Advertising Vocabulary & Pronunciation

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Essential vocabulary for the topic of advertising / advertisements. I have included recordings of words and meanings so that you can improve your pronunciation of this vocabulary. At the bottom of the page, is some practice exercises to learn how to use vocabulary for advertising correctly. Advertising is a common topic in both IELTS speaking and writing task 2, so you must learn all the basic vocabulary to be able to talk and write on this topic.

This lesson contains a lot of vocabulary. Take your time to learn the words and practice your pronunciation. There is an audio under each table for pronunciation practice.

Vocabulary for Advertising Topic

Forms of the word: Advertisement

  • ad (n)
  • advert (n)
  • advertise (vb)
  • advertising (v+ing)
  • advertisement (n) (there are two different pronunciation – UK and USA)

Main Types of Advertisements:

This is a list of typical commercial adverts that you are likely to come across in your everyday life.

Advertisement Vocabulary: The Main types of Ads with Meaning: TV commercials, newspaper ads, glossy magazine ads, billboards.

RECORDING: Pronunciation

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Other Types Advertisement Vocabulary:

These types of advertisements are also common in the world today, particularly now that we have the internet and online adverts are common place.

More Vocabulary for Advertisements: direct main, radio adverts, advertising by text message sms, internet pop ups, email advertising and flyers.

RECORDING: Pronunciation Review

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More Types of Advertising:

This list of vocabulary contains examples of advertisements that are not so well known but are effective forms of more subtle advertising.

More Examples of Advert Vocabulary: celebrity endorsement, sponsorships, covert ads

RECORDING: Vocabulary Pronunciation

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Practice Exercises with Advertising Vocabulary

Use the vocabulary relating to advertising given on the page above to complete the sentences. Words may be used more than once.

  1. I think I prefer …………….. because they are really good fun to watch and often have a catchy tune or song to go with them.
  2. Last night, I was just sitting down to my favourite series on TV when the phone rang. It was another …………. I find them really annoying.
  3. Personally, I think that …………………… in movies is the most effective because you aren’t even aware that you are being targeted by a company while you’re watching.
  4. I think ………………… are a great way to advertise because they are so entertaining but I guess they must be very costly to put on, particularly at peak viewing time.
  5. There’s nothing more annoying than trying to work online and getting bothered by ………………
  6. I hardly ever pay attention to adverts in the ………………….. because they aren’t usually very attractive but whenever I flick through a ……………., I’m constantly drawn towards their beautiful, glossy ads.
  7. I find telesales quite ……………….. because they call your home to sell you something. I think it’s an invasion of privacy.

Vocabulary Review & Answers

There are some interesting words used in the exercises above, such as “catchy tune” and “persuasive”. Click below to learn the meaning of some of these words and to find the answers.

Vocabulary
  • eye-catching = appealing, attractive
  • subtle = not obvious
  • flick through a magazine = look at the pages quickly
  • to target an audience = to aim for a group of people
  • catchy tune = an appealing melody
  • peak viewing time = a time when the majority of people are watching
  • glossy = shiny
  • specific market  = particular group of people
  • specific interest group = particular group of people with the same interests
  • persuasive = it convinces us to do something or think something
  • memorable = it stays in our minds for a long time
  • intrusive = causing annoyance, uninvited
  • invasion of privacy = when your privacy has been invaded (entered) without permission
  • up-to-date = current
  • customer database = list or record of customers

Listen to Recording for Pronunciation:

 Answers
  1. TV commercials
  2. cold call
  3. covert advertising
  4. TV commercials
  5. pop-ups
  6. newspaper / magazine
  7. intrusive

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IELTS Speaking Part 2: Will I get a low score if I speak for less than 2 mins?

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Are you marked down in IELTS Speaking part 2 for speaking less than 2 minutes? In speaking part 2, you will be given a topic, 1 min to prepare and then you will need to speak for between 1-2 mins. The examiner will not move on to part 3 until 1 minute has passed of your talk and the examiner will stop you at exactly 2 minutes to prevent you speaking further. So, this means you have between 1 and 2 minutes available to you for your talk.

Do you need to speak for 2 mins in IELTS Speaking Part 2?

Speaking part 2 is the only part of the test where you can show the examiner that you can speak at length. Speaking at length is important for people aiming for band score 7 and above. So, part 2 is a great chance to show this skill and impress the examiner with fluency. Speaking at length is actually part of the Fluency marking criterion. Aiming for 2 minutes should be your aim.

However, your talk should also avoid hesitations and pauses. Both of these things can impact your score.

