Using a dictionary to build IELTS vocabulary
Admin1 November 2026 1 min read
A learner's dictionary gives you collocations and examples, which is where marks are.
Choose a learner's dictionary
Learner dictionaries (not only bilingual ones) give simple definitions, example sentences and collocations.
What to look for
- Part of speech. Is it a noun, verb, adjective?
- Countable or uncountable. Matters for articles and plurals.
- Collocations. Which words usually come with it?
- Register. Formal, informal, spoken?
- Examples. Copy one into your notebook.
A vocabulary note
| Word | Meaning | Collocations | My sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| tackle | deal with a problem | tackle a problem, tackle unemployment | Governments must tackle unemployment. |
Review
Test yourself on the meaning and the sentence after three days, then after a week.
#vocabulary#study skills
See it in a model answer
Read answers from band 4.5 to 9, annotated against the criteria.