# IELTS_Part1_Vocabulary_Band9 - **Original Source:** `IELTS_Part1_Vocabulary_Band9.pdf` - **Category:** `speaking` - **Original Format:** `.pdf` --- IELTS Speaking — Part 1 Vocabulary & Language Structures 10 topics · 60 vocabulary entries · Band 9 connectors · Good vs Band 9 examples How to use this guide 1. Read each word aloud. Pronunciation matters as much as meaning. 2. Read the example sentence aloud. The target word is highlighted in blue. 3. Try substituting the word into your own answer for a Part 1 question. 4. Study the connectors table: choose 3-4 to actively use in your next practice session. 5. For Good vs Band 9: read both versions aloud and notice the difference in rhythm and density. Contents 01. Home & Accommodation (6 words) 02. Hometown & City Life (6 words) 03. Work & Career (6 words) 04. Free Time & Hobbies (6 words) 05. Food & Cooking (6 words) 06. Family & Friends (6 words) 07. Technology & Internet (6 words) 08. Travel & Holidays (6 words) 09. Reading & Learning (6 words) 10. Weather & Environment (6 words) 11. Connectors & Discourse Markers (18 phrases) 12. Good vs Band 9 — Rewrites (6 contrasts) IELTS Part 1 — Language Guide · 2 Band 9 Vocabulary & Structures 0 1 Home & Accommodation Spacious adj. Large inside; not cramped. "My flat isn't very spacious, but I keep it minimal and well-organised." Cosy adj. Comfortable, warm, and inviting — especially a small space. "It's a small room, but the warm lighting makes it feel genuinely cosy." To renovate verb To repair and improve a building to make it modern. renovate / renovated / renovated "We renovated the kitchen last year — it's far more functional now." A bustling neighbourhood noun phrase An area full of activity, noise, and people. "I live in a bustling neighbourhood with street markets and cafés, which I genuinely enjoy." To commute verb To travel regularly between home and work. commute / commuted / commuted "I commute about forty minutes each way, which gives me time to read." Cluttered adj. Untidy, with too many objects taking up space. "I tend to keep my desk rather cluttered, which I know is probably not ideal for focus." IELTS Part 1 — Language Guide · 3 Band 9 Vocabulary & Structures 0 2 Hometown & City Life Picturesque adj. Visually attractive, often in a charming, old-fashioned way. "The old quarter is quite picturesque, with cobblestone streets and colonial façades." To undergo a transformation verb phrase To experience dramatic change. undergo / underwent / undergone "My city has undergone a significant transformation over the past decade." A hub noun A central place where activity or business is concentrated. "It's become a major hub for the tech industry, attracting a lot of young professionals." Thriving adj. Flourishing and full of economic or cultural activity. "The restaurant scene is absolutely thriving — new places open every month." Sprawling adj. Spreading over a large area without clear boundaries. "Mexico City is a sprawling metropolis — it takes hours to cross from one end to the other." To be raised verb phrase To spend your childhood in a particular place or family. raise / raised / raised "I was raised in the south of the city, which has a very different character from the north." IELTS Part 1 — Language Guide · 4 Band 9 Vocabulary & Structures 0 3 Work & Career Demanding adj. Requiring a lot of time, energy, or sustained attention. "The role is quite demanding, but I find that keeps me genuinely engaged." To juggle verb To manage multiple responsibilities at the same time. juggle / juggled / juggled "I juggle clinical work, teaching, and committee duties — no two weeks look the same." Rewarding adj. Giving satisfaction in return for effort or difficulty. "Despite the pressure, it's an enormously rewarding field to work in." To meet deadlines verb phrase To complete work by a required time. "In research, you constantly have to meet tight deadlines, so planning matters enormously." Collaborative adj. Involving shared work and input from multiple people. "My department is quite collaborative, which makes solving complex problems much easier." To advance verb To move forward in one's career or knowledge. advance / advanced / advanced "I've had good opportunities to advance professionally, though it's required some sacrifice." IELTS Part 1 — Language Guide · 5 Band 9 Vocabulary & Structures 0 4 Free Time & Hobbies A pastime noun An activity done regularly for enjoyment outside of work. "My main pastime is listening to music — I have a large collection in lossless format at home." To unwind verb To relax and release tension after stress. unwind / unwound / unwound "I usually read for an hour to unwind after a long shift — it works better than anything else." To take up phrasal verb To start doing a new hobby or activity. take up / took up / taken up "I've recently taken up studying Mesoamerican linguistics, which is far more absorbing than I expected." Time-consuming adj. Taking a lot of time to complete. "Language learning is genuinely time-consuming, but I think it's one of the better investments." To be passionate about adj. phrase To have deep enthusiasm for something. "I'm truly passionate about music — not just listening, but understanding how it's structured." Therapeutic adj. Having a calming or healing