Length of Talk for IELTS Speaking Part 2: Useful Tips

Here are some more points to consider:

  1. It is better to give a strong, fluent talk for 1.5 minutes than a weak, hesitant talk for 2 mins.
    • If you can speak for 1.5 mins without hesitations and pauses, this will be better than speaking for 2 mins with lots of hesitations and pauses.
  2. You can still get a high score if you only speak for 1.5 minutes but only if the quality of your talk is very good. This means natural, fluent speaking with great use of language.
  3. The marking criterion of Fluency accounts for 25% of your marks and is taken from your overall performance in all parts not only in part 2.
    • This means if your talk doesn’t go well, you can still showcase your fluency in part 3.
  4. If you wish to lengthen your talk,  then add more information. The prompts (the points on the topic card) are only guidelines – you can and should expand on each one.
  5. Aiming for 2 minutes is ideal.
  6. You must practice before your test what 2 minutes feels like so that you know how much to add. But don’t worry the examiner will stop you at 2 mins.
    • The examiner controls the time in the speaking test. Don’t worry about timing. The examiner will interrupt you when it’s time for the next part or the next question.
  7. Speaking for 1 minute is not ideal because it doesn’t show the examiner your fluency skills.
  8. Don’t expect the examiner to be smiling and positive. Sometimes the examiners are tired so be ready for different body language and don’t let it affect your performance in your test.

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Improving a Thesis Statement

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This lesson will show you how to write a clearer thesis statement for a specific question essay. This is the introduction paragraph and is applicable to both the GT and academic paper.

Many people think that job satisfaction is important in work.

Do you think young people these days should be sure of getting job satisfaction before taking a new job or should they put salary first?

What can we see from this essay question?

  1. The essay question asks for your opinion (“Do you think….?”)
  2. The essay is about what people look for when they take a new job
  3. It is often thought that people should choose a new job for job satisfaction
  4. Others think that people should choose a new job for the salary

Here’s a student’s thesis statement for their introduction. How would you improve the thesis statement? Try to write this thesis statement again before you look at the models.

“While work satisfaction should be a motive for a successful employee, I do not think that salary must be a priority.”

Model Thesis Statement

Here are two possible ways that the above thesis statement could be better written to make the answer clearer for the reader.

1. In my opinion, I think that work satisfaction should be the main motive for choosing a job rather than salary.

2. In my opinion, it is better for people to put satisfaction at work as a priority for choosing a job instead of aiming for a competitive salary.

Model Introduction

Below is a model introduction with both a background and thesis statement. This offers yet another way to write the thesis statement:

People have different views as to whether job satisfaction or money is more important for a young person when choosing a new job. In my opinion, job satisfaction rather than a competitive salary should be the deciding factor and should be prioritised when accepting a new job.

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Improving Sentences for Academic Writing

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This practice exercise is about improving sentences for a higher score in IELTS writing task 2. See the essay question below.

There is a significant gap between rich and poor countries. Some people think that richer countries should be responsible for supporting poorer countries while others think it is the responsibility of the poorer countries. What is your opinion?

Below are some sentences from a student’s essay on the above topic. Read through the sentences and try to improve them yourself before you check the model answers. In other words, write the sentences again to make them accurate and also a better score.

1. Firstly, it is obvious that this is their job. Poorer countries should not wait for any organisation abroad or other governments to deal with this.

2. Secondly, depending too much on rich countries may make them weaker. For example, they will lose a part of their power  if they agree to allow developed nations to help them with critical issues.

3. Regarding to responsibility  of wealthy countries. They should support poorer countries because there are millions of people in poorer nations need their help. Many people in Africa, especially women and children die everyday because of lack of food, medical treatments.

4. However, rich countries should not be forces to help poorer ones. It should be a choice not a responsibility.

ANSWERS

Click below to reveal the answers:

Answer
  1. Firstly, poorer countries need to take immediate responsibility for developing their own country rather than wait for aid from foreign organisations or governments.
  2. Secondly, if poorer nations overly rely on aid from wealthy counties, it can create a dependency which may result in them growing weaker rather than stronger in the long run.
  3. Regarding the responsibility of the wealthier nations in the world, they should support poorer countries which are in need of fundamental help. For example, in Africa many people  die needlessly everyday, especially women and children, because of the lack of food and medical treatment which could be provided by richer countries in the form of aid.
  4. However, aid given by  richer countries should not be an obligation but, instead, a choice to take responsibility to help people in need regardless of the country in which they live.

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IELTS Map Comparison Exercise

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It is possible for you to be asked to compare two or three maps in IELTS writing task 1 (academic paper). IELTS map comparison tasks are not common but if you get them, you must be prepared. Below is an example of a task with three maps.

