve both these elements. If children play football, basketball, or rugby, then they will work with their teammates to compete against another team. In the end, both aspects are learned.

In conclusion, there is no need to separate competition from cooperation, and neither should be removed from a child’s education or environment. Both are important for child development.

Question #3

You recently did a short cookery course. The cookery school has asked for your feedback on this course.

Write a letter to the course director at the cookery school. In your letter

• describe what you enjoyed about the course
• say how much cooking you have done since the course
• suggest another cookery course you’d like the school to offer

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing in response to your request for feedback on the cookery course I recently attended. I am happy to give you some of my thoughts on the course.

First of all, I really enjoyed it. I had wanted to study French cooking techniques for several years and so I was really excited to see that this course became available. It certainly did not disappoint me, and I was delighted by the processes that I learned during that amazing week.

Since the course, I have been cooking and baking for my friends and family at every opportunity. They have been really impressed with my newfound skills, and I will continue to practice what I have learned.

As for suggestions, I do think that it would be worth adding some other sorts of cuisine to the courses on offer. I would love to learn how to cook Thai food, for example.

David S. Wills

Question #4.

There is a bar chart and a pie chart containing information taken from a survey on adult education. The bar chart describes why adults go into education and the pie chart shows who the respondents think should pay for it. People mostly go into education out of interest, and, perhaps unsurprisingly, it is believed that they should pay for it themselves.

According to the data, forty percent of adults go into education due to some sort of interest in a particular subject, while thirty-eight percent do it to gain qualifications. These are far and away the most common reasons, as the next most frequently cited reason was almost half this value. Several reasons were picked by about twenty percent of people, including the fact that it may help them earn a promotion at work. The least frequently stated answer was that adult education is a good way to meet new people.

The survey results showed forty percent of people believe the individual should pay the costs of a course. This matches quite well with the previous data, as the same percentage of people did these courses purely out of interest.

About The Author

David S. Wills is the author of Scientologist! William S. Burroughs and the 'Weird Cult' and the founder/editor of Beatdom literary journal. He lives and works in rural Cambodia and loves to travel. He has worked as an IELTS tutor since 2010, has completed both TEFL and CELTA courses, and has a certificate from Cambridge for Teaching Writing. David has worked in many different countries, and for several years designed a writing course for the University of Worcester. In 2018, he wrote the popular IELTS handbook, Grammar for IELTS Writing and he has since written two other books about IELTS. His other IELTS website is called IELTS Teaching.

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IELTS Speaking Cue Card Topic: Education

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Education is a cue card topic that often comes up in the IELTS speaking part 2. Below you will find a list of some exam questions and answers that you could encounter during part 2 of the IELTS Speaking test.

The questions below are based on the real IELTS speaking exam. They serve as a great IELTS Speaking part 2 cue card prediction questions to help you prepare better before your test.

Education Speaking Part 2 – Cue Card 1

Talk about a new language that you learnt. Please say

You should say:

• when did you do it
• how did you do it
• who helped you with it
• and explain how you feel about it now.

I am going to talk about learning English. I have been learning English since I was a child. I went to an international school so from a young age some of the subjects were taught in English. This was really difficult at first as not only did you have to be good at science or maths, you had to listen to the teacher explain it in English too. When I went to secondary school, my parents employed a private tutor to teach me at home. The teacher was a native from the UK so the classes really helped me learn more typical phrases and the correct pronunciation. The classes were invaluable and have really paid off as my English is much better now. Since then, I have been self taught. I read books, watch TV series and listen to podcasts in English which really helps immerse me in the language. Sometimes, I chat with English speaking friends and they correct me and I ask questions about the bizarre phrases and colloquial expressions they use. English uses a lot of jargon and slang , it can be difficult to understand but eventually I managed to catch their drift . I make a note of new vocabulary and use an app on my phone to test myself every now and again. Now I am studying translation, I am using English every day so I don’t need to brush up on my skills as much now. I feel proud of my English level, I have worked hard to get to this point.

Education Vocabulary Speaking Part 2 – Cue Card 2

• paid off – got a good result
• bizarre – strange
• jargon and slang – technical and local dialect vocabulary
• catch their drift – understand their meaning
• to brush up on – to practice something after a long time

Other IELTS Speaking Part 2 Topics

Here are other common topics that you could come across during the IELTS Speaking Part 2 test.

• Event / Instance
• Family / Friends

Talk about a skill that was difficult for you to learn. Please say

• when did you learn it
• why did you learn it
• how do you learn it
• and explain how you feel about this skill now.

I am going to talk about learning to dance. Most Italians are pretty good dancers and lots of my family members dance well. I think I was in secondary school when I realized I had two left feet . I had no natural rhythm at all and I felt embarrassed dancing in public. Dancing in public is a way of life in Italy, everybody dances at family events and special occasions. One of my friends offered to teach me to dance. She is a salsa teacher and gives classes in a studio. So, I decided to sign up and took up classes a couple of times a week. The first few classes were awful! I got really flustered trying to listen to the music and follow all the instructions at the same time. It probably took me a few months to feel more comfortable and less embarrassed. As well as the classes, I watched videos at home and copied the moves. Although I still wasn’t a natural, I persevered with the classes for six months, eventually starting to move my hips and not look like a giraffe dancing. After that, I gave up as I didn’t have enough time to attend the classes. I continued dancing with friends and family and got a few compliments on my dancing. I am proud that I made the effort to improve my skills and I will never forget the lessons. It is almost unheard of not to dance in Italy, we are a very musical and passionate nation.

Vocabulary for Cue Card 2

• have two left feet – no ability to dance
• sign up – register for a course or activity
• flustered – nervous and embarrassed
• almost unheard of – very unusual

Talk about an elementary school teacher you have a good memory of. Please say

• what he/she was like
• the subject he/she taught
• a memory you have of him/her
• and why you this is a good memory, in your opinion
• What he/she was like I am going to talk about Miss Elaine who was my favourite elementary school teacher. She was probably the kindest teacher I have ever had. She was very patient with us, but she also knew how to set 9 clear boundaries 10 . She would always let us know when we did something wrong, but she would also try to understand why we did it.
• The subject he/she taught Miss Elaine was my math teacher. I always struggled 11 with math, but she was there to help me, and she gave me a lot of individual attention 12 , which I very much needed, because I would get very anxious trying to solve a math problem on my own.
• A memory you have of him/her I remember that one time she gave us a worksheet 13 to complete. I could not do it and I started to tear up 14 . Everybody else was looking at me in the classroom. Miss Elaine ran to me and asked what was going on. I couldn’t really speak because I was crying and feeling stressed. Miss Elaine told me everything was okay and asked me if I was crying because I was nervous that I couldn’t solve the problems when others could. I just nodded 15 and she gave me a warm hug. Then she sat with me, and we solved the problems together.
• And Why you this is a good memory, in your opinion To me that is a good memory because I really felt like she wanted to and was able to understand me. Especially when you are young, it is hard sometimes to know, let alone 16 say how you feel. Her understanding and support 17 had a huge 18 impact 19 on my confidence.

Vocabulary for Cue Card 3

• set = (in this case) put
• boundaries = limits
• struggled = had problems doing something
• individual attention = focus on one person
• worksheet = a piece of paper with activities to complete or questions to answer
• tear up = have tears come up in your eyes
• nodded = said yes with the head
• let alone = even less
• support = help
• huge = extremely big
• impact = (in this case) effect

Talk about a skill that was difficult for you to learn. You should say

• what skill it was
• why you learnt it
• why it was difficult to learn
• and explain how you felt about this.

I am going to speak about learning to speak another language. I learnt to speak French a few years ago. I decided to learn in order to communicate better when I travelled abroad. I had learnt it at school but forgotten a lot in recent years and felt I should brush up on it. I wanted to challenge myself and prove to myself I could do it. So I found a teacher online and then we met face to face . The teacher was a French native but spoke really good English too which helped when explaining the grammar. As well as the classes, I listened to podcasts and used vocabulary apps to learn new words. At first, it felt near impossible to grasp the vocabulary and master the pronunciation. I felt really frustrated that I didn’t seem to be picking it up more quickly and it was embarrassing to repeat the same things over and over again in class. But I persevered and gradually it got easier. It was as if part of my brain opened up and started to accept and remember the language. I was elated . From that moment, I was on a roll ; learning new words and even going to a language exchange group to meet other like- minded people.  Now when I go on holiday to France, I feel more confident going into shops or ordering food in a restaurant so it was worth the effort and time I put into learning French.

Vocabulary for Cue Card 4

• face to face – in person
• grasp – to understand
• elated – very happy
• on a roll – a prolonged period of success
• like minded – similar thinking people

Describe an area of science (physics, psychology and so on) that interests you. Please say

• how do you know about it
• why are you interested in it
• What it is? I would like to talk about physics, an area of science that focuses on matter. It mainly deals with how matter moves in space and time, and what forces act upon it. In general, this field aims to make people understand how the universe behaves. For ordinary people, Physics is more understandable in situations like rubbing two things together and creating static electricity or the force applied whenever the washing machine dryer rapidly rotates. And to many, this subject can be identified when driving a car because natural forces help cars to start, move and stop.
• How do you know about it? I started learning physics when I was 8 years old as it was a formal subject in my school curriculum. As my class teacher used to teach concepts of physics in a very interesting manner, I developed keen interest in it during my childhood. What’s more my father is a science professor at a local university so I also got to know a lot about physics through him.
• Why are you interested in it? Physics interested me because it involves a lot of math. I find it easier to work with formulas for force and understanding how they work compared to other branches of science. Physics covers several areas and every time I encounter them in real life, my love for physics grows further. Moreover, I feel satisfied whenever I realize the scientific explanation and apply its practical aspect

Vocabulary for Cue Card 5

Talk about another course that you would like to take, not related to your previous studies. Please say

• what kind of course would it be
• what do you want to learn from it
• why would you choose it

I am going to talk about photography. I would love to take a photography course. I have always been interested in taking photos since I was a young child. I was given a camera when I was a teenager and used to go out taking pictures of animals and people. Nowadays, I mainly take photos using my smartphone but I miss the skill of taking really good photos. I would like to take the course so I could learn about setting up the shot, capturing a moment and also some of the technical stuff about filtering and perfecting photos.

I know that you can do these courses as an evening class or even during the summer but I just haven’t had the time or the money since I have started university. You can even learn online but I don’t think that is the same as a hands on experience.I have a friend who has completed the course and he takes amazing photos of people and beautiful architecture – it really is awe inspiring . If I did the course in the future, I would like to take a trip to a famous sight like Machu Picchu or the Niagara Falls and capture some amazing shots there. In the meantime . I am taking photos with my smartphone of me and my friends. I use the different filters and post photos on instagram so my friends and family back home can keep up to date with my life.

