100+ Common Words of Topic Places and Buildings for the IELTS Exam

1. Vocabulary about construction materials

brick (n.) – a rectangular block of hard material used for building walls and houses	I live in a two-storey house. It’s a very conventional brick* building and it’s typical of the area where I live.*
concrete (n.) – a very hard building material made by mixing together cement, sand, small stones, and water	The design is ultra-modern, so there’s a lot of glass and concrete* and steel – and not a lot of wood to be seen.*
gadget (n.) – a small device or machine with a particular purpose	Chances are it will be the Otis Elevator Company. It was Elisha Otis who invented the gadget* that made the modern passenger lift possible.*
log (n.) – a thick piece of tree trunk or branch, especially one cut for burning on a fire	The road was blocked by fallen logs.
marble (n.) – a type of very hard rock that has a pattern of lines going through it, feels cold, and can be polished to become smooth and shiny	All material objects age; paper and silk discolor and turn brittle; painted surfaces crack and pigments darken or fade; even materials as durable as marble and bronze will change color and texture after prolonged contact with the elements.
quarry (n.) – a large artificial hole in the ground where stone, sand, etc. is dug for use as building material	Just about all the buildings in this area were built from timber and stone from the local quarry.
steel (n.) – a strong metal that is a mixture of iron and carbon, used for making things that need a strong structure, especially vehicles and buildings	I like the way glass and steel* can be used to create light airy spaces.*
tile (n.) – a thin, usually square or rectangular piece of baked clay, plastic, etc. used for covering roofs, floors, walls, etc.	The red tiles* have fallen off and fall off the facades of the three university buildings.*
timber (n.) – trees that are grown so that the wood from them can be used for building	It was a brick house fronted on three sides with timber.
disposable (adj.) – a disposable product is intended to be thrown away after use	One magazine predicted that disposable* plates would be used.*
mass-produced (adj.) – produced cheaply and in large numbers using machines in a factory	A lower-cost, mass-produced, fuel-cell powered car will get the public to embrace the technology.

2. Vocabulary about construction activities

construction (n.) – the work of building or making something, especially buildings, bridges, etc.	President George Washington oversaw the original construction, which began on October 13, 1792.
garbage collection (n.) – the action or process of collecting refuse for disposal	An efficient sewage system and frequent garbage collection* are both essential to maintaining sanitation in densely populated areas.*
sewage system (n.) – the infrastructure that conveys sewage or surface runoff (stormwater, meltwater, rainwater) using sewers	An efficient sewage system and frequent garbage collection are both essential to maintaining sanitation in densely populated areas.
solution (n.) – the answer to a problem:	However, the last years of the century saw a solution* to the apparently insoluble problem of what to do with the refuse of Britain’s cities.*
tolerance (n.) – the amount by which a measurement or calculation might change and still be acceptable	The tolerances* used on the site are limits of variation indicated in a dimension, a lot, a construction limit, or the physical characteristics of a material.*
overworked (adj.) – having to work too much	As has been widely reported, there is a wide-range shortage of skilled construction workers. As such, those who are employed are overworked* and face increased pressure to work overtime.*
prefabricated (adj.) – prefabricated buildings or objects are built from parts that have been made in a factory and can be put together quickly	The second conception was that of the mass-produced, prefabricated* house, a dwelling potentially available to every North American.*
rough (adj.) – not even or smooth, often because of being in bad condition	The exception is in the mountainous areas in the west, where the roads are comparatively rough* and narrow.*
run-down (adj.) – a reduction in the size or quality of something	The office building was rundown, so the rents were low.
safe (adj.) – not in danger or likely to be harmed	Having said that, our children have a lot more freedom here because it’s a really safe* environment for them.*
automate (v.) – to make a process in a factory or office operate by machines or computers, in order to reduce the amount of work done by humans and the time taken to do the work	In the 1800s, automated* power looms and stocking frames were introduced, radically changing the traditional work system.*
build (v.) – to make something by putting bricks or other materials together	It says that they’re planning to build large-scale solar farms in Africa.
collapse (v.) – to fall down suddenly because of pressure or having no strength or support	Inspectors ordered a full renovation of the White House after the building almost collapsed* while a balcony was being added for Harry Truman in the late 1940s.*
condemn (v.) – to decide officially that a building is not safe for people to use	No one has been allowed to occupy the building since it was condemned.
construct (v.) – to build something or put together different parts to form something whole	Our bodies and minds not only adapt to the surrounding world, but we actively shape and construct our environment to better suit our needs.
demolish (v.) – to completely destroy a building, especially in order to use the land for something else	Age-old stone remains can be worn away and traditional buildings demolished in favour of bland international hotels.
hoist (v.) – to lift something heavy, sometimes using ropes or a machine	A helicopter hoisted* the final section of the bridge into place.*
occupy (v.) – to fill, use, or exist in a place or a time	They constructed a working model of the bridge, which occupied* an entire car park.*
reconstruct (v.) – to build or create again something that has been damaged or destroyed	The post-war government had the enormous task of reconstructing the city.
regulate (v.) – to control something, especially by making it work in a particular way	Since 1938, the federal government had strictly regulated* airline fares and routes.*
remedy (v.) – to do something to correct or improve something that is wrong	If we wish to remedy* this situation, we must first ensure that there is sufficient affordable accommodation.*
replace (v.) – to take the place of something, or to put something or someone in the place of something or someone else	The Council plans to knock the library down and replace* it with a hotel complex.*
tackle (v.) – to try to deal with something or someone	To tackle* this problem, governments can reduce the impact of their overweight citizens by the careful use of taxation to fund alternatives to a sedentary lifestyle.*
transform (v.) – to change completely the appearance or character of something or someone, especially so that that thing or person is improved	When Napoleon became emperor, he employed the best architects he knew to transform* Paris into a classical Roman capital.*

