100 Band 6 to Band 7 IELTS Phrase Swaps (Free PDF)
Replace flat, common phrases with natural Band 7 alternatives for Speaking and Writing. Swap, do not stack. Free printable PDF with DailyEnglishPro.com branding.
16 min readPublished Oct 8, 2026
How to use this list
Moving from Band 6 to Band 7 is rarely about rare vocabulary. It is about replacing flat, repeated phrases with precise, natural alternatives. These 100 swaps are grouped into Speaking and Writing sections.
Treat each row as an upgrade path. Pick the swaps that fix your own habits, then use them in a full answer instead of squeezing many into one sentence.
- List your five most repeated Band 6 phrases from recent practice
- Find their Band 7 swaps here and write two new sentences for each
- Speak each swap in a full answer, not as an isolated phrase
- Check Writing drafts in Writing Checker, then try a timed mock
Speaking: opinion and opener swaps
Replace repeated openers with varied, natural ones.
| Band 6-ish | Stronger Band 7 | Where to use |
|---|---|---|
| I think | I'd say that | Speaking Part 1 and 3 |
| I like it very much | I'm really fond of it | Speaking Part 1 likes |
| I don't like it | It's not really my cup of tea | Speaking Part 1 dislikes |
| Yes, I agree | I couldn't agree more | Speaking Part 3 strong agreement |
| I don't agree | I'm not entirely convinced | Speaking Part 3 disagreement |
| Maybe | It's quite possible that | Speaking Part 3 speculation |
| I don't know | That's a tricky one, but I'd imagine | Speaking Part 3 uncertain |
| Because | The main reason is that | Speaking Part 1 and 2 explanation |
| Also | On top of that | Speaking adding a point |
| But | That said, | Speaking contrast |
| Very often | More often than not | Speaking frequency |
| For example | A good example would be | Speaking Part 2 and 3 examples |
| In the past | Back in the day | Speaking Part 1 past habits |
| It is good | It's quite beneficial | Speaking evaluation |
| I want to talk about | I'd like to describe | Speaking Part 2 opener |
Speaking: describing and reacting swaps
Make descriptions more precise without sounding unnatural.
| Band 6-ish | Stronger Band 7 | Where to use |
|---|---|---|
| very big | enormous / sizeable | Speaking Part 2 places and objects |
| very small | tiny / compact | Speaking Part 2 places and objects |
| very good | outstanding / excellent | Speaking general praise |
| very bad | dreadful / pretty awful | Speaking strong negatives |
| very tired | completely exhausted | Speaking feelings |
| very happy | absolutely delighted | Speaking feelings |
| very interesting | absolutely fascinating | Speaking Part 2 evaluation |
| very difficult | quite challenging | Speaking tasks and skills |
| very famous | widely known | Speaking Part 2 people and places |
| very beautiful | absolutely stunning | Speaking Part 2 places |
| very busy | packed with people / really hectic | Speaking Part 2 places and days |
| very quiet | peaceful and tranquil | Speaking Part 2 places |
| I was surprised | I was taken aback | Speaking Part 2 events |
| I was nervous | I felt a bit on edge | Speaking Part 2 experiences |
| It was fun | It was a real blast | Speaking Part 2 events and trips |
Speaking: Part 3 reasoning swaps
Add reasoning, balance and caution to abstract answers.
| Band 6-ish | Stronger Band 7 | Where to use |
|---|---|---|
| Many people do this | A growing number of people | Speaking Part 3 trends |
| It will change | It's likely to change significantly | Speaking Part 3 future |
| It has good and bad points | It's a double-edged sword | Speaking Part 3 balance |
| Young people like it | It's particularly popular among younger generations | Speaking Part 3 age groups |
| The government should do it | The authorities ought to take action | Speaking Part 3 society |
| It is important | It plays a crucial role | Speaking Part 3 importance |
| It is better now | Things have improved considerably | Speaking Part 3 change |
| People are lazy | People tend to take the easy option | Speaking Part 3 criticism |
| It costs a lot | It comes at a considerable cost | Speaking Part 3 expense |
| It is a big problem | It's a pressing issue | Speaking Part 3 problems |
Writing Task 2: argument and linking swaps
Move from list-like essays to controlled argument.
