Extending Your Vocabulary for IELTS Using Word Families
How to learn and remember related words
A useful way to extend your vocabulary is to spend time learning word families.
Word families consist of a base word and its related forms, including nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. For example, the word “economy” (noun) can be extended to “economic” (adjective), “economise” (verb), and “economically” (adverb).
Tips
Begin by compiling vocabulary lists organised by word families. Numerous resources, such as the members’ section of our own site, IELTS preparation books, and vocabulary apps offer such lists tailored for the exam.
Instead of memorising isolated words, learn them in context. Read news articles and academic texts related to topics commonly tested in the IELTS. Pay attention to how words are used in sentences and paragraphs. Think about the related word families.
Create flashcards. Write down the base word on one side of a flashcard and its related forms on the other side. Regularly review these flashcards, testing yourself on both the base word and its derivatives.
Incorporate word families into your writing practice. Attempt to use different forms of the same word in sentences or paragraphs. This reinforces your understanding and helps you remember the variations and how they can be used.
Create memory aids to associate different forms of a word. For example, you could devise a sentence using the different forms, or you could associate them with images or personal experiences.
Actively engage with the words you’re learning. This can include speaking exercises, discussions, or even teaching the words to someone else. Teaching others is a powerful way to improve your own understanding and recall.
Review regularly. Allocate dedicated time each day to review word families. ‘Spaced repetition’, where you revisit words at increasing intervals over time, is particularly effective for long-term retention.
Regularly take practice tests to assess your progress. Pay attention to the words used in the questions and passages and make note of any unfamiliar word families for further study. The members’ section of our own site, for example, provides 15 full and complete practice tests alongside 80 hours of IELTS tuition and vocabulary.
BOOST YOUR VOCABULARY! Here’s a glossary of key words from this post:
| Word (Part of Speech) | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Word family (noun) | A group of words that come from the same base word. | Study the ‘act’ word family: act, action, active. |
| Base word (noun) | The main form of a word that other forms come from. | The base word ‘create’ gives ‘creative’ and ‘creation’. |
| Derivative (noun) | A word made from another word (a different form). | ‘Happiness’ is a derivative of ‘happy’. |
| Vocabulary (noun) | All the words a person knows or uses. | Reading every day helps you build your vocabulary. |
| Context (noun) | The words or situation around a word that help show its meaning. | Look at the sentence context to guess a word’s meaning. |
| Flashcard (noun) | A small card used to test memory of a word and its meaning. | I write the base word on one side of a flashcard. |
| Incorporate (verb) | To include something as part of a bigger activity. | Incorporate new words into your daily writing. |
| Reinforce (verb) | To make learning stronger by practice or repetition. | Practice exercises help reinforce new vocabulary. |
| Spaced repetition (noun) | A study method where you review items at increasing time gaps. | Use spaced repetition to remember words long-term. |
| Retention (noun) | The ability to keep information in your memory. | Regular review improves retention of new words. |