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C1Academic Englisharticle questWriting, Speaking, Reading

Article Quest: Academic Collocations for IELTS

A public-safe synthetic article quest for building precise academic words, phrases, and collocations used in IELTS writing and speaking.

Build a precise academic argument

Follow the steps in order, or jump to the practice type you need. XP is awarded once per completed lesson and stays in this browser.

  1. Step 1

    8XP

    Preview

    Skim the public-safe article quest context and notice the lexical jobs.

  2. Step 2

    10XP

    Vocabulary Cards

    Build recognition of key words, phrases, and collocations.

  3. Step 3

    12XP

    Collocation and Phrase Practice

    Choose accurate academic combinations and notice replaceable slots.

  4. Step 4

    12XP

    Cloze and Meaning Recall

    Recover the missing phrase and explain its function before checking.

  5. Step 5

    10XP

    Production Prompt

    Write original IELTS-style sentences with the public-safe patterns.

  6. Step 6

    12XP

    Boss Review

    Rate the whole pack and decide what needs another pass.

Context, notice, practice, review

This pack trains high-value academic collocations for IELTS Task 2, speaking explanations, and reading recognition. The focus is not memorising single words, but noticing how useful academic phrases behave inside arguments.

Notice
  • Most items are verb or noun phrases that carry an argument function: problem, cause, evidence, solution, result, or balance.
  • The strongest phrases include a slot after the collocation, such as "address the root cause of" or "widen the gap between".
Understand
  • Check the meaning first, then read the example sentence and ask what role the phrase plays in the sentence.
  • Separate the fixed part of the collocation from the topic-specific words you can replace.
Practice
  • Use flashcards for recognition, cloze for form, choose-collocation for contrast, recall for meaning, and production for IELTS-style output.
  • Say or write one new sentence before revealing the reference.
Review
  • Rate each item as Again, Hard, Good, or Easy after practice.
  • Prioritise Again and Hard items in your next review session.

Public practice items

  1. Item 01

    pose a challenge

    pose a significant challenge

    verb phraseCollocation

    to create or present a difficult problem that must be handled

    Rapid urban growth can pose a significant challenge for public transport planning.

    #problem#urbanisation#task-2

  2. Item 02

    allocate resources

    allocate limited resources

    verb phraseCollocation

    to decide how money, time, people, or materials should be distributed

    Governments must allocate limited resources to the services that produce the greatest public benefit.

    #policy#government#task-2

  3. Item 03

    play a crucial role

    play a crucial role in

    verb phrasePhrase

    to be very important in causing or supporting an outcome

    Parental involvement can play a crucial role in children's academic development.

    #cause-effect#education#speaking

  4. Item 04

    address the root cause

    address the root cause of

    verb phrasePhrase

    to deal with the main underlying reason for a problem

    Long-term policy should address the root cause of inequality rather than only treating its symptoms.

    #solution#policy#task-2

  5. Item 05

    a growing body of evidence

    a growing body of evidence suggests

    noun phraseSentence frame

    an increasing amount of research or proof supporting an idea

    A growing body of evidence suggests that sleep quality affects learning outcomes.

    #evidence#research#writing

  6. Item 06

    widen the gap

    widen the gap between

    verb phraseCollocation

    to increase the difference between two groups or outcomes

    Unequal access to digital tools may widen the gap between urban and rural students.

    #inequality#technology#task-2

  7. Item 07

    place greater emphasis on

    place greater emphasis on practical skills

    verb phrasePhrase

    to give more importance or attention to something

    Schools should place greater emphasis on practical skills alongside academic knowledge.

    #education#reform#writing

  8. Item 08

    mitigate the impact

    mitigate the impact of

    verb phraseWord

    to reduce the harmful effect of something

    Green infrastructure can help mitigate the impact of extreme heat in dense cities.

    #environment#solution#task-2

  9. Item 09

    lead to better outcomes

    lead to better long-term outcomes

    verb phraseSentence frame

    to produce improved results

    Early intervention can lead to better long-term outcomes for children with learning difficulties.

    #result#education#health

  10. Item 10

    strike a balance

    strike a balance between

    verb phrasePhrase

    to find a reasonable compromise between competing needs

    Policy makers need to strike a balance between economic growth and environmental protection.

    #balance#argument#speaking