IELTS Academic Words – Verbs
Source: S. Reza Atashzamzam
Useful verbs for task 2 (nearly 250 words)
| Low Lexis | High Lexis | Low Lexis | High Lexis |
| Keep | store | show | indicate, illustrate, demonstrate, reveal |
| feel unhappy | become disappointed, disappoint | make rule | legislate |
| refresh | restore, rejuvenate | happen | occur |
| make happen faster | accelerate | (to cause)move forward | proceed, propel, inspire |
| send out | emit | need | require |
| Begin | commence | ask for | demand, request |
| go to school | attend school | do research | conduct, carry out, undertake |
| receive education | acquire an education | say yes | accept, approve, admit |
| Force | oblige, compel, impose | answer | respond, reply |
| Want | intend to, plan to | make | structure, form, construct |
| put up | install | change | alter, vary |
| Try | make an effort | do sth successfully | achieve, fulfill, attain |
| keep eye on sb/sth | supervise, monitor | get | gain, acquire, become, obtain |
| pay attention to | attend | do | administer |
| be keen on, interested in | to be enthusiastic about, show enthusiasm regarding | put into categories | categorize, classify |
| Love | show affection towards | help | assist |
| spend time on | devote, contribute to | to end sth, finish | conclude, terminate, adjourn |
| Use | consume, utilize, apply in | calculate the value, judge | evaluate |
| Work | function | look for | seek |
| understand, tell from | recognize, discern, identify, interpret,absorb | choose | select, adopt |
| give opinion about | comment on | to live | reside |
| pay for sth | afford | believe | perceive |
| make up for | compensate | buy | purchase |
| say | argue, believe, maintain, claim | to move to | transfer |
| suggest | recommend, pose | to control sth | regulate |
| move toward | approach | combine, match | coordinate, aggregate |
| think | assume | help | Coordinate. Provide aid |
| take advantage, be useful | benefit | communicate | interact |
| to have sth | possess | limit, control | constrain |
| to be able to use sth | to have access to sth | write | correspond |
| make up of sth | consist of sth | capitalize on sth | emphasize, highlight |
| make up | constitute, involve, comprise | make sure | ensure |
| Explain | justify | fill | occupy, obsess |
| test | assess | depend on | rely on |
| open sth, set up | establish, found | no have in sth | exclude, remove |
| Low Lexis | High Lexis | Low Lexis | High Lexis |
| help with money | finance, provide financial support | make better | improve, promote |
| provide money for sth | fund, sponsor | keep in mind | Retain |
| have sth in sth | contain | say before it happens | predict, forecast |
| find the place | locate | change to fit | adjust, modify |
| publish | worsen | compound, exacerbate | |
| write your name in classes, etc | register, enroll | talk to sb | consult |
| make able | enable | change gradually | evolve |
| make larger | expand | leave open to, no to protect | expose |
| make sth (electricity,etc) | generate, manufacture | make easy | facilitate |
| become familiar with | orientate | follow | pursue |
| say no | reject, refute | keep on | continue, sustain |
| replace | substitute | thank sb | acknowledge |
| give example | cite, illustrate | connect, join | attach |
| say before | mention, aforementioned | grow | enhance, increase, rise |
| not give attention to | ignore | to tell sb how to do sth | Instruct |
| slow down sth | inhibit, prevent | Go forward | advance |
| to get rid of, escape | dispose of, | introduce new ideas | Innovate |
| delete, cross out | eliminate | forbid | Prohibit |
| to add sth to sth | insert | to stay alive | Survive |
| separate | isolate | to go with sb | Accompany |
| pile up | accumulate | value | Appreciate |
| make clear | clarify | obey | conform to |
| discover | detect | to show publicly | Exhibit |
| make less | reduce, minimize | to give room | Accommodate |
| live | dwell | make certain | Assure |
| stop | cease | act against, not obey | Violate |
| continue to exist | persist | face | encounter, confront |
| dig | quarry | use wrongly | misuse, abuse |
| do business | commerce | buy and sell | Trade |
| use sth a lot | overuse | to put in order | to prioritize |
| say formally, say | announce, express | to encourage to grow | Stimulate |
| to connect in mind | associate | copy | imitate, replicate |
| Solve | tackle, handle, approach the problem | To gather sth | Compile, accumulate, collect |