Vocabulary for Cue Card 6

• set up – prepared
• hands on – direct experience
• awe inspiring – amazing
• in the meantime – the time between now and something in the future
• keep up to date – to be informed of the current situation

Talk about a person you know who learnt a foreign language. Please say

• who is he/she
• what was his/her motivation for learning the language
• how frequently does he/she use it
• and how do you feel about him/her
• Who is he/she? I am going to talk about my aunt Tina. Aunt Tina comes from a multicultural family background, and is a polyglot , speaking French, Danish and Spanish fluently. She learnt French and Danish from her parents, and made the decision to major in Spanish at university. She completed her degree and later lived in Argentina for about ten years, where she met her husband, Pedro.
• What was his/her motivation for learning the language? Growing up with different cultures, my aunt developed a fascination for languages, and it seemed she was picking them up with ease. When she was fourteen years old, her parents travelled with her to Spain for the summer holidays, and she realised she was able to comprehend most of what was being said to her and around her. Her knowledge of French was a huge leg up, due to the common linguistic roots between French and Spanish. I think she really identified with the culture there, and her interest in the language grew stronger over time.
• How frequently does he/she use it? My aunt practises the language on a regular basis. Although she no longer lives in Argentina and her husband speaks a little French, they find it easier to communicate in Spanish. My aunt introduced the languages she knows to her children, and she was beside herself with joy when one of them expressed an interest in learning an additional foreign language in school. Sometimes, she would speak to her children in Spanish and they would respond in a different language. It is their way of learning new words and phrases!
• and how do you feel about him/her? I find her inspiring. Learning languages is like a walk in the park for her, and I admire her courage to pursue her dreams and live life as she sees fit .

Vocabulary for Cue Card 7

• Polyglot = someone who speaks more than two languages
• Fascination = strong interest in
• picking them up = (in this case) learning them
• leg up = help
• linguistic roots = linguistic origins
• on a regular basis = regularly
• beside herself with joy = extremely happy
• a walk in the park = extremely easy
• as she sees fit = the way she wants, as she believes is right for her

Describe you preferred location for studying. Please say

• where is this place
• what does it physically look like
• why is it your favourite place to study
• follow up question: Do other people you know use the same place to study?
• Where is this place? I am going to talk about my favourite place to study. It is actually a public library. As a tour guide, I need to constantly increase and update my knowledge of the places I tour, and the library provides me with all the resources I need for that.
• What does it physically look like? The public library I go to is quite big. It has a Victorian architecture and outside look to it, but it’s very modern on the inside. It offers a plethora of books on a variety of subjects, such as history, art, languages, and so on. Thereare plenty of tables and chairs throughout the library. Some chairs look more like armchairs an may be placed by large bay windows, although I prefer less exposed areas, to help me concentrate better. There is also an area with computers for people to use, as well as printers and scanners.
• Why is it your favourite place to study? I find myself being more productive at the library. I believe that being surrounded by books really sparks motivation in me. The members of staff are all so friendly, and I feel like there is little that can distract me there. It is really the ideal place for me to complete my work without any interruptions. I enjoy the abundance of books and resources there. The history section is of particular interest to me , due to my job. There are plenty of books on local history, and I feel like there are always new facts and anecdotes for me to learn.
• Follow up question: Do other people you know use the same place to study? I know people who use this library, but I don’t believe they go there to study. Many of them make use of the computers or borrow books rather than study. I see many people conduct research or focused on their own personal projects, but I do not know them personally.

Vocabulary for Cue Card 8

• plethora = range
• exposed = with nowhere to hide
• productive = making good use of time by completing many tasks and actions
• sparks motivation = inspires enthusiasm/motivation
• abundance = large quantities
• of particular interest to me = particularly interesting to me
• anecdotes = small stories that relate to a main subject

Talk about a course which left an impression on you.

• what course was it
• where did you take that course
• what was the course like
• and why did it impress you
• What course was it? I am going to talk about a course I took and which left a strong impression on me. That course was a Spanish course I took over the summer. I had studied Spanish in school but wanted to hone my skills.
• Where did you take that course? It was an intensive and immersive language course at a language institution in a nearby town. It was delivered by a Guatemalan teacher, which meant I got insight into Guatemalan culture and idioms. The institution was only a twenty-minute drive from where I live. Very convenient!
• What was the course like? The course was very engaging and inclusive. Our teacher used a myriad of media to teach us: films, videos. Books, magazines, recordings, songs, and more! It was truly immersive and I was completely hooked . The classes took place three times a week, and I would look froward to each class. Another aspect I truly appreciated about the course was the fact that she only spoke to us in Spanish, with the occasional English translations, where needed. It really forced us to think and produce in the language. It was great!
• Why did it impress you? I was very impressed by this course because I never realised the power of immersive programmes. I sincerely feel like I got more bang for my buck than with other more traditional courses. I can certainly feel that my speaking skills, and my reading skills for that matter, have increased tremendously . It also taught me about the power of visuals in conveying messages, and that anything is possible when we put effort into it! I did not expect that level of improvement on my part, and I am very thankful for the course and, of course, the teacher!

Vocabulary for Cue Card 9

• hone = sharpen
• engaging = (in this case) catching my interest
• myriad = range
• hooked = (in this case) so exciting I want to keep doing it
• bang for my buck = better value for the price you pay
• tremendously = in large amounts, to a very large degree

Cue Card 10

Talk about a practical skill you have learnt.

• what skill have you learnt
• how did you learn it
• and why is it an important skill
• What skill have you learnt? I am going to talk about an important practical skill I learnt when I was young. It is a cooking skill I use today and which involves frying eggs.
• When did you learn it? I believe I was about 12 years old when my mom called me to the kitchen. I was clueless about cooking, and quite frankly disinterested in the subject. But my mom, wise as an owl , said to me: “you may not find it interesting, but, believe me, you will find useful”. At the time I did not realise how right she was.
• How did you learn it? She showed me exactly how to do it, and even let me try it out myself. The first time, I went too strong, and part of the eggshell fell into the pan. I felt so embarrassed and told my mom I was giving up. My mom was never the kind of person to beat around the bush . She essentially told me to stop making excuses, and pull myself together so I can try again. She didn’t do it in a malicious way. She just wanted to help me get back on the horse . The second time, I managed to do it properly. She congratulated me and let me try it a few more times.
• And why is it an important skill? This skill is so very important, because it is one of the easiest meals to cook. It helps a lot when my schedule gets too busy for me to have the energy to cook anything else. It also inspired me to attempt to cook other dishes. When I mastered the skill, I thought to myself, if I can cook that, imagine what else I could make? It was a significant confidence boost for me

Vocabulary for Cue Card 10

• clueless = have no idea, have no knowledge of something
• wise as an owl = very wise person
• beat around the bush = avoid saying what you think because it is uncomfortable
• pull myself together = get over a negative emotional state
• malicious = evil, meaning to hurt
• get back on the horse = try again after a discouraging failure
• confidence boost = an action that helps increase someone’s confidence/self-confidence

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IELTS Speaking Topic – Speaking Part 3: Education (Follow-up Questions)

• Updated on  
• May 13, 2023

Q. 1. How has teaching changed in your country in the last few decades?

Ans- Teaching has undergone significant changes in my country over the past few decades, with a greater emphasis on technology and student-centred learning. Teachers are now expected to be more innovative and adaptable, using a range of teaching methods and technologies to engage students and enhance their learning experience. In addition, there has been a shift towards a more collaborative and interactive learning environment, with greater emphasis placed on group work and project-based learning.

Q. 2. What role should the teacher have in the classroom?

Ans- The teacher should play an active role in the classroom, providing guidance and support to students while also allowing them to develop their own skills and knowledge. A good teacher should be able to adapt their teaching style to suit the needs of individual students, creating a positive and engaging learning environment. In my experience, teachers who are approachable and willing to help students outside of class tend to have more successful students.

Q. 3. Do you think computers will one day replace teachers in the classroom?

Ans- While I think that computers can be a valuable tool in the classroom, I do not believe that they will ever fully replace teachers. Teachers provide valuable human interaction and personalized instruction that cannot be replicated by a computer program. Moreover, teachers can inspire and motivate students in ways that technology simply cannot. However, I do believe that technology can be used to supplement traditional teaching methods, providing additional resources and opportunities for students to learn.

Q. 4. What makes a good student?

Ans- A good student is someone who is curious and enthusiastic about learning. They should have a positive attitude towards their studies and be willing to put in the effort required to succeed. Additionally, good students should be organized and disciplined, able to manage their time effectively and stay focused on their goals. Personally, I have found that students who are open to new ideas and are not afraid to ask questions tend to perform better in their studies.

Q. 5. What is the difference between the way children learn and the way adults learn?

Ans- Children tend to learn through play and exploration, while adults are more focused on practical application and problem-solving. Children have a more flexible and open-minded approach to learning, while adults tend to rely more on their existing knowledge and experience. Additionally, children often require more structure and guidance in their learning, while adults are more self-directed and autonomous.

Q. 6. How can a teacher make lessons for children more interesting?

Ans- A teacher can make lessons more interesting for children by using a range of teaching methods and resources, such as visual aids, hands-on activities, and interactive technologies. It is also important for teachers to be enthusiastic and passionate about the subject matter, as this can inspire children and help to engage them in the learning process. Personally, I have found that incorporating games and competitions into lessons can be a fun and effective way to motivate children and make learning more enjoyable.

Are you preparing for IELTS? Check out this video to improve your speaking skills for the IELTS exam given below👇.

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• Entrepreneur(n) – a person who starts a business.
• Vital (adj) – very important/needed.
• Tough (adj) - difficult. 
• A multitude of (n) - very many. 
• One in a million (p) – very rare/unusual.  
• To possess (v) - to have (formal).
• To assess (v) – To make a judgement about something.
• Sought after (adj) – wanted by many people. 
• Curriculum (n) – the courses taught at a school or university. 
• To illustrate (v ) – to show.

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Sample IELTS Speaking Test

This next example test is on the topic of teaching and education.

Teaching and Education

Time: 4-5 minutes

Now, in this first part of the test I'm going to ask you some questions about yourself.

First I'd like to ask some questions about your family.

• Do you have a large or small family?
• How much time do you spend with members of your family?
• What sort of things do you like to do together?

Now let's move on to talk about food.

• What kind of food do you like?  
• What are some of the typical foods in your country?  
• In your country, do men or women have the main responsibility for cooking?

Let’s talk about where you live.

• Tell me about the house or apartment you live in.
• What are some of the bad things about living there?
• What kind of place would you like to have in the future?

Time: 3-4 minutes

Now, I'm going to give you a topic and I'd like you to talk about it for 1-2 minutes.

Before you talk you'll have one minute to think about what you are going to say and you can make notes if you wish. Do you understand?

Ok, here's some paper and a pencil to make notes, and here is your topic. I'd like you to describe something you own which is very important to you.

Describe a teacher who has influenced you in your education.

You should say:

• Where you met them
• What subject they taught
• What was special about them

And explain why this person influenced you so much.

Follow up questions:

• Do other people you know remember this teacher?
• Do you still see this teacher?

We've been talking about a teacher who has influenced you in your education, and I'd now like to ask you some questions related to this.

