IELTS & PTE lesson · Vocabulary

IELTS & PTE Society Vocabulary notesSociety words: which problem, which people

Exact phrases for social problems, the groups they hit and what should change. 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

It teaches a 3-step method: which problem?, who exactly? and what should change?. Along the way you get worked examples with the key words marked, before-and-after fixes that show why the first version loses marks, word cards with meanings and examples (social isolation, cost of living, income inequality and antisocial behaviour), 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.

Reading it online is free: create a free BandLadder account and the whole lesson opens in our study reader, on the web and in the app. Downloading the PDF to keep needs a plan; the free reader has every card.

The first 3 of 9 cards

Preview

  1. IELTS · PTEVocabulary · Society

    People, problems, bad things

    the vaguest words in society essays

    Society essays fill up with people, problems, bad things. Your reader can't tell which ones you mean.

    Nowadays many people have problems.which problem? Old people have a bad life,bad how? and some young people do bad things.what things?

    Name them: social isolation, the cost of living, antisocial behaviour.

    © 2026 BandLadder · original material1 / 9
  2. IELTS · PTEVocabulary · Society

    Three questions, one sharp sentence

    each one replaces a vague word

    1. 1Which problem?Swap "problems" for the real one: social isolation, the cost of living.
    2. 2Who exactly?Swap "people" for the group it hits: older people, low-income families.
    3. 3What should change?Use a verb + noun pair: tackle poverty, raise awareness of loneliness.
    © 2026 BandLadder · original material2 / 9
  3. IELTS · PTEVocabulary · Society

    Name the problem

    nouns that say what's wrong

    • social isolationbeing cut off from others

      Living alone can lead to social isolation.

      suffer from social isolation
    • cost of livingwhat rent and food cost

      The rising cost of living hits young families.

    • income inequalitya wide rich-poor gap

      Fair wages can reduce income inequality.

      growing income inequality
    • antisocial behaviourrude or harmful acts

      Youth clubs can help cut antisocial behaviour.

    © 2026 BandLadder · original material3 / 9
  4. Card 4 of 9 onwards

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9 cards

Contents

  1. 1People, problems, bad thingsthe vaguest words in society essaysIn the preview
  2. 2Three questions, one sharp sentenceeach one replaces a vague wordIn the preview
  3. 3Name the problemnouns that say what's wrongIn the preview
  4. 4Name the peoplea group, not just "people"Free account
  5. 5Name the actionverbs with the nouns they belong toFree account
  6. 6In an essayprompt: community centres or new roads?Free account
  7. 7Right idea, wrong partnerBand 7: awareness of collocationFree account
  8. 8Your turnpick the natural partnerFree account
  9. 9Save thisthe society-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.

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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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