Transform Casual Language Into Band 7+ Legal Precision
Most IELTS students use crime words they learned from TV or casual conversation:
“People do crimes.”
“He broke the law.”
“They went to jail.”
These are Band 6 phrases — safe, vague, and limited.
But IELTS examiners want formal, academic vocabulary that shows precision, tone, and topic understanding.
This page trains you to replace weak expressions with the kind of IELTS crime vocabulary that boosts scores.
Why Word Choice Matters
| Band Descriptor | What It Says |
| Band 6 | Uses basic vocabulary with limited flexibility |
| Band 7+ | Uses a sufficient range of vocabulary to allow flexibility and precision |
If your essay still says “do crimes,” it shows the examiner:
- You haven’t studied academic tone
- You aren’t using topic-specific vocabulary
- You aren’t ready for university writing
Band 6 vs Band 7+ Crime Vocabulary Upgrade Table
| Band 6 Phrase | Band 7+ Equivalent | Example Sentence |
| do crimes | commit offences | He was arrested for committing multiple financial offences. |
| break the law | violate legal codes | Those who violate legal codes must face appropriate penalties. |
| go to jail | face incarceration | The offender faced incarceration after a lengthy trial. |
| punish bad people | impose criminal sanctions | The state imposed criminal sanctions for the cyber attack. |
| crime is bad | crime undermines social stability | Crime undermines social stability and public trust. |
Sentence Upgrade Drills
1. Original: People who break the law should go to jail.
Upgrade: Individuals who violate legal codes should face incarceration.
2. Original: Some people do crimes because they are poor.
Upgrade: Some individuals commit offences due to economic hardship and lack of opportunity.
3. Original: We should punish criminals harder.
Upgrade: Stricter criminal sanctions may act as a deterrent to potential offenders.
Quiz: Choose the Band 7+ Option
1. What’s a better way to say “go to jail”?
A. do jail
B. go prison
C. face incarceration
2. “Break the law” can be upgraded to:
A. violate legal codes
B. cut rules
C. make a crime
3. “Do crimes” should become:
A. do offending
B. commit offences
C. make crimes
Suggested Answer: C, A, B
Why This Upgrade Strategy Works
Academic IELTS writing — especially on crime topics — isn’t just about having an opinion.
It’s about showing the examiner:
- You know the correct legal and social terms
- You can write about sensitive issues with control and formality
- You can express ideas like someone who belongs at Band 7+
Next Step: Get Full Band 7+ Vocabulary Packs and Sentence Frameworks
Inside the IELTS Vocabulary Transformation course, you’ll:
- Learn 200+ topic-specific word upgrades
- Train real IELTS tasks with precision vocabulary
- Upgrade speaking and writing fluency using model frames and drills
Don’t write like everyone else. Speak with control. Write with precision.
This topic connects to another essential IELTS lesson—check it out here: