Neighbourhood Vocabulary IELTS

Candidates appearing for the IELTS English proficiency test should note that they need to showcase their vocabulary skills while appearing for the IELTS speaking test. Chances are, they might need to demonstrate their speaking ability in knowing their neighbours and neighbourhood through the asked questions. Hence, to deal with any shortfall while mastering the neighbourhood vocabulary of IELTS, this blog article focuses on clubbing the most frequently used vocabulary in the examination you should know to get an edge over the examination. 

Neighbourhood Vocabulary IELTS

Neighbourhood vocabulary is often tested through questions like Do you know your neighbours?, What is your neighbourhood like?, or What terms are you on with your neighbours?. While answering such questions, test takers should use a wide range of relevant vocabulary to achieve a good IELTS Speaking score. For reference, candidates can explore the categories of Neighbourhood Vocabulary IELTS listed in the sections below.

Describing Your Neighbourhood

Neighbourhood vocabulary IELTS helps learners express details about where they live, including places, people, and activities. Describing your neighbourhood builds strong speaking and writing skills for talking confidently about local areas in the IELTS exam.

Location & Features	Amenities & Infrastructure	Community & Lifestyle
Suburban	Department store	Tight-knit
Riverside	Medical center	Transient
Metropolitan	Civic center	Upwardly-mobile
Picturesque	Art gallery	Sophisticated
Leafy	Organic grocer	Multicultural
Well-planned	Tech hub	Industrious
Gated community	Sports complex	Health-conscious
Up-and-coming	Community center	Elderly-dominated
Heritage-listed	Farmers’ market	Family-oriented
High-density	Pedestrian mall	Youthful
Low-rise	Boardwalk	Entrepreneurial
Dilapidated	Rooftop garden	Progressive
Gentrifying	Co-working space	Traditionalist
Secluded	Day spa	Socially-active
Industrial	Montessori school	Eco-conscious
Canal-side	Amphitheater	Career-driven
Quaint	Dog park	Retired
High-rise	Recycling plant	Student-heavy
Coastal	Observatory	Artistic
Hilltop	Microbrewery	Sporty
Wind-swept	Cat café	Academic
Arid	Startup incubator	Philanthropic
Flood-prone	Yoga studio	Conservative
Landscaped	Jazz club	Liberal
Gritty	Food truck park	Bohemian
Well-connected	Robotics lab	Tech-savvy
Congested	Meditation center	Spiritual
Sprawling	Hackerspace	Innovative
Tourist-heavy	Escape room	Adventurous
Landlocked	Climbing gym	Outdoorsy
Historic	Vegan bistro	Alternative
Prestigious	Recording studio	Musical
Rustic	Bookbinding workshop	Crafty

Explore: 

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Useful Phrases and Sentence Starters for Neighbourhood Vocabulary IELTS

Useful Phrases and Sentence Starters for Neighbourhood Vocabulary IELTS help learners confidently describe their local area. This section supports better use of Neighbourhood Vocabulary IELTS in speaking and writing with natural, easy-to-use sentence openings.

Location & Characteristics of Neighbourhood	Amenities & Infrastructure	Community & Demographics
Nestled in the heart of [city], this area	Residents have unlimited access to	The social fabric consists mainly of
The district is primarily known for its	The crown jewel of our facilities is	A typical resident tends to be
Geographically speaking, the neighbourhood	Unlike the surrounding areas, we boast	Intergenerational dynamics manifest through
What defines this locale is its	Infrastructure-wise, the neighbourhood	Cultural diversity is evident in
Architecturally, the area features	Commercial establishments include	Socioeconomically, the population leans toward
The layout is predominantly	Recreational options span from	Community spirit is fostered by
Situated adjacent to	Public services are concentrated around	Demographic shifts show increasing
Bordered by [landmark], it enjoys	The transportation network comprises	Traditional values coexist with
The topography ranges from	Educational institutions are clustered near	The prevailing mindset emphasises
A unique aspect is its proximity to	Nightlife revolves around	Neighbourhood associations actively promote

Atmosphere & Daily Life	Advantages	Disadvantages & Challenges
Mornings here typically involve	Undoubtedly, the greatest asset is	Persistent issues revolve around
The rhythm of daily life follows	From a practical standpoint	Urban planning shortcomings result in
Weekends transform into	Convenience-wise, nothing surpasses	During peak hours
Seasonal changes bring about	Safety considerations favour	Ageing infrastructure leads to
Evening ambience transitions from	Families particularly appreciate	Gentrification has caused
Street life oscillates between	Eco-conscious individuals value	Noise pollution stems primarily from
Local customs include	Accessibility-wise, the location	Limited green spaces mean
The soundscape alternates between	The area excels in providing	Parking scarcity compounds
Seasonal festivals like… dominate	Compared to similar districts	Socioeconomic disparities manifest through
Nightfall brings	Future-proof features include	Climate vulnerabilities include

