IE 1630: Show Your Proclivity for Vocabulary With Today's Phrases

This is an IELTS Energy Podcast, episode 1630. Show your proclivity for vocabulary with today's phrases. Welcome to the IELTS Energy Podcast from All Ears English. Downloaded more than 35 million times with examiner-trained IELTS whiz Aubrey Carter and Michelle Kaplan, the New York radio girl.

If you are stuck with a low score, our insider method will help you get the score you need to unlock your dreams. Get your estimated band score now with our two-minute quiz at allearsenglish.com forward slash my score.

You could likely list a few bad habits, but could you describe your positive habits as well? Today, you'll learn five high-scoring phrases to describe daily routines and habits on IELTS Speaking.

Has this ever happened to you? You're mid-sentence and you hear yourself slow down. You simplify. You avoid the word you actually want. That moment adds up in meetings, interviews, and everyday conversations.

It weighs on you and makes you feel isolated. It becomes harder to make real connections. Our free two-minute fluency quiz helps you identify what interrupts your flow and your connections and how to fix it. You'll get your English level, B1, B2, or C1, and you'll figure out where to go from here.

Start now at allearsenglish.com slash fluency score. That's allearsenglish.com slash f-l-u-e-n-c-y-s-c-o-r-e. Hello, Michelle. How are you? Hi, Aubrey.

I am good. How are you? Excellent. I have a question. See if you have to be a little vulnerable here. What is a bad habit you have? Oh, it's easy. I have talked about this, I think on All Ears English before, but I bite my cuticles.

It's disgusting and it's terrible. You're not alone. I'm sure a lot of people listening are like, me too. I really try not to, but if they're uneven, I have to have an emery board, a nail file, or I'm probably going to bite it because it drives me crazy to have them be uneven, jagged.

Yeah. Yep, yep, yep, yep. So that's like something I've struggled with my whole life. Well, since I think I was 10, I did it. What about you? Any bad habits?

Well, that is still probably a bad habit. My kids, I'm trying to help them break the habit of biting their fingernails as well. What's another bad habit that I have?

Hmm. Maybe looking at my phone right before bed or in the middle of the night when I wake up and I really should just try to go back to sleep instead. Let's check the news. Then I'm really awake.

Yes. Not a great way to live. I do the same thing. But this is really good that we're talking about this because, guys, there is a really good chance you will be asked about routine habits on IELTS.

You might be asked about bad habits or good habits or daily habits. It comes up a lot. Yeah. So today we are going to give you sophisticated vocabulary and ideas that can help you stand out.

Yeah. So be sure to hit follow wherever you listen to podcasts. We have two new episodes every week with strategies and vocabulary to help you get the score you need on IELTS. So wherever you find your podcasts, follow the IELTS Energy Podcast.

All right. So let's get into it. What is the first one? Yeah. So the first is a chunk. You can say a deliberate pause. This is a conscious moment to sort of slow down, right?

So for example, I take a deliberate pause before answering emails or Or maybe at the beginning of your day, and then you could share what you do during that pause. Is it meditation? Is it drinking a cup of coffee, right?

But talking about taking that moment to slow things down. Yeah. That sounds like a good idea. Yeah, right? I should do that, actually. The second one is autopilot.

I absolutely love this one. So if you do something on autopilot, you're doing something automatically without thinking. So sometimes I spend the entire morning in autopilot mode. Yeah.

Do you ever have that happen where you do something and then later on you're like, I don't even remember doing that, but I did do it. I don't remember consciously doing it. All the time. It just happened.

Sometimes it's you read three pages in a book and then you remember nothing because your thoughts were elsewhere, but you were reading in autopilot or driving home, right? You drive home, you make it home, you're just sort of in autopilot and you're like... I have no memory of actually doing that. It's strange.

You just muscle memory kicks in and you're not really doing it that consciously. Interesting. Yes. or men. And actually, as a bonus here about autopilot, this is idiomatic language, because that also means when you're actually literally in a setting, like flying a plane or whatever it is, that's called autopilot, where the person, the human there is not flying, a machine is, that's the autopilot setting.

But we use this idiomatically, just like we showed you here to do something without thinking. So if you use this, you're also satisfying that idiomatic language requirement on the IELTS exam to So definitely add this to your vocab list. This is really impressive vocabulary.

Yeah, definitely. I really like this one. And then the third one is mental reset. Oh, I think I needed one of those today after recording. This is a short activity that refreshes your mind and it can be going for a walk, right?

Getting up and getting a glass of water, anything that can just sort of get you out of the zone you were in, right? If you're on autopilot, you might need a mental reset. Yes, exactly. Like even with a recording, I mean, I was making a joke, but it is true.

