‘Conceive’ means to create. You can conceive a child and you can conceive an idea. Plans can be well-conceived or ill-conceived. The noun is ‘conception.’ In the sentence below it means ‘idea.’

• Until my picture was splashed all over the media I had no conception of what it would be like to have no privacy.

When you learn new vocab, make sure that you note collocations too. For this group of words some collocations are:
compilation of, compiled with, compiled by
conception of, conceive to be, ill-conceived plan
only half-convinced of, totally convinced

Check the meanings of the words if you don’t already know them. Check the meanings of the various forms as sometimes they are different. You can check them at Time4english by clicking the words (http://www.time4english.com/aamain/lounge/awl.asp).

Vocabulary for IELTS – Academic Word List 110

Complete the sentences. Choose the correct word and then use the correct form of the word.

1. ______________ seems to be widespread these days. (depress, conceive)
2. As a young boy Paul was quite poor and it was ______________ to him that he would one day earn a lot of money. (conceive, depress)
3. I heard her arguments, but I remained _______________ of her case. (encounter, convince)
4. Alan first _______________ problems with his car when he drove it out of the sales yard. (compile, encounter)
5. I made a great ______________ CD for our roadtrip across Australia. (compile, convince)

Answers (in the wrong order)
5. compilation   3. unconvinced   2. inconceivable   1. Depression     4. encountered