effect on the mind. "I find long walks surprisingly therapeutic — they give me space to think through problems." IELTS Part 1 — Language Guide · 6 Band 9 Vocabulary & Structures 0 5 Food & Cooking Home-cooked adj. Prepared at home from scratch; not processed or restaurant-made. "I strongly prefer home-cooked meals — I can control what goes in and it's far more satisfying." To savour verb To enjoy food or an experience slowly and fully. savour / savoured / savoured "I like to savour a meal properly rather than eating at my desk, which I try to avoid." A foodie noun A person with a strong interest in food and cooking. "I wouldn't call myself a hardcore foodie, but I'm very particular about what I eat." Hearty adj. Large, substantial, and satisfying — especially for cold weather. "A good hearty soup on a rainy afternoon is one of my genuine pleasures." Nutritious adj. Containing substances that are good for health. "I've become much more attentive to eating nutritious food as I've gotten older." To experiment with verb phrase To try new things without a fixed outcome. "I occasionally experiment with different cuisines, though I tend to return to what I know works." IELTS Part 1 — Language Guide · 7 Band 9 Vocabulary & Structures 0 6 Family & Friends Close-knit adj. Having strong, supportive bonds between members. "My family is fairly close-knit — we don't all live in the same city, but the connection is solid." Bond noun A strong emotional connection between people. "The bond I have with my oldest friends has deepened rather than faded over time." To rely on phrasal verb To depend on someone for support or honest input. rely / relied / relied "I know I can always rely on a small number of people to tell me the truth, which is rare." Outgoing adj. Friendly and confident in social situations. "I'm reasonably outgoing, though I've become more selective about how I spend social energy." To keep in touch verb phrase To maintain contact with someone over time. "I make an effort to keep in touch with old colleagues — those connections are worth maintaining." Mutual adj. Shared by or felt by both sides equally. "The best friendships are built on mutual honesty rather than politeness." IELTS Part 1 — Language Guide · 8 Band 9 Vocabulary & Structures 0 7 Technology & Internet To scroll through phrasal verb To move through content on a screen. scroll / scrolled / scrolled "I sometimes catch myself scrolling through feeds without any real intention — it's a bad habit." A digital detox noun phrase A deliberate period of avoiding electronic devices. "I try to do a partial digital detox on weekends — no work email, at least." To stay connected verb phrase To maintain contact via technology. "Social media lets me stay connected with people in different time zones reasonably well." Distracted adj. Unable to concentrate because attention is pulled elsewhere. "I find that the phone makes me far more distracted than I'd like — I use it less during work hours." Integrated adj. Deeply incorporated into everyday life or systems. "Technology is so fully integrated into my work that separating the two is practically impossible." To rely heavily on verb phrase To depend on something to a great extent. "I rely heavily on digital tools for organisation — my entire workflow is paperless." IELTS Part 1 — Language Guide · 9 Band 9 Vocabulary & Structures 0 8 Travel & Holidays To broaden one's horizons verb phrase To expand one's experience or understanding of the world. "Travel is one of the most reliable ways to broaden your horizons — you can't fully replicate it otherwise." Off the beaten track adj. phrase Away from popular tourist areas; less visited. "I tend to look for destinations that are off the beaten track rather than the obvious choices." Immersive adj. Creating a deep sense of involvement in an experience. "The most immersive trips I've had were the ones where I spent a long time in one place rather than rushing." To venture verb To go somewhere new or risky with some uncertainty. venture / ventured / ventured "I'd like to venture further into Central Asia at some point — it's a region I know very little about." Itinerary noun A planned schedule or route for a journey. "I travel better without a rigid itinerary — I'd rather adjust as the place reveals itself." Culture shock noun Disorientation felt when experiencing an unfamiliar culture. "I expected to feel some degree of culture shock on my first extended trip abroad, but it was milder than anticipated." IELTS Part 1 — Language Guide · 10 Band 9 Vocabulary & Structures 0 9 Reading & Learning An avid reader noun phrase Someone who reads frequently and enthusiastically. "I'd describe myself as a scattered rather than an avid reader — I start more books than I finish." To absorb verb To take in information deeply and fully. absorb / absorbed / absorbed "Fiction helps me absorb ideas about human experience in a way that non-fiction sometimes can't." Stimulating adj. Interesting and thought-provoking; mentally engaging. "I gravitate towards intellectually stimulating books — I find it hard to read anything that doesn't make me think." To skim verb To read quickly, picking up the main points without detail. skim / skimmed / skimmed "For clinical papers I often skim the abstract and conclusion