Changes & Development	Comparisons	Personal Perspectives
Recent zoning changes have	Contrasting sharply with neighbouring	Having resided here for [time], I’ve observed
Municipal projects aim to	Where [Area A] has…, we	My personal experience confirms
Private investments are transforming	Both similarities and differences exist regarding	From my vantage point
Demographic influxes are altering	Cross-district analysis reveals	What outsiders often overlook is
Architectural preservation efforts	Historically speaking, unlike	Long-term residents frequently mention
Commercial expansion threatens	In terms of amenities, [Area B]	Newcomers are often surprised by
Sustainability initiatives focus on	Architecturally dissimilar to	My daily routine benefits from
Transportation upgrades promise	The demographic composition differs from	Weekend rituals typically involve
Property value fluctuations reflect	Lifestyle expectations vary between	Seasonal changes prompt
Community pushback against	Municipal investment prioritises… over	Community interactions usually

Explore: Get Your IELTS Writing Score Checked For FREE

Types of Neighbourhoods and Housing

The section Types of Neighbourhoods and Housing introduces useful terms for describing where people live. It expands Neighbourhood Vocabulary IELTS by covering different neighbourhood types and housing styles for confident speaking and writing in IELTS.

Neighbourhood Types

List of Neighbourhood Types Vocabulary	Meaning
Artists’ quarter	Creative district known for galleries and studios
Bedroom community	Residential area mainly for sleeping, with little industry
Border town	Settlement located near a national boundary
Commuter belt	Residential area where people travel daily to city jobs
Council estate (UK) / Projects (US)	Government-funded housing developments
Exurb	Affluent area located beyond the suburbs
Financial district	Business centre filled with banks and offices
Fishing village	Coastal settlement focused on fishing industry
Garrison town	Community built around a military base
Ghost town	Abandoned or uninhabited settlement
Gated community	Secured and enclosed residential area
Heritage precinct	Area preserved for historical and cultural significance
Industrial park	Area designated for factories and manufacturing
Mining town	Town centered around mining activities
Red-light district	Area known for adult entertainment venues
Retirement village	Community designed for elderly residents
Shantytown	Informal, poorly constructed settlement
Suburbia	Residential outskirts with single-family homes
University town	Town dominated by students and academic institutions
Urban jungle	Dense city center with high-rise buildings and traffic

Types of Housing

List of Housing Types Vocabulary	Meaning
Barracks	Group housing for military personnel
Bungalow	Single-story detached house
Condominium	Individually owned apartment within a larger building
Co-op	Housing unit in a jointly owned building
Cottage	Small, rustic house, often in rural areas
Dormitory	Shared residential facility, typically for students
Duplex	Residential building divided into two separate units
Houseboat	Home built on water, designed to float
Igloo	Dome-shaped shelter made from ice blocks
Loft	Apartment converted from a former industrial space
Mansion	Large and luxurious private residence
Mobile home	Relocatable or transportable house
Penthouse	Luxury apartment on the top floor of a building
Semi-detached	Two attached homes sharing one wall
Studio apartment	Single-room self-contained living space
Terraced house	Rowhouse sharing side walls with adjacent homes
Townhouse	Multi-level home attached to other similar homes
Triplex	Building with three distinct housing units
Villa	Spacious, upscale detached home
Yurt	Portable, round tent used as traditional housing in Asia

Facilities and Amenities for Neighbourhood Vocabulary IELTS

From public transport to green spaces, Facilities and Amenities for Neighbourhood Vocabulary IELTS equips learners with the right terms to describe what’s available in their area. It strengthens Neighbourhood Vocabulary IELTS for real-life and exam use.

Essential Services	Recreational & Social	Commercial & Specialized
Hospital	Cinema	Boutique
Pharmacy	Sports complex	Department store
Police station	Swimming pool	Artisan bakery
Fire department	Skate park	Organic grocer
Post office	Community center	Hardware store
Library	Playground	Florist
Daycare	Yoga studio	Electronics retailer
Veterinary clinic	Tennis courts	Thrift shop
Dentist	Golf course	Bookstore
Optometrist	Bowling alley	Coffee roastery
Urgent care	Martial arts dojo	Wine merchant
Public restrooms	Dance studio	Bike shop
Recycling center	Art gallery	Pet groomer
Water treatment plant	Museum	Tailor
Power station	Concert hall	Jewelry atelier
Public Wi-Fi hotspot	Botanical garden	Antique dealer
Emergency shelter	Amphitheater	Tea house
Car charging station	Board game café	Perfumery
ATM	Karaoke bar	Watch repair
Notary public	Escape room	Framing shop

Neighbourhood Vocabulary IELTS: People and Community

Exploring relationships and social life, Neighbourhood Vocabulary IELTS: People and Community introduces key terms to describe neighbours, interactions, and local events. This topic enhances your Neighbourhood Vocabulary IELTS for both descriptive writing and confident speaking.

