IELTS Reading Tips: How to Score 40/40 in IELTS Reading in 2025
August 24, 2025
Vocabulary for IELTS Reading: Sublist 2
August 24, 2025
IELTS Reading passages often feature academic words that appear frequently in scholarly and professional texts. These words are not overly technical but are essential for understanding concepts, processes, and arguments. A core resource is the Academic Word List (AWL), developed by Averil Coxhead, which includes 570 word families most commonly found in academic texts. Mastering these can significantly boost your IELTS Reading score, as they recur in passages across topics like environment, society, and science.
The AWL is divided into 10 sublists, with Sublist 1 containing the most frequent words and Sublist 10 the least. Below, I’ve listed the first seven sublists (the most high-frequency ones) for focused learning; each sublist has 60 words (except later ones). Practice by reading sample passages and noting these words in context. For full variations (e.g., nouns, verbs), refer to reliable IELTS prep resources.
Sublist 1 (Most Common)
analyse, approach, area, assess, assume, authority, available, benefit, concept, consist, constitutional, context, contract, create, data, definition, derived, distribution, economic, environment, established, estimate, evidence, export, factors, financial, formula, function, identified, income, indicate, individual, interpretation, involved, issues, labour, legal, legislation, major, method, occur, percent, period, policy, principle, procedure, process, required, research, response, role, section, sector, significant, similar, source, specific, structure, theory, variable.
These words are high-frequency academic terms, and understanding their meanings and synonyms is crucial for IELTS Reading due to the test’s frequent use of paraphrasing. Each entry includes the word, its part of speech, a concise definition, and relevant synonyms, tailored to the context of IELTS Reading passages. The list is organized alphabetically for clarity.
Vocabulary List with Meanings and Synonyms
- analyse (v)
- Meaning: To examine something in detail to understand its components or structure.
- Synonyms: examine, study, investigate, break down, dissect.
- approach (n/v)
- Meaning: (n) A way of dealing with something; (v) to come near or deal with.
- Synonyms: (n) method, strategy, way, tactic; (v) tackle, address, near.
- area (n)
- Meaning: A particular field, region, or scope of activity.
- Synonyms: field, domain, region, sector, scope.
- assess (v)
- Meaning: To evaluate or judge the value, importance, or extent of something.
- Synonyms: evaluate, judge, measure, appraise, estimate.
- assume (v)
- Meaning: To accept something as true without proof; to take on a role.
- Synonyms: presume, suppose, take for granted, undertake.
- authority (n)
- Meaning: The power to make decisions or enforce rules; an expert source.
- Synonyms: power, control, jurisdiction, expert, source.
- available (adj)
- Meaning: Able to be used or obtained.
- Synonyms: accessible, obtainable, ready, on hand.
- benefit (n/v)
- Meaning: (n) An advantage or positive outcome; (v) to gain an advantage.
- Synonyms: (n) advantage, gain, profit; (v) help, aid, enhance.
- concept (n)
- Meaning: An abstract idea or general notion.
- Synonyms: idea, notion, principle, theory, belief.
- consist (v)
- Meaning: To be made up of or composed of.
- Synonyms: comprise, include, contain, be composed of.
- constitutional (adj)
- Meaning: Related to a constitution or established principles; inherent.
- Synonyms: legal, fundamental, inherent, structural, basic.
- context (n)
- Meaning: The circumstances or setting surrounding an event or idea.
- Synonyms: situation, background, setting, framework, environment.
- contract (n/v)
- Meaning: (n) A formal agreement; (v) to enter an agreement or shrink.
- Synonyms: (n) agreement, deal, pact; (v) agree, reduce, tighten.
- create (v)
- Meaning: To bring something into existence.
- Synonyms: produce, generate, make, invent, form.
- data (n)
- Meaning: Facts or information used for analysis or reference.
- Synonyms: information, facts, statistics, figures, details.
- definition (n)
- Meaning: A statement of the meaning of a word or concept.
- Synonyms: explanation, description, meaning, interpretation.
- derived (adj/v)
- Meaning: Obtained or developed from a source.
- Synonyms: obtained, extracted, drawn, originated, stemmed.
- distribution (n)
- Meaning: The act of spreading or sharing something; the way something is spread.
- Synonyms: allocation, dispersal, dissemination, spread, division.
- economic (adj)
- Meaning: Related to the economy, money, or resources.
- Synonyms: financial, monetary, fiscal, commercial, budgetary.
- environment (n)
- Meaning: The natural world or conditions surrounding something.
- Synonyms: surroundings, habitat, ecosystem, setting, context.
- established (adj)
- Meaning: Set up or recognized as stable or accepted.
- Synonyms: founded, set up, recognized, accepted, entrenched.
- estimate (n/v)
- Meaning: (n) An approximate calculation; (v) to roughly calculate.
- Synonyms: (n) approximation, guess, projection; (v) assess, gauge, approximate.
- evidence (n)
- Meaning: Facts or information supporting a conclusion.
- Synonyms: proof, data, support, indication, testimony.
- export (n/v)
- Meaning: (n) Goods sent to another country; (v) to send goods abroad.
- Synonyms: (n) shipment, trade; (v) ship, sell abroad, dispatch.
