IELTS Functional Vocabulary Flashcards
The purpose of this flashcard deck is to increase your high frequency words and to make you a more eloquent speaker. This is how you should practice with this tool: 1. Press the ''study'' button 2. Read the word that you see aloud. Say its translation in Spanish LVL 2 difficulty: Make a sentence that includes said word. Aloud 3. Press the ''reveal answer'' button. Does your answer match the synonyms / contextual use? 4. Rate yourself from 1 to 5 based on your accuracy. Be humble! The more yo
Therefore (CONSEQUENCES)
Synonyms English: Consequently, Hence
Synonyms Spanish: Por lo tanto, En consecuencia
“I forgot to set my alarm; therefore, I was late to the exam and had to make a grand entrance during the silence.”
“He ate the entire cake by himself; therefore, he had to deal with the ultimate consequence: running extra laps at the gym.”
All in all, … (CONCLUSIONS)
Synonyms English: In summary, In conclusion
Synonyms Spanish: En resumen, En conclusión
“All in all, trying to cook dinner while watching a soccer match might not be the best idea unless you like your salad flambeed.”
“After discussing all the planets, all in all, Earth remains my favorite—it’s the only one with chocolate.”
Whereas (CONTRAST)
Synonyms English: While, On the other hand
Synonyms Spanish: Mientras que, Por otro lado
“I love coffee for breakfast, whereas my brother believes any meal before noon should involve chocolate cake.”
“Cats are known for their independence, whereas dogs are like needy roommates who never pay rent.”
Moreover (ADDITION)
Synonyms English: Furthermore, Additionally
Synonyms Spanish: Además, Asimismo
“I’m great at multitasking; I can listen, ignore, and forget all at the same time; moreover, I can do all these while sleeping.”
“She claims to have a green thumb in gardening; moreover, her plants are so healthy, they might start giving her oxygen bills.”
To get up to speed with sth
Synonyms English: Catch up, Acclimate
Synonyms Spanish: Ponerse al día, Adaptarse
“After taking a week off, it took me two cups of coffee and a motivational pep talk from my cat to get up to speed with the latest office gossip.”
“Trying to get up to speed with the latest technology is like teaching a goldfish to climb a tree—I’m still stuck at the roots!”
To zero in on sth
Synonyms English: Focus on, Target
Synonyms Spanish: Enfocarse en, Fijarse en
“He zeroed in on the buffet like a hawk on its prey—only to realize too late that it was all vegan!”
“When she zeroes in on a sale, it’s like watching a lioness stalk her dinner—except with more credit cards and less growling.”
RECALL
Synonyms English: Recollect, Retrieve
Synonyms Spanish: Recordar, Rememorar
“I tried to recall the name of that actor from the movie, but all my brain could retrieve was the plot of a completely different film.”
“She recalls every detail from our childhood, yet somehow forgets where she left her keys every single morning.”
REMIND
Synonyms English: Prompt, Refresh
Synonyms Spanish: Recordar, Refrescar la memoria
“Please remind me to water the plants—last time I forgot, they almost evolved into cacti!”
“He had to remind himself not to laugh during the serious meeting; picturing the boss in a clown suit was not helping.”
REMINISCE
Synonyms English: Reflect, Look back
Synonyms Spanish: Rememorar, Recordar
“We love to reminisce about the good old days, but somehow, we conveniently forget how terrible the fashion choices were.”
“As they reminisced about college, they realized that their wildest nights were now labeled ‘a quiet evening in’ by today’s standards.”
REMEMBER
Synonyms English: Recall, Retain
Synonyms Spanish: Recordar, Acordarse
“I can barely remember what I had for breakfast, but ask me about the lyrics of a 90s pop song, and I’m an encyclopedia.”
“He remembered the anniversary just in time, proving that sheer panic can be a powerful memory booster.”
To complain
Synonyms English: Grumble, Whine
Synonyms Spanish: Quejarse, Lamentarse
“She complains about the weather like it’s a personal vendetta between her and the clouds.”