3. Vocabulary about structures

balcony (n.) – an area with a wall or bars around it that is joined to the outside wall of a building on an upper level	My favourite spot is the balcony* – my building towers over everything else, so I can see for miles.*
basement (n.) – a part of a building consisting of rooms that are partly or completely below the level of the ground	Latrobe also created two terraces on the east and west sides of the building and installed a furnace that relied on kettles and pipes in the basement.
building (n.) – a structure with walls and a roof, such as a house or factory	At first, this mining was limited to the quarrying and shaping of local sandstone, which they used for the first buildings* at Sydney Cove.*
ceiling (n.) – the inside surface of a room that you can see when you look above you	What I like best about it are the ceilings. They’re quite ornate as they have lots of pretty details on them.
chalet (n.) – a small wooden house found in mountain areas, especially in Switzerland	We can provide top-quality chalets, hotels or apartments and any combination of the above activities.
concrete jungle (n.) – an ugly grey area of a city where people live in closely crowded apartment buildings and there is little space and no trees or grass	We all know of whole areas of towns where old houses have been replaced by a concrete jungle, with all the attendant social problems.
cottage (n.) – a small house, usually in the countryside	I live in a cottage. It’s a single-storey building so the rooms are all on the same level.
elevator (n.) – a device like a box that moves up and down, carrying people or goods from one floor of a building to another or taking people up and down underground in a mine	To reach the rooftop parking area, take the elevator* to the fourth floor, then follow the signs.*
frame (n.) – the basic structure of a building, vehicle, or piece of furniture that other parts are added onto	At the 1854 World Trade fair in New York, Otis unveiled his invention and orders began to pour in, including one from the United States Assay Office which at that time was constructing one of the first buildings with an internal steel frame to support the exterior wall.
the ground floor (n.) – the floor of a building that is at the same level as the ground outside	The ground floor of the Main Building is open to visitors. It contains exhibits explaining daily farm life in different periods of history.
high-rise (n.) – a tall modern building with many floors	She lives in a high-rise* overlooking the river.*
landmark (n.) – a building or place that is easily recognized, especially one that you can use to judge where you are	The tunnel comes up at the Oriental Pearl radio and TV tower which is one of the most famous landmarks* in Shanghai.*
pillar (n.) – a strong column made of stone, metal, or wood that supports part of a building	A row of reinforced concrete pillars* supports the bridge.*
platform (n.) – a flat raised area or structure	In Otis’s time, warehouses commonly used moving platforms* to transport goods between floors.*
skyscraper (n.) – a very tall modern building, usually in a city	My city is famous for its skyscrapers, statues and fountains – but most of all for its shopping!
staircase (n.) – a set of stairs inside a building, usually with a bar fixed on the wall or onto vertical poles at the side for you to hold on to	But my favourite feature is definitely the staircase. It curves around at the bottom and just seems to invite you to climb it.
storage (n.) – the putting and keeping of things in a special place for use in the future	The Incas built a ceremonial city on the site that included palaces, temples, storage* rooms, baths, and houses.*
terrace (n.) – a row of often small houses joined together along their side walls	It was a terrace* of stone cottages.*
terraced house (n.) – a house that is joined to the houses on either side of it by shared walls	We rented a little terraced* house in South London.*
threshold (n.) – the floor of an entrance to a building or room	Stepping over the high threshold* and into the inner sanctuary, you can barely see because the room is dark and the air is thick with a mixture of smoke from the gas lamps and incense.*
veranda (n.) – a raised, covered, sometimes partly closed area, often made of wood, on the front or side of a building	The children have arranged the chairs in a line facing out from the veranda.

