Vocabulary with pronunciation audios relating to coronavirus Covid-19. The aim is to help you develop your English language on an issue that is affecting all our lives at the present moment. These keywords will help you communicate and understand official information more easily. The audios will help you with pronunciation as some of the words are not easy to say correctly. This page is for non-native English speakers.
Vocabulary Practice: After all the words lists below, you will find an exercise to test your understanding of the vocabulary. Let me know if you want more practice lessons for this vocab.
High Level Coronavirus Vocabulary & Pronunciation
The list of words below are either high level words or words that are difficult to pronounce. Read the list and definitions first. After that, listen to the audio to learn the pronunciation.
A-N Word List
- acute respiratory problems
- acute – quickly becomes severe
- respiratory problems = breathing difficulties
- alcohol based antimicrobial hand sanitiser
- antimicrobial = kills bacteria and microorganisms.
- hand sanitiser = a hygienic cleaner for the hands
- altruism (n) / altruistic (adj)
- selfless concern for the welfare of others – without agenda.
- asthma
- a respiratory condition due to inflammation of the air passages in the lungs.
- (pron – silent “th”)
- contact tracing
- tracking who might have had contact with an infected person.
- contagious
- spread of a disease through direct or indirect contact with other people.
- this can also be used in reference to emotions: “The feeling was contagious as the excitement spread.”
- to contain an outbreak
- to control the spread of an illness
- to contaminate
- to infect
- curfew
- a specific time when people must stay indoors
- epicentre
- this word usually relates to earthquakes – the point on the surface which is the focus of the earthquake.
- in terms of Covid-19, it is being used to describe the area where the virus is most active.
- fomite / fomites
- an object or objects that becomes contaminated with infected organisms
- such objects can transmit illness from one person to another
- examples of such surfaces: kitchen surfaces, toys, bathroom surfaces, mobile phones etc
- To practise good hygiene relating to the coronavirus, we must disinfect surfaces, including our smart phones, regularly. Soft surfaces, such as children’s toys, can be washed.
- (pron = fomites has more than one type of pronunciation)
- herd immunity
- when a significant proportion of the population are immune to a disease either through a vaccine or by having naturally built up immunity by having had the disease and recovered from it.
- incubation period
- the time between exposure to an illness and when the symptoms start to become apparent.
- misinformation
- false or inaccurate information
- this is a common problem online
- always take your advice about Covid-19 from official sources
- this is also the case with IELTS – misinformation online confuses people about the test
- a new strain
- new strain = a genetic variant or subtype
- in this case, Covid-19 is a new strain of coronavirus
- it is sometimes referred to the novel coronavirus (new coronavirus not previously known)
Audio A-N Word List
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Download Word List: Coronavirus Vocabulary Download
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P-Z Word List Coronavirus
- pandemic
- a global outbreak of a disease
- patient zero
- the first person to contract the disease (relating to outbreaks)
- persistent cough
- persistent = doesn’t go away / continuing
- (pron cough = kof)
- pneumonia
- a form of acute respiratory infection that affects the lungs. See this page for details: NHS UK Pneumonia and WHO Pneumonia
- severe cases of coronavirus Covid-19 can develop pneumonia
- (pron = silent “p” at the beginning of the word)
- precautionary measures
- steps taken in order to be safe
- to ramp up
- increase
- this is usually used in spoken English rather than formal writing
- respiratory droplets
- small drops when someone exhales
- one way the novel coronavirus is spread is by droplets from an infected person breathing, coughing or sneezing being inhaled by someone else in close proximity
- respiratory problems
- breathing problems
- quarantine
- a time when someone who has been potentially exposed to an illness is put in isolation away from others to prevent the spread of a disease
- a state of emergency
- a time of danger when the government introduces temporary rules to deal with a situation
- stockpiling
- collecting large amounts of an item or items for future use, often in an emergency
- at present some people are stockpiling food in panic which is causing a shortage of some items
- stringent
- strict
- stringent measures
- super-spreader
- a person who transmits infections more than other people do
- surface transmission
- when an disease or bacteria is spread through contact with contaminated surfaces
- see “fomite”
- transmission rate
- the speed at which a disease is spread
- this can also be used in reference to data
- vaccine
- a substance that stimulates the production of antibodies in a person to give them immunity from a disease
- ventilators
- a machine that provides artificial respiration for a person
- at present governments around the world are urging for an increased production of ventilators to help support those patients who are severely affected with Covid-19 and who have acute respiratory problems
- vigorous action
- strong action
- vulnerable person
- vulnerable = easily physically hurt
- this can also apply to those who are at risk emotionally or mentally as well
- relating to Covid-19, it means people with certain medical conditions or of a particular age who are more likely to have severe symptoms or die when infected
- the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) have a list on this page: CDC at risk groups relating to the coronavirus
- when the government asks people to stay at home, it is not only to protect themselves but also to protect the vulnerable who are more at risk of this illness
- wheezing
- making a rough noise when breathing due to breathing difficulties
- (pron = the “h” is silent)
- zoonotic
- relating to a disease that is transmitted between animal and people
Audio P-Z Word List
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More Useful Vocabulary
The words below are more commonly known which is why I have not put a definition with them. If you are in doubt, check in your dictionary. I have put an audio with these words so that you can check if you are pronouncing them correctly.
- acceleration phase
- anxiety
- to catch a disease
- community spread
- death toll
- to disinfect
- face mask
- to be hospitalised
- large gatherings
- lockdown
- physical distancing
- precautions
- protective clothing
- to self-isolate
- severity
- social distancing
- symptoms
- utmost (adj & noun)
Audio for Above List
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Download Word List: Coronavirus Vocabulary Download pdf
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Vocabulary Practice
Complete the sentences below using a word or words from the list above. If the gap requires a verb, you might need to alter the verb form to ensure the sentence is grammatically correct on completion.