“My dog’s ability to complain with just one look could make a toddler’s tantrum seem like a polite request.”
Skim
Synonyms English: Browse, Scan
Synonyms Spanish: Ojear, Revisar
“I skimmed the book so quickly, I might have missed a whole chapter dedicated to saving the world from a giant rubber duck.”
“If you skim the report like you’re flipping through a fashion magazine, don’t be surprised if you miss the part about the surprise company layoffs.”
To involve sth
Synonyms English: Engage, Include
Synonyms Spanish: Involucrar, Incluir
“Trying to involve my cat in the family photo was like trying to engage a fish in a chess game.”
“The group project involves everyone, even if your contribution is just bringing snacks.”
What I mean is…
Synonyms English: In other words, Let me clarify
Synonyms Spanish: Lo que quiero decir es, Aclarando
“What I mean is, if you mix up the sugar with the salt, your cake might end up tasting like a science experiment gone wrong.”
“What I mean is, when I said ‘break a leg,’ I didn’t actually mean you should try out for the stuntman role.”
To Foster sth
Synonyms English: Cultivate, Nurture
Synonyms Spanish: Fomentar, Cultivar
“She tried to foster a love for vegetables in her kids, but they only nurtured a stronger bond with French fries.”
“To foster creativity, our office now has a nap room—though it seems we’ve only cultivated a group of professional nappers.”
Promote
Synonyms English: Encourage, Advance
Synonyms Spanish: Promover, Fomentar
“The company decided to promote Jeff, probably because his coffee-making skills have advanced faster than his spreadsheet abilities.”
“If you want to promote healthy eating, maybe avoid placing the candy bowl right next to the salad bar.”
Gist
Synonyms English: Essence, Summary
Synonyms Spanish: Esencia, Resumen
“The gist of the movie was that if you don’t return your library books, the librarian might actually be a ninja.”
“I read the whole novel, but the gist is simple: Don’t trust a cat who brings you gifts.”
To Further sth
Synonyms English: Advance, Promote
Synonyms Spanish: Promover, Avanzar
“To further his career, he decided to take up juggling—apparently, the boss likes employees with ‘balance.’”
“She baked cookies to further her popularity, but now everyone just thinks she’s the office cookie monster.”
Shaft
Synonyms English: Rod, Pole
Synonyms Spanish: Eje, Barra
“The elevator shaft was so long, I had time to recite Shakespeare before reaching the ground floor.”
“Using a broken umbrella shaft to prop open the door was a great idea—until it started raining inside.”
Timber
Synonyms English: Wood, Lumber
Synonyms Spanish: Madera, Tronco
“When the lumberjack shouted ‘timber,’ I didn’t expect the tree to land on my sandwich.”
“The timber in the fireplace crackled so loudly, it sounded like it was laughing at my DIY furniture skills.”
Oak
Synonyms English: Tree, Hardwood
Synonyms Spanish: Roble, Encina
“The oak tree in the yard grew so big, it started asking for a rent payment.”
“His new desk is made of solid oak—perfect for hiding all those unfinished tasks.”
Seam
Synonyms English: Joint, Stitch
Synonyms Spanish: Costura, Unión
“When the seam of the boat started leaking, we realized that ‘waterproof’ was more of a suggestion than a guarantee.”
“The sailor patched the seam with chewing gum—proof that desperation is the mother of invention.”
Wedge
Synonyms English: Wedge-shaped object, Shim
Synonyms Spanish: Cuña, Wedge
“I used a wedge to keep the door open, but now my cat thinks it’s a new scratching post.”
“The cheese wedge was so big, it looked like it could double as a doorstop.”
Moss
Synonyms English: Lichen, Bryophyte
Synonyms Spanish: Musgo, Líquen
“The rock was covered in so much moss, it seemed like nature’s version of a green shag carpet.”
“I slipped on the moss and fell into the pond—now I have a new appreciation for aquatic plants.”