A List of the Most Common Synonyms | Vocabulary for IELTS PDF Download

Introduction

• A smart way to raise your IELTS score is by building a stronger vocabulary.
• One of the simplest tricks to do this is using synonyms—words that mean the same thing but swap out basic ones for something sharper.
• This not only pumps up your Lexical Resource score (the word-choice part of IELTS) but also makes your English sound better overall.
• Here’s how synonyms can help you shine and a handy list to get you started.

Why Synonyms Matter

• IELTS tests how well you use words, especially in Writing and Speaking.
• Sticking to plain words like good, bad, or big over and over looks weak and boring.
• Synonyms let you switch it up—say great instead of good, awful instead of bad, or huge instead of big.
• This shows examiners you’ve got a wide vocabulary and can pick the right word for the job, pushing you toward a higher band.
• Plus, it’s a quick way to level up your everyday English, too.

How to Use Them

• Swap Smartly: Don’t just repeat “important” five times in an essay—try “key,” “vital,” or “crucial” instead. It keeps your writing fresh and shows control.
• Fit the Context: Pick synonyms that match the sentence. “Happy” could be “joyful” for a big feeling or “content” for a calm one—wrong picks like “thrilled” in a quiet moment sound off.
• Practice Daily: Grab a common word (e.g., “say”), find synonyms (e.g., “tell,” “state,” “claim”), and write a sentence with each: “She said hi,” “She told me hi,” “She stated her name.” This sticks them in your brain for test day.

Synonym List for IELTS

Here’s a short list of common words and their synonyms to boost your score. Learn these, and you’ll sound sharper without much effort:

• Good: Great, excellent, fine, superb
  Example: “Play is good for kids” → “Play is superb for kids.”
• Bad: Poor, terrible, awful, lousy
  Example: “Bad habits hurt learning” → “Awful habits hurt learning.”
• Big: Large, huge, vast, massive
  Example: “It’s a big problem” → “It’s a massive problem.”
• Important: Key, vital, crucial, essential
  Example: “Reading is important” → “Reading is crucial.”
• Help: Aid, assist, support, boost
  Example: “Games help kids” → “Games boost kids.”
• Say: Tell, state, claim, express
  Example: “He said it’s true” → “He claimed it’s true.”

Some more common synonyms: