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.

space exploration
The investigation of outer space using spacecraft and telescopes.
Space exploration has produced technologies now used in everyday life.
space agencies
Government organisations that run space programmes.
Space agencies increasingly work with private companies to launch missions.
a waste of resources
Money or materials used for something not worth it.
Critics regard crewed missions to Mars as a waste of resources while poverty persists on Earth.
satellite technology
Equipment in orbit used for communication, navigation and observation.
Satellite technology underpins weather forecasting, navigation and communication.
scientific discovery
Finding out something new through science.
Missions to other planets are driven largely by the hope of scientific discovery.
commercial spaceflight
Space travel and launches run by private companies.
Commercial spaceflight has lowered the cost of putting satellites into orbit.
the space race
The 20th-century competition between the USA and the Soviet Union in space.
The space race accelerated the development of rocket and computer technology.
colonise
To settle in a place and make it a home for your people.
Some scientists believe humans will one day colonise Mars.
British spelling; American 'colonize'.
extraterrestrial life
Life that exists beyond Earth.
The search for extraterrestrial life continues to capture the public imagination.
space debris
Old satellites and fragments left orbiting Earth.
Space debris poses a growing risk to working satellites.
long-term survival
Continuing to exist far into the future.
Supporters argue that the long-term survival of humanity may depend on settling other planets.
spin-off technologies
Useful products developed from research meant for another purpose.
Spin-off technologies from space research include improvements in water purification.

Use space exploration 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.

stargazing
Looking at the stars for pleasure.
When I'm in the countryside I love stargazing, because there's no light pollution.
astronaut
A person trained to travel into space.
When I was little I wanted to be an astronaut.
out of this world
Extremely good.
The view from the top of the mountain was out of this world.
Idiom: Speaking only.
a rocket launch
The moment a rocket leaves the ground.
I watched a rocket launch live online last year.
the night sky
The sky as seen at night.
In my city you can hardly see the night sky because of the lights.
mind-boggling
Too large or strange to imagine easily.
The size of the universe is mind-boggling.
sci-fi
Science fiction.
I'm a big fan of sci-fi films about other planets.
go into space
To travel beyond Earth's atmosphere.
I'd never go into space; it seems far too risky.
space tourism
Paying to travel into space for pleasure.
At the moment space tourism is only for the extremely rich.
worth the money
Good value for what it costs.
I'm not sure it's worth the money when so many people on Earth are poor.

Writing Task 2

Use it in an answer

Some people argue that space exploration is a waste of resources that should be used on Earth. Others think it is essential. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Opponents see crewed missions as a waste of resources at a time when millions lack clean water. However, this view overlooks how much everyday life depends on space exploration: satellite technology makes weather forecasting and navigation possible, and spin-off technologies have reached hospitals and homes. In my opinion, the question is balance. Commercial spaceflight has reduced costs, so governments can fund valuable research without large budgets, while still spending far more on pressing problems at home.

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

Practise in context

Space exploration questions to practise

Frequently asked questions

Do I say 'space' or 'the space'?+

Use 'space' with no article for the universe beyond Earth: 'travel into space', 'space exploration'. 'The space' means a particular area, such as 'the space between two buildings'.

How should I structure a space exploration essay?+

Most questions are discuss-both-views or opinion essays. Give one paragraph to the cost argument and one to the benefits (satellites, science, future survival), then state a clear position, ideally a balanced one with conditions.

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

Not the informal ones. Phrasal verbs and idioms such as 'out of this world' 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 space exploration