🎧 IELTS Listening – Sections 1–4 essentials · Vocabulary by Exam · 126 words

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surname /ˈsɜːneɪm/ n	the family name you share with your relatives Could you spell your surname for me, please? Is it double T?
postcode /ˈpəʊstkəʊd/ n	letters and numbers added to an address to help sort mail The postcode is BT7 1NN, with a seven and two Ns at the end.
date of birth /ˌdeɪt əv ˈbɜːθ/ n	the day, month and year on which someone was born Please write your date of birth as day, month and then year.
reference number /ˈrefrəns ˌnʌmbə/ n	a number used to identify a booking, order or case Your reference number is XJ402; please quote it whenever you call us.
contact number /ˈkɒntækt ˌnʌmbə/ n	a phone number where someone can be reached Can I take a contact number in case the course is cancelled?
home address /ˌhəʊm əˈdres/ n	the address of the place where a person lives We will post the membership card to your home address next week.
application form /ˌæplɪˈkeɪʃn fɔːm/ n	a printed or online document you complete to request something Fill in the application form and return it before Friday afternoon.
membership fee /ˈmembəʃɪp fiː/ n	money paid regularly to belong to a club or group The annual membership fee is sixty-five pounds, payable in advance.
admission fee /ədˈmɪʃn fiː/ n	the money you pay to enter a place such as a museum The admission fee for students is reduced to four pounds fifty.
free of charge /ˌfriː əv ˈtʃɑːdʒ/ phrase	without any payment being needed Parking is free of charge for visitors after six in the evening.
concession /kənˈseʃn/ n	a reduced price for certain groups such as students or pensioners There is a concession for full-time students if you show your ID.
senior citizen /ˌsiːniə ˈsɪtɪzn/ n	an older person, especially one who has retired Senior citizens can travel on local buses for half the normal fare.
cheque /tʃek/ n	a printed paper form used to pay money from a bank account We no longer accept payment by cheque, only card or cash.
en suite /ˌɒ̃ ˈswiːt/ adj	having its own bathroom connected directly to the bedroom All the rooms on the second floor have en suite bathrooms.
studio flat /ˈstjuːdiəʊ flæt/ n	a small flat with one main room for living and sleeping She is renting a studio flat close to the university campus.
terraced house /ˌterəst ˈhaʊs/ n	a house in a row of houses joined together on both sides They live in a small terraced house with a garden at the back.
semi-detached /ˌsemi dɪˈtætʃt/ adj	joined to one other house by one shared wall The family wants to buy a semi-detached house in a quiet area.
landlady /ˈlændleɪdi/ n	a woman who rents a room or house to other people The landlady asked for one month's rent in advance as a deposit.
estate agent /ɪˈsteɪt ˌeɪdʒənt/ n	a person or company that helps people buy, sell or rent property The estate agent arranged a viewing of the flat for Saturday morning.
furnished /ˈfɜːnɪʃt/ adj	containing furniture when it is rented or sold The flat comes fully furnished, so you only need to bring bedding.
utility bills /juːˈtɪləti bɪlz/ n	regular charges for services such as gas, water and electricity The rent is ninety pounds a week, but utility bills are extra.
flatmate /ˈflætmeɪt/ n	a person who shares a flat with you My flatmate and I take turns cleaning the kitchen every week.
hall of residence /ˌhɔːl əv ˈrezɪdəns/ n	a university building where students live First-year students are guaranteed a room in a hall of residence.
childcare /ˈtʃaɪldkeə/ n	the care of children while their parents are working The sports centre offers childcare during the morning fitness classes.
nursery /ˈnɜːsəri/ n	a place where young children are cared for during the day The nursery opens at half past seven for working parents.
under-fives /ˌʌndə ˈfaɪvz/ n	children who are younger than five years old Entry to the farm park is free for under-fives.
fortnight /ˈfɔːtnaɪt/ n	a period of fourteen days The beginners' class meets once a fortnight on Thursday evenings.
per head /pə ˈhed/ phrase	for each person The meal costs twenty-two pounds per head, including drinks.
in advance /ɪn ədˈvɑːns/ phrase	before a particular time or event You must book tickets at least three days in advance.
return ticket /rɪˌtɜːn ˈtɪkɪt/ n	a ticket for a journey to a place and back again A return ticket to the coast costs less if you travel after ten.
off-peak /ˌɒf ˈpiːk/ adj	at a time when fewer people travel or use a service Off-peak fares apply on weekdays after half past nine.
rush hour /ˈrʌʃ aʊə/ n	the busy time when most people travel to or from work Avoid driving into the city centre during the morning rush hour.
car park /ˈkɑː pɑːk/ n	an area or building where vehicles can be parked The main car park is behind the library, next to the tennis courts.
roundabout /ˈraʊndəbaʊt/ n	a circular junction where several roads meet Go straight over the roundabout and take the second road on the left.
crossroads /ˈkrɒsrəʊdz/ n	a place where two roads cross each other Turn right at the crossroads and the farm shop is on your left.
traffic lights /ˈtræfɪk laɪts/ n	coloured lights that control the movement of vehicles Walk past two sets of traffic lights and the café is opposite.
junction /ˈdʒʌŋkʃn/ n	a place where two or more roads or railway lines meet The museum is near the junction of King Street and Mill Lane.
pedestrian crossing /pəˌdestriən ˈkrɒsɪŋ/ n	a marked place where people can cross a road safely Use the pedestrian crossing outside the school to reach the park.
cycle lane /ˈsaɪkl leɪn/ n	part of a road marked for bicycles only A new cycle lane now runs along the river to the town centre.
footpath /ˈfʊtpɑːθ/ n	a narrow path for people walking, often in the countryside Follow the footpath through the woods until you reach the bird hide.
clockwise /ˈklɒkwaɪz/ adv	in the same direction as the hands of a clock move The tour goes clockwise around the lake, starting at the boathouse.
anticlockwise /ˌæntiˈklɒkwaɪz/ adv	in the opposite direction to the hands of a clock Turn the handle anticlockwise to open the water valve.
ground floor /ˌɡraʊnd ˈflɔː/ n	the floor of a building at the same level as the street The reception desk and the café are both on the ground floor.
staircase /ˈsteəkeɪs/ n	a set of stairs inside a building, with its rails Take the spiral staircase up to the viewing platform.
fire exit /ˈfaɪər ˌeksɪt/ n	a door used to leave a building in an emergency Please keep the fire exit at the end of the corridor clear.
cloakroom /ˈkləʊkruːm/ n	a room where coats and bags can be left Leave large bags in the cloakroom before entering the gallery.
foyer /ˈfɔɪeɪ/ n	the entrance hall of a theatre, hotel or large building Let's meet in the foyer fifteen minutes before the play starts.
box office /ˈbɒks ˌɒfɪs/ n	the place in a theatre or cinema where tickets are sold Tickets can be collected from the box office on the night.
information centre /ˌɪnfəˈmeɪʃn ˌsentə/ n	a place where visitors can get maps, leaflets and advice Free maps of the trail are available at the information centre.
picnic area /ˈpɪknɪk ˌeəriə/ n	a place with tables where people can eat food outdoors The picnic area is next to the children's playground by the pond.
campsite /ˈkæmpsaɪt/ n	a place where people can stay in tents or caravans The campsite has hot showers and a small shop selling basics.
nature reserve /ˈneɪtʃə rɪˌzɜːv/ n	an area of land where wildlife and plants are protected Dogs are not allowed in the nature reserve during the nesting season.
bird hide /ˈbɜːd haɪd/ n	a small hut from which people watch birds without being seen From the bird hide you can watch herons feeding in the marsh.
viewing platform /ˈvjuːɪŋ ˌplætfɔːm/ n	a raised structure from which people can look at a view The new viewing platform gives a clear view across the whole valley.
harbour /ˈhɑːbə/ n	an area of water by the coast where boats are kept safely Boat trips leave from the harbour every hour during the summer.
lighthouse /ˈlaɪthaʊs/ n	a tower with a bright light that warns ships of danger The old lighthouse has been turned into a small maritime museum.
woodland /ˈwʊdlənd/ n	land covered with trees The trail continues through ancient woodland to the old mill.
refreshments /rɪˈfreʃmənts/ n	small amounts of food and drink provided at an event Light refreshments will be served in the hall after the talk.
first-aid kit /ˌfɜːst ˈeɪd kɪt/ n	a box containing items for treating minor injuries Each group leader must carry a first-aid kit on the walk.
changing rooms /ˈtʃeɪndʒɪŋ ruːmz/ n	rooms where people change clothes before or after sport The changing rooms are being repaired, so please arrive dressed for class.
sports centre /ˈspɔːts ˌsentə/ n	a building with facilities for many different sports The sports centre has a climbing wall and two squash courts.
aerobics /eəˈrəʊbɪks/ n	energetic exercise done to music, often in a class The aerobics class on Monday is suitable for complete beginners.
noticeboard /ˈnəʊtɪsbɔːd/ n	a board on a wall where notices are pinned The new timetable will be put up on the noticeboard tomorrow.
leaflet /ˈliːflət/ n	a printed sheet of paper giving information Pick up a leaflet at reception for details of all our walks.