Resident Types	Social Dynamics	Community Features
Retirees	Close-Knit	Neighborhood Watch
Young Professionals	Transient Population	Community Center
Immigrants	Social Cohesion	Local Newsletter
Students	Generational Divide	Street Festival
Artists	Cultural Diversity	Block Party
Entrepreneurs	Income Disparity	Food Bank
Blue-Collar Workers	Gentrification Pressures	Charity Shop
Stay-at-Home Parents	Civic Engagement	Public Forum
Digital Nomads	Volunteerism	Crowdfunding Initiative
Pensioners	Neighborhood Rivalry	Petition Campaign
Academics	Social Exclusion	Community Garden
Healthcare Workers	Intergenerational Exchange	Toy Library
Civil Servants	Language Barriers	Repair Café
Tradespeople	Religious Tolerance	Carpool System
Unemployed	Political Activism	Skill-Sharing Hub
Homeless	Community Spirit	Time Bank
Activists	Class Conflict	Neighborhood App
Volunteers	Urban Isolation	Memorial Plaque
Expatriates	Welcoming Atmosphere	Heritage Society
Squatters	NIMBYism	Citizen Science Project

IELTS Practice Sets:

IELTS Exam Pattern: Paper Pattern, Question Types	IELTS Syllabus: Section-Wise Syllabus, Important Topics
IELTS Preparation Tips: Know How to Prepare	IELTS Result: Scorecard, How to Check
IELTS Cut Off: Required Band Scores, Previous Year Cut Off	How to Send IELTS Scores To Universities?

Verbs and Phrasal Verbs Related to Neighbourhood Vocabulary IELTS

Verbs and Phrasal Verbs Related to Neighbourhood Vocabulary IELTS introduces action words like move in or get along that describe daily life in a community. These help boost fluency and accuracy in using Neighbourhood Vocabulary IELTS effectively.

List of Common Verbs  Neighbourhood Vocabulary IELTS

Development & Change	Community Interaction	Movement & Transportation
Gentrify	Socialize	Commute
Renovate	Volunteer	Pedestrianize
Demolish	Protest	Congest
Construct	Organize	Park
Expand	Donate	Cycle
Deteriorate	Participate	Jog
Modernize	Integrate	Stroll
Restore	Segregate	Skateboard
Rezone	Cooperate	Carpool
Redevelop	Clash	Gridlock

Housing & Living	Business & Services	Crime & Safety
Reside	Shop	Patrol
Rent	Dine	Vandalize
Lease	Franchise	Burglarize
Evict	Outsource	Surveil
Squat	Patronize	Enforce
Sublet	Vend	Prosecute
Downsize	Deliver	Witness
Occupy	Manufacture	Report
Relocate	Import	Illuminate
Gentrify	Export	Secure

Environment & Maintenance	Social Issues	Leisure & Culture
Recycle	Discriminate	Exhibit
Litter	Displace	Perform
Preserve	Gentrify	Festivate
Pollute	Segregate	Celebrate
Landscape	Integrate	Screen
Prune	Protest	Showcase
Sanitize	Advocate	Network
Conserve	Unionize	Mentor
Contaminate	Redline	Workshop

Also Read: Phrases for Causes and Effects in IELTS

List of Phrasal Verbs Neighbourhood Vocabulary IELTS

Explore the List of Phrasal Verbs Neighbourhood Vocabulary IELTS to express everyday actions like moving in, getting along, or hanging out, enhancing fluency in IELTS speaking and writing.

