IELTS vocabulary for languages and communication

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

• bilingual

  Able to use two languages well.

  Children raised in bilingual households often switch between languages with ease.

• a lingua franca

  A language used for communication between people with different first languages.

  English functions as a lingua franca in international business and science.

• linguistic diversity

  The variety of languages spoken in a place or the world.

  The dominance of a few global languages threatens linguistic diversity.

• endangered languages

  Languages with few speakers left, at risk of disappearing.

  When endangered languages disappear, unique knowledge and stories are lost with them.

• mother tongue

  The first language a person learns.

  Young pupils often learn best when early lessons are taught in their mother tongue.

• proficiency

  A high level of skill.

  Many universities require evidence of English proficiency.

• language acquisition

  The process of learning a language.

  Language acquisition appears easier in early childhood for pronunciation in particular.

• cross-cultural communication

  Communication between people of different cultures.

  Learning a foreign language improves cross-cultural communication.

• a global language

  A language spoken across most of the world.

  A single global language would simplify trade but could weaken local cultures.

• fluency

  The ability to speak or write smoothly and easily.

  Fluency comes from regular practice rather than from memorising grammar rules.

• the language barrier

  Difficulty communicating because people speak different languages.

  The language barrier is a major obstacle for migrants seeking work.

• non-verbal communication

  Communicating without words, through gestures and expressions.

  Non-verbal communication, such as gestures, varies widely between cultures.

Some people believe children should start learning a foreign language at primary school rather than secondary school. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

Starting early has clear benefits. Language acquisition in young children tends to produce better pronunciation, and pupils who begin at seven have more years to build fluency before they need the language for study or work. The main disadvantage is that primary teachers may lack proficiency themselves, and time spent on a foreign language could come from the child's mother tongue or mathematics. On balance, early teaching is worthwhile if schools have trained teachers, since poor early teaching can be worse than none.

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

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: ‘bilingual’ in an essay, ‘pick up’ when you speak. Accuracy comes first; a misused advanced word costs more than a plain one used well.

• Speaking Part 1: Languages
• Task 2: Learning foreign languages at school: discuss both views
• Task 2: The extinction of indigenous languages: causes and solutions
• Task 2: The implementation of a single global language: evaluating impacts

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