IELTS Vocabulary: Science

It is essential to build your vocabulary and also to start activating it. 

That means you should try making some phrases with the vocabulary below. 

Remember to always learn the collocations of new words.

• Science (n.)
• Scientific (adj.) discoveries, breakthroughs, articles, journals, research
• A scientist (n. – Person)
• A branch of science 
• A field of science 

MORE COLLOCATIONS

• Popular science = making science popular,
• An exact science = precise science
• Hard science = strong scientific evidence
• The science behind______ is interesting

The science behind painting / printing / forecasting / plastic surgery / body language / sociology / homeopathy

Educating the layman about science (everyday man in the street)

Examples

I don’t understand you, can you say that in layman’s terms?

Painting is not an exact science

There is no hard science proving that this method works.

I am not sure about the science behind COVID 19

Here are some other ways of describing that Science is all around us. 

• It’s with us 24/7 
• It’s omnipresent 
• It’s ubiquitous 
• We are surrounded by science, whether it is in the kitchen or in the bathroom 
• It’s more a question of where can we not find science?

Kinds of Science

Natural science includes both, 

• Life Science 
• Physical Science

We also have

Social Sciences which studies human behavior in fields like, 

Education, anthropology, economics, history, political science, and sociology 

You can find more details of these in the links below.

When you see “ology” this means ‘the study of or knowledge about something’

• Biology = the study of life
• Sociology = the study of society 
• Criminology = the study of criminal behavior 

(TV series like CSI look into how crimes are committed)

• Cardiology = Study of the heart
• Philology = Study of language

Biology

There are many subtopics under the topic of science in IELTS Speaking. If you want to talk about biology as a branch of science you are interested in, then the following ideas can be useful to talk about.

DNA strings or strands 

Cloning (Dolly the Sheep was a sheep cloned by scientists in the UK)

To clone = to replicate (make one exactly the same)

A clone (n.)

Darwin’s Theory of Evolution – shows how humans have evolved!

Find out more about Biological studies and discoveries below

An interesting story for science students!

http://www.uvm.edu/~jdion/personal/rabbitandherthesis.html

Chemistry

If you want to talk about chemistry as a branch of science you are interested in, then the following ideas can be useful to talk about.

Nuclear power plants 

Some people say nuclear power is dangerous, especially after the disasters at Chernobyl and another recent one in Japan. 

Brewing beer – We can use science to do home-brewing

Food science – e.g. plant-based beef. Nowadays, we can buy hamburgers made of vegetables with the same texture as beef.

GM Food

Genetically modified food. This is widely used around the world. One important reason is to help provide enough food for nations where the risk of starvation is a problem

Physics

If you want to talk about physics as a branch of science you are interested in, then the following ideas can be useful to talk about.

Stephen Hawkings 

A cosmologist. He made breakthroughs to help us understand the origin of the universe.

The Big Bang Theory gives one explanation of how the universe began (it is also the name of a popular TV comedy series)

Brian Cox 

A British Physicist.

He has popularised science in the UK and has a podcast where he discusses science with a comedian and a panel of guests, in a very light-hearted way.

The Infinite Monkey Cage (Brian’s Podcast)

Isaac Newton 

Another British Physicist from the 17th Century. 

I learned about Newton at school and I just remember he created the laws of motion.

These were later replaced (or superseded) by Einsteins’ Law of Relativity 

Other Branches of Science 

Astronomy  – 

The First Man (a film about Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon)

Away (Series on Netflix about a voyage to Mars)

The Martian (film directed by Ridley Scott about a botanist living on Mars) 

Botany / Geology 

Planet Earth 

David Attenborough 

Examples

A branch of science I am interested in is______

I’ve always been intrigued by______

I am really fascinated by ________

Ever since I was a child I’ve been into ________

Idioms about Science in IELTS Speaking

• It’s not rocket science = It’s not difficult
• We are on the same wavelength = we think in the same way, we agree
• There is no need to reinvent the wheel = don’t do something that someone else has already done
• You are trying to blind me with science = You are trying to impress me or confuse me
• Can you tell me in Layman’s terms? = Can you say it in a simple way?