Vocabulary for IELTS Reading: Sublist 5

Remarkable progress! With 60 essential vocabulary words mastered in each of Sublists 1 through 4, you’ve built an impressive arsenal of 240 academic terms, positioning you strongly for IELTS Reading success.

Now, Sublist 5 of the Academic Word List (AWL) by Averil Coxhead introduces another 60 high-frequency words that are slightly less common but pivotal for tackling complex passages on topics such as technology, health, and governance. These terms will refine your ability to secure a perfect 40/40 score, enhancing your skills in interpreting nuanced arguments and managing paraphrased content with ease. This guide is your next stride toward mastering the lexical depth required for IELTS excellence.

The AWL’s carefully curated 10-sublist framework, based on word frequency in academic texts, places Sublist 5 as a critical progression from the earlier sublists. These words, while less frequent than those in Sublists 1-4, are essential for navigating the diverse question types—such as true/false/not given, matching headings, and diagram labeling—that challenge IELTS Reading candidates. By practicing Sublist 5 vocabulary within sample passages and understanding their meanings and synonyms, you’ll sharpen your comprehension and confidence, bringing you closer to reading mastery.

Let’s delve into Sublist 5 to take your skills to the next level!

Sublist 5

academy, adjust, alter, amend, aware, capacity, challenge, clause, compound, conflict, consult, contact, decline, discrete, draft, enable, energy, enforce, entity, equivalent, evolve, expand, expose, external, facilitate, fundamental, generate, generation, image, liberal, license, logic, margin, medical, mental, modify, monitor, network, notion, objective, orient, perspective, precise, prime, psychology, pursue, ratio, reject, revenue, stable, style, substitute, sustain, symbol, target, transit, trend, version, welfare, whereas.

1. academy (n)
   • Meaning: An institution for learning or specialized study.
   • Synonyms: institution, school, college, university, society.
     
2. adjust (v)
   • Meaning: To change or adapt something to fit a purpose.
   • Synonyms: adapt, modify, alter, fine-tune, change.
     
3. alter (v)
   • Meaning: To change or make different.
   • Synonyms: change, modify, adjust, revise, transform.
     
4. amend (v)
   • Meaning: To make minor changes to improve or correct.
   • Synonyms: revise, correct, modify, improve, update.
     
5. aware (adj)
   • Meaning: Having knowledge or consciousness of something.
   • Synonyms: conscious, informed, mindful, cognizant, knowledgeable.
     
6. capacity (n)
   • Meaning: The ability to hold, do, or perform; potential.
   • Synonyms: ability, capability, potential, volume, scope.
     
7. challenge (n/v)
   • Meaning: (n) A difficult task; (v) to question or confront.
   • Synonyms: (n) difficulty, obstacle, test; (v) question, dispute, confront.
     
8. clause (n)
   • Meaning: A distinct section of a legal document or sentence.
   • Synonyms: section, provision, article, part, segment.
     
9. compound (n/v/adj)
   • Meaning: (n) A combination of elements; (v) to combine or worsen; (adj) combined.
   • Synonyms: (n) mixture, blend; (v) combine, intensify; (adj) complex, composite.
     
10. conflict (n/v)
    • Meaning: (n) A disagreement or clash; (v) to clash or disagree.
    • Synonyms: (n) dispute, clash, disagreement; (v) oppose, contradict.
      
11. consult (v)
    • Meaning: To seek advice or information from someone.
    • Synonyms: confer, seek advice, discuss, refer to, inquire.
      
12. contact (n/v)
    • Meaning: (n) Communication or connection; (v) to communicate with.
    • Synonyms: (n) communication, connection; (v) reach, communicate, touch.
      
13. decline (n/v)
    • Meaning: (n) A decrease or deterioration; (v) to decrease or refuse.
    • Synonyms: (n) decrease, reduction; (v) decrease, refuse, drop.
      
14. discrete (adj)
    • Meaning: Separate or distinct.
    • Synonyms: separate, distinct, individual, detached, independent.
      
15. draft (n/v)
    • Meaning: (n) A preliminary version; (v) to prepare a preliminary version.
    • Synonyms: (n) sketch, outline, plan; (v) write, prepare, outline.
      
16. enable (v)
    • Meaning: To make possible or provide the means for.
    • Synonyms: allow, permit, facilitate, empower, make possible.
      
17. energy (n)
    • Meaning: The capacity for work or activity; power.
    • Synonyms: power, vigor, force, strength, vitality.
      
18. enforce (v)
    • Meaning: To ensure compliance with rules or laws.
    • Synonyms: impose, apply, uphold, execute, compel.
      
19. entity (n)
    • Meaning: Something with distinct existence or identity.
    • Synonyms: unit, object, thing, organization, being.
      
20. equivalent (adj/n)
    • Meaning: (adj) Equal in value or function; (n) something equal.
    • Synonyms: (adj) equal, similar, comparable; (n) counterpart, match.
      
21. evolve (v)
    • Meaning: To develop or change gradually over time.
    • Synonyms: develop, progress, advance, grow, transform.
22. expand (v)
    • Meaning: To increase in size, scope, or extent.
    • Synonyms: grow, increase, enlarge, extend, broaden.
      
23. expose (v)
    • Meaning: To reveal or make visible; to subject to risk.
    • Synonyms: reveal, uncover, disclose, subject, open.
      
24. external (adj)
    • Meaning: Located outside or relating to the outside.
    • Synonyms: outer, outside, exterior, outward, foreign.
      
25. facilitate (v)
    • Meaning: To make easier or assist in progress.
    • Synonyms: ease, assist, help, promote, simplify.
      
