The topic of pets/animals is popular yet broad for IELTS test takers. It covers various sub-topics. To be confident in communication and get high scores on IELTS tests, you should refer to Pets/Animals vocabulary in English to impress the pane examiners.
1. Overview of pets/animals
Among the common IELTS topics, Pets/Animals are frequently featured on the IELTS test. If these topics arise in IELTS Speaking Part 3 or IELTS Task 2, candidates will engage in discussions or writing tasks about the topic, including arguments on the different sub-topics.
In Pets/Animals topics, you'll encounter points surrounding the following sub-topics:
Wild animals
Going to zoos
Pets
Reasons for raising pets
Humans’ effects on wild animals
2. English pet/animal topic vocabulary on IELTS
To effectively memorise English related to Pets/Animal vocabulary, refer to the meaning and the following examples to answer questions efficiently.
2.1. IELTS vocabulary of animals
Vocabulary | Phonetics | Example |
|---|---|---|
Livestock | /ˈlaɪv.stɑːk/ | They feed livestock with fodder crops. |
Feral animal | /ˈfer.əl ˈæn.ɪ.məl/ | The population of feral dogs soared. |
Social animal | /ˈsoʊ.ʃəl ˈæn.ɪ.məl/ | Grey parrots are social animals. |
Amphibian | /æmˈfɪb.i.ən/ | Both the toad and frog are amphibians. |
Reptile | /ˈrep.taɪl/ | Ruthie ran in from the fields with reptile eggs. |
Arboreal | /ɑːrˈbɔːr.i.əl/ | They are mainly arboreal, preferring to stay in the trees and larger shrubs. |
Herbivorous | /hɝːˈbɪv.ɚ.əs/ | The body shape, too, suggests that rhynchosaurs were herbivorous. |
Omnivorous | /ɑːmˈnɪv.ɚ.əs/ | Brown bears are omnivorous, eating anything they can get their paws on. |
Animal instinct | /ˈæn.ɪ.məl ˈɪn.stɪŋkt/ | Animal instincts are strong, and fear is the most easily fed. |
Domestic animal | /dəˌmes.tɪk ˈæn.ɪ.məl/ | My cat is a domestic animal. |
Wild animals | /waɪld ˈæn.ɪ.məl/ | There were great numbers of wild animals in the woods. |
Natural habitats | /ˈnætʃ.ɚ.əl ˈhæb.ə.tæt/ | Watch aquatic creatures in their natural habitat. |
Terrestrial animals | /təˈres.tri.əl ˈæn.ɪ.məl/ | On their trip to the rainforest, the duty of scientists was cataloguing terrestrial animals |
Marine creatures | /məˈriːn ˈkriː.tʃɚ/ | Seals and whales are marine animals. |
2.2. Wild animal vocabulary on IELTS
Vocabulary | Phonetics | Example |
|---|---|---|
Porcupine | /ˈpɔːr.kjə.paɪn/ | A porcupine is covered with prickles. |
Raccoon | /rækˈuːn/ | If you domesticate this raccoon, it will have trouble living in the wild. |
Mammoth | /ˈmæm.əθ/ | This mammoth undertaking took 18 months. |
Rhinoceros | /raɪˈnɑː.sɚ.əs/ | The white rhinoceros is under threat |
Kangaroo | /ˌkæŋ.ɡəˈruː/ | The kangaroo is a native of Australia. |
Hippopotamus | /ˌhɪp.əˈpɑː.t̬ə.məs/ | The children enjoyed watching the hippopotamus wallowing in the mud. |
Fox | /fɑːks/ | We tried to trap the fox. |
Lion | /ˈlaɪ.ən/ | The Advocate asked him to remember a fellow literary lion. |
Giraffe | /dʒɪˈræf/ | She stood tall and proud, like a giraffe surveying the savannah |
Jaguar | /ˈdʒæɡ.wɑːr/ | Killing jaguars harms us, much like deforestation, mining, and pollution. |
2.3. Aquatic animal vocabulary
Vocabulary | Phonetics | Example |
|---|---|---|
Carp | /kɑːrp/ | They saw a little carp swimming swiftly in the stream. |
Perch | /pɝːtʃ/ | I caught two perch |
Salmon | /ˈsæm.ən/ | Blooms come in yellow, orange, salmon, rose, pink, cream, and white. |
Scallop | /ˈskæl.əp/ | Remove the top of a one-quart jug and then put a scallop inside. |
Sardine | /sɑːrˈdiːn/ | You were all squashed together like sardines. |
Octopus | /ˈɑːk.tə.pəs/ | Otters also are known to eat crabs, octopus, squid, sea stars, and fish |
