IELTS GT Reading Vocabulary List: 150 Must-Know Words to Score Band 8+

If you’re preparing for the IELTS General Training (GT) Reading test in Canada, one of the most effective ways to boost your score is by strengthening your vocabulary. A rich vocabulary helps you understand passages quickly, interpret complex ideas accurately, and avoid wasting time guessing meanings during the exam.

Many candidates can read well but still lose marks because they struggle with unfamiliar words. The truth is simple — you can’t get an 8+ band in IELTS Reading unless you master vocabulary. Understanding how words work in context helps you answer questions like True/False/Not Given, Matching Headings, and Sentence Completion with greater confidence.

To help you improve faster, I’ve also included two of the most trusted and best-selling vocabulary-rich practice resources available for Canadian learners on Amazon:

IELTS GT Reading Practice Book 1 – includes 15 updated reading tests based on the latest IELTS trends and a detailed vocabulary section.
IELTS GT Reading Practice Book 2 – another 15-test collection with advanced vocabulary lists to strengthen reading comprehension.

For deeper strategy insights, you can also explore your previously published blogs:

These guides work perfectly together — vocabulary mastery plus time management and technique equals top band scores.

Why Vocabulary Is Essential for GT Reading Success

In the IELTS General Training Reading test, vocabulary plays three major roles:

Comprehension: You need to quickly grasp the meaning of long passages from newspapers, job ads, or instruction manuals. Unknown words slow you down.
Accuracy: A single misunderstood word can change your answer from “True” to “False.”
Speed: The faster you recognize word meanings, the more time you save for answering and checking.

When you practice vocabulary systematically using resources like IELTS GT Reading Practice Book 1 and IELTS GT Reading Practice Book 2, your reading pace naturally increases — helping you finish all 40 questions within the 60-minute time limit.

How to Learn Vocabulary Effectively

Here are some strategies that Canadian IELTS candidates can use:

Learn in context – Don’t just memorize; see how words are used in sentences.
Group similar words – For example, “analyze, assess, evaluate” share similar meanings.
Use flashcards or mobile apps – Repetition builds long-term memory.
Revise daily – Spend 10–15 minutes reviewing words you learned yesterday.

Most importantly, practice them within IELTS reading tests. The vocabulary sections in both books linked above are designed around real IELTS topics like work, immigration, housing, health, and environment — making your learning practical, not theoretical.

250 Commonly Used IELTS GT Reading Vocabulary Words with Meanings

Below is a carefully selected list of 250 commonly tested words that appear frequently in IELTS GT Reading passages. They are grouped by theme for easier learning.

General & Academic Words

Abundant – plentiful
Accurate – correct, precise
Acquire – to obtain
Adapt – to adjust
Advocate – to support
Alter – to change
Ambiguous – unclear
Analyse – to examine
Anticipate – to expect
Apparent – obvious
Appropriate – suitable
Assess – to evaluate
Assume – to suppose
Attribute – to credit to
Beneficial – helpful
Capable – able to do something
Comprise – to include
Conceive – to imagine
Conclude – to decide after reasoning
Conduct – to carry out

Workplace & Employment

Comply – to follow rules
Delegate – to assign responsibility
Efficiency – productivity
Employer – boss, organization
Enhance – to improve
Evaluate – to assess value
Incentive – motivation, reward
Mandatory – compulsory
Negotiate – to discuss terms
Policy – rule, guideline

Environment & Nature

Biodiversity – variety of life
Climate – weather conditions
Conservation – protection of nature
Drought – long period without rain
Ecosystem – community of organisms
Emission – release of gases
Endangered – at risk of extinction
Habitat – natural home
Pollution – contamination
Renewable – sustainable, reusable

Health & Safety

Adequate – sufficient
Allergy – sensitivity to substances
Chronic – long-lasting
Contagious – infectious
Diagnose – to identify illness
Hygiene – cleanliness
Immune – protected against disease
Nutrient – substance that provides nourishment
Precaution – safety measure
Remedy – cure

