Top 200 Vocabulary Word List for IELTS General Training | Must Know Words for Common Examination Instructions

The 200-word examination instruction list

IELTS General Training instructions tell you which everyday or workplace text to use, how to record an answer and what the recipient of your letter needs to know. Writing Task 1 is a letter. The three prompts under the situation each need attention, and the tone depends on whom you are writing to.

The bank includes question instructions, answer-format phrases and vocabulary that helps you interpret the task. Use the official directions for the question and test version you are taking.

Exam requirements · Worked examples · Fencing Method

General Training Writing tasks and letter instructions

No.	Instruction or term	What it asks you to do
1	General Training Reading	Use the everyday, workplace and longer general-interest texts supplied in this version.
2	General Training Writing	Complete a situation-based letter and a separate essay.
3	Writing Task 1 letter	Address the stated person and cover all three content points in a connected letter.
4	Writing Task 2 essay	Develop a response to the issue, argument or question as directed.
5	At least 150 words	Meet the stated minimum for the Task 1 letter.
6	At least 250 words	Meet the stated minimum for the Task 2 essay.
7	Three bullet points	Cover each listed content requirement in the body of the letter.
8	Situation	Use the circumstances and relationship described at the start of the task.
9	Begin your letter	Use the supplied opening instruction when the prompt gives one.
10	Do not write addresses	Leave out postal addresses where the task directs this.
11	Formal letter	Use a courteous tone suited to an organisation or unfamiliar recipient.
12	Semi-formal letter	Use a respectful but natural tone for an established professional or social relationship.
13	Informal letter	Use a familiar, appropriate tone for a friend or other close recipient.
14	Explain the situation	Describe the circumstances the reader needs to understand the message.
15	Ask for information	Request the precise details you need from the named recipient.
16	Make a request	State the action you want the recipient to take.
17	Express dissatisfaction	Explain what was unsatisfactory and why it matters.
18	Suggest a solution	Give a practical response connected to the issue described.
19	Make a complaint	Describe the problem, its effect and any action the prompt requests.
20	Apologise	Acknowledge the issue and say what you are sorry for when the task requires it.
21	Invite	State the event and enough information for the reader to respond.
22	Thank the recipient	Acknowledge the particular help or action the person provided.
23	Purpose statement	Make the reason for writing clear early in the letter.
24	Relevant details	Include facts needed to make the purpose and request understandable.
25	Connected text	Present the answer in paragraphs and sentences rather than notes or bullet points.
26	Relationship to recipient	Decide how well the writer knows the reader and choose an appropriate register.
27	Opening greeting	Use a greeting that fits the recipient and the task instructions.
28	Closing sign-off	End the letter in a manner appropriate to the reader and tone.

Reading directions and scoring language

No.	Instruction or term	What it asks you to do
29	Everyday texts	Use the short public documents and notices in the first part of General Training Reading.
30	Workplace texts	Read the job-related information for the policy, condition or action asked about.
31	Longer general-interest text	Track the central idea and relevant details across the longer reading passage.
32	Eligibility condition	Check who qualifies and any requirements that restrict access.
33	Opening hours	Check when the facility or service can be used under the notice.
34	Deadline	Identify the last date or time allowed.
35	Exception to a rule	Apply the qualification to the people, times or cases it names.
36	Match the headings	Match the heading to the main idea of the whole paragraph or section.
37	Match the information	Find the part containing the specific detail named in the prompt.
38	Complete the sentence	Supply the information that fits both the source and the grammar of the gap.
39	No more than	Keep the response within the stated maximum.
40	From the passage	Use the passage’s wording if that is required.
41	True	Choose this when the statement agrees with the information in the text.
42	False	Choose this when the statement contradicts information in the text.
43	Not given	Choose this when the text neither confirms nor contradicts the statement.
44	Yes	Choose this when the statement agrees with the writer’s view or claim.
45	No	Choose this when the statement contradicts the writer’s view or claim.
46	Task achievement	Review how clearly and fully the Task 1 letter performs its purpose.
47	Task response	Review how well the Task 2 essay answers and develops the prompt.
48	Coherence and cohesion	Make the progression of ideas and links between parts clear.
49	Lexical resource	Use precise vocabulary suitable for the task and situation.
50	Grammatical range and accuracy	Use varied structures where appropriate and check that they are controlled.