Lobster | /ˈlɑːb.stɚ/ | A waiter served us lobster, oysters, caviar, and cheese. |
Jellyfish | /ˈdʒel.i.fɪʃ/ | Lynn jumped as a jellyfish swarmed by her |
Coral | /ˈkɔːr.əl/ | True coral needs no painter's brush. · |
Whale | /weɪl/ | That's a whale of a story. |
2.4. Bird vocabulary
Vocabulary | Phonetics | Example |
|---|---|---|
Pigeon | /ˈpɪdʒ.ən/ | A pigeon was cooing up in one of the elms. |
Owl | /aʊl/ | An owl is the king of the night. |
Woodpecker | /ˈwʊdˌpek.ɚ/ | The woodpecker pecked a hole in the tree. |
Sparrow | /ˈsper.oʊ/ | A sparrow alighted on the branch. |
Ostrich | /ˈɑː.strɪtʃ/ | I bought a hat with a flowing ostrich feather |
Peacock | /ˈpiː.kɑːk/ | The peacock has fair feathers but foul feet. |
Falcon | /ˈfɑːl.kən/ | The falcon was twice his size with pouted feathers. |
Swan | /swɑːn/ | All swans are white |
Eagle | /ˈiː.ɡəl/ | They saw a gorgeous golden eagle perching on the sill. |
2.5. Insect vocabulary
Vocabulary | Phonetics | Example |
|---|---|---|
Tarantula | /təˈræn.tʃə.lə/ | The tarantula cat was sucking up dirt and dust from the kitchen corners. |
Praying mantis | /ˌpreɪ.ɪŋ ˈmæn.t̬ɪs/ | He looked like a praying mantis with his long legs almost under his chin. |
Ladybug | /ˈleɪ.di.bʌɡ/ | A grasshopper is giant to a ladybug. |
Grasshopper | /ˈɡræsˌhɑː.pɚ/ | The easiest way to identify a grasshopper is by the very long back legs, which it uses to leap high into the air. |
Cockroach | /ˈkɑːk.roʊtʃ/ | If cockroach allergen is causing asthma attacks, the roaches should be killed |
Dragonfly | /ˈdræɡ.ən.flaɪ/ | A dragonfly sows its eggs while skimming the surface of the water. |
Mosquito | /məˈskiː.t̬oʊ/ | I've got a mosquito bite. |
Butterfly | /ˈbʌt̬.ɚ.flaɪ/ | The butterflies whirled up into the air, bright wings flashing in the level of golden light |
Cicada | /sɪˈkɑː.də/ | Their wings make a whine, much like the sound of a cicada. |
3. Some expressions on topics of animals/pets
Collocations on topics of animals/pets
Phrase |
|---|
Animal testing – experimentation on animals |
To test the safety of new drugs |
Play an important role |
Genetically modified animals |
Bring in lot of peace and care |
An animal enthusiast |
Give the feeling of a family |
The endangered species list |
Pose a threat to |
On the verge of extinction |
Support breeding programmes |
A stable ecological balance |
Illegal hunting, overfishing |
Illegal poaching and trade |
Be removed from the ecosystem |
Idioms on topics of animals/pets
When learning animal-related idioms for the IELTS, remember that many English idioms involve animal-related words. You can choose whether or not to use them when discussing transportation.
Discover some idioms suitable for speaking about topics related to animals in your IELTS tests:
Idiom |
|---|
Black sheep |
When pigs fly |
Let the cat out of the bag |
An elephant in the room |
Lion’s share |
Smell something fishy |
Horse around |
Goldfish brain |
Raining cats and dogs |
A sitting duck |
Albatross around one’s neck |
As poor as a church mouse |
Back the wrong horse |
Chickens come home to roost |
Bite the hand that feeds you |
Dead as the dodo |
Flat out like a lizard drinking |
Put legs under a chicken |
Kill a fly with an elephant gun |
Swim with sharks |
Ugly duckling |
It’s wild goose chase |
A wolf in sheep’s clothing |
Have butterflies in one’s stomach |
Kill two birds with one stone |
Early-bird price |
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The above article offers a comprehensive collection of popular vocabulary, answers, and valuable idioms related to Pets/Animals. Take notes and practise frequently to memorise English vocabulary on the animal.
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