4. Real estate and urban development vocabulary

accommodation (n.) – a place to stay or live	As soon as I arrived, I realised I didn’t know how to order the type of coffee I liked, and trying to find accommodation* was a nightmare.*
challenge (n.) – (the situation of being faced with) something that needs great mental or physical effort in order to be done successfully and therefore tests a person’s ability	The recently established Center for the Technical Study of Modern Art at Harvard has been got up to grapple with the distinctive challenges* posed by the art of the last century,*
compromise (n.) – an agreement in an argument in which the people involved reduce their demands or change their opinion in order to agree	Finally, the members of the city council were able to reach a compromise* and the building work was allowed to start.*
developer (n.) – a person or company that makes money from buying land, building new houses, offices, etc., or by changing existing buildings to sell or rent	The developers* refurbished the house inside and out.*
housing (n.) – buildings for people to live in	Many rural migrants fail to find adequate work, and therefore cannot afford decent housing.
housing estate (n.) – an area containing a large number of houses or apartments built close together at the same time	The developers build a school on the new housing estate.
infrastructure (n.) – the basic systems and services, such as transport and power supplies, that a country or organization uses in order to work effectively	Local infrastructure* can also fail to cope with large numbers of visitors leading to pollution and litter.*
town planning (n.) – the planning of the way in which towns and cities are built in order to make them pleasant to live in	The municipality, through its town planning* policies, would colonize it and make it useful – but the fruit of the colony would be industrial, not agricultural.*
urban sprawl (n.) – the spread of a city into the area surrounding it, often without planning	The fundamental aim of the green belt policy is to prevent urban sprawl.
urbanisation (n.) – the process by which more and more people leave the countryside to live in cities	After 1800, industrialisation, urbanisation* and population growth would see the emergence of a new problem – waste – and give a new significance to recycling.*
crowded (adj.) – if a place is crowded, it is full of people	I believe that crime will continue to rise, particularly in crowded* and overpopulated areas, unless we can find an effective way to address these issues*.
decent (adj.) – socially acceptable or good	Everyone should be entitled to a decent* standard of living.*
developing (adj.) – growing or becoming stronger or more advanced	In one study, two-thirds of subjects who experienced a stressful situation had nearly six times the risk of developing* depression within that month.*
double-edged (adj.) – hai lưỡi (vừa có lợi vừa có hại)	Globalisation is a double-edged* sword. It promotes multiculturalism while it erodes the local culture.*
dramatic (adj.) – something that is double-edged acts in two ways, often with one negative and one positive effect	With the mountains all around it’s a very dramatic* landscape and the view in front of me was breathtaking.*
drastic (adj.) – (especially of actions) severe and sudden or having very noticeable effects	When it became clear that four-fifths of the city had been destroyed by the fire, drastic* measures were taken in London to create a system of organized fire prevention.*
insoluble (adj.) – (of a problem) so difficult that it is impossible to solve	The last years of the century saw a solution to the apparently insoluble* problem of what to do with the refuse of Britain’s cities.*
overpriced (adj.) – too expensive	These shoes are very nice, but they’re really overpriced.
precarious (adj.) – in a dangerous state because of not being safe or not being held in place firmly	So a lot of the buildings seem really precarious, they’re sort of built into the mountainside and seem to just perch there.
vacant (adj.) – not filled or occupied; available to be used	The first one is the shop next door to my house. It’s been vacant for about a year now and falling into disrepair.
accommodate (v.) – to provide with a place to live or to be stored in	It’s a small hotel that can accommodate* only about fifty guests.*
address (v.) – to give attention to or deal with a matter or problem	When you visit a major online retailer, a screen often addresses* you by name and suggests that, based on your past purchases, you might want to buy certain books or CDs, selected just for you.*
rent (v.) – to pay or receive a fixed amount of money for the use of a room, house, car, television, etc.	The old lady rented me her spare bedroom for £200 a week.
settle (v.) – to go and live somewhere, especially permanently	Nursing homes are very costly. Moreover, they often fail to provide adequate levels of care. Grown-up children frequently settle in other cities; hence, the elderly often find themselves without family nearby.
tackle (v.) – to try to deal with something or someone	To tackle* this problem, governments can reduce the impact of their overweight citizens by the careful use of taxation to fund alternatives to a sedentary lifestyle.*
booming (adj.) – increasing or becoming successful and producing a lot of money very quickly	If this were true, the entertainment industry should be booming.

