Dominic Coles IELTS Blog

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IELTS and academic caution vocabulary
The language of academic caution can be used in IELTS to improve the coherence of your writing and speaking. Here are some basic variations:
number some most many/much a lot of several a few/a little frequency sometimes usual/usually normally generally/in general on the whole tend may might could likely/likelihood possible/possibly probable/probably perhaps/maybe probability

Grammatical problems Please note this common mistake made with some/many/few/most
some people some of the people some of people correct to talk about people in general correct to talk about a particular group of people incorrect

Variations - word families To use these words well, you need to be able to use the different forms of the words. Here are just two examples Possible
possible possibly It is possible that the city will The city could possibly grow

Dominic Coles IELTS Blog

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possibility Theres a possibility that the city will grow

Probable
probable probably probability It is probable that the city will grow The city will probably grow The probability is that the city will grow

Variations - qualifying adverbs If you want to add further variation to your speaking/writing, consider using adverbs of degree such as fairly, quite and rather; eg It is fairly likely that It is quite probable that It is rather unlikely that

Variations - some idiomatic expressions for general ideas Here are some more idiomatic expressions to express general ideas. As ever, choose the expressions that mean something to you and practise using them in context. You do not need all these phrases. If you are uncertain about their meaning consult Macmillan Online Dictionary
a fair amount of a good deal by and large as a rule nine times out of ten more often than not theres a fair amount of unemployment Young people tend to watch TV a good deal By and large, people in my country enjoy watching cricket As a rule, men tend to do less housework than women Nine times out of ten Id read a book before .... More often than not I ask my wife before....