The Ten Essential ielts vocabulary

urban = adjective meaning ‘about cities’


Urban crime is a great concern for the authorities in most countries today.
investment or funding = money to pay for an activity, either from government or business My home town secured investment from a charity for a new stadium, and funding from a local
company for sponsorship.


infrastructure = the physical and system organisation of a city, area or country, especially in terms of transport and communications


The UK railway infrastructure dates back to the 1860’s in many places.


high-capacity = able to handle high volumes of goods or people


Sea container ships are high-capacity international freight providers.


public transport = transport such as buses and trains funded by the state (as opposed to ‘private transport’ such as cars owned by individuals)


I usually get to work by public transport, even though it’s very crowded.


congestion = situation of too much traffic, causing delays (the phrase ‘traffic jam’ is not generally used in Academic English)


I have to leave home very early in the mornings, because of the congestion on the way to my college.
conurbations = very large cities which have absorbed other towns Sao Paolo is a huge conurbation in Brazil, and is still expanding. transport hubs = centres where many routes converge
Heathrow airport is the largest transport hub in Europe.


facilities and amenities = places providing any service to the public, either private or public
sector


My home city has many amenities such as swimming pools and parks, and several facilities for elderly people such as care homes.


a bottleneck = a place where congestion regularly happens


The connection from a motorway to a local road is always a big bottleneck. overcrowding = a situation where too many people try to live in one place Hong Kong has managed its overcrowding problem very skilfully. hinterland = the area around a city affected by its development
I live in the hinterland of our capital city, where we regularly go for shopping and for work projects.