Workplace evidence, communication and response format

No.	Instruction or term	What it asks you to do
51	Complete the notes	Enter the specific details requested by the gaps in the listening task.
52	Use the texts	Locate the answer in the supplied sources and follow the response-format instruction.
53	Situation details	Use the details in the task to understand who is writing, why and what happened.
54	Writing task	Read who should receive the letter and what it needs to achieve.
55	Speaking prompt	Read or listen for the topic and the kind of response the examiner is asking for.
56	Examiner’s question	Respond to the question the examiner actually asks.
57	Speaking preparation time	Use the allowed preparation to plan relevant points for the longer response.
58	Purpose of the letter	State the reason for writing early and make the requested action clear.
59	Relevant background	Include the facts the recipient needs to understand the request or explanation.
60	Current concern	Identify the present issue that prompts the communication.
61	What has happened so far	Summarise the relevant actions or events before stating what should happen next.
62	Recipient’s knowledge	Decide what the recipient already knows and what must be explained.
63	Conciseness and clarity	Keep the essential details and remove repetitions or unrelated history.
64	Genre and style	Use the conventions suitable for the kind of letter and its recipient.
65	Open question	Invite the person to explain their concern in their own words.
66	Closed question	Ask for a specific fact or confirmation when needed.
67	Language appropriateness	Choose terms and tone suitable for the setting and listener.
68	Fluency	Keep communication moving while allowing useful pauses and interaction.
69	Reading time allowance	Use the section’s time allowance to read the texts and record answers as directed.
70	Letter body	Use the main paragraphs to deliver the purpose, relevant details and request.
71	Relevant chronology	Present dates or events in an order that helps the recipient follow the case.
72	Abbreviation	Expand shorthand where the intended reader may need the full term.
73	Unstated detail	Leave out information the task or case notes do not establish.
74	Complete the missing detail	Use the recording or text to supply the detail the gap asks for.
75	Word ending	Check which form or ending fits the surrounding grammar.
76	Word family	Use related forms to decide whether the sentence needs a noun, verb, adjective or adverb.
77	Collocation	Choose words that naturally occur together in the context.
78	Cohesive reference	Work out what a linking expression or pronoun refers to.
79	Notice	Identify the action, time, rule or change communicated to readers.
80	Intended reader	Identify the group the message is meant to reach.
81	Likely next action	Infer what a reader or listener will probably do given the message.
82	Implied request	Recognise when a question about availability or ability is asking for help.
83	Suitable reply	Choose a response that answers both the words and the practical purpose.
84	Conversation goal	Identify what the speakers are trying to arrange, learn or resolve.
85	Relevant personal example	Use a personal example when it directly supports the explanation or argument.
86	Speaker attitude	Use the speaker’s wording and tone to infer their stance where asked.
87	Key spoken detail	Identify the exact name, reason or arrangement the item asks for.
88	Sentence stress	Give appropriate prominence to important words in spoken language.
89	Intelligibility	Speak so that the words and intended meaning can be understood.
90	Explain in stages	Organise the background, problem and request so the reader can follow.
91	Word order	Arrange the pieces so the sentence works grammatically.
92	Question formation	Check auxiliary placement, subject order and verb form when building a question.
93	Opening	Begin a message in a way suited to the recipient and purpose.
94	Recipient	Identify the person or role the email should address.
95	Polite register	Use courteous wording suitable for the situation.
96	Professional tone	Use respectful, clear wording appropriate to the person and task.
97	Support with an example	Add an example that demonstrates the reason you gave.
98	Section score	Read the reported score for one of the four skills.
99	Overall score	Read the combined score on the scale used by ETS.
100	Main purpose	Identify what the text as a whole is trying to accomplish.
101	Central idea	Choose the option that captures the main point at the right scope.
102	Best illustrates	Choose the example or quotation that most directly shows the idea.
103	Most directly supports	Pick the evidence with the clearest connection to the named claim.
104	Signal a change	Notice a phrase such as actually or instead that revises an earlier detail.
105	Confirmation cue	Listen for language showing that a detail or arrangement is final.
106	Function of a detail	Decide how a detail supports or develops a larger point in the material.
107	Overall structure	Track how the text’s main parts are organised.
108	Words in context	Choose the sense or expression that fits the local wording and purpose.
109	Reference within the text	Resolve a reference by locating the word or idea it points back to.
110	First speaker	Identify the first speaker’s contribution before following the exchange.
111	Second speaker	Identify how the next speaker responds, including any new detail or disagreement.
112	Point of agreement	Find what both sources would endorse based on the evidence.
113	Acknowledge the reader’s concern	Address the relevant concern before explaining or proposing what should happen.
114	Communicative goal	Identify what the response is supposed to accomplish for the recipient.
115	Introduce	Choose wording that supplies the context needed for the stated audience.
116	Emphasise	Choose wording that gives the requested idea or contrast prominence.
117	Generalise	State a broader point only to the extent that the examples support it.
118	Transitions	Identify the relationship between ideas before choosing a connecting expression.
119	Continuation	Choose a link that adds a point in the same direction.
120	Concession	Acknowledge a point before shifting to the principal claim.
121	Illustrative example	Choose a particular case that demonstrates a broader point.
122	Sentence conventions	Choose grammar and punctuation that make the constructed sentence clear.
123	Clause boundary	Identify where one clause ends and the next begins before arranging the sentence.
124	Sentence structure	Use word order and grammatical roles to make a complete sentence.
125	Independent clause	Identify words with a subject and verb that can stand as a sentence.
126	Dependent clause	Identify a clause that needs a main clause to complete its function.
127	Sentence fragment	Recognise words punctuated as a sentence without a complete main clause.
128	Modifier	Identify words describing another part and check what they attach to.
129	Subject–verb agreement	Make the verb agree with the true subject.
130	Verb tense	Place the action in the time sequence established by the text.
131	Pronoun reference	Match the pronoun to the person or thing it represents.
132	Punctuation	Choose the marks that correctly show the sentence’s structure.
133	Comma splice	Spot two independent clauses joined by a comma alone.
134	Supplementary information	Identify an added detail that can be set off from the main sentence.
135	Quantifier	Watch for words such as all, some or none that alter a claim’s scope.
136	Rhetorical purpose	Identify the job a detail does in the author’s argument.
137	Textual evidence	Choose a detail from the source that supports the precise claim.
138	Scope	Check the population, time frame or range covered by the claim.
139	Logical relationship	Identify whether adjacent ideas add, contrast, explain or exemplify.
140	Nonessential clause	Identify a clause that can be removed without changing the intended reference.