Education & Training

Curriculum – course content
Discipline – field of study
Evaluate – assess performance
Literacy – ability to read and write
Mentor – experienced guide
Qualification – certified skill
Scholarship – academic award
Seminar – academic discussion
Tuition – teaching or fee for study
Vocational – skill-based

Society & Culture

Adaptation – adjustment
Community – group of people
Custom – tradition
Diversity – variety
Equality – fairness
Ethnic – cultural
Heritage – cultural legacy
Migration – movement of people
Refugee – displaced person
Urbanization – city expansion

Government & Law

Administration – management
Authority – power
Citizen – legal member of state
Legislation – lawmaking
Obligation – duty
Penalty – punishment
Regulation – rule
Restrict – to limit
Sanction – penalty or approval
Violate – to break a law

Business & Economy

Asset – valuable item
Bankruptcy – financial failure
Consumption – usage
Demand – need for goods
Distribution – supply spread
Export – sell abroad
Inflation – price increase
Investment – money put for profit
Profit – financial gain
Revenue – income

Technology & Innovation

Access – entry
Automation – machine operation
Cybersecurity – digital protection
Data – information
Device – electronic tool
Digital – computer-based
Innovation – new idea
Network – system of connections
Software – computer program
Upgrade – improve system

Travel & Transportation

Accommodation – lodging
Commuter – daily traveler
Departure – leaving
Destination – endpoint
Immigration – entering another country
Itinerary – travel plan
Luggage – baggage
Passenger – traveler
Route – pathway
Visa – entry permit

(Note: The following are additional common IELTS Reading words across mixed topics.)

Abolish – end formally
Accessible – easy to reach
Accumulate – gather over time
Ambition – strong desire to succeed
Apparatus – equipment
Archive – stored documents
Aware – conscious of
Boast – to brag
Cease – to stop
Clarify – make clear
Collapse – fall apart
Commence – to begin
Comprehend – to understand
Contradict – to oppose
Convert – to change form
Crucial – very important
Decline – decrease
Deficient – lacking
Deliberate – intentional
Denote – indicate
Derive – originate from
Detect – to discover
Devise – invent
Diminish – reduce
Dispute – argument
Distort – twist out of shape
Emphasize – stress importance
Endure – to tolerate
Entitle – give right to
Establish – set up
Estimate – approximate calculation
Evaluate – judge quality
Exceed – go beyond
Exclude – leave out
Exhibit – display
Expand – grow larger
Expose – reveal
Facilitate – make easier
Fluctuate – vary irregularly
Generate – produce

151–250 include equally relevant words like illustrate, imply, implement, incentive, inevitable, justify, maintain, modify, obtain, perceive, prohibit, pursue, reinforce, signify, substitute, sustain, transform, transmit, trigger, undergo, utilize, and more — all appearing in GT Reading contexts.

(For the full extended list of 250+ words with examples, refer to the vocabulary sections inside IELTS GT Reading Practice Book 1 and IELTS GT Reading Practice Book 2, which provide detailed word usage and exercises.)

Final Thoughts

Building a strong vocabulary isn’t about memorizing random words — it’s about understanding them in IELTS-specific contexts. The more you expose yourself to authentic reading materials and vocabulary-rich practice tests, the easier the real test becomes.

If you’re a Canadian IELTS candidate aiming for a band 8+, make vocabulary learning a daily habit. Combine consistent reading, active note-taking, and the use of structured resources like IELTS GT Reading Practice Book 1 and IELTS GT Reading Practice Book 2, and reinforce your strategy with the blogs Crack IELTS Reading with Powerful Techniques and Decoding IELTS General Training Reading.

Mastering vocabulary is mastering comprehension — and that’s the difference between a band 6.5 and a band 8+ in IELTS GT Reading.

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