IELTS Vocabulary: Academic Word List and Collocations 8

Question 1

Which sentence correctly uses the AWL word 'facilitate'?

Accepted Answer

The new system will facilitate the processing of applications.

Answer

'Facilitate' is a transitive verb meaning to make easier — 'facilitate X' (where X is a process or action); it cannot be followed by prepositions or 'that' clauses.

Question 2

Choose the best collocation: 'The theory has been ______ by decades of empirical research.'

Accepted Answer

supported

Answer

'Supported by evidence/research' is the standard academic collocation; 'backed up' is informal; 'held by' and 'proved right' are not standard academic collocations in this context.

Question 3

The AWL word 'explicit' most closely means:

Accepted Answer

stated clearly and in detail, leaving nothing implied

Answer

'Explicit' means clearly and directly stated; its antonym is 'implicit' (implied but not stated). It does not mean controversial or lengthy.

Question 4

Which word correctly completes: 'The government needs to ______ action on climate change before irreversible damage occurs.'

Accepted Answer

take

Answer

'Take action' is the established collocation; 'make action', 'do action', and 'have action' are not standard collocations in English.

Question 5

The correct prepositional collocation is: 'The results are consistent ______ the original hypothesis.'

Accepted Answer

with

Answer

'Consistent with' is the fixed prepositional collocation — results, findings, or data are consistent WITH a theory, model, or hypothesis.

IELTS Practice Test

IELTS Practice Test

IELTS Vocabulary: Academic Word List and Collocations 8