- factors (n)
- Meaning: Elements contributing to a result or situation.
- Synonyms: elements, components, causes, aspects, influences.
- financial (adj)
- Meaning: Related to money or finance.
- Synonyms: economic, monetary, fiscal, budgetary, pecuniary.
- formula (n)
- Meaning: A set method or structure for achieving something; a mathematical expression.
- Synonyms: method, recipe, plan, equation, rule.
- function (n/v)
- Meaning: (n) Purpose or role; (v) to work or operate.
- Synonyms: (n) role, purpose, use; (v) operate, work, perform.
- identified (adj/v)
- Meaning: Recognized or named as specific.
- Synonyms: recognized, determined, named, pinpointed, specified.
- income (n)
- Meaning: Money received, especially from work or investments.
- Synonyms: revenue, earnings, salary, wages, profit.
- indicate (v)
- Meaning: To show or point out.
- Synonyms: show, suggest, demonstrate, signal, reveal.
- individual (n/adj)
- Meaning: (n) A single person; (adj) separate or unique.
- Synonyms: (n) person, entity; (adj) single, unique, distinct.
- interpretation (n)
- Meaning: The act of explaining or understanding something.
- Synonyms: explanation, understanding, analysis, reading, view.
- involved (adj)
- Meaning: Included or participating; complex.
- Synonyms: included, engaged, participating, complex, intricate.
- issues (n)
- Meaning: Topics or problems under discussion.
- Synonyms: topics, matters, concerns, problems, subjects.
- labour (n)
- Meaning: Work, especially physical or manual; workforce.
- Synonyms: work, effort, toil, workforce, workers.
- legal (adj)
- Meaning: Related to or permitted by law.
- Synonyms: lawful, legitimate, authorized, statutory, permissible.
- legislation (n)
- Meaning: Laws or the process of making laws.
- Synonyms: laws, regulations, statutes, rules, enactments.
- major (adj)
- Meaning: Important or significant.
- Synonyms: main, primary, significant, key, prominent.
- method (n)
- Meaning: A way or procedure for doing something.
- Synonyms: approach, technique, procedure, system, strategy.
- occur (v)
- Meaning: To happen or take place.
- Synonyms: happen, take place, arise, emerge, transpire.
- percent (n)
- Meaning: A proportion out of 100.
- Synonyms: percentage, portion, fraction, share, ratio.
- period (n)
- Meaning: A length or portion of time.
- Synonyms: time, era, duration, span, interval.
- policy (n)
- Meaning: A plan or course of action, often official.
- Synonyms: plan, strategy, approach, guideline, rule.
- principle (n)
- Meaning: A fundamental rule or belief guiding action.
- Synonyms: rule, law, belief, tenet, doctrine.
- procedure (n)
- Meaning: An established way of doing something.
- Synonyms: process, method, system, protocol, steps.
- process (n/v)
- Meaning: (n) A series of actions; (v) to handle or deal with.
- Synonyms: (n) procedure, method, course; (v) handle, treat, manage.
- required (adj)
- Meaning: Necessary or essential.
- Synonyms: needed, essential, mandatory, compulsory, obligatory.
- research (n/v)
- Meaning: (n) Systematic investigation; (v) to investigate systematically.
- Synonyms: (n) study, investigation, analysis; (v) investigate, explore, examine.
- response (n)
- Meaning: A reaction or reply to something.
- Synonyms: reply, reaction, answer, feedback, retort.
- role (n)
- Meaning: The function or position of something or someone.
- Synonyms: function, position, duty, purpose, part.
- section (n)
- Meaning: A part or division of something.
- Synonyms: part, segment, division, portion, component.
- sector (n)
- Meaning: A distinct part of an economy or society.
- Synonyms: area, field, domain, industry, branch.
- significant (adj)
- Meaning: Important or meaningful.
- Synonyms: important, notable, meaningful, considerable, substantial.
- similar (adj)
- Meaning: Having likeness or resemblance.
- Synonyms: alike, comparable, like, parallel, resembling.
- source (n)
- Meaning: The origin or provider of something.
- Synonyms: origin, cause, root, supplier, reference.
- specific (adj)
- Meaning: Clearly defined or particular.
- Synonyms: particular, precise, exact, distinct, detailed.
- structure (n/v)
- Meaning: (n) The arrangement of parts; (v) to organize or arrange.
- Synonyms: (n) framework, organization, system; (v) organize, arrange, build.
- theory (n)
- Meaning: A system of ideas to explain something.
- Synonyms: hypothesis, explanation, idea, model, framework.
- variable (n/adj)
- Meaning: (n) Something that can change; (adj) able to change.
- Synonyms: (n) factor, element, component; (adj) changeable, flexible, varying.
Well Done! You’ve now mastered 60 vital vocabulary words from Sublist 1. Click here to advance to Sublist 2 and continue your journey.
Bigyan Kandel
Mr. Bigyan Kandel, a CELTA-certified IELTS instructor and teacher trainer, began his teaching career in Australia while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Media and Communications at the University of Wollongong. Since 2014, he has authored several IELTS preparation e-books, earned certification as a study abroad counsellor, and guided thousands of candidates in achieving their target band scores and in migrating to their dream countries.