IELTS & PTE lesson · Vocabulary

IELTS & PTE Projections and Forecasts Vocabulary notesForecast words, not promises

Words for figures that haven't happened. This IELTS & PTE lesson is a deck of 9 visual cards from BandLadder's own study library, written and fact-checked by our team.
  • 9 cards
  • Free to read online
  • PDF with any plan
  • Updated 30 September 2026

Original BandLadder material

What's inside

Along the way you get worked examples with the key words marked, before-and-after fixes that show why the first version loses marks, a one-page visual summary, word cards with meanings and examples (is expected to, is projected to, is forecast to and is set to), a quick check to test yourself and a recap of the rules to remember. Each card holds one idea, so you can read it on a phone between practice sessions.

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The first 3 of 9 cards

Preview

  1. IELTS · PTEVocabulary · Projections and forecasts

    A forecast is not a fact

    the tense, and the promise

    The dotted part of a line hasn't happened yet. Write it in the past, or promise it, and the chart no longer matches.

    Bike use rose to 30% in 20352035 is still ahead, and it will definitely doubleno promises after that.

    Fixes: is projected to; is expected to.

    © 2026 BandLadder · original material1 / 9
  2. IELTS · PTEVocabulary · Projections and forecasts

    How sure is the sentence?

    who says it, and how sure

    Say itStrength
    is expected / projected / forecast toa source's prediction
    is set toon course · very likely
    is likely toprobable
    will probablyprobable · your own guess
    could · mightpossible

    Report what the chart projects. Your own guess isn't in the data.

    © 2026 BandLadder · original material2 / 9
  3. IELTS · PTEVocabulary · Projections and forecasts

    Four forecast verbs

    one pattern, four shades

    • is expected tothe safe choice

      Rents are expected to remain flat.

    • is projected tofrom current trends

      Sales are projected to reach 14m by 2035.

    • is forecast toweather, sales, money

      Sales are forecast to fall next year.

    • is set toon course · very likely

      Cycling is set to overtake bus use.

    © 2026 BandLadder · original material3 / 9
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9 cards

Contents

  1. 1A forecast is not a factthe tense, and the promiseIn the preview
  2. 2How sure is the sentence?who says it, and how sureIn the preview
  3. 3Four forecast verbsone pattern, four shadesIn the preview
  4. 4Frames around the forecastthe small pieces that make it fitFree account
  5. 5In a Task 1 paragraphTask Achievement wants accurate contentFree account
  6. 6Now say it out loudPTE: Content, Fluency, PronunciationFree account
  7. 7Two frames that breakthe 'that' clause, and the wrong verbFree account
  8. 8Your turnmatch the verb to the evidenceFree account
  9. 9Save thisthe forecast-words checklistFree account

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The PDF download comes with any BandLadder plan. Free accounts read the lesson online in the study reader, on the web and in the app.

Who wrote this lesson?+

The BandLadder team wrote and checked it. It is original BandLadder material, not copied from books or other websites, and its exam facts are checked against the official IELTS and PTE pages.

Is it for IELTS or PTE?+

Both. The lesson is in the IELTS and the PTE study library, so it opens whichever exam you prepare for.

IELTS is a registered trademark of the University of Cambridge, the British Council and IDP Education Australia. PTE is a trademark of Pearson. BandLadder is not affiliated with either.

© 2026 BandLadder. Written and checked by the BandLadder team. You may quote or cite this page with credit to BandLadder and a link to it; republishing it in full needs our written permission. Content use policy

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