26. fundamental (adj)
    • Meaning: Basic or essential to something.
    • Synonyms: basic, essential, core, primary, foundational.
      
27. generate (v)
    • Meaning: To produce or create something.
    • Synonyms: produce, create, make, cause, bring about.
      
28. generation (n)
    • Meaning: A group born in a similar time period; act of producing.
    • Synonyms: age group, cohort, era; production, creation.
      
29. image (n)
    • Meaning: A visual representation or perception of something.
    • Synonyms: picture, representation, impression, view, likeness.
      
30. liberal (adj)
    • Meaning: Open to new ideas; generous or permissive.
    • Synonyms: open-minded, progressive, generous, tolerant, broad-minded.
      
31. license (n/v)
    • Meaning: (n) Permission or official document; (v) to grant permission.
    • Synonyms: (n) permit, authorization; (v) permit, authorize, allow.
      
32. logic (n)
    • Meaning: Reasoning or rational thought.
    • Synonyms: reasoning, rationale, sense, argument, coherence.
      
33. margin (n)
    • Meaning: An edge, border, or difference; extra amount.
    • Synonyms: edge, border, gap, allowance, difference.
      
34. medical (adj)
    • Meaning: Relating to medicine or health.
    • Synonyms: health, clinical, therapeutic, medicinal, healing.
      
35. mental (adj)
    • Meaning: Relating to the mind or intellect.
    • Synonyms: intellectual, cognitive, psychological, mental, cerebral.
      
36. modify (v)
    • Meaning: To change or adjust slightly.
    • Synonyms: alter, adjust, change, revise, adapt.
      
37. monitor (v/n)
    • Meaning: (v) To observe or check; (n) a device for observing.
    • Synonyms: (v) observe, watch, track; (n) screen, tracker, observer.
      
38. network (n/v)
    • Meaning: (n) A system of interconnected things; (v) to connect or interact.
    • Synonyms: (n) system, web, connections; (v) connect, link, interact.
      
39. notion (n)
    • Meaning: A concept, idea, or belief.
    • Synonyms: idea, concept, belief, thought, impression.
      
40. objective (n/adj)
    • Meaning: (n) A goal; (adj) unbiased or based on facts.
    • Synonyms: (n) goal, aim, target; (adj) impartial, unbiased, factual.
      
41. orient (v)
    • Meaning: To align or position; to familiarize.
    • Synonyms: align, position, direct, familiarize, guide.
      
42. perspective (n)
    • Meaning: A point of view or way of seeing things.
    • Synonyms: viewpoint, angle, outlook, stance, perception.
      
43. precise (adj)
    • Meaning: Exact or accurate in detail.
    • Synonyms: exact, accurate, specific, clear, detailed.
      
44. prime (adj)
    • Meaning: Most important or of highest quality.
    • Synonyms: main, primary, chief, top, foremost.
      
45. psychology (n)
    • Meaning: The study of the mind and behavior.
    • Synonyms: mental science, behavioral study, mind study.
      
46. pursue (v)
    • Meaning: To follow or strive for a goal.
    • Synonyms: follow, chase, seek, aim for, strive.
      
47. ratio (n)
    • Meaning: The relationship between two quantities.
    • Synonyms: proportion, rate, fraction, percentage, balance.
      
48. reject (v)
    • Meaning: To refuse or dismiss something.
    • Synonyms: refuse, decline, dismiss, turn down, discard.
      
49. revenue (n)
    • Meaning: Income or money received, especially by a business or government.
    • Synonyms: income, earnings, profit, proceeds, funds.
      
50. stable (adj)
    • Meaning: Steady, secure, or not likely to change.
    • Synonyms: steady, secure, constant, firm, unchanging.
      
51. style (n)
    • Meaning: A manner or way of doing something; design.
    • Synonyms: manner, way, approach, design, fashion.
      
52. substitute (n/v)
    • Meaning: (n) A replacement; (v) to replace with something else.
    • Synonyms: (n) replacement, alternative; (v) replace, swap, exchange.
      
53. sustain (v)
    • Meaning: To maintain or keep going; to support.
    • Synonyms: maintain, support, uphold, continue, preserve.
      
54. symbol (n)
    • Meaning: A sign or object representing something else.
    • Synonyms: sign, emblem, mark, representation, icon.
      
55. target (n/v)
    • Meaning: (n) A goal or aim; (v) to aim at or focus on.
    • Synonyms: (n) goal, aim, objective; (v) aim, focus, direct.
      
56. transit (n/v)
    • Meaning: (n) The act of moving or transport; (v) to move across.
    • Synonyms: (n) transport, movement, passage; (v) move, travel.
      
57. trend (n)
    • Meaning: A general direction or pattern of change.
    • Synonyms: pattern, tendency, direction, movement, shift.
      
58. version (n)
    • Meaning: A particular form or variation of something.
    • Synonyms: form, variant, edition, type, adaptation.
      
59. welfare (n)
    • Meaning: Well-being or financial support for those in need.
    • Synonyms: well-being, prosperity, support, aid, benefit.
      
60. whereas (conj)
    • Meaning: In contrast or comparison to something else.
    • Synonyms: while, but, in contrast, however, on the other hand.

Outstanding achievement! You’ve now mastered 60 impactful vocabulary words from Sublist 5, adding to your robust collection of 300 terms across Sublists 1 through 5, significantly boosting your IELTS Reading prowess. This milestone brings you closer to your 40/40 goal. Click here to proceed to Sublist 6 and continue your path to reading perfection!