Sometimes we just need like a little break because, you know, it can, it can, you know, we're talking about like we have to be very active when doing this podcast. So we're really, you know, thinking everything through. And so sometimes you just kind of need a little bit of a break to reset your mind. Yeah, absolutely.

And it's the same with everyone out there. I'm sure you're studying for IELTS. You could see a full hour go by and be like, what did I actually absorb, right? You just sort of autopilot kicks in and you realize like you're just not really there.

You're not as present as you need and just take that little mental reset. So not only is this useful, but for vocabulary on IELTS speaking questions. But as far as study habits, if you find yourself in a funk, if you are kind of stuck and your mind is wandering a lot, get up, take a walk, do something to get that mental reset.

Right. So walking outside gives me a mental reset. That's a very good one. All right. What's another one, Aubrey? All right. Our next word here is tendency.

This is a natural inclination to behave in a certain way. And we usually use the chunk have a tendency to. For example, I have a tendency to overthink simple decisions. So it's very impressive vocabulary and is super flexible.

You could use this when answering almost any IELTS answer. Is that true for you, Aubrey? No, actually. I'm the opposite. I have a tendency to act without thinking enough.

What about you, Michelle? No, this is true for me. I still remember picking out a scooter for my son. This was for his two and a half year old birthday.

And I remember it was like, which color should I get? And I don't No. And it's like something that doesn't matter at all. And unfortunately, I see that my son is like that too.

So I'm trying to teach him how to not be like his mom. Right? Don't think so much. Like, let's just make a decision and be happy with it. Yeah, it's tricky because you can, you know, be, you can end up taking too long and then you're overthinking everything and you can never make a decision.

Yeah. But this is a really good word, a tendency to do something. And then here is another one. This is really advanced. This is a band nine word. It's proclivity.

It's very uncommon in English, right? It means a strong natural tendency, often toward a particular behavior. So it really is a synonym of tendency, but much less common. It is band nine.

The examiner will be extremely impressed if you can use this word. Yes, they were going to fall out of their seat. Probably, right? And we use it two different ways.

We say proclivity to if it's followed by a verb. For example, I have a proclivity to overthink things or Michelle does or proclivity for if it's followed by a noun. For example, I have a proclivity for dark chocolate. That just means you really, really like it.

This definitely add this to your vocabulary notebook. Practice using it. It is impressive because there are two structures like this. It does make it a little more difficult.

But if you can use this on your answer, it is definitely going to boost your vocabulary score. Yes, exactly. I will say a short note is I would not say this just in a conversation when you're trying to connect with someone, right? Right.

No, this is very much like this is vocabulary you're learning for IELTS. And then maybe one day you'll use it at work or if you're wanting to make your vocabulary sound very impressive. But it's very rare in casual conversations. You might hear it in a news article or read it in a book.

But yeah, it's rare in daily conversations. Right. But you could maybe use if you're talking about work. Yeah, go ahead. Yeah. Yeah. Sorry. So another example would be my proclivity for taking risks has led to several successful business ventures.

Yes. You need to be, you know, you can't be risk averse if you are a business, if you're an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurial. Yes. So you can see how this would be extremely useful if you're asked about work or study.

You can use this chunk. Yes. My proclivity for working hard, my proclivity for studying, for taking risks, right? Just means like my ability to do this or, you know, not my tendency, but sort of my strength at this.

And so it's really quite useful. You could use it for a lot of different topics and it's really going to be impressive. Karen wanted to apply for permanent residency in Canada. To do this, she knew she needed the highest scores on IELTS she could get.

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All right, let's give a few sample answers using some of this vocabulary. Michelle, if I were to ask you this question, just a part one answer, so just a few sentences, if you can use some of today's vocab. Do you have any daily rituals?

Okay. So yeah, I have a proclivity for stressing out during the workday. So I make it a habit to recharge mentally right after I finish working. So like, for example, I like to go out and take a walk and usually just call my mom and talk to her and see how she's doing and kind of, you know, just get everything out that I need to from the day and while I'm getting some exercise and that makes me feel good.

Amazing. Great answer. You used proclivity, band nine, right? And then also recharge mentally, right? I make it a habit to recharge mentally. This is a great chunk.

So yeah, and then you gave some personal examples of what specifically you would do, right? Very high scoring answer. Michelle, ask me one, same part one, just a pretty brief answer. Part one, here we go.

Do you like routines? Yeah. I really do. I try not to live on autopilot. So not everything is set. But I do prefer routines that give me a chance to have a mental reset during the day, right?

I don't want every day to be identical. But if I find myself getting bored or stressed out, I'll take that time to just try and switch things up to avoid the monotony in life. And so I do like routines, but not too much.

Okay. Yes and no. But yeah, this was great. You know, you said you try not to live on autopilot. And you talked about having, you know, having routines that give you that mental reset.