First we'll look at developments in education.

• Has education in your country changed in the last 10 years?
• What changes do you think will happen in the future?
• What changes would you recommend to improve the education system?

Now let's look at the national education system.

• How do the ambitions of current school leavers compare with those of the previous generation?
• What role do you think extracurricular activities play in education?
• What is the role of the school in modern society?

Thank you. That is the end of the speaking test for IELTS.

More IELTS Speaking Questions & Samples:

IELTS Speaking Long Turn Samples

IELTS Speaking Long Turn Samples: View examples answers for IELTS Part 2 speaking topics

IELTS Sample Speaking Test - Education

View an IELTS sample speaking test on the topic of education.

IELTS speaking questions with answers

These IELTS speaking questions with answers will help you to successfully prepare for parts 1,2 and 3 of the speaking test

Full IELTS Speaking Test - The Environment

View an IELTS speaking test on the topic of the environment. In parts 2 and 3, the topics are usually connected in some way.

IELTS Speaking Tips

Essential IELTS Speaking Tips to help you achieve the score you need in the IELTS Exam first time!

IELTS Speaking Environmental Problems for Part 3

Sample answers for IELTS speaking on environmental problems. Read a sample part 3 answer for a set of questions about environmental issues.

Listen to an IELTS speaking sample of a candidate taking the test

Listen to a live IELTS Speaking Sample - hear recordings of candidates taking IELTS practice tests, with assessments of their answers.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 Samples: Questions and Answers

These IELTS speaking part 3 samples give you examples of the kinds of answers you can give in the third part of the IELTS speaking test.

Common IELTS Speaking Topics and Questions for Part Two

View IELTS speaking topics for part 2 of the test. In this section you have to talk on a topic for 2 minutes.

IELTS Speaking Part 2 Sample: Listen to a candidate taking the test

Listen to an IELTS speaking part 2 sample audio, with comments on the performance of the candidate.

Full IELTS Speaking Test Example

Full IELTS speaking test example including questions for parts 1, 2 and 3. View more sample tests on the following pages.

IELTS Speaking Part 2 Sample Answers

These IELTS speaking part 2 sample answers cover a mix of topic that may come up in the long turn section of the test.

IELTS Speaking Sample Questions for Part 3

View IELTS speaking sample questions for part 3 of the test. Questions in this part are of a more abstract nature than parts 1 and 2.

Speaking Test For IELTS

View a complete speaking test for IELTS - Many more speaking tests and practice exercises available to improve your speaking.

IELTS Speaking Samples: Questions and Model Answers

IELTS speaking samples to help you learn the best way to answer questions from this part of the exam. Questions and answers from parts 1, 2 and 3 of the test.

IELTS Speaking Questions & Topics for the Test

View IELTS speaking questions and topics for part 1, 2 and 3 of the test. The questions vary depending on which section you are on.

IELTS Speaking Examples - Answers for Part 2 of the Test

View IELTS Speaking Examples for Part 2 of the speaking test. Sample questions with example answers.

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School & Education: IELTS Speaking Part 3 Model Answer

Updated On Dec 11, 2023

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In IELTS Speaking Part 3, to answer IELTS examiner’s questions in a natural and fluent way, you should focus on one idea only and then expand that idea into a long meaningful sentence using grammar patterns and vocabulary, which can help you get Band 8.0+ for IELTS Speaking.

Let’s practice it with some easy questions about an essential topic: School & Education.

Speaking Part 3

1 what courses/subjects you think will be added in your high school.

Rather than adding more courses, I think most of those we already have will become electives. Students in my country are already studying too many subjects, most of which they have no interest in. When I was in school, I had 13 mandatory subjects, and I can’t recall what I learned in half of them.

2 What courses/subjects will be helpful in future work?

I think classes on foreign languages and intercultural communication will be useful. The world is becoming more and more globalized, so being able to speak at least one foreign language will help people find work in the job market. As for intercultural communication, knowledge about cultural norms and the ways in which people think and interpret messages will prevent miscommunication.

3 What do students do after school in your country?

Students in my country usually take extra classes after school, which are often taught by their own teachers or private tutors. If students do not have classes, many of them hang out with friends in the afternoon before going home to have dinner and do their homework.

4 Do you think students should choose subjects they like?

To a certain extent, yes. I think subjects like Math, Reading, and at least one Foreign Language should be compulsory for all. Other subjects such as Arts and Music should be optional, as I think few students intend to work in the creative industry or see it as a viable career path.

5 Can the students in your country choose their favorite subjects?

No. The subjects students learn are all dictated by the Ministry of Education. In my experience, all students have at least one subject they detest. Many subjects students want to learn aren’t even available.

6 According to you, what will school be like in the future?

I think the schools in the future will focus more on application of fundamental concepts to real-world problems instead of plain rote learning. I also think – and hope – that there will be a greater emphasis on the all-round development of the student as an individual.

• Mandatory: Compulsory Eg: Applying for the exam is mandatory.
• Miscommunication: Problem created due to lack of communication Eg: I am writing it down to avoid miscommunication
• Emphasis: Pressurising Eg: She emphasized on getting a job as a waitress.

Also check : 

• IELTS Speaking preparation tips
• Linking words for IELTS Speaking
• IELTS Speaking recent actual test
• IELTS Speaking topics 2020
• Sports Vocabulary IELTS
• Work Vocabulary IELTS
• IELTS Speaking Part 3 Questions with Answers
• Idioms for IELTS Speaking
• IELTS Pronunciation Guide
• Common English words in IELTS Speaking

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IELTS Speaking Part 3 Questions – Education

In this post, you will see one of the most common IELTS speaking topics for part 3 (Education)  and sample answers.

Explore Various IELTS Speaking Part 2 Cue Card Questions and Answers.

Please remember that in the actual test you should give honest answers and talk about your own experiences, thoughts, feelings and opinions.  Do not  try to memorise answers , as the examiners will probably be able to guess and you will lose marks.

However, you are able to make up information to extend your answers, but be sure that you are confident  when speaking about the chosen topic and that it is believable.

TIP >>  Listen to the questions the examiner asks you and think about the structure  of the question. Are they asking your for your opinion? or to say how something has changed from the past to the present?

TIP >>  Learn about the most commonly asked question types used in the part 3 questions. This will help you to identify how you should respond and what to look out for when you are practising.

TIP >>  It is common for many people to say ‘I don’t know’  or to lose focus when they get a question they know little about.  Always answer the questions  and if you feel as though you don’t know about the topic, then buy yourself some time by saying;  ‘I haven’t really thought about that before…. but in my opinion……’  then give your opinion, etc. 

TIP >>  Don’t try to answer the questions as quickly as possible,  take your time and answer them to the best of your ability. Give your opinion, the reasoning behind it and support with specific examples. 

Take a look at the questions and sample answers  below on the topic of ‘Education ‘ >>

Q: Is higher education too expensive in your country?

A: I think that it is very costly to go into higher education in my country. They recently hiked the prices up, making it extremely difficult for most people to afford it. On the one hand, spending thousands on an education is worth every penny, but on the other hand, it can bring years of debt to a student and their family. In today’s society, no one is guaranteed to get a good job straight after university, so these course fee debts often continue to follow people around for life. 

Q: Should all students pay for their university education?

A: In my view, many students should be entitled to have a free higher education, especially if they can’t afford the fees but have consistent high grades. For those who are high achievers getting a paid tuition to the university of their choice could be life-changing. For example in many countries in Europe, they offer free higher education to those who obtain high grades in high school, which encourages them to develop their learning and progress into a good profession.

Q: What advantages do universities bring to society?

A: I think that there are many positive things that universities can offer the communities around them. They bring students into the area for one, which means housing will be in demand. They will spend money on food, go out and books for their course, making the town or city a buzzing hub of student life. For the students they benefit from having a high level of education, which can then be translated into skills in the workplace, keeping society going with their knowledge.  

Q: Which is more important, research or teaching?

A: I think that for those who prefer to research, they enter programmes for further education, like completing a Master’s degree or a PhD. This can develop a further understanding of a subject and allow the person to develop their research skills. Many people who complete these higher levels of education, also teach as a way of sharing their knowledge and gaining respect from their peers. You can’t really teach at that level without undertaking some sort of extensive research, therefore I see them of equal importance. 

Q: How should students spend their summer vacations?

A: In my opinion, I think that students should spend some time relaxing during the summer break but should also continue to study and read. A better way to make use of all of that time off is to get an internship or other work experience that will be useful for their CV. They could also have a paid part-time job so that they can save money for the forthcoming school year. When completing a degree, it is really useful to gain experience from internships, save money and continue to study. Making the most of all of that free time is important. Being idle during that time period is not really going to help them to go anywhere in the future. 

To practice with past questions, please look at  Speaking Part 2  in more detail.

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IELTS Speaking Part 1 Sample Band 9 – Topic: Education

1. Describe your education

I graduated from High School for the Gifted and got into an International University because I think 2-year study at this university would prepare me well, especially my critical thinking skills before I finish another 2 years abroad at the University of Nottingham.

Critical thinking (n) the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgment.

Get into something (phrase) to be accepted to study at a school

2. What is your area of specialization?

My major is Plant Biotechnology. I have been into Biology since I was in high school and I think a shift to a field where Biology and advanced technology are associated would be interesting and promising for my future career.

Major (n) the most important subject that a college or university student is studying

 To be into something (phrase) really like something

3. Why did you choose to study that major?

There are many reasons for my choice. As I’ve already explained about my long-term interest in Biology and plants, another reason could be because of science itself, since I’ve found my personalities have changed in a positive way, you know, like I’ve become more patient and skillful.

4. Do you like your major? (Why?/Why not?)

To tell you the truth it was quite challenging for me at first , because the university’s requirements are especially high and you know science itself highly demands skillful hands and curious mind. However, as time goes by I think I’m getting used to an insurmountable amount of pressure and actually enjoy my study.

Go by (phrasal verb) if time goes by, it passes

Get used to Verb-ing/something (phrase) If you get used to something, you become familiar with it

Insurmountable (adj) incapable to overcome (problem/difficult)

5. What kind of school did you go to as a child?

Well just like most of the pupils, I spent five years at the government’s primary school. It took me only 10 minutes to go to school and I had my parents take me to school everyday. Classes start at 7 in the morning and end at 5 in the evening.

6. What was your favourite subject as a child?

To tell you the truth, I was quite good at Literature back then . Besides, my Literature teacher was really dedicated and caring, thus I always tried my best to get high score and impressed my teacher.

Back then (phrase) an expression you can use in order to refer to a specific period of time in the past

7. (Possibly) Are you looking forward to working?

To be honest, working is actually my plan B just in case I need to make ends meet . In the future I think my higher degree is my priority.

Plan B (n) back-up plan

To make ends meet (v) to make money, to earn a living

Describe a time that you had to change your plan/ you changed your mind

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IELTS speaking vocabulary about school and education

Home  »  IELTS speaking  »  IELTS speaking vocabulary about school and education

You may be asked questions about  school and education in general.   Read the following IELTS style question and answers below and pay attention to the words or phrases in bold. Use the ‘definitions’ section at the bottom of the page to check any meanings you are unfamiliar with.

