📖 Notes
LESSON 12 OF 20
Academic Vocabulary — Band 7+ Word List
Vocabulary That Actually Moves Your Score
Band 7+ isn't about rare words — it's about precise collocations and linking phrases used naturally and correctly, which examiners notice far more than ambitious vocabulary used incorrectly.
Collocations
Words That Pair Naturally
- cause a significant / considerable / substantial [change]
- have a profound effect on [something]
- address / tackle / alleviate the problem
- the proportion of... has increased
- contribute to / lead to / result in [outcome]
Linking Words by Function
➕
Addition
Furthermore, Moreover, In addition
↔️
Contrast
However, Nevertheless, On the other hand
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Cause & Effect
Therefore, Consequently, As a result
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Example
For instance, Such as
Topic Vocabulary Banks — 6 High-Frequency Task 2 Topics
Task 2 essays draw from a small set of recurring topics. Learning 6–8 precise words per topic covers most prompts you'll actually see in the exam.
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Environment
carbon emissions, sustainable, renewable energy, deforestation, biodiversity, greenhouse gases, eco-friendly, conservation
🎓
Education
curriculum, vocational training, rote learning, literacy rate, higher education, tuition fees, extracurricular, standardised testing
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Technology & Society
artificial intelligence, automation, digital divide, data privacy, social media, screen time, connectivity, obsolete
🏥
Health
sedentary lifestyle, life expectancy, obesity, preventative care, mental wellbeing, healthcare system, malnutrition, epidemic
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Economy & Business
unemployment rate, income inequality, globalisation, entrepreneurship, consumer spending, minimum wage, recession, workforce
⚖️
Crime & Law
reoffend, deterrent, rehabilitation, juvenile crime, law enforcement, capital punishment, surveillance, custodial sentence
High-Frequency Band 7+ Words
Word bank
REFERENCEprevalent, significant, substantial consequently, subsequently represent, comprise, account for X%
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Precision beats rarity
A correctly-used collocation like "have a profound effect on" scores higher than a rare word used slightly wrong — examiners are trained to notice unnatural pairings immediately. Pick 2–3 words per topic bank above, not all of them — trying to force every word into one essay is what causes unnatural, "wrong-collocation" writing.