before deciding whether to read fully." A genre noun A category of literature or art with shared characteristics. "I don't restrict myself to a single genre — it depends more on what kind of attention I have available." To retain verb To keep information in memory over time. retain / retained / retained "I retain ideas better when I read slowly and mark the margins, which is why I prefer physical books." IELTS Part 1 — Language Guide · 11 Band 9 Vocabulary & Structures 1 0 Weather & Environment Mild adj. Moderately warm; not extreme in temperature. "I prefer mild weather — the kind where you're comfortable without thinking about it." Overcast adj. Covered by clouds; grey and dull without direct sunlight. "I find sustained overcast skies draining in a way I can't entirely explain rationally." To affect one's mood verb phrase To influence how someone feels emotionally. "Weather genuinely affects my mood — I'm more productive on bright, clear days." Humid adj. Having a lot of moisture in the air; warm and sticky. "The humid summers in Mexico City can be exhausting — the heat feels heavier than the temperature suggests." Seasonal adj. Relating to or varying with the seasons of the year. "My energy levels are quite seasonal — I notice a real dip when the light changes." Temperate adj. Having a mild climate without extreme temperatures. "I'm drawn to temperate climates, which is part of why New Zealand appeals to me." IELTS Part 1 — Language Guide · 12 Band 9 Vocabulary & Structures 1 1 Connectors & Discourse Markers TIP Select 3–4 connectors per practice session — don't try to use all of them at once. Natural use of a few is far more impressive to examiners than forced use of many. Function Phrase / Connector Example in context Adding detail in practice, In practice, the role involves far more administrative work than the title suggests. Adding detail which means that I commute by metro, which means I have about forty minutes of reading time each day. Contrasting that said, I prefer working alone. That said, I do value having a good team around me. Contrasting even so, The hours are long. Even so, I find the work genuinely rewarding. Contrasting although Although I grew up in a large city, I've always been drawn to quieter places. Giving reason partly because I read more fiction now, partly because I need something that asks less of me analytically. Giving reason which probably explains I tend to overthink things, which probably explains why I'm drawn to psychiatry. Specifying particularly I enjoy cooking, particularly dishes that take a long time and reward patience. Specifying in the sense that My job is stressful, in the sense that the decisions carry real weight. Specifying to be more precise, It changed my habits. To be more precise, I now read for an hour every morning. Hedging to some extent, Weather affects my mood, to some extent — I notice it more than I'd like. Hedging I'd say I'd say I'm more of a functional cook than an ambitious one. Hedging probably It's probably the most intellectually demanding field I could have chosen. Reflecting looking back, Looking back, I think I underestimated how much the move would change me. Reflecting in a sense, Travel, in a sense, taught me more about my own culture than about others. Generalising broadly speaking, Broadly speaking, Mexicans tend to celebrate communally rather than privately. Qualifying not necessarily More time online doesn't necessarily mean better connection with people. Qualifying it depends on It depends on the day — sometimes I prefer solitude, sometimes company. IELTS Part 1 — Language Guide · 13 Band 9 Vocabulary & Structures 1 2 Good vs Band 9 — Rewrites TIP Read both versions aloud. The difference isn't just vocabulary — it's specificity, rhythm, and the sense that the speaker is actually thinking rather than retrieving a stored answer. EXPRESSING PREFERENCE ✗ Avoid "I like my hometown because it is good and nice." ✓ Band 9 "My hometown has a kind of energy I haven't found anywhere else — chaotic, but alive in a way I've come to need." GIVING A REASON ✗ Avoid "I don't like shopping because it is boring." ✓ Band 9 "Shopping feels more like an errand than a leisure activity to me — I go in knowing what I need and leave as quickly as possible." DESCRIBING CHANGE ✗ Avoid "My city changed a lot. It is more modern now." ✓ Band 9 "The city has undergone a significant transformation over the past decade — neighbourhoods that were considered peripheral are now among the most sought-after." IELTS Part 1 — Language Guide · 14 Band 9 Vocabulary & Structures TALKING ABOUT HABITS ✗ Avoid "I exercise sometimes. I go to the gym." ✓ Band 9 "I go for a walk most mornings — partly for the physical benefit, but mainly because it gives me space to think before the day starts." ANSWERING WITH NUANCE ✗ Avoid "Yes, I like cooking. It is fun and relaxing." ✓ Band 9 "I'd say I'm more of a functional cook than an ambitious one — I make things I know work, which probably reflects a broader preference for reliability over novelty." DISCUSSING TECHNOLOGY ✗ Avoid "I use the internet a lot. It is very useful for work." ✓ Band 9 "I've stopped thinking of it as 'using the internet' — it's simply how I operate now. My work, my music, my reading: all of it lives in digital form."