This list was written by BandLadder's authors, Fizza Butool Zaidi and Ali Zaidi. The meanings and example sentences are our own, not taken from model answers or dictionaries.

12 words

Writing Task 2 vocabulary

Formal and neutral items that suit an essay. They work in Speaking too.

cultural heritage
Traditions, buildings and objects passed down from the past.
Historic buildings form an important part of a nation's cultural heritage.
historical sites
Places of importance in history.
Mass tourism can damage fragile historical sites.
preserve
To keep something in its original state.
Governments have a duty to preserve monuments for future generations.
restoration
Repairing an old building or object to its earlier condition.
The restoration of the cathedral took more than a decade.
national identity
The feeling of belonging to a nation.
Learning history can strengthen a sense of national identity.
learn from the past
To use knowledge of earlier events to make better decisions.
Societies that study history are better able to learn from the past.
collective memory
The shared memories of a group or society.
Memorials keep tragic events in the collective memory.
historical artefacts
Objects made by people in the past.
Museums keep historical artefacts in carefully controlled conditions.
British spelling; American 'artifacts'.
oral history
Recorded memories of people who lived through events.
Recording oral history captures the experiences of ordinary people.
repatriation
Returning objects or people to their country of origin.
There is growing pressure for the repatriation of objects taken during colonial rule.
listed buildings
Buildings protected by law because of their historical value.
Owners of listed buildings need permission before making alterations.
A British legal term.
a turning point
A moment when an important change happens.
The invention of printing was a turning point in the spread of knowledge.

Use history and heritage vocabulary in a Task 2 essay

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10 phrases

Speaking vocabulary

Natural spoken English for Parts 1 to 3. Items noted as informal or as an idiom belong in Speaking only, never in Task 2.

a history buff
Someone who knows and loves a lot about history.
I'm a bit of a history buff, so I love visiting old castles.
go back centuries
To have existed for hundreds of years.
Some of the streets in my hometown go back centuries.
ancient ruins
The remains of very old buildings.
We visited some ancient ruins in the hills.
a guided tour
A visit led by someone who explains things.
We took a guided tour, which made it much more interesting.
steeped in history
Having a long and rich history.
The old quarter of the city is steeped in history.
bring history to life
To make the past feel real and interesting.
A good teacher can really bring history to life.
old-fashioned
Belonging to an earlier time; no longer modern.
My grandparents' house feels quite old-fashioned inside.
back in the day
In the past, some time ago.
Back in the day, my grandfather walked five kilometres to school.
Informal: Speaking only.
a landmark
A famous building or feature that is easy to recognise.
The clock tower is the most famous landmark in my city.
memorise dates
To learn dates by heart.
At school we just had to memorise dates, which was pretty boring.

Writing Task 2

Use it in an answer

Why is it important to study history? Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

Studying history allows societies to learn from the past. Knowing how earlier economic crises or conflicts began helps citizens judge similar situations today. History also shapes national identity and keeps important events in the collective memory. The main drawback is that it is sometimes taught as a list of dates to memorise, which turns pupils away from the subject. When it is taught through sources, oral history and visits to historical sites, the advantages clearly outweigh this weakness.

Written by our authors to show the vocabulary in use; not an official IELTS sample.

Lexical Resource

How examiners judge this vocabulary

Vocabulary is scored as Lexical Resource, one quarter of your Writing and Speaking marks. At the higher bands the public IELTS band descriptors for Speaking mention “less common and idiomatic vocabulary”, together with awareness of style and collocation. In practice that means the right item in the right register: ‘cultural heritage’ in an essay, ‘a history buff’ when you speak. Accuracy comes first; a misused advanced word costs more than a plain one used well.

Practise in context

History and heritage questions to practise

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between 'historic' and 'historical'?+

'Historic' means important in history ('a historic agreement'). 'Historical' means connected with the past ('historical records', 'a historical novel'). Examiners notice when these are mixed up.

What if my history knowledge is weak?+

You do not need dates. Talk about a place you visited, a story your grandparents told or a landmark in your city. Phrases such as 'steeped in history' and 'go back centuries' do the work.

Can I use the Speaking phrases in Writing Task 2?+

Not the informal ones. Phrasal verbs and idioms such as 'back in the day' sound natural in Speaking but are too casual for an essay, and Task 2 should have no contractions. Everything in the Writing list works in both papers.

Will learning these words raise my IELTS band?+

Not on their own, and no word list guarantees a band. Lexical Resource rewards vocabulary used precisely and naturally, so five items you can use correctly are worth more than twenty forced into an answer. Learn each one with its example, then write or say a sentence of your own.

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IELTS vocabulary for history and heritage