What 'lifestyles' covers: Lifestyles is part of the theme Identities. You need vocabulary to describe daily routines, habits, the pace of life and well-being — and to give your opinion about them.
The words below are common English B vocabulary. Treat the list as a glossary: learn each term with its meaning and a synonym, then reuse them in the reading and writing sections.
- lifestyle
- the way a person lives — their daily habits and choices
- (daily) routine
- the set of things you do regularly each day
- pace of life
- how fast or slow daily life feels; how busy you are
- to commute
- to travel regularly between home and work or school
- leisure / free time
- time when you are not working or studying
- well-being
- a state of being comfortable, healthy and happy
- to lead a healthy life
- to live in a way that is good for your body and mind
- work-life balance
- a healthy split between work or study and the rest of your life
- sedentary (lifestyle)
- involving a lot of sitting and very little physical activity
- to switch off / unplug
- to stop using screens and relax; to take a break
- stressed — stress
- worried and under pressure — the feeling of pressure itself
- to watch what you eat
- to be careful about your diet; to eat in a healthy way
- hectic
- very busy and full of activity, often in a tiring way
| Useful expression | What it means |
|---|---|
| I lead a very hectic life. | My days are extremely busy. |
| I try to keep a balance. | I make an effort not to overdo work or screens. |
| I like to switch off at the weekend. | I stop using screens / working and relax. |
| I spend too much time in front of a screen. | I use my phone, laptop or TV more than I should. |
| I exercise to relieve stress. | I work out so I feel less pressure and worry. |
Why this matters: This vocabulary turns up in every skill — a reading text on health, a listening interview about routines, a Paper 1 blog, or your oral. Reusing precise topic words is how you score Criterion A (Language).
Have something to say: Examiners reward developed ideas, not just vocabulary. Around lifestyles, the common debates are: a fast, busy modern life vs slow living, screen time and social media, and how to stay healthy. Take a position and back it up.
Opinion phrases (use these to introduce a view)
- In my opinion… / From my point of view… — to introduce what you think
- It seems to me that… / I believe that… — a slightly softer way to give a view
- The most important thing is… — to highlight your main point
- On the one hand… on the other hand… — to weigh up two sides
- I (completely) agree that… / I'm not convinced that… — to react to an idea
Drawbacks of the modern pace
- Many people live stressed and don't sleep enough.
- We spend too much time in front of screens.
- A sedentary lifestyle harms your health.
Benefits
- We have more opportunities and conveniences.
- Technology keeps us connected to the world.
- It is easier to stay informed and to keep learning.
Link your ideas: Connectors lift your answer from a list into an argument: moreover (to add), however (to contrast), therefore (to conclude), although (to concede). Use at least two or three in any written answer.
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Read like Paper 2: Here is a short blog post — the kind of text Paper 2 (Reading) gives you. Read it once just for the general idea; don't worry about every word. Then we'll work through one exam question together.
A week without screens: A month ago I decided to spend a week without social media. At first it was hard: every five minutes I picked up my phone out of habit.
But soon everything changed. I started sleeping better because I no longer stared at a screen before bed, and I had more time for my family. I realised I had been spending hours watching videos without even meaning to. Now I switch my phone off after dinner and leave it in another room. I haven't given up technology, but I have learned to live a more balanced life.
- out of habit
- automatically, because you always do it
- to stare at
- to look at something fixedly for a long time
- to realise
- to become aware of something you hadn't noticed
- to give up
- to stop doing or having something
- balanced
- sensibly arranged so nothing is overdone
IB-style task — one Paper 2 question
One question, step by step
- The question — "According to the text, what does the writer do with their phone after dinner?"
- Find it in the text. Look for the words "after dinner": "Now I switch my phone off after dinner and leave it in another room."
- The answer — They switch the phone off and leave it in another room. The words are right there in the text, so no outside knowledge is needed.
Reading technique: For an "according to the text" question, find the exact line that proves your answer — don't rely on memory or general knowledge.
The task: Your school is running a healthy-living campaign. Write a blog post for other students: describe your lifestyle and give advice for living in a more balanced way.
Use an informal, friendly register. Write 250–400 words.
Blog structure — 5 steps
1
Catchy title
A title, often a question. "Living in a hurry?"
2
Greeting + topic
Greet the reader and say what the post is about. "Hi everyone! Today I want to talk about…"
3
Your experience
Describe your old routine in the past. "I used to live very stressed…"
4
Two or three tips
Give advice using imperatives. "Protect your sleep", "look after what you eat", "switch off from screens".
5
Motivating close
Finish with an encouraging line. "Start today — you'll feel better."
Title → Greeting → Experience → Tips → Close
Model: the 5 steps in action
The blog post, step by step
- Living in a hurry? You're not alone.
- Hi everyone! I'm Maya, and today I want to talk about something we rarely stop to think about: our lifestyle.
- I used to live very stressed. I got up late, ate whatever was quickest and spent hours scrolling on my phone. Honestly, I had no balance at all.
- So here are three tips. First, protect your sleep. Second, look after what you eat. And third, switch off from your screens for a while every day.
- The most important thing, though, is not to obsess over it. A healthy lifestyle is really about balance. Start with one small change this week and you'll feel so much better.
Why it scores: This answer hits all three Paper 1 criteria — here's what earns each one:
A — Language /12
- Range of tenses: past "I used to", imperatives "protect", "switch off"
- Connectors: "so", "though", "first/second/third"
- Topic vocabulary, used accurately
B — Message /12
- Task fully done: describes a lifestyle AND gives advice
- Ideas developed with concrete examples
C — Conceptual /6
- Blog conventions: a catchy title
- Direct address: "Hi everyone", "you'll feel better"
- A persuasive, personal tone
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How listening is tested: Paper 2 also tests listening: you hear short clips, each played twice, and you never see the words. Read the questions first, listen for the key idea, then answer.
Here we'll use a transcript so you can practise the technique on the page. Read the questions, then find the answer in the speaker's words.
Transcript — Daniel's week: Hi, I'm Daniel. During the week I lead a really hectic life: I get up at half past six, head to school, and in the afternoon I play sport. To stop myself getting stressed, I try to sleep eight hours and I switch my phone off after dinner. At the weekend I rest and spend time with my family. For me, the most important thing is balance.
IB-style task — two listening questions
Two questions, step by step
- Q1 — What does Daniel do to avoid getting stressed? Listen just after "to stop myself getting stressed": "I try to sleep eight hours and I switch my phone off after dinner." That is your answer.
- Q2 — What matters most to him? He says it at the end: "For me, the most important thing is balance." Answer: balance.
Listening technique: Read the questions before the clip plays. Each question usually points to one short part of the recording — listen for the words around it, not the whole thing.