Guide to English Writing

Facilities/Amenities
degree 
experience
diploma
certificate
other:
know-how 
award
recognition 
respect 
reputation
credit(s) 
qualification(s)
Earned
@IELTS_Council

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Keywords
7
BA/B.A.: Bachelor of Arts 
B.A. (Hons) (with honours) 
Baccalaureate 
post-doctoral 
undergraduate
BFA (Fine Arts), B.Ed. 
(Education), B.Comm. 
(Commerce), etc. 
other:
BBA: Bachelor of Business 
Administration 
BSC: Bachelor of Science
major
minor 
major/minor 
double major 
Associate degree
PhD (Doctor of 
Philosophy)
MA (Master of Arts)
graduate 
post-graduate
GED (General Education 
Development — high school 
equivalency) 
Degrees 
theory
academic 
liberal arts
special ed.
co-op (co-operative) 
physical education
internship
humanities 
sociology
STEM fields 
(Science Technology 
Engineering Mathematics) 
other:
skills
tutorial
workshop
seminar 
science fair
critical thinking 
problem solving 
fine arts (art, dance, music, 
drama) 
ECE (Early Childhood 
Education)
ESL/EFL (English as a Second/
Foreign Language) 
rote 
sex ed. 
residency 
subjects
class
lecture
psychology
social sciences 
political science 
philosophy
practice/practical 
apprenticeship
Studies
assembly
prom
homecoming 
commencement
social calendar
other:
mock UN 
field trip
orientation 
pep rally 
social
initiation
spelling bee
fire drill
graduation ceremony
Special Events
@IELTS_Council

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THE WRITE IDEA - Education
8
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college
university 
polytechnic
community college 
technical college 
preschool
elementary 
secondary 
tertiary
accredited 
night school
other:
preparatory 
boarding school 
nursery (school)
higher education 
alma mater
kindergarten
post-secondary 
international/domestic
Montessori/Waldorf
online course
vocational school 
cram school 
public/private school
homeschooling 
law/medical/business 
school 
language school
recognized 
non-traditional
distance learning
Schools
course of study
prerequisite 
unit
syllabus
research 
matriculate
dissertation 
fellowship
other:
reading list 
rubric 
learning needs
attendance
elective 
compulsory 
co-op
citation
curriculum 
credit 
thesis
hours
goals/aims 
strategies 
Course related
alumni
sorority
student union 
pledge 
fraternity 
lobby groups 
student government 
other:
faculty
study group 
student organization 
student body
Department of Ed. 
Board of Ed. 
school team (sports) 
sponsors
Ministry of Education 
student government 
intramural league 
UNESCO (United Nations 
Educational Scientific and 
Cultural Organization)
Groups
@IELTS_Council

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Keywords
9
policy
accreditation 
institution
sister school
other:
grant 
scholarship
administration
collaboration
organization 
department
placement
exchange program
School-related
experiment 
assignment
paper 
conduct 
project 
exam 
debate 
homework 
test 
pass 
fail 
submit 
lab work
open-/closed-book exam
independent study project
other:
review 
revise 
grade
essay 
proficiency 
mark
merit 
practicum 
re-sit a test 
attendance
take-home exam 
standardized testing 
SAT, GRE, GMAT, etc. 
multiple choice exam 
skills
quiz 
spelling 
oral exam 
feedback 
qualitative 
makeup test 
extra credit 
report card 
assessment 
hand in
quantitative 
hypothesis 
GPA (grade point average) 
Evaluation
technology
chalk
textbook 
uniform 
marker 
whiteboard 
tablet
other:
smartboard 
projector
audio/visual aids 
database 
copier 
printer 
software 
blackboard 
device 
hardware 
keypad 
scanner 
Tools
@IELTS_Council

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THE WRITE IDEA - Education
10
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organizational
technical 
soft skills 
time-management 
communication/ive 
people person
other:
novice 
amateur
professional 
develop 
expert/expertise
proactive
writing 
listening 
empathy
public speaking 
technological 
analytical/critical thinking
Skills
dyslexia
student life
discipline
absence
debt 
lazy
self-esteem 
gifted
student loans 
self-educated/taught 
procrastinate 
suspension 
ADHD (attention-deficit 
hyperactivity disorder)
other:
bullying 
course load 
plagiarism 
cheat 
expulsion
competition 
introvert 
extrovert
popular 
gifted 
protégé
well-rounded
application 
jock
identity 
nerd/geek 
prom king/queen 
popular 
student-centered
overachiever 
high achiever 
apathetic 
underachiever 
procrastinate 
learning disability
Student 
@IELTS_Council