Core instructions and answer checks

No.	Instruction or term	What it asks you to do
141	Recognise	Find a familiar feature in a new example.
142	Identify	Name or pick out the item the question specifies.
143	Select	Choose only the number of options requested.
144	Choose	Commit to the option that fits the stated criteria.
145	Match	Pair each item with the option that corresponds to it.
146	Complete	Fill in what is missing while keeping the supplied structure.
147	Label	Attach the correct name to the indicated part.
148	Locate	Find the specified detail, point or region.
149	Indicate	Make the chosen feature or answer clear.
150	Answer	Respond directly to the question being asked.
151	Give	Supply the requested fact, example or result.
152	State	Express the required point directly and clearly.
153	Name	Supply the correct term, person or item.
154	List	Set out the requested items separately.
155	Define	Give the precise meaning used in the subject or question.
156	Describe	Report the relevant characteristics, events or pattern.
157	Outline	Give the main steps or points in brief.
158	Summarise	Select the central points and leave out minor details.
159	Explain	Connect the result to its cause, mechanism or reasoning.
160	Compare	Set the items side by side on the same relevant feature.
161	Contrast	Show how the items differ on a shared point of comparison.
162	Analyse	Break down the evidence and explain how its parts relate.
163	Interpret	Say what a statement, result or display means in context.
164	Infer	Use clues to reach a conclusion the material implies.
165	Predict	Use available evidence to say what is likely to happen.
166	Suggest	Offer a plausible answer suited to the information given.
167	Justify	Give evidence or reasoning that supports your answer.
168	Evaluate	Weigh relevant evidence or criteria before reaching a judgment.
169	Assess	Judge the extent, value or strength of something using evidence.
170	Discuss	Develop a structured response that considers the relevant issues.
171	Distinguish	Give the feature that lets the reader tell two things apart.
172	Support	Supply evidence that helps establish the claim.
173	Illustrate	Make an idea clear with a relevant example or diagram.
174	Demonstrate	Show how a fact, process or result can be established.
175	Determine	Work from the given information to establish an answer.
176	Check	Test the answer against the original instruction or condition.
177	Correct	Repair the specific error while preserving the intended meaning or result.
178	Revise	Change a response so it better meets the task.
179	Arrange	Put items into the order or grouping requested.
180	Sequence	Put stages into a meaningful order.
181	Group	Put items with a shared feature together.
182	Replace	Swap the specified part for a suitable alternative.
183	Omit	Leave out the indicated item or detail.
184	Include	Make sure the requested part appears in the response.
185	Exclude	Keep the named item or category outside your answer.
186	Refer to	Use the specified passage, figure or notes when responding.
187	Based on	Ground the answer in the material named in the question.
188	According to	Use what the specified source says.
189	In context	Use the meaning that fits this passage or situation.
190	Most likely	Choose the conclusion with the strongest support among the options.
191	Best supported	Prefer the conclusion backed most directly by the evidence.
192	Relevant	Connected to the specific question or criterion.
193	Specific	Precise enough to identify a particular fact or example.
194	Explicit	Stated directly in the source.
195	Implicit	Suggested by the source and recoverable from clues.
196	Evidence	A fact, detail or observation that supports a claim.
197	Claim	An assertion that can be tested against evidence or reasoning.
198	Reason	The basis for a statement, choice or result.
199	Example	A particular case used to make a general idea clear.
200	Conclusion	The result reached after considering the reasoning or evidence.