guided tour /ˌɡaɪdɪd ˈtʊə/ n	a visit around a place led by someone who explains it Guided tours of the castle start every half hour from the gate.
raffle /ˈræfl/ n	a competition where people buy numbered tickets to win prizes All money from the raffle will go towards the new playground.
fundraising /ˈfʌndreɪzɪŋ/ n	the activity of collecting money for a charity or cause The club is planning a fundraising event to repair the roof.
marquee /mɑːˈkiː/ n	a very large tent used for outdoor events If it rains, the prize-giving will move into the marquee.
greenhouse /ˈɡriːnhaʊs/ n	a glass building in which plants are grown Tomatoes and peppers are grown in the greenhouse all year round.
orchard /ˈɔːtʃəd/ n	a piece of land where fruit trees are grown Visitors can pick their own apples in the orchard in October.
windmill /ˈwɪndmɪl/ n	a building with sails turned by wind to grind grain The windmill on the hill still grinds flour for local bakeries.
gluten-free /ˌɡluːtn ˈfriː/ adj	not containing gluten, a protein found in wheat Please let us know if anyone in your group needs gluten-free meals.
handout /ˈhændaʊt/ n	a sheet of information given to people at a lesson or talk The tutor gave us a handout summarising the key theories.
reading list /ˈriːdɪŋ lɪst/ n	a list of books and articles students should read for a course Most of the books on the reading list are available online.
word limit /ˈwɜːd ˌlɪmɪt/ n	the maximum number of words allowed in a piece of writing The report must not go over the word limit of three thousand.
interviewee /ˌɪntəvjuːˈiː/ n	a person who answers questions in an interview Each interviewee signed a consent form before we recorded them.
work placement /ˈwɜːk ˌpleɪsmənt/ n	a period of work experience that is part of a course Her work placement at a local newspaper helped her choose a career.
group project /ˌɡruːp ˈprɒdʒekt/ n	a piece of work that several students complete together We need to divide the tasks for the group project more fairly.
divide up /dɪˈvaɪd ʌp/ phr v	to separate something into parts and share them out Shall we divide up the reading so each of us covers two articles?
tutor feedback /ˈtjuːtə ˌfiːdbæk/ n	comments from a teacher on a student's work According to the tutor feedback, our conclusion needs more evidence.
hand in /ˌhænd ˈɪn/ phr v	to give a piece of work to a teacher We have to hand in the first draft by the end of next week.
go over /ˌɡəʊ ˈəʊvə/ phr v	to examine or check something carefully Let's go over the figures again before we start the presentation.
cut down /ˌkʌt ˈdaʊn/ phr v	to make something shorter or smaller You'll need to cut down the introduction to fit the word limit.
visual aids /ˌvɪʒuəl ˈeɪdz/ n	pictures, charts or videos used to help explain a talk Using a few visual aids would make your presentation clearer.
time management /ˈtaɪm ˌmænɪdʒmənt/ n	the ability to use your time well and efficiently Poor time management meant they finished the project late.
catch up on /ˌkætʃ ˈʌp ɒn/ phr v	to do something you did not have time to do earlier I need to catch up on the lectures I missed last week.
bibliographical details /ˌbɪbliəˈɡræfɪkl ˈdiːteɪlz/ n	information such as author, title and date of a source Always record full bibliographical details when you take notes.
lecture hall /ˈlektʃə hɔːl/ n	a large room where lectures are given to many students The talk has moved to a bigger lecture hall because of demand.
in today's lecture /ɪn təˈdeɪz ˈlektʃə/ phrase	a signpost phrase that tells listeners the topic of a talk In today's lecture, I'll look at how bees communicate with each other.
turn to /ˈtɜːn tuː/ phr v	to start talking about a new subject Now let's turn to the economic effects of the new railway.
move on to /ˌmuːv ˈɒn tuː/ phr v	to start discussing the next topic Before we move on to the results, let me explain the method.
to begin with /tə bɪˈɡɪn wɪð/ phrase	used to introduce the first point or the earliest stage To begin with, the factory used only local workers.
the main point /ðə ˌmeɪn ˈpɔɪnt/ phrase	the most important idea in a talk or argument The main point is that urban gardens reduce summer temperatures.
trial and error /ˌtraɪəl ənd ˈerə/ phrase	trying different methods until you find one that works Early pilots learned to fly largely through trial and error.
setback /ˈsetbæk/ n	a problem that delays progress or makes a situation worse Despite several setbacks, the bridge was completed on schedule.
durability /ˌdjʊərəˈbɪləti/ n	the ability to last a long time without breaking Bamboo flooring is valued for its durability and low cost.