The maps below show the changes that have taken place in Meadowside village and Fonton, a neighbouring town, since 1962.

ielts map comparison 3 maps

Source: The above map was not created by IELTS Liz.

Here are some questions to help you decide how to write your task 1 map report to compare maps that show change over a period of time.

1. What tense will you use to complete this sentence:

Between 1962 and the present, there …………………… in Meadowside.

a. Present Simple:  …. is considerable development ….
b. Past Simple: ….was considerable development ….
c. Present Perfect: ……….. has been considerable development ………

2. What changes can you see in the maps? Choose the relevant features from the list below.

a. change in infrastructure
b. change in transport
c. change in entertainment
d. change in industry
e. change in buildings
f. change in size

3. Find the grammar or vocabulary mistakes in the following sentences. Each sentence may one or more mistakes.

a. In 1962, there was a small road travelling through Meadowside village which was replaced by a main road in 1985.
b. Another main road was also constructing from the southeast to southwest in 1985.
c. A superstore is building in the west, south of the main road and housing state 1985.
d. There is currently business park which is locate between Meadowside and Fonton, opposite the station.

Answers

  1. c is the correct answer. We use the present perfect when writing about something that started in the past until now.
  2. All features are shown except for d (industry).  Knowing changes in key features can help you with your overview paragraph.
  3.  
    • a) travelling = running through Meadowside… / crossing Meadowside
    • b) constructing = constructed 
    • c) is building = was built 
    • d) business park = a business park  /  is locate = is located

Recommended Lessons

Sample Task 1 Practice Charts
IELTS Video Lesson: How to structure your writing task 1

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IELTS Reading Tips: Strategies & Comprehension

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Let me explain about IELTS reading with regards to comprehending the passage and how to deal with long passages that are difficult to understand. The advice below is for the academic reading passages and also passage 3 of the GT paper, which is also a long passage.

I don’t have enough time to answer all questions in IELTS Reading

If you struggle with the time limit in IELTS reading, it is possible that you are not using the right strategies and approach. Many people spend too much time reading all the details in the reading passage instead of winning points by getting answers right. You need to have the right aims when you tackle a reading passage.

Do you need to remember and understanding it all?

Remembering:

How do I remember everything I have read?

The answer is – you don’t. IELTS reading is not about remembering what you have read or what each paragraph contains. First reading the question, then locate the area of the passage where the answer is found. Usually it is only a few sentences. You then check the question again to choose your answer. You don’t need to remember all the passage or even a long paragraph.

Comprehension:

How can I understand everything if the passage is long and difficult?

The answer is – you don’t. IELTS reading is not about understanding everything. It is about locating answers and winning points. Usually, as I said above, the answer is located in an area of the passage so all you need to do is understand those few sentences in the passage that relate to the question.

IELTS Reading Tips for Strategy

Skimming and Scanning Skills

Skimming

When you first get your reading passage, you should skim read it. This means you cast your eyes over the passage to get to know the general topic and content as well as to see the general layout of the passage. This should take less than 2 minutes. If you are spending more than 2 mins skim reading, it means you can’t skimming and need to review your understanding of this skill. You are not aiming to understand it, you just want to see what the passage is about before you tackle the questions. It’s like taking a quick peek before you get to the questions.

Scanning

After you skim read the passage, you go straight to the questions. Pay attention to what type of question type it is and remember your techniques and tips for that particular question type. Find a keyword or information in the question to help you locate the answer. You scan the passage by casting your eyes over the words to locate the key information from the question. This should be done with speed to spot a word or piece of information rather than understand each sentence.

Deciding your Answer

Once you locate the place in the passage that contains the answer, you read the sentences before and after to find your answer. This means you only need to understand those few sentences.  Then you move to the next question and do the same. You don’t need to understand the whole passage at all.

Time Management & Winning Points

You have only one hour for the whole reading test including putting all the answers into the computer or onto the answer sheet. You manage this time yourself. You can start where you want, jump questions and jump to different passages.

Each answer is worth only one point and your aim is to get as many points as possible. If you spend a lot of time on one answer, think about its value. Each answer is worth the same so choose how long you want to spend on different questions. And remember you can always leave a question unanswered to come back to it later.

Some questions are easier than others. For example, Matching Headings questions are notorious for taking a long time to answer. So, think about how long you want to spend on those questions.