Make a note of any new vocabulary and the best way to learn it is to use it!

IELTS speaking part 1  – style questions

Examiner: What did you enjoy most when you were at school?

Janet:  School feels like a long time ago now, as I am currently at University, but I do remember really enjoying English lessons. We were lucky enough to have a native speaking teacher, which was usual, but it gave us the opportunity to be inspired by hearing  authentic  pronunciation and our teacher told very funny stories to keep us focused.

Examiner: Do you think a teacher should be friendly or strict?

Alexa: When I was at school, our teachers were ‘old-school’, strict  and very traditional, so our lessons were teacher centred. As children we were not encouraged to ask questions or voice our opinions. However, today, thankfully, classes are more student centred, and encourage collaboration and I think a more friendly teacher would be more successful here.

Examiner: What’s the most difficult part of your study now?

Kamila: Well, for the most part, I’d say it’s  encourage collaboration.  I mean there are so many  assignments , and students are always under a lot of  pressure to meet deadlines.   I am lucky as I don’t find exams too overwhelming. If you are well prepared, they are entirely  predictable , and I can pretty much  sail through them  with only a bit of revision.

IELTS speaking part 2   – style question

  Describe a subject you enjoyed studying at school.

You should say:

• when and where you started studying it
• what lessons were like
• what made it different from other subjects

and explain why you enjoyed the subject.

Said: To be honest, I found school pretty challenging for a number of reasons. We moved house quite often back then, so I had to adapt to different teachers,  learning expectations  and to make new friends. However, the subject which I was always passionate about  and determined to succeed in was French.

I started lessons when I was quite young, which is common in the UK, as learning languages is actively encouraged, but the  standard  and expectation was relatively low so lessons revolved around  role plays  asking for ice cream or bread!  Our lessons involved a lot of writing and  dictation  which was hard, and I did struggle to see the point of this as what I really wanted to learn was how to communicate and be understood. Our vocabulary was based around the family, food, travel and school so It was quite useful but not the sort of things that children really want to talk about.

I was motivated as I had already visited France on holiday and so I could see for myself the possible benefits of being able to communicate and make myself understood. The  breakthrough  for me came when I was around 15 with a teacher called Mrs. Green.

She was half French herself, so she spoke beautifully and was rather glamourous too and her lessons were filled with laughter, games and stories although she was very strict as well. We were all expected to study hard and to succeed in exams. She was  inspiring  though because she loved her subject.

Personally, I have always enjoyed listening to languages, to the i ntonation  and sound even if I do not understand. Once I could use the French I had learnt in school when I visited France and later studied there, the language came alive and all that hard work as a youngster  paid off !

IELTS speaking part 3  – style question

Examiner: Do you think single sex schools are still relevant in today’s world?

Emilie: While today many would argue that traditional  schools which only allow either girls or boys to study there seem rather  outdated  and old fashioned as this is not how ‘real’ society of the workplace operates. However, many  league tables  which rank schools in order of high exam results, have proved that single sex schools can be much better as there are less  distractions  and maybe students are more able to focus on learning and be proud of their achievements without having to compete with the opposite sex.

Examiner: What are the benefits of a boarding school?

Helene: As an  alumni  of a  boarding school , I can see the upsides as well as the challenges. In some countries children as young as 8 are sent away to school, either because of the higher standard of education on offer, or because their parents may be working overseas.

Many of these schools offer a wide range of e xtra-curricular activitie s such as golf, photography or fashion as well as the core academic subjects. Children usually speak of forming lifelong friendships, with their  peer group  as well as teachers and there is a strong concept of shared experiences.

Examiner: What are the advantages of studying a distance learning course?

Lydia: For many people, especially  students who work or need more flexibility, distance  or  remote learning  is the ideal way to study. There are several benefits that immediately come to mind. Not only  the cost, which  is far less than it would be to attend a college with  high tuition fees  but the ability to study at your own speed.

It is usually agreed that some find that this method of learning suits them better than sitting in lectures or going to tutorials which demands more self-motivation and discipline.

Vocabulary words related to education and definitions:

• authentic:  real, true
• old-school strict:  traditional learning with punishments and controlling teachers
• teacher centred : where the teacher is leading the class
• encourage collaboration:  learning together through discussions
• pressure to meet deadlines:  having to finish work by a certain time / date
• assignments:  homework or essays
• sail through them:  not to have to work hard and to find things easy
• learning expectations:  what the teacher expects from their student
• role plays : acting out a situation to simulate or practice it
• dictation:  writing down what the teacher says, accurately and fast.
• breakthrough:  a new development
• inspiring:  something which makes you want to do better
• intonation:  the ‘singing’ sound of speech
• paid off:  was worth the effort
• outdated:  old fashioned
• league tables:  tables which rank the position of schools according to  academic success
• alumni:  students who used to go to a certain school or college
• boarding school:  where students live at school during the term time
• extra- curricular activities:  anything NOT academic, eg sport, drama
• peer group : students of your own age, in your class
• remote:  not being physically there / learning via computer

More  IELTS vocabulary  tutorials to help you prepare for your  IELTS exam :

• Vocabulary about climate change
• Vocabulary about fashion and shopping
• Vocabulary about advertising
• Vocabulary about social media
• Vocabulary about food and nutrition
• Vocabulary about family and friends
• Vocabulary about sport
• Vocabulary about the Coronavirus

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IELTS Speaking Lesson about Education

👇 take this lesson with you 👇, table of contents, ielts speaking vocabulary: education.

Fill in the gap with one word

• Next week I am going to _____ the IELTS test .
• At school you will get into trouble if you don’t _________ the rules 

See answers

• Next week I am going to take / sit / re-sit / re-take / pass  the IELTS test.

The examiner gives the test Cambridge English write the test

• To pass = to succeed

2. At school you will get into trouble if you don’t _ follow / obey / respect / stick to / keep to / abide by  the rules 

IELTS Speaking: Schools

Curriculum (n.) 

Curricula (n.) Plural = subjects / lessons in a course 

• What do we call classes we do after school?

Extra curricular activities  After school activities

Tests and Exams

• I am going to _______ the IELTS test
• sit / take 
• pass = succeed  
• fail = not to pass
• re-sit / re-take / re-do = do / take again
• To pass with flying colours = to pass with a really high score
• To pass with merit = to pass very well
• To pass with (a) distinction = to pass at the highest level 
• To flunk a test = to fail a test 
• I sailed through the test = it was easy 
• It was a breeze = it was really easy 

Discipline (v.) (n.) = control, order, authority

• Our form teacher would keep us in line = keep control over us
• She was a no-nonsense teacher =doesn’t accept silly behaviour
• Strict (adj.) = keeps strong control 

The opposite of strict is ______ ?

• Easy-going 
• Laid-back  

“ Rules are there to be broken!”

_____ the rules  

• Follow _____
• Stick to _____
• Keep to _____
• Break _____

Punishment  

• Detention = when you stay behind after class 
• Writing lines = writing the same line 100 times
• Suspension = when you cannot go to school for a few days
• Expulsion = when you are kicked out of the school or to expelled from school
• Corporal punishment = hitting the student (caning, giving the slipper, slapping with a ruler)  
• knowledgeable
• well-read = s.o. who reads a lot 
• tough but fair 
• easy-going = relaxed 
• nurturing = encouraging
• ill-prepared = badly prepared 
• rambling = talking too much without a goal
• inept = not competent, not good

All of the following can be used to describe a teacher who treats some students well and others badly. 

• discriminating
• guilty of favouritism

IELTS Speaking: Learning

Bloom’s Taxonomy

This is a pyramid of learning levels.

The bottom level is the lowest level of learning, and the top one is the highest level of learning.

To learn deeply, you need to try and do activities that will move you up the levels. 

If you are a teacher, find out more about how to use Bloom’s Taxonomy here

The table below shows you the kind of activities you can do to move up the learning levels.

The table below shows you some useful phrases you can use to talk about learning in your IELTS Speaking test .

IELTS Speaking: Listening task

IELTS Speaking: Listening Task

Click here to listen.

At school, I had a teacher who just used to make us [1] _______ everything by heart. I didn’t enjoy it that much, but sometimes we had to have a [2] ____ at using those ideas in a [3] ________, and I felt that was much more beneficial. You know, [4] _________ up other people’s ideas, and thinking out of the [5] ________, I found that really useful.

At school I had a teacher who just used to make us [1] learn everything by heart. I didn’t enjoy it that much, but sometimes we had to have a [2]  go at using those ideas in a [3] debate , and I felt that was much more beneficial. You know, [4] weighing up other people’s ideas, and thinking out of the [5] box , I found that really useful.

What is the impact of technology on education?

Here are some ideas phrases you can use to talk about this.

Good or Positive Impact 

• We have more access to resources and information worldwide 
• Technology can create shortcuts (=a way to do things more quickly)
• Learn more quickly 
• It has led to personalised learning 
• Motivate young people in particular 
• Unleash our creativity   

Bad or Negative Impact 

• It can put older people off  
• It can be frustrating 
• It can fail 
• It can be distracting 

To put someone off something = to discourage someone from doing it

With this question you can also consider the impact on different groups of people.

• Old People 

It can be off-putting  It can make learning daunting or overwhelming

Make it fun They are digital natives, so it’s easy to use 

There’s pressure to keep up with the latest changes There’s a steep learning curve 

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DAILY ROUTINES in IELTS Speaking. Vocabulary and idioms you need to describe about your daily routines.

ENVIRONMENT in IELTS Speaking Learn different ways to protect our environment and discuss it with idioms and vocabulary in this lesson.

MEDICINE in IELTS Speaking Learn the COVID Vocabulary for IELTS Speaking and talk about Alternative Medicines using idioms and vocabulary.

SKILLS in IELTS Speaking Learn the collocations and adjectives to talk about skills we learn and need.

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• Education Vocabulary

It’s very common for candidates to be asked about their school, college or university experience, so a good range of education vocabulary is something you definitely need to develop.

This page should make that easy for you as it contains over 150 everyday words and phrases related to study, education and teaching. For each, I’ve included an explanation and added a sample sentence to show it in context. This will help you to learn how to use it correctly.

Don’t try to learn them all. Look at my suggestions below as to the best way to use this extensive list of education vocabulary.

Here are some of the categories covered:

• Educational institutions
• Course types & levels
• Qualifications
• People in education
• Subjects & facilities
• Academic work

As well as your own experience of education, you could be asked your opinion on wider issues such as the quality of teaching or education system in your country, equal opportunities, technology in schools and many other related topics. The list of education vocabulary will equip you to create answers for these types of subjects as well.

Also on this page are three other things that will help you prepare for questions about education:

• IELTS-style questions on the topic of education
• Sample answers
• Links to online reading & listening resources

You’ll find PDF downloads of both the questions and sample answers and the education vocabulary list at the bottom of the respective sections.

