IELTS (International English Language Testing System) Grammar and Vocabulary Foundations Flashcards

24 sample cards from the Grammar and Vocabulary Foundations deck

Sampled from the end of the deck, so these are different cards from the ones shown on the syllabus page.

1. How are modals of speculation/deduction used for certainty about the present?

   must (logical certainty something is true), can't/couldn't (logical certainty something is false), might/may/could (uncertain), e.g., 'He must be tired; he can't be lazy.'

2. How do you speculate about the past using modals?

   Use modal + have + past participle: 'must have' (certain it happened), 'can't have/couldn't have' (certain it didn't), 'might/may/could have' (possible), e.g., 'She must have left early.'

3. What are the three articles in English and the basic rule for a/an?

   a, an (indefinite) and the (definite). Use 'a' before a consonant sound and 'an' before a vowel sound, e.g., 'a university,' 'an hour.'

4. When do you use 'the' (definite article) versus 'a/an' (indefinite article)?

   Use a/an for non-specific or first-mention singular countable nouns; use 'the' for specific/already-known nouns, unique things, or second mention, e.g., 'I saw a dog. The dog was barking.'

5. What is the difference between countable and uncountable nouns, and how does it affect articles/quantifiers?

   Countable nouns have singular/plural forms and take a/an and many/few; uncountable nouns have no plural, take no a/an, and use much/little/some, e.g., 'much information,' not 'an information.'

6. Give examples of common uncountable nouns that learners often wrongly make plural.

   information, advice, equipment, furniture, research, knowledge, news, luggage, progress—these have no plural form and take a singular verb.

7. What is the difference between the prepositions in, on, and at for time?

   'at' for precise times (at 6pm), 'on' for days/dates (on Monday), 'in' for longer periods—months, years, parts of the day (in July, in 2020, in the morning).

8. What is a dependent (collocational) preposition? Give examples.

   A preposition fixed to a particular verb, noun, or adjective, e.g., depend ON, interested IN, good AT, responsible FOR, an increase IN, afraid OF. These must be memorized as set combinations.

9. What is the difference between the prepositions in, on, and at for place?

   'at' for a specific point (at the door), 'on' for surfaces/lines (on the wall, on the bus), 'in' for enclosed/larger areas (in the room, in London).

10. What is a run-on sentence and a comma splice, and how do you fix them?

    A run-on joins independent clauses with no punctuation; a comma splice joins them with only a comma. Fix by using a period, a semicolon, or a comma + coordinating conjunction, or by subordinating one clause.

11. What are the main uses of the semicolon?

    To join two closely related independent clauses without a conjunction, and to separate items in a list that already contain commas.

12. What are the main uses of the comma in formal writing?

    To separate items in a list, set off introductory elements and non-defining clauses, separate independent clauses before a coordinating conjunction, and set off parenthetical information.

13. What is the difference between a colon and a semicolon?

    A colon introduces a list, explanation, or example after a complete clause; a semicolon links two related complete clauses or separates complex list items.

14. What is a word-form (part-of-speech) error, and why does it lower IELTS accuracy?

    Using the wrong form of a word for its grammatical role, e.g., using a noun where an adjective is needed ('a success project' instead of 'a successful project'). It reduces lexical and grammatical accuracy scores.

15. Identify the noun, verb, adjective, and adverb forms of 'success/decide/care.'

    success (n) – succeed (v) – successful (adj) – successfully (adv); decision (n) – decide (v) – decisive (adj) – decisively (adv); care (n) – care (v) – careful (adj) – carefully (adv).

16. List useful topic vocabulary for the ENVIRONMENT topic in IELTS.

    climate change, global warming, carbon footprint, renewable energy, deforestation, biodiversity, pollution, emissions, sustainability, conservation, fossil fuels.

17. List useful topic vocabulary for the TECHNOLOGY topic in IELTS.

    artificial intelligence, automation, innovation, digital literacy, cybersecurity, data privacy, social media, connectivity, software, devices, the digital divide.

18. List useful topic vocabulary for the EDUCATION topic in IELTS.

    curriculum, tuition fees, lifelong learning, academic performance, vocational training, literacy, distance learning, qualifications, higher education, critical thinking.

19. List useful topic vocabulary for the HEALTH topic in IELTS.

    sedentary lifestyle, obesity, mental health, well-being, public healthcare, preventive medicine, balanced diet, chronic illness, life expectancy, physical activity.

20. What is a collocation, and why are collocations important for IELTS lexical resource?

    A collocation is a natural, conventional combination of words that habitually go together (e.g., 'make a decision,' 'heavy rain,' 'strong coffee'). Using them makes language sound natural and raises lexical resource scores.

21. Give common verb collocations with 'make' versus 'do.'

    make: make a decision, make progress, make an effort, make a mistake. do: do homework, do research, do business, do your best.

22. What is paraphrasing, and what techniques are used to avoid repetition in IELTS?

    Restating an idea in different words while keeping the meaning—using synonyms, changing word forms, switching between active/passive, and altering sentence structure. It prevents repetition and demonstrates lexical range.

23. Give academic synonyms for the overused words 'good,' 'bad,' 'big,' and 'important.'

    good → beneficial/positive/effective; bad → harmful/detrimental/negative; big → significant/substantial/considerable; important → crucial/vital/essential.

24. What is the difference between formal and informal register, and which is required for IELTS Academic Writing Task 2?

    Formal register avoids contractions, slang, phrasal verbs, and idioms, using precise, objective language; informal register is conversational. Academic Task 2 requires a formal/semi-formal register, while idiomatic language fits the Speaking test.

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Grammar and Vocabulary Foundations flashcards FAQ