Lesson 9: History – Writing Band 8 Vocabulary

Lesson 9: History

1. archaeologist – someone who studies the buildings, graves, tools, and other objects of people who lived in the past
2. era – a period of time known for particular events or developments
3. excavate – to remove earth from a place in order to find old objects buried there
4. the Middle Ages – a period in European history, between about AD 1000 and AD 1500, when the power of kings, people of high rank, and the Christian Church was strong
5. millennium – a period of 1,000 years
6. pioneer – a person who is one of the first people to do something
7. timeline – a line showing the order in which events happened
8. chronological – in order of time from the earliest to the latest
9. consecutive – following each other continuously.
10. imminent – (esp. of something unpleasant) likely to happen very soon
11. middle-aged – in middle age; too careful and not showing the enthusiasm, energy, or style of someone young
12. nostalgic – feeling happy and also slightly sad when you think about things that happened in the past
13. prior – coming before in time, order, or importance
14. time–consuming – taking a lot of time to do or complete
15. erode – to rub or be rubbed away gradually
16. inter – to bury a dead body
17. predate – to have existed or happened before another thing
18. span – extend over; to exist or continue for a particular length of time
19. in time – early enough
20. lose track of time – to be unaware of what time it is
21. on time – at the correct time or the time that was arranged
22. take so long – to spend a lot of time to do something
23. at the right time – at the proper time, at the right moment
24. formerly – in the past
25. Stonehenge – a circle of very large stones built in ancient times in southern England
26. pole – a long, thin stick of wood or metal, often used standing straight up in the ground to support things
27. ice age – a time in the past when the temperature was very cold
28. frenzy – a state or period of uncontrolled excitement
29. awe – a feeling of great respect, usually mixed with fear or surprise
30. sketch something out – to give some details about something
31. posthole – a hole dug in the ground to hold a fence post.
32. post – a vertical stick or pole stuck into the ground, usually to support something or show a position
33. ditch – a narrow channel dug at the side of a road or field, to hold or carry away water.
34. carve – to cut out
35. chalk – a type of soft white rock
36. pasture – land covered with grass or similar plants suitable for animals, such as cows and sheep, to eat:
37. henge – a prehistoric circle of large stones or wooden objects
38. astronomy – the scientific study of the universe
39. infer – to form an opinion or decide that something is true from the information you have
40. nevertheless – despite what has just been said or referred to
41. hunter–gatherer – a member of a society that lives by hunting and collecting wild food, rather than by farming
42. wear away – to become thin and disappear after repeated use or rubbing
43. the arrival of something – the time when a new idea, product etc is first used or discovered
44. antiquated – old-fashioned or unsuitable for modern society
45. consecutive – events, numbers, etc. follow one after another without an interruption
46. engrossed – absorbed
47. plait – to join three or more pieces of hair
48. bride – a woman who is about to get married
49. obsess – to think about something or someone all the time
50. skull – the bone of your head
51. oral diseases – diseases of the mouth
52. by no means – not at all
53. plague – to cause pain or difficulty to someone or something over a period of time
54. acupuncture – a treatment for pain and illness in which special needles are put into the skin at particular positions
55. therapeutic – having a healing effect
56. undertake – to do or begin to do something
57. forefront – the most important or leading position
58. treatise – a formal piece of writing that deals with a particular subject

Some questions asked in previous IELTS Writing Paper that you would be able to write with the help of the vocabulary in this lesson:

1. In some countries, buildings of historical value are being demolished to give way to modern buildings.
   Do you think that it is better to preserve the old historical outlook of buildings or it is better to incorporate only new styles of architecture? Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this situation.
   Provide specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.