The questions relate to the Speaking test because this part of the exam offers the broadest range of possible questions on the topic of education. They give the best opportunity for me to demonstrate the vocabulary and for you to practise using it.

I’ve included IELTS-style questions and answers for all three parts of the Speaking test. I've highlighted key words and phrases in  bold .

You'll find these words and phrases, and many others, in the vocabulary list beneath. There’s an audio to listen to their pronunciation.

The education vocabulary list contains words and phrases relevant to all parts of the IELTS exam.

Finally, at the bottom of the page I've added links to topical articles, short videos and podcasts that will help you to improve both your education vocabulary and your reading and listening skills.

Let’s begin with the sample questions.

IELTS-Style Speaking Test Questions and Answers

Common education vocabulary is highlighted in  bold .

1) At what age do children begin school in your country?

Formal education starts at five years of age but most children go to preschool when they are around three. This isn’t compulsory but really helps them to develop socially.

2) What kind of school did you go to as a child?

My family moved around a lot when I was growing up so I went to many different schools including three primary schools , a grammar school and a co-educational comprehensive school . I even attended a private school for a year.

3) Did you enjoy your time at school?

I can’t say that I particularly enjoyed my early education . With changing schools so often, I was always the new kid which I found hard.

4) Would you say you were a good student?

Yes, I was definitely a good pupil . I was a quiet, shy child who never caused my teachers any trouble or played truant . I worked hard on my coursework and got on well with my peers .

5) Did you do any extra-curricular activities?

Back in my day, there weren’t many opportunities to do extra-curricular activities . However, I was in the school choir at my secondary school . We use to put on concerts and one year we did a tour of Germany.

Describe a subject you enjoyed studying at school.

You should say:

• when and where you started studying it
• what lessons were like
• what made it different from other subjects

and explain why you enjoyed the subject.

There There were three subjects I particularly enjoyed at school, English , geography and P.E. but if I had to choose a favourite, I guess it would be geography .

I suppose you start learning about the natural features around you and other countries in primary school but geography first appeared on the curriculum as a specific subject in secondary school . I’d been fascinated with other places and cultures for as long as I could remember. My dad had travelled a lot and had a large map on the wall with pins in all the countries he’d been to. I loved looking at it so perhaps that’s where my interest in geography first started.

The geography classroom was great; full of globes, atlases and books about places that were very different to where I lived. We had a nice teacher called Mrs Rose who used lots of pictures and maps in her lessons . This was perfect for me as I’m a visual learner. If Mrs Rose had just talked all the time, as some of our teachers did, I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed the subject so much or learnt so easily.

I even liked doing geography homework . I can remember sitting at my desk at home spending hours carefully drawing maps and adding all the features. When my mum took me to the library on a Saturday morning, I’d look for adventure stories set around the world or books on how people live in other countries.

When I reached the sixth form and had to choose just three subjects to study, geography was one of them, although I actually failed my final exam. My family moved house yet again just before I took it and I was very unsettled. I had a private tutor for a few months then retook the exam and got a good grade.

At university ,  I trained as a  teacher myself. I chose primary education so taught geography along with many other subjects. However, during one of my training placements, the headteacher asked me to spend three weeks teaching the subject to every class in the small village school, from 5 year olds up to 11 year olds. It was one of the happiest times in the whole of my career even though I hadn’t even got my teaching qualification yet.

1) What impact do universities have on the places where they’re located?

I believe that the presence of a university in a town or city has a significant positive impact on the area. For a start, it's often the largest employer, offering jobs at all levels from cleaners and maintenance staff to lecturers and top academics .

Large educational institutions like this bring in lots of investment from around the world from foreign students and for important research projects. The presence of thousands of students during term times is also a massive boost to the local economy.

In addition to the financial benefits, there several ways in which universities contribute socially. For example, university towns and cities tend to be vibrant, with a great social life due to the large numbers of young adults living there. What’s more, the campus itself usually has a number of facilities that can be used by local people. A university city I used to live in had an excellent theatre that attracted top plays, shows and performers from around the country.

2) What is it more important for academics to do, research or teaching?

It was only recently, after reading an article about a local university , that I realised just how much research goes on in them. It was about a new facility in the medical faculty and outlined the important research they will now be able to carry out on stem cells and brain tumours. This type of work is vital if we are to combat illness and disease in the future.

For most people though, universities are places of learning where you go to get your degree and prepare for your future career, so teaching must have a high priority. As teachers , academics have the role of passing on knowledge to the next generation.

Weighing it up, I think that the teaching side of their work is the most important because unless they instruct and inspire their students , there will be no-one to fill the most important jobs in society or to carry on the research work the academics do.

3) What are the advantages of studying a distance learning course?

For many people, especially mature students who work, distance learning is the ideal way to study. There are several benefits that immediately come to mind. Firstly, the cost is far less than it would be to attend a college or university with their high tuition fees .

Secondly, you can study anywhere and in your own time and at your own pace. Some students , myself included, find that this method of learning suits them better than sitting in lectures or going to tutorials . You do have to be self-motivated to keep up with the coursework though, and you still get assignments to write and sometimes a dissertation , but you can fit these around your daily life.

Thirdly, there’s a huge range of correspondence courses and online courses available these days so you can take almost any subject you want to and even study for a degree qualification this way. So all in all, distance learning courses have many advantages over other methods of study.

Click this link to get a PDF download of these practise questions & sample answers.

Download PDF Now

*  Important

• Do  not  try and learn this list of education vocabulary.
• Identify the vocabulary you find useful for answering practise questions about this topic.
• Record it in your vocabulary notebook and practise using it regularly.

I recommend that you create your own answers to the Speaking questions on this page. You will find many other IELTS-style practise questions by searching online. 

For help on how to learn vocabulary, what to learn and how to record it, visit these pages:

How to Learn Vocabulary for IELTS

Top 6 Types of IELTS Vocabulary & Topic Word Lists

Education Vocabulary  –  Common Words & Phrases

Education Vocabulary Set 1: Key Definitions

education – the process of teaching or learning, especially in a school, college or university, or the knowledge that you get from this

- Education is a low priority for the governments of some developing countries.

- Most children receive their education in schools but some are taught at home.

to educate – to give someone intellectual, moral or social instruction, typically at a school, college or university

- At the school I visited in Kenya the children are educated in classes of over 60 pupils.

educational – relating to the provision of education

- When I was at school we had an educational visit to the British Museum in London to see Tutankhamun’s treasures.

educational institution – a place where people gain an education, such as a school

- We are fortunate to have many excellent educational institutions in our area.

formal education – education  normally delivered by trained teachers in a systematic way in a school, college or university.

- In Norway, formal education starts when children reach the age of six.

compulsory education – the legally-required period of time that children are expected to attend school. In the western world, these laws generally require that children attend school from the ages of 5 to 16 or 18.

- One day, a formal education will hopefully be compulsory for all children.

Education Vocabulary Pronunciation

Education Vocabulary Set 2: Educational institutions

preschool – a school for children who are too young to begin their formal education

- Most children in the UK go to a preschool but it isn’t compulsory.

nursery school (UK)/ kindergarten (US) – preschool education

- In the UK, most children begin nursery school at the age of four.

primary school (UK)/ elementary school (US) – the type of school for children ages 5-11

- Bindi was so excited about starting primary school when the new term started in September.

primary education – the education of 5-11 year olds

- In an ideal world, primary education would be compulsory in every country.

secondary school (UK)/ high school (US)  – the type of school for children age 11 to 16, sometimes 18

- I want to teach in a secondary school when I finish my teacher training as I really enjoy working with older pupils.

co-educational/mixed – a school where girls and boys are taught together.

- These days, most schools in the UK are co-educational .

single-sex school – a school for either male or female students but not both

- Both my parents went to single-sex schools but it’s more normal these days to go to a mixed school.

state school – a school that is funded and controlled by the government and for which no fees are charged

- The government is facing growing criticism for the underfunding of state schools .

comprehensive school – a state school that accepts pupils regardless of their level of academic ability or achievement

- There is an ongoing debate as to whether all young people should attend comprehensive schools or if schools that select pupils on academic ability are still relevant.

grammar school (UK) – state secondary  school  that selects their pupils by means of an examination taken by children at age 11

- Although many people are against selective education where some school places go to the most academically able pupils, grammar schools are still popular.

private school – a school that is not supported by government money, where education must be paid for by the children’s parents

- Jonah’s parents decided to pay for him to go to a private school because most classes only had 20 pupils in.

private education – education parents have to pay for

- Only a small percentage of parents can afford to give their children a private education .

public school (UK) – an exclusive, expensive school, run independently

public school (US) – a school which is free and paid for by the government

higher education (also called tertiary education ) – education beyond the age at which it is compulsory, usually in a college or university

- Most of Vijay’s friends wanted to leave school and get a job as soon as possible but he was determined to go on to higher education to improve his career prospects.

boarding school – a school where students live and study during the school term.

- Yu Yang hated boarding school as she missed her family and felt very homesick.

college – a place of higher education where people study specialized subjects or undertake vocational training for a skilled job

- Hugo applied for a place at the local college to train to be a chef.

university – a high-level educational institution where students study for degrees and academic research is done.

- Fuyuko wanted to study nursing at university in Australia but had to get a band 7 in her IELTS exam to be accepted.

Education  Vocabulary Pronunciation

Education Vocabulary Set 3: Course types & levels

course – a series of lessons in a particular subject

undergraduate – studying for a degree but having not yet achieved it.

postgraduate – having achieved a degree and now studying for a higher qualification, possibly a professions qualification

vocational – education or training directed at a particular occupation and its skills, often requiring practical skills

intensive – fast-paced courses which give a lot of information quickly and in a short time

Education Vocabulary Set 4:  Qualifications

qualification – an official record showing that you have achieved a certain level of education or skill in a particular subject or skill area

- Riya was determined to leave school with good qualifications so she could get a well-paid job to support her family.

certificate – an official record of achievement, generally issued for a short course

- Shona was delighted to be presented her TEFL certificate on passing her course to become an English teacher.

diploma – issued for a higher education course that is shorter than a degree

- Greg did so well in his two-year engineering diploma that his tutor persuaded him to study for another year to qualify for a degree.

bachelor’s degree / or just degree ( BA/BSc etc) – qualification issued by a university or college at the end of three or four years of study

- I’m studying for a bachelor’s degree in marine biology.

- I’m studying for a BA in history.

master’s degree /or just master’s ( MA/MSc etc) – qualification issued by a university when the student has completed further study beyond a degree, often in a more specialisn'ted field than a bachelor’s degree

- Alonso wanted to stay on at university an extra year to study for his master’s but his parents couldn't afford the fees.

doctorate ( PhD ) – the highest level of degree qualification issued by a university

- I’m so proud of my sister for achieving a PhD in biochemistry.

fellowship – a teaching or research post given to a person studying for an advanced degree.

- Being awarded a research fellowship at my university is a dream come true as it enables me to stay on and study for my doctorate.