| Band 6-ish | Stronger Band 7 | Where to use |
|---|---|---|
| In my opinion | I firmly believe that | Task 2 position statement |
| Nowadays | In recent years / In the modern era | Task 2 introduction |
| Many people think | It is widely argued that | Task 2 introduction |
| Firstly | To begin with / The primary reason is | Task 2 body paragraph 1 |
| Secondly | Moreover / A further point is | Task 2 body paragraph 2 |
| Finally | Last but not least | Task 2 last supporting point |
| In conclusion | To sum up / All things considered | Task 2 conclusion |
| But | However / Nevertheless | Task 2 contrast between sentences |
| So | Consequently / As a result | Task 2 result |
| Because of this | For this reason | Task 2 cause link |
| For example | To illustrate / A case in point is | Task 2 examples |
| There are many advantages | There are several notable benefits | Task 2 advantages and disadvantages |
| There are some disadvantages | There are a number of drawbacks | Task 2 advantages and disadvantages |
| Some people agree and some disagree | Opinions are divided on this issue | Task 2 discuss both views |
| I agree with this statement | I am inclined to agree with this view | Task 2 agree or disagree |
| This is true | This is certainly the case | Task 2 supporting claims |
| On the other hand | Conversely / By contrast | Task 2 contrast |
| Another reason is | Another contributing factor is | Task 2 causes |
| It is clear that | It is evident that | Task 2 claims |
| This shows that | This demonstrates that | Task 2 explanation |
Writing Task 2: vocabulary and word choice swaps
Replace vague words with exact, topic-friendly choices.
| Band 6-ish | Stronger Band 7 | Where to use |
|---|---|---|
| a lot of | a great deal of / a significant number of | Task 2 quantity |
| big problem | serious issue | Task 2 problems |
| good for | beneficial to | Task 2 effects |
| bad for | detrimental to | Task 2 effects |
| help | contribute to / facilitate | Task 2 effects and solutions |
| get | obtain / acquire | Task 2 verbs |
| make people | encourage people to / compel people to | Task 2 policies |
| important | essential / vital | Task 2 emphasis |
| increase | rise sharply / escalate | Task 2 trends |
| decrease | decline / diminish | Task 2 trends |
| show | illustrate / reveal | Task 2 explanation |
| think about | take into account | Task 2 policies and decisions |
| start | initiate / commence | Task 2 formal verbs |
| stop | put an end to / curb | Task 2 solutions |
| fix the problem | tackle the problem | Task 2 solutions |
| young people | the younger generation | Task 2 people groups |
| old people | the elderly | Task 2 people groups |
| poor people | low-income families | Task 2 people groups |
| rich countries | developed nations | Task 2 society |
| many things | numerous factors | Task 2 causes and effects |
Writing Task 1: description swaps
More exact data language for charts, tables, processes and maps.
| Band 6-ish | Stronger Band 7 | Where to use |
|---|---|---|
| went up | rose / climbed | Task 1 trend up |
| went down | fell / declined | Task 1 trend down |
| went up a lot | rose sharply | Task 1 fast change |
| went up a little | edged up slightly | Task 1 small change |
| stayed the same | remained stable | Task 1 no change |
| the biggest | the highest / the largest proportion | Task 1 comparison |
| the smallest | the lowest / the smallest share | Task 1 comparison |
| this chart shows | the chart illustrates | Task 1 introduction |
| from 2000 to 2010 | over the period from 2000 to 2010 | Task 1 time frame |
| is about 50% | accounts for approximately 50% | Task 1 data detail |
Grammar and sentence-level swaps
Small structure changes that raise grammatical range.
| Band 6-ish | Stronger Band 7 | Where to use |
|---|---|---|
| If people do this, it is bad. | Should people do this, the consequences could be severe. | Task 2 conditionals |
| People who work hard get money. | Those who work hard are rewarded financially. | Task 2 relative clauses |
| Technology is useful and it is popular. | Technology, which is increasingly popular, is highly useful. | Task 2 complex sentences |
| Pollution is bad. It harms health. | Pollution is harmful because it damages public health. | Task 2 combining sentences |
| I went there and I saw many things. | Having arrived there, I noticed a great many things. | Speaking and Writing narrative |
| People use cars. This causes pollution. | The widespread use of cars leads to pollution. | Task 2 nominalisation |
| It is hard to learn languages. | Learning languages is no easy task. | Speaking and Writing evaluation |
| Many people lose their jobs. | A considerable number of workers are made redundant. | Task 2 passive voice |
| He said he would come. | He had promised that he would turn up. | Speaking Part 2 past narrative |
| If I had more time, I will study more. | If I had more time, I would study more. | Speaking and Writing conditionals |
Practise next
Frequently asked questions
Are Band 7 phrases always better than Band 6 ones?+
Not always. A simple phrase used accurately beats a fancy one used wrongly. Swap only when the new phrase fits the context.
Can I use Writing swaps in Speaking?+
Some formal phrases sound stiff when spoken. Use the Speaking sections for talking and the Writing sections for essays and reports.
How many swaps should I learn per week?+
Ten to fifteen is realistic. Use each in three different answers before adding more.
Where do I download the PDF?+
Use Download free PDF above the practice CTA. Every page includes DailyEnglishPro.com and links to mock tests and Pro.