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example Sentence
Move in	Start living in a new house	We moved into our new apartment last weekend
Move out	Leave your current home	They’re moving out of the flat next month
Settle down	Start living a quieter life in one place	They settled down in a peaceful suburb
Hang out	Spend time socially	We often hang out at the local café
Get along	Have a friendly relationship	I get along well with my neighbours
Look around	Explore or examine a place	We looked around the neighbourhood before buying the house
Put up	Provide temporary accommodation	They put me up for a few nights in their guest room
Take over	Gain control of something	A large developer took over the old estate
Do up	Renovate or redecorate	They’re doing up the old library building
Run down	Deteriorate in quality	The area has run down over the past decade
Knock down	Demolish a building	The council knocked down the derelict houses
Build up	Develop or increase something	The town has built up quickly in recent years
Cut off	Isolate or block access	Heavy rains cut off the village from the main road
Grow up	Spend your childhood	I grew up in a quiet neighbourhood
Move back	Return to a place previously lived	He moved back to his hometown after university
Turn into	Transform or change into	The old warehouse was turned into apartments
Clear out	Remove things from a place	They cleared out the garage before moving
Break down	Stop functioning (often infrastructure)	The lift in our high-rise often breaks down
Look after	Take care of someone or something	The community looks after its parks very well
Liven up	Make a place more lively	The street festival really livened up the area
Face up to	Accept and deal with a problem	We must face up to the rise in local crime
Bring in	Introduce something new	The city council brought in new recycling rules
Call off	Cancel something planned	They called off the neighbourhood clean-up due to rain
Set up	Establish or start something	They set up a community garden last year
Go up	Be built or rise in number	New buildings are going up all over the area
Come down	Be demolished or decrease	The old cinema came down last month
Turn up	Appear unexpectedly	A lot of volunteers turned up for the clean-up
Put off	Delay or postpone	They put off the renovation due to budget cuts
Deal with	Handle a problem	The police are dealing with the vandalism reports
Speak up	Express your opinion	Residents spoke up about noise pollution in the meeting
Calm down	Become quieter or less excited	Things calmed down after the protest ended
Put together	Organise or assemble	The community put together a local fair
Take down	Remove something	They took down the broken sign outside the library
Step in	Intervene in a situation	The mayor stepped in to resolve the housing dispute
Back up	Support someone or something	Many locals backed up the redevelopment plan
Pass by	Go past a place	I pass by the park every day on my way to work
Show around	Give a tour	The agent showed us around the neighbourhood
Cut down	Reduce something	They’re cutting down on traffic by adding bike lanes
Check out	Visit or inspect	We checked out the new shops downtown
Open up	Make a space accessible	They opened up the community centre last year
Bring down	Reduce something (like costs or noise)	The new laws aim to bring down noise levels in the area
Fill in	Provide information or substitute	Can you fill me in on the neighbourhood plan?
Give back	Return something or contribute	The organisation gives back to the local community
Pull down	Demolish or destroy	They pulled down the unsafe school building
Spruce up	Improve appearance	Residents helped spruce up the playground
Hold up	Delay or stop progress	Construction was held up due to a legal issue
Live in	Reside in a place	She has lived in the same neighbourhood for years
Look out for	Watch for something or someone	Neighbours look out for each other here
Break into	Enter illegally	Someone broke into a house on our street
Call up	Phone someone	I called up my landlord to report the issue

IELTS Speaking: Neighbourhood Vocabulary Meaning and Example 

Check the usage and example of IELTS Neighbourhood vocabulary listed below for a clear understanding.

Neighbourhood Vocabulary	Meaning	Example
Suburb	A residential area on the outskirts of a city, characterized by detached houses, gardens, and low population density	I live in a quiet suburb just outside the city
Downtown	The central business district of a city	I work in downtown Toronto
Ghetto	A poor, densely populated urban area, often associated with crime and social problems	The city’s ghetto is known for its high crime rate
Village	A small community in a rural area	I grew up in a small village in the countryside
Estate	A residential area on the outskirts of a city, characterised by detached houses, gardens, and low population density	The estate dates back to the 18th century and has been beautifully preserved
Neighbourhood	A particular area of a town or city, typically one where people live	The neighbourhood is known for its friendly atmosphere and community events
Inner city	The central part of a city, typically where the population is largely poor and of ethnic minority groups	Many inner-city areas suffer from poverty, crime, and poor living conditions
Gated community	A residential area that is gated and often has security personnel, typically for wealthy residents	The gated community has a pool, tennis courts, and a clubhouse for residents to enjoy
Subdivision	A housing development consisting of multiple houses built on a single tract of land	The subdivision is still under construction, but many houses have already been sold
Hamlet	A small village or settlement, often without a church	The hamlet consists of just a few houses and a post office
Cul-de-sac	A dead-end street or road with only one entrance and exit	The cul-de-sac is a popular location for families with young children
Industrial park	A designated area for industrial businesses, often consisting of warehouses and factories	The new industrial park will create hundreds of new jobs in the area
Waterfront	An area of land along a body of water, such as a river or lake	The waterfront area is popular for its restaurants and scenic views
High-rise	A tall building with many floors, typically used for residential or office purposes	The high-rise apartment building offers stunning views of the city
Rural	Relating to the countryside, as opposed to a town or city	The rural area is known for its farming and agricultural industry
Urban	Relating to a city or town	The urban environment offers many job opportunities and cultural experiences
Residential	Used or designed for people to live in	The residential area is quiet and peaceful, with tree-lined streets and well-manicured lawns
Commercial	Relating to commerce or business	The commercial district is bustling with activity during the day
Mixed-use	A building or development that contains a combination of residential, commercial, or industrial spaces	The mixed-use development includes apartments, offices, and retail shops
University town	A city or town with a large population of students and faculty due to the presence of a university or college	The university town is known for its lively atmosphere and cultural events
Tourist district	An area of a city or town that is popular with tourists due to its attractions and amenities	A large area of land, often with a large house or houses on it, owned by one person or organisation

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