5. Vocabulary about places and locations

admission (n.) – the money that you pay to enter a place	The government is committed to extending the principle of free admission* to our national museums and galleries.*
atlas (n.) – a book containing maps	The maps deal with climate and emphasize special features relating to rainfall, winds, etc., which would riot be shown in an ordinary topographical atlas.
border (n.) – a line that has been agreed to divide one country from another	The army crossed the border, ostensibly in pursuit of rebels.
capital (n.) – a city that is the centre of government of a country or smaller political area	Though the architectural styles were borrowed from classical designs, each country added a unique flair in order to achieve a sense of nationalism in its capital.
cave (n.) – a large hole in the side of a hill, cliff, or mountain, or one that is underground	Fibre samples found in caves* in France had convinced scientists that textile production first arose about 15,000 years ago.*
district (n.) – an area of a country or town that has fixed borders that are used for official purposes, or that has a particular feature that makes it different from surrounding areas	We’re close to all major bus lines and right next to the city’s business district.
harbour (n.) – an area of water next to the coast, often protected from the sea by a thick wall, where ships and boats can shelter	In the harbour, the boats bobbed gently up and down on the water.
immigrant (n.) – a person who has come to a different country in order to live there permanently	He argued that American cities as a whole could be seen as a patchwork of different villages in which non-urban immigrants attempted to shape the city to resemble the places in the old country that they had left behind.
inner city (n.) – the central part of a city where people live and where there are often problems because people are poor and there are few jobs and bad houses	The plan will transform a depressed inner city* area into a community with a new sense of optimism.*
megacity (n.) – a very large city, especially one with more than 10 million people living in it	A megacity* is usually defined as a metropolitan area with a total population in excess of often million people.*
migrant (n.) – a person that travels to a different country or place, often in order to find work	New migrants* may feel that by changing to assimilate into their new community, they are losing some part of their individuality.*
neighbourhood (n.) – the area of a town that surrounds someone’s home, or the people who live in this area	Today, according to a more recent report, the majority want a crime-free neighbourhood, a back garden, and theatre or gallery within reach.
noise pollution (n.) – noise, such as that from traffic, that upsets people where they live or work and is considered to be unhealthy for them	All three cities are faced with various air, water, and noise pollution* pressures created by increasing populations, industrial production, and number of automobiles.*
nursery (n.) – a place where young children and babies are taken care of while their parents are at work	The government and also the private sector should provide spaces where people can enjoy and recharge their life, for example, city parks, nursery* facilities, etc.*
outskirts (n.) – the areas that form the edge of a town or city	The problems caused by the increasing number of vehicles in cities are never-ending. One answer is to build more roads on the outskirts, this only results in more cars and lorries on the roads and so the problem continues.
overpopulation (n.) – the fact of a country or city, etc. having too many people for the amount of food, materials, and space available there	But hopes for a better life are often dashed as overpopulation* puts an enormous strain on the infrastructure of the cities.*
population (n.) – all the people living in a particular country, area, or place	Some societies have birth rates that are already locking their populations* into absolute decline*.
province (n.) – one of the areas that a country or empire is divided into as part of the organization of its government, which often has some control over its own laws	He was born in China’s northwest Shanxi province* in 1950.*
residence (n.) – a home	James Hoban’s design was a near copy of a residence* in James Gibbs’s Book of Architecture, published in 1728.*
resident (n.) – a person who lives or has their home in a place	Harbor Park was built on land donated to the city by Captain Jones, a lifelong resident* of this city.*
slum (n.) – a very poor and crowded area, especially of a city	In some megacities, up to 50 percent of the residents live in slums.
stadium (n.) – a large closed area of land with rows of seats around the sides and often with no roof, used for sports events and musical performances	We have some great attractions nearby for visitors, as well as a huge sports stadium* and fantastic theme parks.*
suburb (n.) – an area on the edge of a large town or city where people who work in the town or city often live	The city center is surrounded by sprawling suburbs.
surroundings (n.) – the place where someone lives and the conditions they live in	Spending time in natural surroundings* is especially crucial now because, for the first time, a majority of the world’s population lives in cities.*
exotic (adj.) – unusual and exciting because of coming (or seeming to come) from far away, especially a tropical country	When people go travelling to far-flung places, they want to see something exotic, not the same icons they see all around them at home!
overpopulated (adj.) – if a country or city, etc. is overpopulated, it has too many people for the amount of food, materials, and space available there	In many poor countries, overpopulated* slums have high rates of disease due to unsanitary conditions.*
suburban (adj.) – relating to a suburb	The building of the bridge accelerated development on the east side of the river, and now it’s a growing suburban* area with a lot of sprawl.*

