For those preparing for the IELTS test, transportation is a popular featured topic. However, the topic is quite broad and encompasses various sub-topics. To boost confidence in communication and achieve high scores on IELTS tests, explore vocabulary related to Work & Study to impress the panel examiners.
Before delving into the public transportation vocabulary of IELTS, consider the following topics:
Overview of vocabulary with topic of transport
Transportation is one of the most popular topics among all the IELTS topics for the IELTS test. If you encounter the transportation topic in the IELTS Speaking Part 3 or IELTS Writing Task 2, you must engage in discussion or writing tasks that include detailed arguments with in-depth knowledge.
For these topics, you can state the concrete cause of environmental problems, provide solutions, and anticipate the consequences. Sometimes, the topic requires an argument and your ideas about it. These topics often intersect with ecological concerns, particularly about transportation-related impacts. Sometimes, the topic requires an argument and your ideas about it. This critical thinking may involve demonstrating in-depth knowledge.
The following are three sub-topics regarding the environment. Each topic includes words or phrases to help you achieve high IELTS Speaking and Writing scores.
1. Roads & traffic vocabulary
Words/Phrases | Example | Common collocation |
|---|---|---|
overpass | Traffic in the area significantly improved, thanks to the new overpass. | Freeway/ highway overpass |
service road | In my city, truck traffic is not allowed on service roads. | on a/ the service road |
traffic jam | I was stuck in a traffic jam on my way here. | long/ severe traffic jam be/ get caught/ stuck in a traffic jam traffic jam on the (road) |
2. Transportation & environment vocabulary
Words/Phrases | Example | Common Collocation |
|---|---|---|
emissions | Sulfur emissions from steel mills become acid rain. | Vehicle emissions greenhouse gas/carbon dioxide emissions cut/reduce/control emissions emissions from (traffic) |
noise pollution | Noise pollution is created by humans. | to tackle/ease/reduce noise pollution noise pollution from (type of transport) |
environmentally-friendly | Electric cars are a more environmentally-friendly alternative. | Environmentally-friendly vehicles/ transportation/ fuel/ alternative |
3. Travel vocabulary
Words/phrase | Example | Common collocation |
|---|---|---|
abroad | It’s much easier to travel abroad now than in the past. | Travel/go abroad to be abroad to move abroad |
business trip | I went to New York on a business trip. | Take/make a business trip on a business trip |
commute | I commute to the city by bus every day. | Daily/everyday commute to commute from/to |
4. Vocabulary about the transport of the future
Words/ Phrase | Example | Common Collocation |
|---|---|---|
space travel | There’s a lot of interest in space travel. | Human/commercial space travel The future of space travel Achieve space travel |
autonomous vehicle | I don’t believe autonomous vehicles can keep us safe. | Be driven by an autonomous vehicle |
high-speed rail | In the future, high-speed rail networks will take over traditional rail systems. | By high-speed rail, high-speed rail network/route/service, High-speed rail accident/crash/disaster |
Idioms on the topic of transportation
To learn transportation-related idioms on IELTS tests, remember that many English idioms include words related to transport. However, whether you choose to use them or not to use them when discussing transportation is your choice. For example, Idiom “to throw someone under the bus doesn’t mean “to blame someone for something”.
For example, if you do not know the meaning of “to throw someone under the bus”, it can be mistaken for “to blame someone for something”. The true meaning of the idiom is “to betray someone for one’s own benefit to avoid blame or punishment.”
Explore a selection of idioms suitable for discussing transportation in your IELTS test below:
Idiom | Example |
|---|---|
bumper to bumper | The traffic’s usually bumper to bumper all the way to work. |
backseat driver | My wife’s very much a backseat driver - she always tells me to speed up or slow down. |
hit the road | I like to hit the road early for long journeys. |
hitch a lift/ride | After the festival, we hitched a lift back to the city. |
beat the traffic | I always try to leave early in the morning so I can beat the traffic on my way to school. |
For those practising at home daily, don’t forget to take notes of helpful vocabulary to enrich your language skills. Focus on reviewing vocabulary related to specific sub-topics such as airport or boat to ensure comprehensive coverage of the words in the topic.
Getting high scores on the topic of transportation (giao thông) while practising with IDP!
The article provides basic vocabulary and collocation along with helpful transportation-related idioms. Take notes and frequently practise to memorise this vocabulary.
To help you with effective test practice, IDP provides valuable test resources, including IELTS workshops and review courses designed to meet each learner’s needs and background.
After registering for IDP IELTS tests, you can access exclusive IELTS test documents, including test-taking instructions, videos that correct common mistakes, and online pre-IELTS test courses developed by Macquarie University experts.
Register for the IDP IELTS test here!
Read more: