IELTS Speaking Vocabulary: Synonyms for Common Adjectives

Hi! It's Keith from “English Speaking Success”

and today, I’m going to be giving you some adjectives

and adjective phrases to really improve your IELTS speaking performance.

Are you ready?

Come with me.

Let's do it.

So, a key part of IELTS speaking is using a wide range of vocabulary.

The trouble is many students try to cram lots of words a few days before the test.

This is not the way to do it.

In your daily practice, you need to start learning and using

different words step by step, right?

Experiment and play with new words.

This is exactly what I’m going to do here today with you in this video.

I will show you some synonyms of some common adjectives so you can start to use,

experiment and have fun with them today.

We will look at less common ways of saying

easy, difficult, good, great, bad, important and beautiful.

Let's begin.

So our first word is easy.

Meaning something that needs little effort.

And we're going to be looking at similar ways of saying easy,

which include a breeze, effortless, a pushover, a piece of cake.

So first of all, we often talk about activities, right?

Which can be easy.

Maybe for example, a job, a school subject.

Maybe maths, history, geography, science.

Maybe a hobby like, playing chess

or collecting stamps or maybe a sport, right, as well.

So here are some examples.

First of all, my job is a breeze.

Well, actually it's not always a breeze.

Sometimes it's quite difficult.

For me studying languages is effortless.

Notice the stress on the “f” effortless.

Effortless.

Effortless.

Good.

Studying languages is effortless for me.

Maths is a pushover.

That's not true actually, for me, I don't think maths is a pushover.

I think probably learning a foreign language is a pushover for me.

And playing the piano is a piece of cake.

A piece of cake.

Try to get the connecting.

A piece-of, a piece-of cake, the “f” almost disappears.

A piece-of cake.

Actually, I don't even play the piano.

What a strange example.

Playing the guitar is a piece of cake.

You know, as a kid, I also used to play the violin.

Now playing the violin is not a piece of cake.

It's actually quite difficult.

Which is our next word difficult.

So our number two word, our number two word? Come on!

So our second word is difficult, the opposite of easy.

So meaning something that needs a lot of effort.

Similarly, we can talk about activities and here we're going to look at the following.

Tough, a struggle, challenging, a tall order, a lot to ask, gruelling.

Let's do it.

So let's talk about some activities again.

So here what I want you to do is first repeat with me.

But then also make some sentences which are true for you.

Because when you start thinking, right?

Then you're really engaging your brain and it helps you learn the phrases better.

Don't just go on automatic pilot, right?

Don't just be driving and repeating my job is tough, my job is tough.

Is it really?

No, actually.

No, my job's a breeze.

Well, actually, sometimes it's tough sometimes it's a breeze.

Now that's true for me and that is deeper learning.

Let's look at some examples.

My job is tough.

It's a strange spelling, right?

T-o-u-g-h but that's the “f” sound.

My job is tough.

What about you?

Whoa! This homework is a real struggle.

Nice.

Put the stress on “real”, right?

This homework is a real struggle.

Lovely.

What about an example that's true for you?

Great.

For me, maths is challenging.

Repeat with me.

Challenging.

/ˈtʃɑ/ /ˈtʃɑ/ challenging.

/ˈtʃ/ and /dʒ/

cha-llenging,

challenging.

For me, maths is challenging.

And is that true for you?

Ah! Now the truth comes out.

Great.

Next example, a tall order.

Again, we link tall-order.

Tall-order, right?

A tall order, this is something to describe something because it's often unreasonable

and difficult, right?

So for example, finishing my assignment by tomorrow is a tall order.

It's a tall order.

Great.

It's like l-or-der.

A tall-order.

Great.

And preparing for IELTS in one week is a lot to ask.

Nice.

In addition, if something is difficult and hard work,

often physical work, then we sometimes use the word gruelling.

Ooh! Gruelling.

Nice.

For example, running around the park is gruelling for me.

It is.

I’m out of shape

or I have a gruelling schedule tomorrow, I’m so busy.

That's true.

What about you?

Nice.

Let's move on.

Okay, our next word is good, right?

Meaning of high quality.

And we're going to be looking at spot-on, spot on, spot-on,

sound and nice.

We're going to look at some examples to describe things such as a film,

a concert, a book, or even a meal.

First of all, that film was spot on.

Can you repeat?

That film was spot on.

Great.

Tell me about a real film that was spot on for you?

Great.

So here spot on means very good, almost perfect, if you like.

We can also use this for food in a restaurant.

I love the food here.

It's spot on.

An example about maybe a concert.

That Beyonce concert was sound.

Sound meaning good, right?

That Beyonce concert was sound.

Not only concerts, we can talk about books as well.

The new book you recommended me, was sound.

Next.

That presentation you did in the meeting was nice, right?

Nice has lots of meanings.

It can mean tasty but here, we can use it for things to mean good, right?

That presentation was nice.

Tell me about a book or a film that you think was nice.

Spot on.

Let's move on.

Now very often in IELTS speaking, we don't only talk about things being good.

We often talk about them being great.

And here we're going to look at out of this world, outstanding, first-rate,

top-notch, superb.

Great.

What do we talk about that's great?

Well, actually lots of things people, right, can be great.

Things, maybe a film or a concert or a book or even a meal.

Events. Weddings, meetings, mind you, I’ve not been to very many great meetings.

But, any kind of event, right?

Let's have a look at some examples.

Tom Cruise was out of this world in “Mission Impossible 4”

Out of this world.

Try the linking.

Out-of this world.

Good.

Notice the “of”

it's not a /f/ it's a /v/.

Out /əv/,

out /əv/ this world.

He was out of this world in Mission Impossible 1, 2, 3 and 4,

if you like Tom Cruise.

Outstanding.

Obama was an outstanding leader.