6. Vocabulary about architecture

architecture (n.) – the art and practice of designing and making buildings	The first, indebted to modernist architecture, depicted the home of tomorrow as a futuristic architectural structure.
design (n.) – a drawing or set of drawings showing how a building or product is to be made and how it will work and look	The architect put forward two alternative design* concepts for the new library.*
engineering (n.) – the work of an engineer (= a person who designs or builds machines, engines, electrical systems, or large structures such as roads or bridges using scientific principles), or the study of this work	David Bayless, a professor of mechanical engineering* at Ohio University, has been working with scientists to engineer a device that can grow cyanobacteria (blue-green algae).*
innovation (n.) – a new idea or method	Far from being a recent innovation, recycling and reuse of household cast-offs have a long history.
insulation (n.) – the act of covering something to stop heat, sound, or electricity from escaping or entering, or the fact that something is covered in this way	The cable was made of 340,000 miles of copper and iron wire and three tons of gutta-percha insulation, too much for one ship to carry.
isolation (n.) – the fact that something is separate and not connected to other things	He sometimes conferred with fellow aviation enthusiast Alexander Graham Bell in Nova Scotia, but for the most part, he worked in isolation.
layout (n.) – the way that something is arranged	His house has three bedrooms and ours has four, but otherwise the layout* is much the same.*
structure (n.) – the way in which the parts of a system or object are arranged or organized, or a system arranged in this way	The first, indebted to modernist architecture, depicted the home of tomorrow as a futuristic architectural structure.
adequate (adj.) – enough or satisfactory for a particular purpose	In most developed countries, the roads, power supply and communication facilities are adequate* for their needs.*
airy (adj.) – with a lot of light and space	I think there are a lot of interesting buildings being built these days. I like the way glass and steel can be used to create light airy* spaces.*
basic (adj.) – simple and not complicated, so able to provide the base or starting point from which something can develop	The earliest form of sign language was very basic.
charming (adj.) – pleasant and attractive	The accommodation is pretty basic, but the place is altogether so charming* that I didn’t mind at all.*
comfortable (adj.) – comfortable furniture and clothes provide a pleasant feeling and do not give you any physical problems	The DC-3 airplane cut costs but train travel was still cheaper and more comfortable.
conventional (adj.) – traditional and ordinary	I live in a two-storey house. It’s a very conventional* brick building and it’s typical of the area where I live.*
cosy (adj.) – comfortable and pleasant, especially (of a building) because of being small and warm	This room is nice and cosy* in the winter.*
cramped (adj.) – not having enough space or time	It’s a very functional apartment and there’s a space to suit every purpose. but I do find the bedrooms a bit cramped.
curved (adj.) – having a rounded or smoothly bending shape	Martinhal is a wide, curved* beach with a first-class watersports school.*
exterior (adj.) – on or from the outside	The exterior* doors need to be wide enough to allow wheelchairs to enter the building.*
functional (adj.) – designed to be practical and useful rather than attractive	I prefer objects that are well-designed, which to me, means things that are both functional* and attractive.*
futuristic (adj.) – strange and very modern, or intended or seeming to come from some imagined time in the future	Many of his designs were futuristic* at the time and were never built.*
high-rise (adj.) – tall, with many floors	My flat is in a new high-rise* building in the city centre.*
innovative (adj.) – using new methods or ideas	The stations and entrances are examples of art nouveau architecture, and they are decorated with mosaics, sculptures, paintings, and innovative* doors and walls.*