Make sure you know how many points you need for the band score you are aiming at. Click here: IELTS Band Scores

IELTS Reading Steps

  1. skim the passage (read quickly to get general content and layout)
  2. read the questions
  3. identify the type of question
  4. remember your techniques and tips for that question type
  5. find a key word or information in the question to help you locate the answer in the passage
  6. scan the passage by passing your eyes over the paragraphs to find the key word or information from the question
  7. when you find the location, read the sentences before and after
  8. always read around the answer to check other information
  9. try to understand the few sentences around the location of the answer
  10. when you find the answer, move to the next question
  11. don’t spend too long trying to find one answer
  12. remember that each answer is only worth one point

Question Types

Have a clear strategy for each of the different question types. There are about 14 in total (it depends on how you categorise the question names). So, take a look at the list of question types and make sure you know how to deal with them: IELTS Reading Question Types: Tips and Information

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IELTS Speaking Part 3: Technology Questions and Model Answer

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Technology is a popular topic in speaking part 3. Below are some common questions with a model answer underneath.

  • What modern technological devices are most common in your country?
  • Do you think modern technology is useful?
  • Do you think people rely too much on technology?
  • Do you think men and women view technological devices differently?
  • Why do you think people spend so much money buying the latest devices?

Model Answer

  • Question: Do you think men and women view technological devices differently?
  • Answer: Yes, I do. For starters, men are usually more obsessed with gadgets. They are almost like children with the way they want to play with the latest gizmos and learn all their new functions. They are constantly fiddling around with their new toys. I also think that gadgets are a kind of ego for men. I mean they often compare their new toys with each other to see who has the best one. Women, on the other hand, are more down to earth and see devices more rationally as a means to communicate with others or to perform a particular function. Of course, this is pretty stereotyped but it seems to hold true for most men and women I know.

Useful Expressions

  • fiddling around with something = playing with something
  • down to earth = realistic, practical
  • stereotyped = putting people into a group or categorising them not based on fact

Note:  As you can see this model answer is from a woman’s perspective, if you would like to give a sample answer from a man’s perspective, please post it in the comments box. Feel free to post your answers to other questions as well.

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Technology Vocabulary for Speaking

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IELTS Reading: GM Foods Multiple Choice

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Below is a reading passage on GM foods which require you to answer multiple choice questions. This is a useful exercise to practise reading and build awareness of vocabulary for this topic.

Reading Passage: GM Food

Genetically modified food (GM food) is produced from plants which have had their genes tweaked in the lab. Scientists “cut and paste” a gene from another organism into a plant’s DNA to give it a new characteristic. This can be to increase yield or to allow the plant to exist in a more hostile environment than normal. Pro-GM scientists say this means cheaper more plentiful food but opponents argue we do not know the consequences of meddling with nature.

Farmers have modified their crops for thousands of years by crossing similar species. However, modern GM is controversial. Critics say the modified crops could “escape” and cross with wild plants, with unknown consequences. They also argue that more chemicals are used on some GM fields which may have a negative impact on wildlife. And while no study has found GM food to be harmful to humans, opponents say it is too soon to be sure.

A group of biotechnology experts say it is time to loosen Europe’s draconian regulations on genetically modified crops. In a report released today they argue that genetically modified crops have been used safely for decades, so no longer need to be automatically treated as unsafe. They also say that genetically modified crops should be reclaimed from multinational companies and treated as a public good.

Questions 1-5

Choose the best answer A-C to complete the sentence.

1. The genetic makeup of GM foods has been………

a) twisted.

b) altered.

c) cut.

2. By genetically engineering plants, they are……………

a) likely to increase in size.

b) able to produce more.

c) not able to exist in difficult conditions.

3. One issue with GM plants is the potential to………

a) breakout causing undetermined consequences.

b) infect wild plants with unknown results.

c) cross pollinate.

4. It is thought, by specialists in biotechnology that policies governing GM crops should be…….

a) tightened.

b) relaxed.

c) reviewed.

5. GM foods ought to be ……….

a) reclaimed for the use of multinational companies.

b) used safely.

c) no longer privatised.

ANSWERS

Click below:

Answers

  1. b
  2. b
  3. c
  4. b
  5. c

All reading exercises on ieltsliz.com have been written by myself to help you prepare for your IELTS test.   

Liz 

Vocabulary

  • tweak = adjust, modify, regular (the synonyms relate to the context)
  • cross with = reproduce with, cross pollinate
  • meddling with = interfering with
  • loosened = relaxed
  • regulations = rules / policies
  • experts = specialists
  • released = made public / issued / announced
  • draconian = strict / tough / harsh

Passage from: BBC News and New Scientist 14/03/14 

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GM Foods Topic – It is also possible to get this topic for writing task 2 or speaking part 3 in your IELTS test. Use this article to learn ideas and useful vocabulary.

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