Writing · Unit 2: Common mistakes
W19: Big words used wrongly
Target band 6 to 6.5
"The government should ameliorate the predicament of impecunious citizens." It sounds impressive. But it's awkward, unnatural, and an examiner will see straight through it. Many of us believe that rare, difficult words are the key to a high vocabulary score. They're not. Precise, natural words used correctly are what examiners reward.
Why this matters
Lexical Resource rewards a range of vocabulary used precisely and appropriately. A rare word in the wrong place is an error. A simple word in the right place is not. Students who chase big words often make more mistakes, and their essays become harder to read, which can lower Coherence too.
Three ways big words go wrong
1. Wrong collocation (words that don't go together)
| Wrong | Right |
|---|---|
| do a crime | commit a crime |
| make pollution | cause pollution |
| strong rain | heavy rain |
| expensive price | high price |
| get knowledge | gain or acquire knowledge |
| big problem in society | serious problem in society |
2. Wrong meaning (the thesaurus trap)
You look up a synonym and use it without knowing how it's used.
- children becomes offspring. Technically correct, but it sounds strange in an essay about education.
- important becomes momentous. Momentous means historic, like a momentous decision. It's too strong for "an important factor".
- use becomes utilise in every sentence. One utilise is fine. Five sound unnatural.
3. Wrong style (too formal or too old-fashioned)
- Whilst, hitherto, thereof, albeit used everywhere sound like a legal document.
- Kindly, do the needful, revert back sound like office emails, not essays.
What band 7 vocabulary actually looks like
It's about precision, not rarity.
| Band 6 style | Band 7 style |
|---|---|
| a big problem | a serious problem / a major concern |
| many people | a growing number of people |
| very good | highly effective / extremely valuable |
| bad effects | harmful effects / negative consequences |
| more and more | increasingly |
| get a job | find employment / secure a job |
None of the band 7 words are rare. They're just more precise.
How to learn words safely
- Learn words from reading, where you see them in context (Reading lesson R43).
- Learn collocations, not single words. Not crime but commit a crime.
- Check before using. Free online collocation dictionaries show which words go together.
- If you're not sure, use the simpler word. A correct simple word beats a wrong difficult word every time.
Try it yourself
Fix the vocabulary.
- "Online classes make a big contribution to students' studies."
- "Many people do crimes because of poverty."
- "The price of rice has become very expensive."
Show the answers
- "Online classes make a significant contribution to students' learning."
- "Many people commit crimes because of poverty."
- "The price of rice has become very high." (Or: "Rice has become very expensive.")
Honest note
You do need some less common vocabulary for band 7 and above. But it should come naturally from your reading, not from a list of "100 band 9 words". Use new words in practice essays first, and get feedback, before using them in the test.
Your task today
In your last essay, find every "big word". Check each one in a dictionary for meaning and collocation. Replace any you used wrongly.