Make sure to Put Ideas before Words
There is one big mistakes a lot of student make on an IELTS test and that is putting "Words before Ideas." In other words, many students prepare for IELTS by studying long list of vocabulary and then trying to insert these words and phrases into their writing thinking this will improve their score. Unfortunately, this strategy does not match natural communication.
Don't forget that IELTS is a test of your communication skills in English. Of course you need a good vocabulary to communicate, but communication depends primarily on ideas - not words! Words express your ideas. Using a word or a phrase without an idea behind it is empty (or meaningless).
What can you do to improve your Writing?
Spend more time thinking and planning
You need to make a plan for your writing during both Writing Task 1 and Writing Task 2. I know you are under a lot of pressure, but you need to do this. If you don't have a clear idea in your head, you can't write a clear answer.
Stop learning lists of Vocabulary
Instead of learning lists of vocabulary that yo might not need, just learn the words, phrases and collocations you need to express your ideas.
Practice Your Writing Regularly
Practice writing regularly, and learn vocabulary by learning the words and phrases you need when you need them.
Change your Thinking
If you think words come before ideas, you will struggle with IELTS writing, especially Task 2. You need to put ideas first, words second.
Ensure that you are using the Correct Word
If you read the band descriptor for Band 7 for IELTS Writing Task 1, you will see that it is written that you need to use vocabulary "with flexibility and precision". If you think about precision it means that you use the right work in the right place to express your idea.
Common Misperceptions
Many students think using
- The same word twice, or they'll get a lower score. This is simply not the case.
- Synonyms is a good strategy even if the meaning is not exactly the same.
Unfortunately, in may occasions, these strategies result in a Band 6 for vocabulary because they are not using vocabulary with precision.
Tips for Improving your Lexical Resource (LR) Score
Understand the Band Scores
There is no mention of repetition in the vocabulary band descriptors, except in Band 4.
Stop thinking about Synonyms
Choose the word or phrase which fits your idea precisely.
Accept that Key Words and Phrases will need to be Repeated
For example, if you are writing an essay on 'communication' or 'air pollution' you will have to repeat these words because there are no good synonyms to replace them.
Remember that there is no such things as Advanced Vocabulary
Words are just words. They have meanings, and you use them to express your ideas. That's it. One word is like another word. Don't make this complicated! If you are studying long lists of 'Academic' or 'Advance' vocabulary thinking this will get you a higher score, you are putting words before ideas, and that means that you aren't using your vocabulary precisely, and that means that it's very difficult to get Band 7.
IELTS student often focus too much on learning new words and phrases, and not enough on using the words and phrases they know accurately.
Important Note
If you are repeating words and phrases a lot, it is a problem, but not a vocabulary problem. It could be that your ideas are repetitive, or your structure is disorganized, or you don't know how to use referencing to avoid repetition. All these points affect your coherence and cohesion score; they aren't part of your vocabulary score