What the examination requires

General Training and Academic differ in Reading and Writing

Both versions use the same Listening and Speaking tests. In General Training, Reading draws on everyday, workplace and longer general-interest texts. Writing Task 1 is a situation-based letter. Use official General Training materials for the parts that differ.

Reading has 40 questions in 60 minutes

The three sections use different types and lengths of material. Check the instructions for each question group. Some tasks require words from the passage within a stated limit. Others require an option, label or judgment. In True, False and Not given items, distinguish a contradicted statement from one the text leaves unresolved.

Writing has two required tasks in 60 minutes

Write at least 150 words for Task 1 and at least 250 for Task 2. Task 2 contributes twice as much to the Writing score. Cover the three Task 1 points in connected text. Use the tone and level of formality appropriate to the recipient, and follow the specific instructions about the opening or addresses.

Use the receiving organisation’s requirements

The organisation receiving the score may specify a version, an overall result and component scores. Confirm those requirements separately. In practice, rehearse with official sample materials for the test version you plan to take.

• Identify the action in the instruction before you answer.
• Check which person, source, text or situation it applies to.
• Use the number, form and scope requested by the item.

Worked examples of common examination instructions

These original practice examples show what changes when the task asks for a different response.

Turn three task points into a letter

An invented task asks you to write to a course coordinator. Explain why you missed a session, ask for the material and suggest a time to speak. Use connected sentences to cover all three. For example, a proposed time responds to the third point, while asking to meet without giving any availability may leave that point underdeveloped.

Adapt register to the person reading

A message to a friend might say ‘Could you send me the photos when you get a chance?’ A request to an organiser you have never met could say ‘Could you please send me the photographs from the event?’ In both cases the action is clear. The relationship determines the greeting, detail and tone.

Read the exception in a notice

Suppose a notice says the workshop is open until six on weekdays, except on Wednesday when it closes at four. If the question asks whether it is open at five on Wednesday, the answer is no. Use the exception that applies to the named day.

Distinguish contradiction from missing information

A workplace notice says the induction starts at nine and lasts two hours. The statement ‘The induction starts at ten’ is contradicted. The statement ‘Participants receive lunch’ is unresolved if the notice says nothing about lunch. Check the text for a direct conflict before selecting False.

Answer both parts of an essay prompt

An original Task 2 prompt asks why some workplaces favour flexible hours and whether the change is beneficial. Explain one or more reasons, then give a supported judgment about the effects. Keep both jobs visible in the plan and link each example to the part it supports.

Use the Fencing Method to practise instructions

Start with a short, accurate statement. Add a precise detail and the relationship the instruction asks for. Try the same action with a new task to check that you can apply it again.

1. I am writing about the course.
2. I am writing to request the material from Tuesday’s course session.
3. I missed Tuesday’s course session because of a timetable clash. Could you send the material and let me know if we can speak on Thursday?
4. Try a different task with three points. State the purpose, add the relevant explanation and check each required action.

Read the eduKate Fencing Method for Vocabulary.

Practise and check your answers

Check each content point after writing

Mark the place in your letter that answers each of the three task points. Then check the greeting and tone against the reader. Read the closing as the recipient would and ask whether the next action is easy to identify.

Keep Reading format errors separate from evidence errors

An answer can use the wrong number of words even when you located the correct detail. Record separately whether you missed the source evidence, the question’s logic or its response limit. Use a new workplace notice or everyday text to test the repair.

Practice 1. The letter asks you to apologise, explain and propose another date. What belongs in your plan?

Include an apology, the relevant reason and one workable alternative date.

Practice 2. The gap permits no more than two words. Your answer contains three. What should you do?

Check whether the correct detail can be given in the permitted number of words while following any instruction to use the text.

Practice 3. A passage confirms a shop closes at 6 pm. Does it establish that it opens at 9 am?

No. Opening time requires separate evidence. In a True, False or Not given item with no further information, choose Not given.

Practice 4. Why should an informal letter still have a clear purpose?

The recipient needs to understand what you are asking, explaining or proposing, even when the tone is familiar.

Frequently asked questions

Should I write an Academic Task 1 report for General Training?

General Training Task 1 asks for a letter based on the situation. Follow its required reader and content points.

Does General Training Task 2 have the same minimum as Task 1?

Task 1 requires at least 150 words, and Task 2 requires at least 250.

Can I copy the prompt’s bullet points as my response?

Use paragraphs and sentences to respond to the points. The official guidance asks for a connected piece of writing.

Official sources and next reading

• IELTS General Training format and sections
• IELTS General Training Reading format
• IELTS General Training Writing format

Related guide in this series · IELTS Academic examination instructions

Read eduKateSG’s 200-word vocabulary guide for more ways to group and practise vocabulary.

Back to the 200-word list · Back to contents