So using some good vocabulary there and, you know, also showing, you know, not everything is just yes or no. Sometimes there's a little bit of both. Yeah. And this chunk, I want to point out that chunk, I try not to live on autopilot, is going to be so useful for so many questions.

Learn that chunk. If you're asked about study habits, restaurants you like to go to, any kind of habits and routines, think of how this can be useful. Whatever your answer ends up being, if you say, I try not to live on autopilot – All you are saying is I try not to do the same thing every day.

I try not to get stuck in a routine like that. And that could be applicable for so many different topics. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. All right, I'm going to answer a part two question here.

And I don't know if you have a timer ready. So I do. Okay, perfect. Michelle, time me for two minutes. Everyone out there listening, as you know, the instructions for part two will tell you speak for one to two minutes.

And that is a lie. You must speak for two minutes. Don't let them fool you. Your fluency score will go down if you don't speak for the entire two minutes.

So Michelle's going to time me to make sure that I can speak for two minutes here, and I will try to use some of today's really impressive vocabulary.

All right, here we go. So the question is, describe a small habit that has improved your life. I definitely have a tendency to rush into things. So one small thing that has genuinely improved my routines is taking a deliberate pause before I start any important tasks.

I know that sounds super simple, but instead of jumping straight into work on autopilot, I'll stop for just 30 seconds and Take a deep breath and ask myself what I actually want to accomplish. This makes me be more purposeful and has really helped me make less mistakes. Because instead of diving in, I'm actually trying to be thoughtful about what are my priorities?

What should I do first? Right? I started this because I realized I did have a tendency to rush from one task to another without always thinking, what should I be doing next? What's the priority?

I would maybe check my phone or my emails, open several tabs on my laptop, and then I would finally figure out what's the most important job to start. And I would find myself halfway through lots of different tasks and And I would feel so busy, but not always as productive as I could be. And at the end of the day, I would often still have a to-do list a mile long, which ended up stressing me out.

I'm moving things from one to-do list to the next. So this short pause that I've started taking acts as a mental reset. It gives me a chance to clear my mind and focus on what really matters instead of reacting to whatever notification might pop up.

It's almost like actually pressing a reset button on my life before beginning again. So I've also noticed that I do have a proclivity for multitasking.

And I used to think that juggling several different things made me more efficient, but I eventually realized that it just actually made me more distracted. I often would not finish a task. I would leave things hanging. I would leave things partially undone.

And this habit of taking that moment... Helps me resist that urge. Thank you, Michelle. All right. Was I able to use some of... I remember using a few of these words.

Gosh, you used a lot. You were awesome, Aubrey. Yeah, well, I remember hearing deliberate pause, right? I think you were saying that you took a deliberate pause before you start any tasks, like something important.

And then I heard autopilot, which was great. And I also heard have a tendency to. You were talking about rushing from one task to another. And I heard mental reset.

And I heard proclivity. I mean, you went through them all. You gave details. You were reflecting on your own habits and talking about what is, you know, it's interesting because I hear habit and a lot of times I think like potentially negative when I hear the word habit.

I don't know if that's just... I don't know. It's just my first association with the word habit, even though I know it can be a good thing, too. So I liked how you shared kind of the evolution of like what you used to do and what now what you're trying to do now.

So yeah, well, you make up you make a really good point there that if anyone out there listening, you're studying for the IELTS exam. If you're asked about habits. Yeah.

So definitely we want to challenge you to answer this question yourself. Take two minutes and describe one of your own habits that is positive and do the same for a bad habit, right? Practice speaking about it for two minutes using today's high-scoring vocabulary.

Yeah, I think that is important because if you were, you know, bad habit, right away I was like, oh, my cuticles. I know that, right? We're quick to criticize ourselves, right? But if you're asking me about a good habit, it's harder.

It's harder to think about. I'm sure, give me a minute. I can come up with something. So if you can have that answer ready, you know, like a good habit that you have, that's a good idea if you have that ready to go.

Definitely. I'm excited for you to have this really high scoring vocabulary, especially because some of these phrases are really flexible, right? Proclivity, you could use that tendency. You can, an autopilot is idiomatic.

Use these on lots of different answers. Practice, pull a few questions on lots of different topics and practice using those words in a lot of different contexts. So you're ready. So they're in your arsenal on test day.

Love it. All right. Awesome. Thanks for joining me, Michelle. I think that's the takeaway, right? I think that's the takeaway. Yes, exactly. All right.

Well, this was fun. And guys, have a great day and we'll see you next time. Awesome. See you next time. Bye. Bye. Thanks for listening to IELTS Energy.

Hit subscribe now and don't forget to find your estimated band score at allearsenglish.com slash myscore.