Using Collocations to Boost Your IELTS Score – Keyword: A Sense of

Collocations with “a sense of” are widely used in both everyday and academic English. They can express feelings, abilities, or perceptions, making your language sound natural and fluent. In this lesson, we explore common collocations with “a sense of”, provide exercises, and give answers to help you improve your IELTS Speaking and Writing.

Why Learn “A Sense of” Collocations for IELTS?

The expression “a sense of” is versatile and can be used to convey:

• Feelings or emotions (a sense of achievement, a sense of alarm)
• Perceptions or abilities (a sense of direction, a sense of balance)

Using these collocations correctly helps you express ideas more precisely and naturally, which is essential for achieving Band 7+ in IELTS.

Exercise 1: A Sense of + Feeling

Task: Complete the sentences with the correct noun.

Word Bank:
community, achievement, alarm, loss, outrage, importance, well-being, security

1. Passing my driving test first time gave me a great sense of ______________.
2. We felt a growing sense of ______________ when my daughter had not returned home by midnight. She said she’d be home by 11.
3. There’s a real sense of ______________ in this neighbourhood. Everybody is very caring and friendly.
4. He felt a deep sense of ______________ after the death of his wife.
5. Helmets can give cyclists a false sense of ______________. They don’t give riders as much protection as they think.
6. She is big-headed and has an exaggerated sense of her own ______________.
7. As the anaesthetic began to take effect, I had a great sense of ______________.
8. His racist remarks filled her with an overwhelming sense of ______________. She had to restrain herself from hitting him!

Exercise 2: A Sense of + Ability

Task: Complete the sentences with the correct noun.

Word Bank:
balance, direction, humour, smell, taste

1. I’m sure he’ll be able to find the house on his own. He has a pretty good sense of ______________.
2. He doesn’t have much of a sense of ______________. He never laughs at my jokes!
3. I lose my sense of ______________ when I’ve got a cold, so I don’t really care what I eat.
4. Gymnasts need a good sense of ______________.
5. Dogs have an acute sense of ______________. That’s why they are used to search for hidden drugs and for people trapped in collapsed buildings.

Answer Key

Exercise 1 – Feelings

1. achievement
2. alarm
3. community
4. loss
5. security
6. importance
7. well-being
8. outrage

Exercise 2 – Abilities

1. direction
2. humour
3. taste
4. balance
5. smell

How to Use “A Sense of” in IELTS

• IELTS Speaking: Phrases like “I had a sense of achievement” or “He has a sense of humour” make your responses sound more natural and fluent.
• IELTS Writing Task 2: Use expressions like “a sense of community” or “a sense of security” to describe social, cultural, or personal issues accurately.
• IELTS Reading & Listening: Recognizing these collocations helps you understand nuanced meanings in passages about emotions, skills, or perceptions.

Practical Tips: Using “A Sense of” in Everyday IELTS Contexts

Understanding collocations is one thing, but using them effectively in IELTS Speaking and Writing is what really boosts your score. In this section, we show how to naturally incorporate “a sense of” into your answers, essays, and descriptions.

• Speaking Tip: Describe personal experiences: “I felt a sense of achievement when I completed my first marathon.”
• Writing Tip: Use in essays to express abstract ideas: “A sense of community is essential for social cohesion.”
• Listening & Reading Tip: Recognize phrases like “a sense of urgency” or “a sense of direction” to better understand passages.

Collocations with “a sense of” are versatile tools for expressing both feelings and abilities. By practicing these expressions, you can sound more natural in IELTS Speaking and Writing, strengthen your vocabulary, and boost your overall band score. Regular practice with these phrases will help you communicate more effectively and confidently. 

For those aiming for top scores, following the IELTS Exam Preparation Tips for Band Score of 8+ can further enhance your vocabulary and overall test performance.

Also Check: 

• Improve Your Vocabulary for IELTS – Key Word: Space
• Improve Your Vocabulary for IELTS – Key Word: Size
• Using Collocation to Boost Your IELTS Score - Key Word: decision 
• Using Collocation to Boost Your IELTS Score - Key Word: a series of
• Grammar For IELTS : The Common Grammars And Sentence Structures In English (Part 1
• Grammar For IELTS : The Common Grammars And Sentence Structures In English (Part 2)
• Using Contrast in IELTS Speaking & Writing: Advanced Grammar in IELTS