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Keywords
11
advisor 
scholar
evaluation 
professor 
lesson plan 
credentials 
disciplinarian
outcomes/objectives
other:
tutor 
instructor 
pedagogue
coach 
patience 
approachable
role model 
guide
faculty 
mentor 
trainer
compassion 
educator 
classroom management
Teacher 
bully
peers
classmate
dean
lab assistant 
lab technician
secretary 
specialist
colleague
headmaster/mistress 
substitute (teacher) 
(guidance) counsellor 
TA (teaching assistant)
dorm supervisor
other:
senior 
junior
principal 
examiner 
prodigy
proctor 
pupil 
sophomore
fellow 
hall monitor
guest lecturer
exchange student 
experts from the field
freshman
trainee 
apprentice
co-ed 
associate 
roommate
adjunct 
registrar 
candidate (PhD.)
mature student
researcher
international student
Rhodes Scholar
People 
@IELTS_Council

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THE WRITE IDEA - Education
12
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gap year
schedule
sabbatical 
tenure 
grace period
suspension
extracurricular 
detention
other:
due date 
lunch
vacation 
timetable 
period 
year abroad
overdue 
timeslot/ window 
semester/trimester 
term
recess 
deadline 
calendar year
after-school 
school year
school/academic year
Professional Development 
Day 
Time 
knowledge
numeracy
teaching
training 
tuition
paradigm shift
evolution 
lesson
academia 
discourse 
scholastic
remedial 
upbringing
rearing 
brainwash
preparation
multi-disciplinary
other:
edification 
breeding
reform
tutelage 
il/literacy 
comprehension
erudition
illumination
culture
ignorance
cultivation
dogma 
methodology
intelligence
smart 
wise
clever 
sharp
witty 
trade 
skill
pedagogy
didactic
collegiate 
development 
raising
guidance 
refinement 
remedial 
enlightenment 
craft
holistic 
immersion 
aptitude
knowledge transfer 
bright
General Education 
@IELTS_Council

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Keywords
13
fall behind 
honor roll 
make up
catch up 
drop out 
figure out
school of thought 
ace the test
know-how 
show of hands 
hazing
bookworm
make the grade
learn the ABC’s 
cut / skip class 
A for effort
brainstorm
back to basics
old school 
full ride (scholarship)
school of hard knocks
other:
hit the books
burn out 
flunk out
take up
pick on
spell out
hand out
take part in
pull an all-nighter 
a quick learner 
teacher’s pet 
eager beaver 
brush up on 
fall behind
sign up for 
learn one’s lesson 
cover a lot of ground
teach someone a lesson
school someone in something
carrot & stick approach
can’t teach an old dog new tricks
Idiomatic Language 
(idioms, phrasal verbs, expressions, collocations)
get a degree 
finish school
take a test
sit for a test 
do homework 
miss a class
make progress 
do one’s best 
lead by example
other:
make a mistake
do research 
get good grades
take a class 
skip school 
pass/fail a test, class
learn by heart 
submit an assignment
raise a hand
get a good education
formal education 
eradicate illiteracy
school system 
teacher training 
core subjects
be accepted/rejected 
join a class 
attend class
book smarts 
street smarts
Collocations
Note: these idioms can be used (sparingly) in formal academic writing for the IELTS, TOEFL, or other 
English language exams. However, be sure to use them correctly and in the appropriate context, or not at 
all. They can also be used in speaking test and informal letters of the IELTS General test.
@IELTS_Council

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THE WRITE IDEA - Education
14
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teach
initiate
educate
train 
coach 
discipline
instruct
indoctrinate
edify
drill 
hone 
form
nurture 
blunt 
rear
school 
advise 
instill
dispel 
cultivate 
dull
nourish
sway
support
convert 
confuse
persuade
foster 
preach
dissuade
others:
influence
quiz
decipher
test 
decode 
encourage
further 
absorb 
familiarize
doubt 
process 
double-check
captivate 
inquire 
question
mold 
require 
ascertain
shape 
stunt 
lead
accomplish 
demand 
register
imbue (with) 
drive 
reproach
refer
cite
recommend
assign 
delegate
collaborate
participate
overcome 
dissemble 
disabuse 
transform 
enlighten
acclimate 
cram 
reach
confirm 
prep 
impress
digest 
reveal 
clarify
guide 
inform 
impart
sharpen 
acquaint 
broaden
inculcate 
provoke 
motivate
designate
attribute
endorse
Verbs 
@IELTS_Council

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o
on T
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nati
15
COMMON TERMS & ALTERNATIVES
If you can avoid repeating words in an essay, do so. The following words are the most commonly 
used in essays on Education. You should not have to use the word “student” ten times in your 
essay. In fact, this will weaken your writing as there are other words that work just as well and 
can be applied in different contexts.
In the examples below, the underlined, 
italicized
, or 
bolded
words can be replaced with the 
words/expressions beneath them.
Note: You may have to make adjustments for syntax. Make sure you know which words are 
appropriate for which context.
Study
Students who 
study
the humanities can learn critical thinking.
… 
major in
... 
… 
minor in
…
… 
concentrate on
…
… 
whose field of study is
…
… 
whose concentration is
…
… 
focus on
…
… 
whose education revolves around
…
… 
learn
…
… 
explore
…
… 
conduct research in
…
… 
examine
…
… 
take courses in 
…
… 
enroll in courses in 
…
@IELTS_Council

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