5 Essential Phrases for IELTS
1. Tend to
What it means: Use tend to when something is usually but not always the case. It’s a great alternative to “usually” or “always” and adds nuance to your answers.
Example answers:
- “I tend to relax at home and watch Netflix after work.”
- “People in my country tend to read the news online nowadays.”
- “Old people tend to do less intensive exercise, like going for walks.”
Grammar: The structure is simple — tend to + base verb. In the negative, use don’t/doesn’t tend to (e.g., “I don’t tend to work at weekends”).
Advanced tip: Combine tend to with a contrast to create more sophisticated answers. For example: “Young people tend to be more liberal, while older people are usually more conservative.” You can apply this contrast across many groups: young/old, rich/poor, children/parents, men/women.
2. Depends on
What it means: Use depends on when your answer changes based on a particular condition. It signals to the examiner that you can think critically and give a nuanced response rather than a simple yes or no.
Example answers:
- “To be honest, it depends on how much work I have on.”
- “I think it largely depends on the person.”
- “It really depends on what you’re looking for.”
Grammar: Always use depend on — never depend of. You can also strengthen it with an adverb: it really depends on… or it largely depends on…
Advanced tip: Follow depends on with a contrast to extend your answer: “It really depends on what you’re looking for. Cities offer more opportunities, but they tend to be more expensive.”
3. If…
What it means: Conditional sentences using if are perfect for talking about conditions and their results. They demonstrate a strong command of English grammar and are highly valued by IELTS examiners.
There are four main types:
- Zero conditional (general truths): “If people work from home, they don’t need to commute.” → if + present simple + present simple
- First conditional (likely results): “If companies use more AI, some workers will lose their jobs.” → if + present simple + will + base verb
- Second conditional (imaginary events): “If I could live anywhere in the world, I’d probably live in Canada.” → if + past simple + would + base verb
- Third conditional (imaginary past): “If they hadn’t helped me, I don’t know what I would have done.” → if + past perfect + would have + past participle
Using all four types naturally in your speaking shows a high level of grammatical range — one of the key IELTS scoring criteria.
4. For example / For instance / Such as
What it means: Adding examples to your answers is one of the simplest and most effective ways to develop your responses. It shows the examiner that you can support your ideas with detail.
Example answers:
- “People can do lots of things to protect the environment. For example, they can recycle more or use public transport.”
- “People can do lots of things to protect the environment. For instance, they can recycle more or use public transport.”
- “People can do lots of things to protect the environment, such as recycling more or using public transport.”
Note that for example and for instance can be used interchangeably at the start of a new sentence, while such as fits neatly into the middle of a sentence and is followed by a gerund (-ing form).
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5. To some extent
What it means: This phrase is ideal for showing partial agreement. Rather than giving a blunt “yes” or “no,” it signals to the examiner that you can think in a balanced and sophisticated way.
Example answer:
“Do you think advances in technology have made people less sociable?”
“I think that is true to some extent. People sometimes spend too much time on their phones, but technology also makes it easier for us to stay in touch with friends.”
You can combine it with a range of openers: “I agree to some extent,” “This is true to some extent,” or “That’s correct to some extent.” Always follow it up with both sides of the argument to demonstrate balanced thinking.
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