internal (adj.) – inside an object or building	At the 1854 World Trade fair in New York, Otis unveiled his invention and orders began to pour in, including onefrom the United States Assay Office which at that time was constructing one of the first buildings with an internal steel frame to support the exterior walls.
magnificent (adj.) – very good, beautiful, or deserving to be admired	Hikers are treated to magnificent* views of glacier-covered peaks above and tropical valleys below in their journey over high mountain passes.*
memorable (adj.) – likely to be remembered or worth remembering	The most memorable* place I ever visited was Bhutan.*
modern (adj.) – designed and made using the most recent ideas and methods	In our modern* world, we often look for quick solutions to our problems.*
multi-storeyed (adj.) – A multi-storied building has several floors	I park in a multi-storeyed car park.
old-fashioned (adj.) – not modern; belonging to or typical of a time in the past	They have a very old-fashioned* management structure.*
ornate (adj.) – having a lot of complicated decoration	They’re quite ornate* as they have lots of pretty details on them.*
run-of-the-mill (adj.) – ordinary and not special or exciting in any way	The restaurant we went to was nothing special – just run-of-the-mill.
rustic (adj.) – simple and often rough in appearance; typical of the countryside	The accommodation is very traditional and you get the impression that nothing has changed there for hundreds of years. It’s a really historic place and very rustic.
spacious (adj.) – large and with a lot of space	I love the downstairs rooms as they’re very spacious.
spectacular (adj.) – very exciting to look at	The sea can be very calm at times but the surf can also be spectacular.
staggering (adj.) – very shocking and surprising	By 2020, there are expected to be at least 27 megacities. Such a staggering rate of urbanisation brings its own problems, especially in developing nations, where the majority of the megacities will be found.
state-of-the-art (adj.) – very modern and using the most recent ideas and methods	Everything is controlled through a state-of-the-art* computer system.*
traditional (adj.) – following or belonging to the customs or ways of behaving that have continued in a group of people or society for a long time without changing	The artists who came to our village to paint the landscape also like our traditional* houses.*
tranquil (adj.) – calm and peaceful and without noise, violence, worry, etc.	I lay on the dock under a tranquil* blue sky.*
typical (adj.) – showing all the characteristics that you would usually expect from a particular group of things	This variety of migration is typical* of many grouse species, including the ptarmigan, a type of arctic grouse.*
ultra-modern (adj.) – using very modern styles or ideas	The design is ultra-modern, so there’s a lot of glass and concrete and steel – and not a lot of wood to be seen.
decorate (v.) – to add something to an object or place, especially in order to make it more attractive	We decorate* it with yellow flowers and other traditional decorations.*
design (v.) – to make or draw plans for something, for example clothes or buildings	After taking the throne in 1974, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck instituted a number of policies designed* to preserve the country’s cultural identity.*
devise (v.) – to invent a plan, system, object, etc., usually using your intelligence or imagination	The architect devised* a clever way of keeping the house cool in summer.*
invent (v.) – to design and/or create something that has never been made before	Any perceived threat can make them roll up, including the approach of a biologist, so researchers have invented* a new measurement for the animals: ball length.*

With over 100 words related to the topic of “Places and Buildings,” azVocab hopes that you are well-prepared to build your vocabulary for the upcoming IELTS exam. You can explore more vocabulary from other common IELTS topics in azVocab’s category: Common words for IELTS.

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