How many words do I need to learn for band 7?

There is no fixed number. Knowing how to use a few hundred topic phrases accurately is more useful than memorising thousands of isolated words.

Should I use idioms in IELTS?

Only in Speaking, and only if you use them naturally and correctly. Avoid idioms in Writing Task 2.

IELTS Vocabulary for Band 7: What Lexical Resource Really Means

What examiners mean by Lexical Resource at band 7, how to use less common words and collocations correctly, and topic vocabulary to learn for Writing and Speaking.

By IELTSora teaching team · Updated 5 November 2026 · 2 min read

Band 7 vocabulary is about precision, not rare words

Lexical Resource is a quarter of your Writing and Speaking scores. At band 7, the public band descriptors refer to using less common vocabulary with some awareness of style and collocation, and paraphrasing effectively. Big words used wrongly do not help; precise words used naturally do.

A sentence like 'Pollution has a detrimental effect on public health' is strong because the words fit together, not because 'detrimental' is long.

Learn collocations, not single words

Collocations are words that naturally go together. Learning them in pairs makes your English sound fluent:

make a decision, take responsibility, pose a threat
heavily dependent on, widely accepted, rapidly growing
raise awareness, address a problem, meet demand
a significant proportion, a gradual decline, a sharp increase

Topic vocabulary worth preparing

Common IELTS topics include education, environment, technology, health, work, cities and transport, crime, and globalisation. For each, prepare 10 to 15 useful phrases and practise them in your own sentences, not just in a list. Writing each phrase into a short example sentence about your own life or country makes it far easier to recall under exam pressure.

Paraphrasing without losing meaning

Paraphrase the question in your introduction and avoid repeating the same noun again and again. Use synonyms, change word forms (develop, development) and restructure sentences. Check that your synonym really means the same thing; 'children' and 'teenagers' are not the same group.

Frequently asked questions

How many words do I need to learn for band 7?: There is no fixed number. Knowing how to use a few hundred topic phrases accurately is more useful than memorising thousands of isolated words.
Should I use idioms in IELTS?: Only in Speaking, and only if you use them naturally and correctly. Avoid idioms in Writing Task 2.

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