IELTS vocabulary for Speaking: phrases by part and common errors
Quick answer
IELTS Speaking vocabulary is not a list of rare words. Lexical Resource looks at whether you can talk about a topic at length, say what you mean clearly and move your words from one subject to the next. Learn short phrases for each part: routines and preferences in Part 1, description and sequence in Part 2, opinion and comparison in Part 3. Keep the register spoken, and describe a word you cannot find instead of stopping.
IELTS Mentor AI has a vocabulary trainer with over 1,100 IELTS words (count on 2026-10-01), each with collocations, and a Collocation Builder drill.
iOS and Android
Paid app: what it costs · billing and refunds · support
On this page
Speaking vocabulary is judged while you talk, with no time to look anything up and no chance to edit. That changes what is worth learning. A long list of rare words is hard to retrieve at speed, and it tends to sound out of place when it does arrive. What helps is a stock of short, flexible phrases for the jobs a speaker does in each part of the test, together with a way round the moments when a word will not come. This guide goes through Lexical Resource as the descriptors describe it, then phrases for Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3, then paraphrasing, register and the errors to avoid. The topic lists on the vocabulary pages give words by subject; this page gives them by what you are doing in the conversation.
Key takeaways
- Lexical Resource is one of four equally weighted Speaking criteria. It looks at range, precision and flexibility, not at how rare your words are.
- Learn phrases by job: describing a habit, a place or an event, giving a view, comparing past and present.
- Keep the register spoken. Essay words such as “moreover” sound recited in conversation.
- When a word will not come, describe the thing and keep going. Silence is the weaker option.
- IELTS publishes no list of Speaking vocabulary and no count of words per band, so treat every list as practice.
What Lexical Resource looks for in Speaking
Lexical Resource is one of the four Speaking criteria, each worth the same share, according to IELTS.org, whose Speaking guidance this site last checked on 17 September 2026. The public descriptors give no list of words and no number of items. They describe a pattern.
On this site’s Speaking descriptor explorer, the pattern runs like this. At band 6 you have enough vocabulary to discuss a topic at length and make your meaning clear, even if a few choices are off, and you can usually find a way round a word you lack. At band 7 you move the same vocabulary flexibly from one subject to another, with some less common and some idiomatic language and a feel for which words belong together. At band 8 you reach readily for the precise word, and the occasional slip is the exception. Nothing in this promises a band for a number of phrases. The point is that the criterion rewards control and fit, so a plain phrase used well is never wasted.
Part 1: everyday topics
Part 1 is four to five minutes of short questions on familiar things, according to IELTS.org (last checked 17 September 2026): where you live, your work or study, your routine, what you like. The vocabulary here is plain, and the skill is saying a little more than the minimum, in natural phrases. Frequency words, preference phrases and a few connecting details do most of the work.
| Job | Useful phrases | Invented example |
|---|---|---|
| How often | “most days”, “every now and then”, “hardly ever”, “more often than not” | “More often than not I walk to the station, unless it is raining.” |
| Preference | “I’m quite fond of”, “I’d rather”, “I can’t stand”, “it depends on my mood” | “I’d rather study in the morning, when the flat is quiet.” |
| Home and area | “a quiet residential street”, “within walking distance of”, “it’s handy for”, “the neighbourhood has changed a lot” | “It’s a quiet residential street, but it’s within walking distance of the shops.” |
| Work or study | “I’m in my second year of”, “I’m responsible for”, “the most rewarding part is”, “it keeps me busy” | “I’m in my second year of engineering, and it keeps me busy.” |
None of these phrases is advanced, and that is the point: two or three sentences built from them sound more fluent than one sentence with a rare word in it. For the spoken linkers that join these sentences, see the guide to linking words for IELTS Speaking.
Part 2: describing
Part 2 is the long turn: one minute to prepare, then one to two minutes of speaking, according to IELTS.org (last checked 17 September 2026). The cue card asks you to describe a person, place, object or event. The vocabulary load is different from Part 1. You need words to describe, to put things in order and to say how you felt, and you need them without long gaps.
| Job | Useful phrases | Invented example |
|---|---|---|
| Setting the scene | “this happened about two years ago”, “I was staying with”, “it was a grey, windy afternoon” | “This happened about two years ago, when I was staying with my aunt.” |
| Describing a place | “tucked away”, “lively”, “run-down”, “full of character”, “it has a relaxed feel” | “The café is tucked away behind the library, so it is rarely crowded.” |
| Sequence and time | “to begin with”, “a little later”, “by the end of the day”, “looking back” | “To begin with I was nervous, but by the end of the day I felt at home.” |
| Feelings | “I was a bit taken aback”, “it meant a lot to me”, “I couldn’t stop smiling”, “it was quite stressful” | “It meant a lot to me that she remembered.” |
The sequence phrases are spoken ones: “to begin with” and “a little later” belong to a story told aloud, while a rigid “firstly, secondly, thirdly” often sounds prepared. The guide to Speaking linking words has the full set of signposts, and the post on Part 2 cue card strategy covers the structure of the two minutes.
Part 3: opinion and abstraction
Part 3 runs four to five minutes, according to IELTS.org (last checked 17 September 2026), and the questions move from your own life to society in general. This is where the vocabulary gap shows most, because abstract talk needs phrases for giving a view, softening it, comparing times and guessing about the future.
| Job | Useful phrases | Invented example |
|---|---|---|
| Giving a view | “from my point of view”, “I’d say that”, “I tend to think”, “I’m convinced that” | “I tend to think that people read less deeply on screens.” |
| Softening | “to some extent”, “it’s not always the case”, “in many cases”, “I suppose” | “To some extent, yes, but it’s not always the case.” |
| Past and present | “these days”, “compared with a generation ago”, “used to be”, “has become far more” | “Compared with a generation ago, travel has become far more common.” |
| Speculating | “I could imagine that”, “chances are”, “it might well”, “I wouldn’t be surprised if” | “I wouldn’t be surprised if more people worked from home in future.” |
Part 3 candidates often state a view as a fact, “Everyone prefers cities”, and then cannot support it. A hedge such as “in many cases” or “tends to” is more accurate and easier to extend.
Paraphrasing when a word will not come
Every speaker loses a word sometimes. The descriptors on this site credit finding a way round a missing word from band 6, and name waiting in silence for the exact word as a trap. Practise the workaround as a skill.
The simplest frame is to say what the thing is for, what it is like or what it is part of:
- “The thing you use to measure how hot it is outside” (a thermometer).
- “A person who looks after your teeth” (a dentist).
- “It’s like a smaller version of”, “it’s something people wear when”, “it’s the opposite of”.
Then keep talking: a clear description is better than a long pause followed by the right noun. The answer on what to do if you forget what to say goes through the moment itself, and the guide to fillers, pauses and self-correction covers the sounds you can make while you search.
Spoken register against written
The same idea has different words in speech and in an essay. Spoken vocabulary is shorter, uses more phrasal verbs and tolerates “pretty”, “a bit” and “really”. Written vocabulary is denser and avoids all of those.
| Written | Spoken |
|---|---|
| “Moreover, traffic has increased considerably.” | “And on top of that, there are far more cars on the road.” |
| “Individuals tend to prefer remote work.” | “A lot of people would rather work from home.” |
| “This has a detrimental effect on health.” | “It’s really bad for your health.” |
| “In conclusion, I believe that” | “So, all in all, I’d say” |
The descriptor explorer names formal written vocabulary in a spoken answer as a trap at band 7, because it sounds recited rather than impressive. The best register is the one you would use with a teacher you get on well with. See also the answer on whether Speaking is formal or informal.
Errors to avoid
Memorised phrases dropped in. A phrase learnt from a list and used in an answer where it does not belong is easy to spot. The rhythm shifts when it arrives. Learn a phrase inside a sentence of your own about your own life, and use it only where it fits.
Wrong register. Essay words in conversation, or the opposite. If you would not say it to a friend you respect, test it before you use it.
Over-reaching. A rare word used with the wrong partner, or in a sense that is nearly right, does more harm than a plain word used correctly. The descriptors on this site describe precision as the goal at the higher bands, not rarity. Check any new word in a learner’s dictionary for the partners it takes, as the guide to collocations explains.
One topic only. A strong stock of words for one subject does not carry to another. The band 8 trap on the explorer names treating one strong topic as proof of range. Spread your preparation over the topics on the vocabulary hub, for example travel and holidays and family and relationships, and practise moving between them.
Idioms for show. The guide to idioms for IELTS Speaking sets out which are natural.
A short weekly routine
- Pick one part and one job. For example, Part 3, “softening a view”.
- Choose four phrases from the tables above and write one sentence of your own with each, about your own life.
- Record yourself answering a real question aloud, and listen for the phrase that sounds learnt by heart.
- Describe one object a day without naming it.
- Reuse the phrases next week on a different topic.
A phrase is learnt when you can use it in a sentence you have never said before.
Frequently asked questions
Does IELTS publish a vocabulary list for Speaking?
No. IELTS publishes no list of words or phrases for Speaking and no count of words per band. The public descriptors describe how you use the words you have, so any list, including the ones on this site, is practice material and not a checklist for the test.
How many advanced words do I need in the Speaking test?
There is no target number. The descriptors on this site describe range and control, not a count of rare items, and the higher bands treat precision as the aim. One exact everyday word in the right place does more for you than three impressive words that are slightly off.
What if I do not know the word for something in Part 2?
Describe it. Say what it is for, what it looks like or what it is close to, and carry on. The band 6 and band 7 wording on this site's descriptor explorer credits finding a way round a missing word, while stopping and waiting in silence for the exact word is named as a trap.
Can I use formal words like "moreover" in Speaking?
You can, but they usually sound recited. Spoken English uses shorter markers and plainer verbs. The descriptor explorer names formal written vocabulary in a spoken answer as a trap, because it sounds learnt by heart and not natural.
Practise this with instant AI feedback
Record your answer in the app and get your grammar, vocabulary, fluency and pronunciation analysed in seconds.
Paid app: what it costs · billing and refunds · support