Notice here, without the /t/,

we don't explode, it's out-standing.

Out-standing.

He was an outstanding leader.

Great.

Tell me something that's true for you.

Interesting.

Good.

Next one that film, “La La Land" I love that.

La La Land.

That film, La La Land, was first rate.

First-rate.

Again, it's not first rate.

The /t/ is cut.

First-rate.

It's just easier, right?

First-rate.

That film was first-rate.

Great.

Tell me about a film you think was first rate?

Nice.

Nice.

Next, top notch.

Again, the “top” we don't explode.

It's a top-notch.

Top-notch.

Can you see?

So it really is one word.

So instead of top notch, it's top-notch.

Top-notch.

The salads in that restaurant are top-notch.

And finally, superb.

The stress on the “perb”

You don't have to go perb.

You can just say superb.

You do have to go perb.

Superb.

The whole event was superb.

That wedding was superb.

That meeting was superb. Really?

Yes.

Tell me something true for you.

Outstanding English.

Let's move on.

Now not everything is good.

Not everything is bright and rosy.

The opposite of good or great obviously, is bad or really bad.

Meaning of very low quality, right?

So here, we're going to look at awful, shocking, terrible, a real let-down.

Here are some examples.

That film you recommended was awful.

Can you hear the intonation?

That film you recommended was aw-ful.

Yeah, nice.

Aw-ful.

I think, let me think of a film, Rocky.

That film was awful.

Tell me something that's true for you.

Yeah, I think I agree actually.

Another example.

That dish you recommended in the restaurant was shocking.

Shocking.

Awful.

Really bad.

That book you recommended was terrible.

Listen to the intonation again.

That book you recommended was terrible.

Tell me something that's true for you.

Right.

That crime novel you recommended, yeah, that was terrible.

Really bad.

Listen, stop recommending things.

Everything's awful.

Really bad.

Final example.

Well, that party we went to was a real let-down.

A real let-down.

Notice.

Let down

the /t/, let the /t/ is not /p/ it's not /t/,

it's /ˈlet daʊn/.

/ˈlet daʊn/,

can you see?

/ˈlet daʊn/

A let-down.

a real let-down.

That party was a real let-down.

What was a real let-down for you?

Really?

It's awful, isn't it?

Terrible.

Shocking.

Oh! Dear,

what can we do?

We can move on to the next word.

Next, let's look at things that are important, right?

Meaning of significant value, right?

Here of course we can be talking about things.

Maybe documents, books, emails.

We can be talking about events or activities.

Maybe a meeting, a party, a wedding all sorts of stuff, right?

And we're going to be looking at other words that mean important including

key, crucial, vital, pivotal,

of paramount importance.

Some examples then.

This meeting is key, you must attend, right?

Be careful key as an adjective.

Not as a noun, not a key, right?

Not a key, but key.

This meeting is key.

This video is key to your learning, maybe.

Next one.

This is a crucial email, we must send it now.

Say with me.

Crucial.

A crucial email.

Nice.

Next example, vital.

This book is vital for all language teachers.

Vital.

Stress on the “vi”

and it's a /ˈv/

vi, vital.

This book is vital for all language teachers.

Really, it's true.

Brilliant book.

“How to teach grammar”

check it out, if you're a teacher.

Next, pivotal.

Pivotal it has the /p/ and the /v/

pivotal.

Nice.

This film is a pivotal film in her career.

A pivotal film, right?

This is a pivotal film in Emma Watson’s career.

That was a pivotal song in Beyonce’s career.

That book was a pivotal book in Stephen King's career, right?

Can use it to talk about a lot of different things.

Can you give me an example?

Top-notch.

Outstanding examples.

Thank you!

My next one of paramount importance,

just meaning very important of course.

My daughter's wedding is of paramount importance, so no expenses spared.

My daughter's not getting married she's only 14, but, as an example, right?

My daughter's wedding is of paramount importance.

What is of paramount importance to you?

Excellent.

Moving on.

And finally, we're going to look at beautiful

meaning pleasing to the senses, right?

So we can be talking about things, such as a photo, work of art.

Maybe a view or even a performance and of course, people, right.

Okay.

The words we're going to look at similarly meaning are stunning,

takes your breath away,

gorgeous,

magnificent,

catches your eye.

Some examples.

This view is stunning.

This view takes your breath away.

Listen to the….

Takes your breath away.

Say again,

takes your breath away.

Tell me about a view that takes your breath away.

Yeah, the view from my window takes my breath away.

Next.

She looks gorgeous in that dress.

Gorgeous.

She looks gorgeous in that dress.

She looks gorgeous in that hat.

She looks gorgeous in that outfit.

Gorgeous, normally with women not with men.

Actually beautiful also with women.

For men we say handsome, that's right.

Next.

This work of art is magnificent.

It's a difficult word magnificent.

Magni-fi-cent.

Magnificent.

Magnificent.

Yeah, this work of art is magnificent.

Tell me what you think?

Right.

I think the “Guernica” by Pablo Picasso is a magnificent piece of art.

And this is a nice photo, it really catches your eye.

Brilliant.

Catches your eye.

It catches my eye.

Very, very, very nice.

So there you have lots of wonderful adjectives,

adjective phrases and synonyms

to describe some very common situations, right?

Things, people, activities, events all of which you need in IELTS speaking.

Remember, don't cram.

Learn these over time step by step in your daily practice.

Experiment, have fun.

Remember to do what we've done.

Repeat and then make sentences which are true for you.

So your brain is engaged.

Don't let your brain fall asleep on you, right?

Excellent.

Thank you for watching today!

Do remember to subscribe, turn on the notifications on YouTube

to find out about my future videos coming out and once again,

thank you very much!

I hope this helps.

Take care my friends.

Keep practicing.

See you soon.

Bye-bye!