irrigation channel /ˌɪrɪˈɡeɪʃn ˌtʃænl/ n	a narrow waterway that carries water to fields Ancient farmers dug irrigation channels to bring river water to crops.
nesting site /ˈnestɪŋ saɪt/ n	a place where birds or animals build nests and raise young Rising sea levels are destroying important nesting sites for turtles.
insulating /ˈɪnsjuleɪtɪŋ/ adj	stopping heat, cold or sound from passing through Wool has excellent insulating properties, even when it is wet.
wavelength /ˈweɪvleŋθ/ n	the distance between two peaks of a wave of light or sound Plants absorb red and blue light but reflect green wavelengths.
mineral content /ˈmɪnərəl ˌkɒntent/ n	the amount of minerals found in soil, water or food The high mineral content of the spring water gives it a salty taste.
oxygen levels /ˈɒksɪdʒən ˌlevlz/ n	the amount of oxygen present in air, water or blood Low oxygen levels in the lake have caused many fish to die.
landline /ˈlændlaɪn/ n	a phone connected by a cable, not a mobile phone Is there a landline number we can use if your mobile is off?
expiry date /ɪkˈspaɪəri deɪt/ n	the date after which something can no longer be used What is the expiry date on your passport, please?
hand luggage /ˈhænd ˌlʌɡɪdʒ/ n	small bags you can take with you onto a plane Liquids in your hand luggage must be under one hundred millilitres.
excess baggage /ˌekses ˈbæɡɪdʒ/ n	luggage that weighs more than the amount allowed for free They had to pay forty euros for excess baggage at check-in.
departure gate /dɪˈpɑːtʃə ɡeɪt/ n	the place in an airport where passengers board a plane Please go to departure gate twelve at least thirty minutes early.
car hire /ˈkɑː haɪə/ n	the business or act of renting a car for a short time Car hire is cheaper if you book it together with your flight.
driving licence /ˈdraɪvɪŋ ˌlaɪsns/ n	an official document that allows you to drive You'll need to show a full driving licence to rent the van.
dual carriageway /ˌdjuːəl ˈkærɪdʒweɪ/ n	a road with a central barrier and two lanes each way Leave the dual carriageway at the next exit for the airport.
one-way street /ˌwʌn weɪ ˈstriːt/ n	a street where traffic may move in only one direction You can't drive down Bridge Road because it's a one-way street.
signpost /ˈsaɪnpəʊst/ n	a sign at the side of a road showing directions and distances Follow the signposts to the castle and park near the main gate.
bandstand /ˈbændstænd/ n	a covered platform in a park where bands play music There are free concerts at the bandstand on Sunday afternoons.
climbing wall /ˈklaɪmɪŋ wɔːl/ n	a wall with holds used for practising rock climbing Children under twelve must be supervised on the climbing wall.
life jacket /ˈlaɪf ˌdʒækɪt/ n	a jacket that keeps you floating in water Everyone on the canoe trip must wear a life jacket at all times.
sleeping bag /ˈsliːpɪŋ bæɡ/ n	a warm padded bag that you sleep in when camping Bring a warm sleeping bag because nights in the hills get cold.
vending machine /ˈvendɪŋ məˌʃiːn/ n	a machine that sells snacks or drinks when you insert money There's a vending machine for drinks next to the lifts.
caretaker /ˈkeəteɪkə/ n	a person employed to look after a building Ask the caretaker to unlock the hall before the meeting starts.
hourly rate /ˌaʊəli ˈreɪt/ n	the amount of money paid for each hour of work The hourly rate for weekend shifts is higher than on weekdays.
bank holiday /ˌbæŋk ˈhɒlədeɪ/ n	a public holiday in the UK when most businesses close The museum will be closed on the bank holiday Monday.
mature student /məˌtʃʊə ˈstjuːdnt/ n	a university student who starts studying later than usual As a mature student, he balanced lectures with a part-time job.
consent form /kənˈsent fɔːm/ n	a document someone signs to agree to take part in something Parents must sign a consent form before children join the trip.
fieldwork /ˈfiːldwɜːk/ n	research done outside a classroom or laboratory Our fieldwork involves measuring the river at five different points.
mind map /ˈmaɪnd mæp/ n	a diagram that links ideas around a central topic Drawing a mind map helped us organise ideas for the seminar.
transcribe /trænˈskraɪb/ v	to write down exactly what was said in a recording It took me two days to transcribe all the interviews.
pie chart /ˈpaɪ tʃɑːt/ n	a circle divided into parts to show proportions We could show the survey results in a pie chart instead of a table.