How to Improve IELTS Reading Vocabulary

Improving your English vocabulary is one of the most effective ways to boost your IELTS score. But reading randomly isn’t enough. While reading exposes you to new words, research and experience show that you generally need to see a word or phrase multiple times before it sticks in your memory.

If you read texts on different topics every day, you may encounter new vocabulary only once, which is unlikely to help you retain it.

So, how can you maximize your vocabulary retention while reading? The answer is simple: focus on a single topic and read multiple texts about it. This method allows you to encounter the same words in different contexts, strengthening your understanding and recall. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it effectively.

Step 1: Read a Text on a Particular Topic

The first step is to select a text that interests you. The topic should be relevant to your life or study goals, and the text should be comprehensible without excessive dictionary use. Good options include:

• News or magazine articles
• Blog posts on a subject you enjoy
• IELTS Reading texts from practice materials

Once you’ve selected your text, use the title (and any pictures) to predict what the text will discuss. This prediction step activates your prior knowledge and helps you read with purpose. Then, read the text to check if your predictions were accurate.

Important: Always have a clear reading purpose. For example, your purpose could be to verify your predictions, to understand the main ideas, or to spot topic-related vocabulary. A clear goal helps you decide whether to guess meanings from context or check them in a dictionary.

Step 2: Identify Topic-Related Vocabulary

Once you’ve read your first text, the next step is to identify words and phrases central to the topic. These are words you are likely to see again in other texts on the same subject.

To do this, underline or highlight any words you think are important or might recur. For instance, in a text about CV writing, you might underline:

• Nouns: career history, jobs, job seekers, personal brand, qualities, strengths
• Verbs: attract, stand out, describe
• Adjectives: unique, professional
• Phrases: grab somebody’s attention

Focusing on topic-related vocabulary ensures that your reading is strategic, rather than passive, and sets the stage for repeated exposure.

Step 3: Read Another Text on the Same Topic

The key to remembering vocabulary is repetition in different contexts. After your first text, find a second text on the same topic and read it using the same process:

1. Predict the content based on the title and images.
2. Read the text to verify your predictions.
3. Underline words or phrases that match those you identified in the first text.

This step allows you to see which vocabulary recurs across different texts, reinforcing your memory and understanding. For example, words like employer, recruiter, attract, stand out are likely to appear in multiple texts about CV writing.

Step 4: Create a Word List and Use Flashcards

Once you’ve identified recurring vocabulary, the next step is to actively memorize it. Creating a word list organized by topic helps you study efficiently.

How to create a topic-based word list:

• Name your list based on the topic, e.g., Advice for Writing CVs.
• Add nouns, verbs, adjectives, and useful phrases that you highlighted in both texts.
• Include example sentences to understand usage in context.

Flashcards for reinforcement:

Flashcards are one of the most effective ways to commit vocabulary to memory. You can create them using apps like Cambridge Dictionary +Plus, which allows you to:

• Add new words and phrases to a list
• Create digital flashcards with definitions
• Test yourself with interactive quizzes

Tip: Use flashcards daily for 5–10 minutes to maximize retention. Seeing a word multiple times in both reading and testing contexts accelerates learning.

Why This Method Works

1. Repetition in Context: Seeing the same words in multiple texts strengthens recall.
2. Topic Familiarity: You start to understand the nuances of vocabulary specific to a topic.
3. Active Engagement: Highlighting, creating lists, and testing yourself transforms reading from passive exposure to active learning.
4. IELTS Relevance: Many IELTS Reading and Writing topics are recurring. Learning vocabulary by topic directly improves your reading comprehension and writing expression.

Practical Example: CV Writing Vocabulary

Let’s illustrate this with a real example. Suppose you read two texts on CV writing. After following Steps 1–3, you might identify these repeated words:

• Employer
• Recruiter
• Career
• Job seekers
• Attract
• Stand out
• Professional
• Grab somebody’s attention

Next, create a word list and use flashcards to learn them. Over time, this vocabulary will not only help you understand texts but also enhance your Writing and Speaking responses if asked about careers or job applications.

Tips for Effective Topic-Based Reading

• Limit the topic: Stick to one topic for a few days before moving to another.
• Use diverse sources: Blogs, articles, and IELTS practice texts all provide slightly different contexts.
• Focus on collocations and phrases: Words often appear with the same verbs, adjectives, or phrases (e.g., stand out skills, professional experience).
• Review regularly: Revisiting your word lists ensures that vocabulary moves from short-term to long-term memory.

Conclusion

Vocabulary growth through reading is most effective when it is purposeful, focused, and repeated. Instead of reading widely on random topics, choose a single topic, identify and track the key vocabulary, read multiple texts, and reinforce learning through word lists and flashcards.