Vocabulary β ambitious, varied, and precise
Word choice is AO5's most visible component β and the easiest to improve.
Ambitious vocabulary does not mean using the longest possible word. It means choosing the most precise word for the context β a word that does more work than its generic alternative.
The upgrade principle: For any common word, there is usually a more precise alternative. Practise these upgrades:
| Generic word | Ambitious alternatives |
|---|---|
| good | exemplary, commendable, compelling, admirable, virtuous |
| bad | detrimental, deplorable, egregious, corrosive, insidious |
| big | extensive, monumental, colossal, substantial, sweeping |
| important | pivotal, crucial, fundamental, indispensable, paramount |
| said | asserted, contended, observed, conceded, lamented, proclaimed |
| shows | demonstrates, reveals, underscores, illuminates, betrays |
| makes | compels, transforms, renders, instils, provokes |
The precision principle: Don't just use a 'bigger' word β use a more PRECISE one. 'The detrimental impact of social media on adolescent mental health' is better than 'the very bad effect social media has on teenagers' not just because 'detrimental' sounds more formal, but because it more precisely names the nature of the impact (harmful to wellbeing or development specifically).
Vocabulary variety: Avoid repeating the same key word across a paragraph. If you use 'important' in your topic sentence, vary it in the next reference: 'This fundamental issue...', 'The significance of...', 'A pivotal concern...'
Subject-specific vocabulary for English Language tasks: When writing about topical issues, include domain-specific vocabulary:
- Education topics: 'pedagogy', 'curriculum', 'attainment', 'literacy', 'inclusion'
- Environmental topics: 'biodiversity', 'sustainability', 'carbon footprint', 'ecological'
- Social topics: 'community cohesion', 'social capital', 'institutional', 'systemic'
- Technology topics: 'connectivity', 'algorithm', 'digital literacy', 'surveillance capitalism'
- Upgrade: find the more precise word, not just the longer one.
- Vary: don't repeat the same adjective or noun in the same paragraph.
- Precise: 'detrimental' vs 'bad' β same judgement, but exact and specific.
- Domain-specific vocabulary for topical writing shows range and credibility.