Here are the most common vocabulary relating to the topic ‘Society’. These words are collected from different sources and can be used in both productive sections of IELTS. They can also help you better understand the Reading section of the test.
- personality (noun) – the type of person you are, shown by the way you behave, feel, and think
– She has a very warm personality. - character (noun) – the particular combination of qualities in a person or place that makes them different from others
– Politeness is traditionally part of the British character.
– It would be very out of character (= not typical) of her to lie. - self-confident (adjective) – behaving calmly because you have no doubts about your ability or knowledge
– At school he was popular and self-confident, and we weren’t surprised at his later success. - volunteer (noun, verb) – 1) a person who does something, especially helping other people, willingly and without being forced or paid to do it; 2) to offer to do something that you do not have to do, often without having been asked to do it and/or without expecting payment.
– The Health clinic is relying on volunteers to run the office and answer the phones.
– Since it would be a highly dangerous mission, the Lieutenant asked for volunteers.
– During the emergency many staff volunteered to work through the weekend.
– He volunteered for the army (= he joined even though he did not have to). - community (noun) – the people living in one particular area or people who are considered as a unit because of their common interests, social group, or nationality.
– He’s well known in the local community.
– There’s a large black/white/Jewish community living in this area.
– There’s a real sense of community (= caring and friendly feeling) in this neighbourhood. - acceptable (adj) – within the range of behavior that is permitted and is not disapproved.
– In those days, it was not acceptable for men to wear shirts without ties.
– Eating peas at a restaurant using only your knife is not considered acceptable manners. - tolerance (noun) – willingness to accept behaviour and beliefs that are different from your own, although you might not agree with or approve of them.
– This period in history is not noted for its religious tolerance.
– Some members of the party would like to see it develop a greater tolerance of/towards contrary points of view. - consumerism (noun) – the state of an advanced industrial society in which a lot of goods are bought and sold.
– He disliked Christmas and its rampant consumerism.
– Uncontrollable consumerism has become a watchword of our culture despite regular and compelling calls for its end.
– Bottled water very clearly reflects the wasteful and reckless consumerism in this country. - life expectancy (noun) – the length of time that a living thing, especially a human being, is likely to live.
– Life expectancy in Europe increased greatly in the 20th century.
– Life expectancy is the major factor influencing senior life insurance premiums. - generation gap (noun) – a situation in which older and younger people do not understand each other because of their different experiences, opinions, habits, and behaviour.
– She’s a young politician who manages to bridge/cross (= understand both groups in) the generation gap.
– He tells me that they had a discussion in school about the generation gap. - the common good (noun) – the advantage of everyone.
– They work together for the common good.
– Drunk-driving laws were made for the common good. - disparity (noun) – a lack of equality or similarity, especially in a way that is not fair.
– Manhattan had the greatest income disparity between rich and poor residents outside Puerto Rico.
– One of her priorities will be to eliminate pay disparity between men and women for equal work. - discrimination (noun) – treating a person or particular group of people differently, especially in a worse way from the way in which you treat other people, because of their skin colour, sex, sexuality, etc.
– The law has done little to prevent racial discrimination and inequality.
– There should be no discrimination on the grounds of colour.
