Vocabulary, to state the obvious, vocabulary simply means words. To state the obvious about IELTS, vocabulary is an important part. IELTS is more about how you use the words than the words themselves, however relevant vocabulary is important. The choice of your words will depend on the subject you are asked about.

You’ll receive questions on entertainment, relationships (your family, your friends), clothing, food, colour, hobbies, interests, leisure, time, fitness, health, your “home” (either where you are from or where you are now, famous people (not necessarily world famous but as long as you state they are well known you are answering the question), songs, music and dance, travel, history, historic sites, general scientific questions and your favourite place (practically any location is a place).

To find the relevant vocabulary, do some light research on the subjects and related items. Practically all information on the listed subjects can be found on the internet, in books (reference books, non-fiction, even fiction), dictionaries (online and printed). It’s all just a matter of knowing your preferences, experiences, opinions, ideas on these subjects. To prepare for questions on your favourite film or TV programme read a web page about it, maybe two, and consult dictionaries if you’re unsure on what the words mean and when to use them. To answer questions on relationships, consult look at articles, books, websites on families and friendships in general. If you want to talk about your favourite clothes, read books, magazines, catalogues, internet sites.