Education vocabulary Pronunciation

Education Vocabulary Set 5:  People in education

headteacher/ principal  – the person in charge of a school

- Our headteacher had been principal for 12 years when he retired.

teacher – a person who teaches, especially in a school

- My favourite teacher at school was Mr Webber because he made lessons so interesting.

tutor – a teacher who works privately with one student or a small group

- Our son struggles with maths so we’ve got him a private tutor to help him with his work.

lecturer – a person who teaches at a college or university.

- My cousin is a lecturer in physics at the University of London.

professor – a teacher of the highest rank in a department of a British university, or a teacher of high rank in an American university or college

-  Professor Stephen Hawking  was one of the most influential figures in modern science.

an academic – a person who teaches in a college or university and continues to research and increase knowledge about their specialist subject

- She was such a bookworm at school and always in the library researching some topic or other, so it’s no surprise that she became an academic .

pupil – a person, usually a child at school, who is being taught

- The pupils loved Miss Lefebvre’s French lessons as she gave them fun learning games to play.

student – a person, usually a college or university, who is being taught

- The beginning of the academic year was so busy with all the new students starting their college courses.

mature student – an adult student who attends college or university some years after leaving school

- Jose was so grateful for the chance to study for a degree as a mature student having left school with very few qualifications.

a graduate – a person who has finished their college or university education

- University graduates can usually get higher paid jobs than people with vocational skills.

peer – a person who is in the same class, age group or social group as someone else

Pupils these days are under a lot of pressure to dress and behave like their peers .

Education Vocabulary Set 6: School subjects

curriculum – the subjects comprising a course of study in a school or college

- Her parents chose the school because it offered a broad curriculum including drama and dance which were her favourite subjects.

syllabus – an outline or summary of the subjects to be covered in a course

- The new syllabus included environmental science which was becoming more popular as a school subject.

maths/math/mathematics – the study of numbers, shapes and space

literature – the study of written works (such as poems, plays, and novels) that are considered to be very good and to have lasting importance

the three R's – the basic educational skills of r eading, w r iting and a r ithmetic (maths)

- Most schools put a high priority on teaching the three R's .

language – a system of communication used by a particular country or community often studied as a subject by non-native speakers

- To her surprise, Jenna found that she was quite good at languages at school.

humanities – studies about human culture, such as literature, languages, philosophy, and history.

- Tuma couldn’t decide whether to study history or philosophy at university so opted for a degree in humanities .

science – the study of the structure and behaviour of the physical world, divided into subjects such as physics, biology and chemistry

• physics – the branch of science concerned with the nature and properties of matter and energy
• biology – the study of living organisms
• chemistry – the branch of science concerned with the substances of which matter is composed

geography  – the study of the physical features of the earth and its atmosphere, and of human activity as it affects and is affected by these

religious studies  – the study of religion and belief systems

history  – the study of past events, particularly in human affairs

information technology  (IT or ICT)  –   the study of the development, maintenance, and use of computer systems, software, and networks for the processing and distribution of data

physical education  (PE)  – instruction in physical exercise and games, especially in schools

art  – the study of artistic techniques such as drawing, painting, sculpture, etc. or the appreciation of works of art

music  – the study of how to play a musical instrument or sing, how to read music, how to compose music, etc

drama   – the study of acting and theatrical performance

home economics  –   cooking and other aspects of household management, especially as taught at school

Education Vocabulary Set 7: School vocabulary

to play truant – to be absent without permission from parents or teachers

- Helios was always playing truant from school which he regretted when he failed his exams and struggled to find a good job.

to skip classes – to be absent from lessons you are supposed to attend

- I was never brave enough to skip classes as my parents would have been furious if they’d found out.

bookworm – a person who loves reading and/or studying

- My best friend is a real bookworm but is a great person to have on your quiz team because his general knowledge is excellent.

rote learning – a teaching style based on learning by memorisation through repetition

- My parents’ education was based on rote learning but there was more emphasis on learning by investigation by the time I went to school.

literacy – the ability to read and write, sometimes use as a subject title for reading and writing

- Afghanistan has one of the lowest literacy rates in the world with just 28% of people able to read and write.

literate – to be able to read and write

- In the past 20 years, the proportion of adults in the world who are literate has increased from 75% to 84 % which is a great improvement.

illiterate –  to be unable to read and write

- There are many children in the poorest countries of the world who have little or no access to education and are  illiterate .

remedial – involving pupils who need extra help with a particular area of study or subject

- Pupils who got poor grades use to be put in a remedial class but now they are given extra support from a learning assistant.

additional needs/ special needs  – related to students who need special help due to a learning or physical difficulty

- Shona spend the later part of her teaching career working in a school for students with additional needs .

extra-curricular activities – activities or subjects offered in addition to the normal curriculum usually offered outside normal class hours, such as art, cooking or computer clubs and extra sporting activities

- The most popular extra-curricular activities at Westcroft School were pottery, badminton and computer programming.

school uniform – a particular set of clothes that has to be worn by pupils

- Do Hyan looked so smarting setting off for school on his first day wearing his new school uniform .

discipline – a set of rules governing conduct or behaviour

- Schools where a high level of discipline is maintained, generally have above average exam results

• impose discipline
• maintain discipline
• lack of discipline

timetable – a chart showing times of particular events, such as lesson times in the school day

- Ruby wasn’t very happy with her new timetable as she had double maths followed by double science on a Monday, both subjects she found hard.

Education Vocabulary Set  8:  Facilities

classroom – where lessons take place in a school

- The noisy classroom fell silent when the headteacher walked through the door.

lecture  theatre/ hall  – a room or hall for lectures with seats in tiers

- There was excitement in the lecture theatre as the famous actor stood up to give the drama students a lecture on method acting.

studio – a room where students studying art, photography, media studies, etc. create work

- The studio was set up with recording equipment for the students to practice editing techniques.

library – a building or room containing collections of books, professional journals and other academic literature and material relevant to student's studies

- Sabiha spent all day in the university library doing research for her essay on globalisation.

laboratory – a room or building with scientific equipment for doing scientific tests or for teaching science

- Kate’s favourite part of her degree course in molecular biology was the laboratory work.

campus – the buildings and grounds of a university or college

- It took me a long time to find my way around the campus when I first started at university.

halls of residence – a college or university building where students live

- In his first year at college, Somchai lived in a hall of residence , but in his second year, he rented a house with some other students.

student accommodation – living accommodation for college or university students

- The university offered a range of student accommodation including studio apartments, flats, halls of residence and shared houses.

Education Vocabulary Set 9: Academic work 

assignment – a piece of work given to someone as part of their studies

- I have three more written assignments to complete this term.

coursework – written or practical work done by a student during a course of study, often assessed in order to count towards a final mark or grade

- Helga was really bad at exams so she chose a course where 50 per cent of the overall marks came from assessed coursework .

dissertation – is a long formal piece of writing on a particular subject, especially for a university degree.

- It was hard getting my dissertation finished by the deadline and I handed it in on the very last day.

thesis – a long piece of writing on a particular subject, especially one that is done for a higher degree

- Adao wrote his PhD thesis on the effect of organic fertilizers on soil fertility in tropical climates.

presentation – a speech or talk given in front of an audience

- As part of their end of year assessment, the students had to give a presentation on the theories of learning for children under 3 years of age.

lecture – a formal talk on a subject given to a large group of students who would normally take notes

- She was so pleased that the lecture was cancelled as it gave her time to catch up on some coursework.

tuition – teaching or instruction, especially of individual pupils or small groups

- Dana was unable to get to lectures after breaking her leg but the college provided individual tuition for her until she recovered.

tutorial – a small group study session with a tutor often following a lecture

- He always found tutorials helpful as it was a chance to ask questions about what they’d heard in the lecture.

seminar – a class at university in which a specific topic is discussed by a teacher and a small group of students

- At university, I found seminars far more useful than lectures as I learn best in a small group.

lesson – a period of learning or teaching, usually in a school

- Walter was late for the history lesson and got into trouble with the teacher.

homework – additional coursework work given to pupils to complete in their own time outside school hours

- Most pupils hate homework as they’d rather be out with their friends or playing computer games than studying.

correspondence course – a course of study in which student and tutors communicate by post

- Juan’s local college didn’t offer a course in accountancy but he found a good correspondence course to give him the qualification he needed.

distance learning – a way of studying in which lectures are broadcast or lessons are conducted by post or via the internet without the student needing to attend a school or college or have in-person teacher interaction

- I prefer to study by distance learning as I can work when I want and at the pace I want.

online learning – Similar to distance learning but done 100% via the internet and often involving in-person interaction with a teacher online

- I find online learning ideal for preparing for my IELTS exam and enjoy connecting with my teacher via Skype.

to sit an exam – to take an exam.

- I want to carry on learning for the rest of my life but after I finish my training I hope I never have to sit an exam again.

Education Vocabulary Set 10: The cost of education

tuition fees – the money paid for a course of study, especially at a private school or a college or university

- High tuition fees mean that many young people can’t afford to go to university.

a grant – money given by the government to support a student while studying

- Bernice was successful in her application for a grant which meant that she could attend her local university.

a student loan – money which a student can borrow while they are studying, but which has to be repaid

- Geraint took out student loans of £9000 a year to pay for his tuition of fees and left university heavily in debt.

a scholarship – money given to someone, often by the institution they are studying at, to help pay for their tuition

- He was overjoyed to receive a scholarship to Oxford University as his parents couldn’t afford to pay the fees.

internship – a period of work experience (often unpaid) offered by an employer to give students and graduates experience of working in an industry related to their field of study

- All students on the course were expected to secure an internship during the long vacation between the second and third years of their degree course.

Education Vocabulary  Set 11: Common terms related to college or university

unconditional offer – the offer of a place at an educational institution for which you already meet the entry requirements

- Mustafa was delighted to receive an unconditional offer from his first choice university and accepted immediately.

conditional offer – the offer of a place at an educational institution which requires you to meet certain entry requirements, usually specific exam grades

- She was fairly confident that she would get the exam grades she needed to take up the conditional offer at Bristol University.

to major in – to choose as your main subject

- I want to major in primary education with a specialism in science.

to read (a subject) – to study a specific subject

- Hans read geology at university and is now working for an oil company in the States.

faculty – department in a university that specialises in a specific subject

- It was a proud day for the university when the faculty of science move into the new, state-of-the-art building.

research – a detailed study of a particular subject

- I’m really enjoying this research project on the migratory behaviour of the golden eagle.

• conduct research
• carry out research

Education Vocabulary Set 12:  More common words, phrases & expressions

to work your way through university – to have a paid job while studying to support yourself financially

- With the steep increase in tuition fees, many students are forced to work their way through university .

to keep up with your studies – to not fall behind with your work

- Giang would have to limit his time socializing with his friends if he was going to keep up with his studies .

to fall behind with your studies – to not get your coursework and assignments done in the time allowed

- She was a hard-working student but fell behind with her studies after catching pneumonia and having to spend time in hospital.

to learn something by heart – to memorise it

- By the end of his first week learning English, Elisha had learnt all the days of the weeks and months of the year by heart .

gap year – a period, typically an academic year, taken by a student as a break between school and university or college education

- Many students spend their gap year travelling to get more experience of life before they settle down to studying for a degree.

to take a year out – to take a gap year

- Before going to the university, I took a year out to travel and also earn some money.

to enrol – to officially register on a course at a college or university

- She didn’t know an old friend had enrolled on the same course until they met up on the first day.

sign up for – to commit to something for a specific period such as the duration of a course

- Having signed up for the photography course, she now had to ask her brother if she could borrow his camera.

to drop out –  to leave a course before completing it

- Hiran was forced to drop out of university when his father became ill and he had to take over the family business to support his family.

a dropout – a student who fails to complete a course of study and leaves the educational institution with no qualifications

- Many famous and very wealthy entrepreneurs are college dropouts , which proves that you don’t need a degree to succeed in life.

well-educated  – someone who has received a high level or good standard of education

- You could tell that he was  well-educated  by the way he spoke.

to meet a deadline  – to complete a piece of work by the required date

- I didn’t think I’d get my essay written in time but I just  met the deadline .

note-taking  – to take notes in a lesson or lecture when the teacher is talking

- I find  note-taking  in a lecture really difficult as I miss much of what is being said while I’m writing.

to revise  – study or read something again in order to remember it better, often before exams

- No matter how hard I  revise , my mind goes blank as soon as I get into the exam room.

to review  – to read over something again. Similar to revise, but generally done just after a lesson or lecture rather than in preparation for an exam

- Bella found that  reviewing  her notes just before going to sleep helped her to remember the key points.

workload  – the amount of work that has to be done

- The course  workload  felt overwhelming at first but became more manageable once the students had covered the theory and moved on to the more practical part of the course.

to pass with flying colours   –  to pass an exam or test easily and with excellent result

- He was sure he was going to fail his maths exam but  passed with flying colours .

scrape through  – to just pass an exam

- She ran out of time in the exam and left many questions unanswered but just  scraped through  with a pass mark.

to resit/retake an exam   – to take an exam again in order to get a better result

- Madee needed band 7 in her IELTS Speaking test but only got 6.5, so she had to  retake the exam .

Click this link to get a PDF download of this list of education vocabulary.

Other Useful Education Vocabulary

It’s also a good idea to create your own list of education vocabulary related to any courses you are currently taking so that you are ready to talk about them if asked.

Ways to Improve Your Education Vocabulary

One of the best ways to improve your vocabulary is through reading. Watching topic related YouTube videos and listening to podcasts is also hugely beneficial.

Here are some online resources I recommend.

Education Articles

BBC News – Education

The Independent

New York Times

The Conversation

I love TED Talks. They are short videos with a powerful message and are generally very interesting. They’re ideal for improving your vocabulary and give valuable listening skills practise.

Search  YouTube TED Talks - Education  to help you improve your education vocabulary.

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IELTS Speaking chủ đề Education Part 1,2,3: Từ vựng & bài mẫu

Bài viết này sẽ gợi ý những từ vựng cần thiết và cấu trúc ngữ pháp áp dụng hoàn hảo cho chủ đề Education, cùng IDP xem qua nhé!

Chủ đề bài viết

Với những bạn thí sinh còn đang là học sinh, sinh viên thì chủ đề về Education (Giáo dục) sẽ cực kỳ gần gũi và khá thường gặp trong phần thi IELTS Speaking. Việc chuẩn bị trước những chủ đề phổ biến này không chỉ giúp bạn phản xạ nhanh với đề thi, mà còn mở rộng vốn từ và nâng cao cách lập luận trong bài. 

Bài viết dưới đây sẽ gợi ý những từ vựng cần thiết và cấu trúc ngữ pháp áp dụng hoàn hảo cho chủ đề Education, cùng IDP IELTS xem qua nhé!

1. Các câu hỏi về chủ đề Education trong IELTS speaking

Nếu bạn bắt gặp chủ để Education trong phần thi IELTS Speaking, bạn sẽ được hỏi về việc học tập hoặc thảo luận về những vấn đề, quan điểm liên quan đến lĩnh vực giáo dục, điển hình như là: 

Did you go to a co-educational school?

What was your most favorite subject when you were a kid?

What is special about your major?

Describe your favorite subject at school 

What are the advantages of studying a distance learning course?

2. Từ vựng ghi điểm chủ đề Education

Từ vựng về các cấp trường học, từ vựng về các hoạt động giảng dạy, từ vựng khác liên quan đến chủ đề, 3. idioms chủ đề education.

Xem thêm: Từ vựng IELTS chủ đề Education

4. Tổng hợp bài mẫu chủ đề Education

Phần thi ielts speaking part 1.

What do you like about your major?

What I especially like about my major is that it covers a lot of economic knowledge, so I can have a wide range of career options. I can work as a banker or a purchaser at giant companies. That’s not to mention, I can make friends with a lot of brainy people.

Would you prefer to study alone or with others?

I consider myself an easily distracted person, so I prefer to study alone. To be honest, I can’t focus on studying at all when there is a noise around, be it loud or small.

What kind of school did you go to when you were a kid?

I attended a public school for my education from preschool to sixth grade. During my time, it was the best and most well-known primary school.

Phần thi IELTS Speaking Part 2

Describe your favorite subject at school (Mô tả môn học bạn yêu thích ở trường)

Of all the subjects at school, history has always remained my favorite. In every history class, we were introduced to many key historical occurrences. It was a dull topic for some of my classmates, but I really liked it.

I recall at our first meeting, our teacher handed out a syllabus, which served as a roadmap for the key topics we would cover each week. Several novels and other reading materials were given to us as homework. We discussed notable personalities, including soldiers, philosophers, and artists. We also discussed the ancient peoples' religions, traditions, and customs.

Unlike many other subjects, history requires not only a good memory but also the ability to connect all the dots of past events to draw important lessons. 

It was a difficult topic for me and my classmates at the time since memorizing so much of it took up so much of our time. But I find history to be quite fascinating. I've always been interested in how people lived in the past. I've always been curious to learn how our generation's past shaped who we are now. It intrigues me.

Phần thi IELTS Speaking Part 3

Is a good education more important to a boy or a girl? Why?

I think it is equally important for both boys and girls to pursue a good education. In today's culture, women have repeatedly demonstrated their ability to handle duties and obtain positions that were previously solely held by men in a variety of sectors, including politics, science, athletics while males have started working in certain fields that were formerly thought to be reserved only for women, like fashion, housework, and cooking. It is obvious that anyone can only live up to their fullest potential if given an opportunity regardless of their sex.

Bài viết trên đã tổng hợp bí kíp giúp bạn hoàn thành phần thi Speaking chủ đề Education bao gồm câu trả lời mẫu và list từ vựng chủ chốt có thể áp dụng cho cả ba phần. Hy vọng rằng bài viết sẽ hữu ích và giúp bạn ôn tập IELTS hiệu quả ngay tại nhà. 

Chuẩn bị cho kỳ thi IELTS Speaking cùng IDP!

Với kinh nghiệm dày dặn trong việc giúp thí sinh chuẩn bị cho kỳ thi IELTS, IDP luôn hỗ trợ bạn truy cập miễn phí vào các nguồn tài liệu luyện thi hữu ích bao gồm các bài viết, video chia sẻ bí quyết làm bài từ chuyên gia quốc tế để nâng cao khả năng làm bài.

Bên cạnh đó, bạn có thể đăng ký trải nghiệm thi thử tại các trung tâm khảo thí IELTS của IDP, tham gia Hội thảo sự kiện IELTS do các chuyên gia IDP trực tiếp hướng dẫn để hiểu hơn về những lỗi phổ biến cần tránh, nghiên cứu một số câu hỏi và câu trả lời mẫu cùng video hướng dẫn luyện thi từ chuyên gia.

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Về bài viết

Published on May 22, 2023

Quỳnh Khanh

Tôi là Quỳnh Khanh - Content Writer có hơn 5 năm về lĩnh vực giáo dục

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Các mệnh đề chỉ kết quả (Adverbial clause of result)

Các mệnh đề nhượng bộ (Clause of concession)

Điểm IELTS tối thiểu để làm việc và định cư tại Úc năm 2024

Mệnh đề trạng ngữ chỉ thời gian (Adverbial clause of time)

Các loại mệnh đề phụ thuộc trong Tiếng Anh

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Education Vocabulary: Word Lists and Pronunciation

This is the essential vocabulary for education about schools, subjects, studying and university. There is an audio to listen to the pronunciation of the words. These are the most common words and collocations which you will need to learn in order to talk or write about school or university successfully. After each section of vocabulary, there are exercises for you to practice using the words.

Click here to download the PDF version of this page:  Education Vocabulary PDF . Please note that the PDF does not contain the answers – you must check your answers on this page.

Educational Institutions

• kindergarten = pre-school education
• primary school
• secondary school
• college = further education
• higher education = university education = tertiary education
• post-graduate school = university for students studying beyond degree level

School Subjects

• natural science
• religious studies
• information technology (IT)
• physical education (PE)
• cookery = domestic / food science
• handicrafts

Vocabulary Exercises: School Subjects

• One of the reasons that I didn’t like ……………… was because of the lab work which sometimes involved dissection.
• I’ve always enjoyed learning about how chemicals react with one another so I decided to choose …………. as one of my main subjects.
• When I was a child, we practiced ………………… three times a week which was fine in summer but was freezing during the winter when you have to football or hockey outside.
• My teacher encouraged us to take part in ……………………… in order to develop skills beyond what is taught in scheduled lessons.
• I used to find complicated calculations difficult as well as algebra but when we got a new ………… teacher, it all become much easier to understand.
• One of my favourite subjects was …………………… because you had a chance to get out of the classroom and learn more about the environment.
• Teachers were really strict on ……………… in exams. The exam invigilators won’t even let you have your bag in the exam room.
• Poetry should be taught more in ………………. lessons in order to help students develop a deeper understanding of their language and culture.
• I always loved studying maps. We spent a lot of time in our ……………. lessons tracing the borders of countries and learn the capital cities of different countries.
• My worst subject at school was …………… because I was completely tone deaf.
• physical education
• extra curricular activities
• math’s

Useful Language & Collocations

• lab work = laboratory experiments
• dissection = cutting up animals for scientific research
• scheduled lessons = lessons which are planned and written into a school curriculum
• algebra = formulas and equations in mathematics
• to give out or assign homework / to do or complete homework
• to complete high school / to graduate high school
• to do, to participate or to take part in school activities or sport
• tracing = copying, outlining in pencil
• tone deaf = without an ear for music = unable to appreciate or hear different music and notes

Types of Schools – Same-Sex & Co-Ed Schools

Watch this video to learn the advantages or single-sex schools and the plus points of mixed schools. This video contains ideas and vocabulary to help you express your ideas clearly.

