Lexical Resource rewards precision and range, not length. Using ten ordinary words is worth less than using four precise ones. The goal is to replace vague everyday words with specific academic equivalents and to use them in natural collocations — not random substitution.
Examples
Weak
AvoidMore people are using the internet now. This is good for society. It helps people do things faster and gives them information.
Stronger
BetterInternet adoption has expanded rapidly, bringing measurable social benefits: it accelerates access to information and enables remote participation in economic and civic life.
Six vague words replaced: "using" → "adoption," "good" → "measurable social benefits," "things faster" → "accelerates access," "gives information" → "enables participation." Each replacement is a natural collocation, not a thesaurus swap.
How It Works
Upgrade in three steps
- Identify the vague word: good, bad, big, do, get, thing, people, use.
- Ask: what is specifically true here? (good for health → improves wellbeing)
- Check the collocation: "improve wellbeing" is natural; "ameliorate wellbeing" is not.
High-frequency upgrade pairs
- good/bad → beneficial/detrimental, advantageous/harmful
- big/small → substantial/marginal, significant/negligible
- people → residents, citizens, practitioners, stakeholders
- use → adopt, employ, utilise (only when the word fits)
- do → implement, undertake, carry out
Key collocations
Quick rules
- Do not swap every common word — natural common words score fine.
- Upgrade where precision adds meaning, not just to sound formal.
- Learn collocations as chunks: "tackle the problem," not just "tackle."
Common Mistakes
Random thesaurus swap
Avoid"Governments should utilise diverse methodologies to ameliorate societal predicaments."
Better"Governments should use several strategies to address social problems."
Fix: Uncommon words used wrongly score lower than common words used correctly. Precision beats rarity.
Vague noun
Avoid"This is a big problem for society."
Better"This poses a significant threat to public health and social cohesion."
Fix: Replace "problem" with the specific kind of problem and replace "society" with the affected group.
Practice Lab
Self-mark each task. Retry until every answer is correct.
Score: 0/3
1. Quick pick
Which sentence best demonstrates Band 7 Lexical Resource?
2. Build it
Put the sentence in the correct order.
Tap a chunk to move it between the bank and answer area.
3. Sort it
Sort each item into the correct category.
Governments should implement stricter environmental regulations.
Governments should do more things about the environment.
Rising unemployment poses a threat to social stability.
More people not having jobs is bad for society.
Why It Matters
Lexical Resource is 25% of your Task 2 score. Band 7 requires "sufficient range to allow some flexibility and precision." Using precise collocations (not rare words) is how flexibility is demonstrated. Upgrading the eight most common vague words — good, bad, big, do, get, thing, people, use — covers the majority of lexical upgrade opportunities in any Task 2 essay.
Get Feedback
Personalized score feedback
Get clear next-step advice.
Choose the support that matches your study goal.
Related Strategy Guides
Use these focused pages to go deeper on the exact test task behind this lesson.
Get free Band 7+ strategies every week
Get free Band 7+ strategies every week
Free study emails
Subscribe for Weekly IELTS Writing Emails
- Receive one practical IELTS writing strategy each week.
- Get lesson updates focused on the mistakes that block Band 7.
- Be notified when new tools and downloads are ready.
You are subscribing to weekly score-improvement emails.
Choose the fastest way to improve
Start with the free email subscription, then choose feedback or coaching if you want faster score gains.
Step 1: Free starter
Subscribe for IELTS Writing Updates
Get weekly IELTS writing strategy emails and updates when new tools are available.
Subscribe by EmailStep 2: Direct feedback
AI Writing Feedback
Practice under timed conditions and get instant AI scoring on your writing.
Try AI Writing FeedbackStep 3: Private coaching
1:1 Writing Coaching ($30)
Get a private plan to move from repeated mistakes to stable score gains.
Book 1:1 CoachingWhat to do next
1
Diagnose and improve
Subscribe for weekly IELTS writing strategy emails and updates when new tools are available.
Subscribe by Email2
Get direct feedback
Practice under timed conditions and get instant AI scoring on your writing.
Try AI Writing Feedback3
Work with me live
Join live or private coaching to speed up your Band 7+ progress.
Book 1:1 Writing Session