Five hand-picked Band 7+ words every day, with pronunciation, an IELTS-style example, synonyms, collocations and a tip on where to use each one in Writing or Speaking. Come back tomorrow for five more.
Used to show which aspect of something you are talking about.
In terms of cost, trains are cheaper than planes for short trips.
IELTS tip: Useful in Task 1 and Speaking to focus on one aspect of a comparison.
A substance that makes air, water or soil dirty and harmful.
Diesel engines release pollutants that damage the lungs.
IELTS tip: Use the countable noun for precision: 'levels of pollutants' rather than 'amount of pollution'.
In a way that is clearly seen or understood.
Evidently, the campaign failed to change people's shopping habits.
IELTS tip: A sentence adverb to introduce a conclusion drawn from evidence in Task 2.
Copying someone else's work or ideas and pretending they are your own.
The university uses software to detect plagiarism in student essays.
IELTS tip: Relevant to essays about the internet and education; verb form is 'plagiarise'.
Advanced and complex in design or function.
Criminals are using increasingly sophisticated methods to steal data.
IELTS tip: Describes technology or systems; avoid overusing 'modern' and 'advanced'.
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