University Vocabulary

University Courses

• BA / BSc = Bachelor of Arts Degree / Bachelor of Science Degree
• MA / MSc = Masters of Arts / Masters of Science
• PhD = Doctorate

Other Courses

• Certificate = a lower level qualification often offered at colleges rather than universites. This is also the word used the for documentation received for completing any type of course or degree (she received her certificate for her BA degree).
• Online Course
• Distance Learning Course
• Vocational course = a course which teaches you skills for a specific job, for example engineering.
• Non-vocational course = a course which is not related to a job but to a general subject instead, such as Biology.

Useful Verbs & Nouns for University

• to graduate from a university = complete a degree course / to finish university
• to enroll on a degree course = put your name down for a degree course
• to major in physics = to choose physics as your main subject at university
• to attend a lecture = to go to listen to a speaker at university often with a large audience in a lecture theatre
• to attend a tutorial = to go to a meeting with a professor usually in small group held in his/her office
• deliver a lecture = to give a talk or presentation
• to lecture in media studies = to talk about media studies or to teach media studies at university
• the faculty of business = a department specialising in business at university
• to read history = to study history
• to do or complete coursework = doing project work or assignments as part of your course
• undergraduate (n) = someone currently doing their first degree
• graduate (n)  = someone who has completed a degree course
• note-taking = being able to take notes in a lecture while the lecturer is talking
• keeping up with the work load = being able to maintain the level of studying required
• fall behind with studies = fail to keep pace with the school / university work

University Work

• presentations
• dissertation
• project work

Vocabulary Exercises: Universities

Complete the following sentences are university education using no more than one word.

• People who have ……….. from university stand a better chance of finding a good job.
• I hope to enroll ………. a degree in law next year in the UK.
• There is a lot of competition to get a ……………….. but without it I won’t be able to afford the universities fees.
• One of the keys to successful  ……………. is knowing where to look for information and how to judge which information is most current and relevant. Knowing the best sources of materials is essential.
• scholarship

Other Useful Vocabulary for Education

• literate = to be able to read and write
• illiterate = unable to read and write
• the literacy rate = the percentage of people in a country or region able to read and write
• comprehensive education = a well-rounded, broad education covering a variety of subjects
• scholarship = an award of either free or supported education for high achievers
• student loan = money taken by a student to pay for their education which they must pay back after graduating
• pay off a student loan = to repay money borrowed for university education
• intensive course = a course which runs over a short period of time but contains a lot of information and training
• play truant / truancy = not attending school / being absent from school without permission
• gap year = to take a year out between high school and university

Vocabulary Exercises: Useful Education Vocabulary

Complete the sentences using no more than two words.

• The rate of …………… is higher in developed countries than in under developed countries.
• Schools should offer a ………………… which includes subjects relating to all minority groups.
• The rise in university fees has led to a large proportion of students taking out ………………… which can often be difficult to pay back.
• Students who take a …………… often find it difficult to get back into their studies again.
• Rather than the government offering free university education for all people, they should, instead, ensure that a certain number of gifted individuals receive a ……………….
• comprehensive education
• student loans

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Hi Liz. I am Andre Fatur from Indonesia. i would say thank you cause i have a lot of knowledge about vocabulary in Education.

I’m glad it was helpful 🙂

Hi Liz , i’m really glad that i found your website and actually one of my teachers showed me you . your vocabs and the voices you have for them is the best specially for the ones who aren’t local englishman and are learning english as a second one just like me . me and my friends see your videos every session in our class . I wish you all the best

So glad you enjoy my lessons 🙂 Best wishes to you and your classmates 🙂

Great. Thank you so much, it help me a lot. Stay blessed

You’re welcome 🙂

Its a great help. Thank you so much Liz. May god bless you with all happiness…

I’m glad it’s helpful 🙂

Hi I am currently enrolled in school for nursing and I feel very uncomfortable when it comes to my vocabulary, I had brain surgery twice & suffered with seizures for 3years, I am happy to say I am better now and the Tumor is gone completely ,however I am depressed when it comes to my vocabulary because I don’t remember much at all and I often get my words mixed up when speaking so this is a big deal for me to learn and expand my vocabulary, thank you but I have no clue of where to begin at this point. I love to read so I have been reading a lot on your website, I must say I have learned some information just reading the comments. what do you suggest? thanks (my name is MINDY)

Hi Mindy, I do sympathise. I know what it is like to have language impairment due to neurological problems. The key is to take it slow and start incorporating the new words in your daily language until they become part of your natural English. Try my ideas e-book – it includes useful vocabulary and ideas for over 150 essay topics (which are also speaking topics). It’s on 55% discount this week: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/ . There’s also a grammar e-book which might help a lot as it also contains great vocab. But don’t rush through it. Aim to absorb 70% of the vocab for each topic. Use those words daily by a) speaking to yourself about the topic – express your thoughts, have debates with yourself b) write an essay about it c) read further on google about the topic. Continue to repeat this until some words stick in your mind. Then repeat the process over and over again. The other thing I want to you do is not push yourself and do NOT give yourself any pressure or fixed goals. The learning must be natural and come from the pleasure of learning. Learn for enjoyment, not because you have a goal. This will make a huge difference. The harder you push yourself, the further away your goal often gets. Do small amounts each day and no more. Take breaks as often as you need. To learn IELTS exam techniques, see my Advanced Lessons in my store and also review all my free lessons and tips. I hope this helps. Good luck 🙂

Thank you very much Liz. I always follow your IELTS lesson to use not only for myself but also for my students. All your materials are helpful to improve my English for an IELTS exam. All the best.

Glad my site is useful. Wishing you all well 🙂

Thanks a million for the strenuous efforts you exerted.

I admire you how Being a good teacher. You are the best, no need to follow others for IELTS . love Zeliha

Thanks for your kind comment 🙂 I hope your IELTS preparation is going well 🙂

Lovely ! Thanks a lot Liz.

What does it mean “I can’t stress enough” ?

It means I am stressing the importance of something. It is an expression in English 🙂

Many thanks!

That’s an awsome work! I really admire ur job here 🙂

You are so important to us that I can` just thank you enough.

THANKS A LOT!

Hi Liz! I have a plan to do the academic IELTS test , I live in the UK , in the speeking test if I used contraction or words like ,wanna ,gonna would that be acceptable or I have to say Iam going ,Cannot etc…

See this page for your answer: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-speaking-free-lessons-essential-tips/ . All main pages are accessed through the RED BAR at the top of the website.

Hello Liz, Please I am a stay-at-home mom so I’d like to know how to construct my answer when I’m asked to talk about my work. please note that i have worked as a consultant in an agricultural firm, but i was made redundant.

IELTS speaking is not a trick test. It is an informal chat with the examiner. Just be open, honest and chatty: “I used to work as a consultant in an agricultural firm, but now I’m a stay-at-home Mom.”. When you give this answer, the examiner will note your use of two grammar tenses and good vocabulary. The examiner will then decide whether to continue to talk about your work in the past, or change it and talk about your home. This will be the examiner’s choice – the examiner makes the decisions of topics. So, be open, friendly and chatty at all times.

You are really touching lives. Thank you sooo much.

Indeed she is!

Thank you so much Liz , I find this lesson really helpful .

It is the first time I access there. It involves a wide range of vocabulary. Thanka to all the leaders

In my point of view, there is no subject name MATHS. It is Mathematics and we call it as math.

The word “math” is US English. The word “maths” is UK English.

Thank you for clarifying me 🙂

Hi Liz, You talked about math’s teacher. If it would Science or English then also we will use ” ‘s “?

In British English we say “maths”, in US English it is “math”.

There’s this slight confusion I’ve got. There are some words which can be used with an S as well as a Z, for e.g Realized, Exercize. Which one is correct?

“z” is american spelling and “s” is British English spelling. Don’t mix them. Choose which spelling you will use and stick with it.

What is the difference between agree or disagree and to what extent do you agree or disagree types question?

https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-essay-instructions-agree-disagree-to-what-extent/

Hello… Take my cordial thanks Liz. I purchased your writing videos and I find it very useful. I’m looking for at least 6.5 band before I thought that it was too difficult to get 6.5 in writing segment but after watching these videos my confident level is increased. And your all tips and lessons are wonderful, to be honest. That is why, again thanks s lot 😘😘😊😊❤️❤️

Make sure you aim for accuracy in your writing – all errors reduce marks. Also spend time analysing the question, you must address all issues directly. Avoid using learned phrases – all sentences must be your own. So, you can learn vocab and linking words but not phrases. Good luck !! 🙂

The work that you do for us, learners of English from all over the world, cannot be valued. Thank you for putting your heart and soul in making us more literate in English! I wish you luck and success!

what is best way of writing process chart

See all my tips for writing task 1 on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-1-lessons-and-tips/

Hi Liz, I am so grateful to you that I can know everything about IELTS from your website. It is a very useful and perfect one for me.You are a great teacher.

Best Regards, Mai

I achieved 6.5 with the help of you because I watched your all video. It’s very beneficial thanku so much u are great teacher

Well done !

your lessons are amazing and very useful, thank you

Hello Liz , You are the great teacher in the world..I spentmy whole day on this site.there many things which help me in many situations..m so happy that I have great great teacher..May God bless youuu😊☺️..thnx a lot Liz

Thanks so much for telling me you find my site useful 🙂

My exam will be held on 13 october nd m weak in listening nd reading . pls mam u send me some listening Mp3 in my email

You can find online listening on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-listening/

HI liz my name is nyom nyom i am from Indonesia could you help me how the way to improve my writing skill? please send in my email thanks before

See my advanced lessons if you need help with writing task 2: http://subscriptions.viddler.com/IELTSLizStore

Thanks to my best teacher!

hi i am going to appear for my ilets exam next week but i am not sure about my reading skills. can you give me some good tips to improve my skills in reading

https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-reading-tips-how-can-i-improve-my-score/

Dear Liza, Hello Liz, I am Totok Eko Suwito, I am an English teacher in Indonesia, I want to practice my listening especially because I ‘m going to have the IELTS test, if you don’t mind, Would you send me the script and audio MP3 of the listening above to my email. thank a lot your sincerely Totok Eko Suwito

https://ieltsliz.com/liz-notice-2015-2016/

Hello Liz, Please liz l wonder when I want to get 7 score I found different types of vocabulary for examle the 8or 9 band’s vocabulary in some video more different than band7??

There is no such thing as band 7 vocab and band 9 vocab. Your vocab score is not marked in that way. It is based on range, accuracy, collocations and also the number of errors – and spelling.

I am so weak in listening vocabulary. Give me some tips.

That is really superlative vocabulary and it can play an indispensable role in IELTS test. Thanks Liza and i would like to say one thing more, your expressions are really appreciated. All the best. Mazhar Ishfaq

Thanks Liz. I accidentally came upon your site and found my essay shared by someone on your blog. I liked your feedback. I have rewritten this essay for the next edition of my book – A Wealth of Academic IELTS Essays.

Great. Good to know my feedback is useful 🙂 Liz

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