- In some countries, governments advise that the entire family should (a)……………. if just one member experiences symptoms such as a (b)……………….. cough, (c) ………………problems or a fever.
- Avoiding large gatherings and practising social (a)…………………….. can help reduce the (b)…………………. rate of the virus.
- When you seek information regarding Covid-19, always go to official sources and be careful of ………………. spread online.
- Many countries are ……………………. their efforts to try to contain the spread of this virus.
- As yet, there is still not enough known about the ………………………….. of the virus and precisely how long it survives on cardboard or plastic.
- People with pre-existing medical conditions that affect their breathing, such as ………….., should take extra precautionary measures.
- Covid-19 was declared a …………….. by the WHO on March 11th 2020.
- In the current situation, we are likely to see good examples of ……………. behaviour as neighbour helps neighbour.
- Most governments around the world are doing their ………….. to try to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
Download Word List: Coronavirus Vocabulary Download pdf
ANSWERS
The answers are not available for this lesson.
CLICK HERE: ANSWERS TO CORONAVIRUS VOCABULARY EXERCISE
From Liz
———————————
Suspended IELTS Tests
Use the following link to check if your test has been suspended and find information on dates when the tests are likely to continue in your area. Click here: Suspended Test Updates
Free Vocabulary & Listening Practice
Get free topic based vocabulary on this page: Vocabulary Main Page.
Get free listening practice on this page: IELTS Listening Main Page
All the best and stay safe!
Liz
Hi Liz,
As you uploaded a lesson including Corona vocabulary, do you think it is possible that questions about covid-19 might come in IELTS?
In speaking or in writing?
The topic of health is a very common topic. The questions might not be specifically about the Coronavirus, but you can use this as an example.
1. contact tracing, persistent,respiratory
2. distancing,transmission
3. Misinformation
4. ramping up
5. severity
6. asthma
7. pandemic
8. altruistic
9 . vigorous action
I want to thank you for everything, you are the best ILETS connoisseur.
You’re welcome 🙂
Thank you Liz for spending your valuable time for people who are going to wire ielts as soon as COVIDE -19 stops
Its really helpful for your information which is provided here
Amazing vocabularies
Am always going through your notes 📝
I’m glad it’s all useful 🙂 Hopefully the Covid-19 situation will become more under control soon. Also I hope IELTS finds new ways for people to sit the test in affected countries.
Hi liz, lots of respect for you for your effort in making ielts aspirants dream come true, I am new to ielts and have very less knowledge about it. I am from india and want to study abroad for my masters. So, I would like to take ielts academic test. I request you to show me a path through which I can score good in ielts academic exam. Since, everybody in India is home quarantined, I feel this is the perfect time for my preparation. Eagerly waiting for your reply……….
Please ignore if any grammatical errors!!!
Go to the HOME page on this site: http://www.ieltsliz.com and read how to use this site and all the free lessons on it.
1-a)contact tracing b) persistent c) respiratory problems
2-a)distancing b) transmission
3-misinformations
4-ramping up
5-strain
6-vulnerable
7-pandemic
8-hospitality
9-precautionarymeasures
1(a)be self- isolated
1(b)presistent
1(c) respiratory
2(a)distancing
2(b)transmission
3 misinformation
4 lockdown
5 a new strein
6 acute respiratory problems
7 patient zero
8 altruistic
9 state of emergency
Respect Teacher LiZ, I really appreciate your efforts and a very recently one of my teacher recommend you for IELTS, when I visit your page I found a lots of stuff for ILETS, by the way I really appreciate your efforts.
All Best wishes
I’m glad you are finding my website useful 🙂
Thank you so much Liz for your sincere efforts.
You’re welcome.
Thanks a lot.
Triple gem bless you.
1.go on isolation,severe, respiration
2. Distancing, ramping up
3. Misinformation
4.Lockdown
5.acceleration phase
6.pneumonia
7.pandemic diseases
8.altruist
9.precautionary measures
1. a. quarantine b. persistent c. respiratory
2. a. distancing b. transmission
3. misinformation
4. stringent in
5. surface transmission
6. pneumonia
7. pandemic
8. altruistic
9. utmost
(1) a- quarantine
b- persistent
c- respiratory
(2) a- distancing
b- transmission
3- misinformation
4- ramping up
5- incubation period
6- asthma
7- pandemic
8- community spread
9- vigorous action
1. quarantine, pneumonia, respiratory
2. distancing, transmission
3. misinformation
4. stringent in
5. severity
6. asthma
7. pandemic
8. altruistic
9. utmost
Thank you so much for such an effort.
You’re welcome.
1 a. quarantine
b. persistent
c. respiratory
2 a. distancing
b. transmision
3. false information
4. ramping up
5. severity
6. asthma
7. pandemic
8. altruistic
9. utmost
1- Quarantine – persistent – acute respiratory
2- distancing – transmission
3- misinformation
3- ramping up
4- transmission rate
5- pneumonia
6- pandemic
7- altruism
8- utmost
Dear Mam,
I belong to Bangladesh. In the following 4th April, I have been registered for IELTS exam with the British Council. Due to the corona virus outbreaking, every kind of exam has been postponed and it has been said to avoid any type of gathering in the outside. I tried to contact the British Council office in Bangladesh. But it would not be possible to contact them. Thanks in advance.
With regards,
Farjana.
I would guess that all communication will be slow at present as organisation and companies scramble to adjust and get policies sorted. Go the official page for IELTS Coronavirus (just google it) and you’ll find a list of test centres with estimated dates etc. Also send your test centre an email, they will reply in time – just be patient. This situation was unexpected.
Thanks a lot, mam. All scheduled IELTS exam in Bangladesh has been postponed until 14th April. It has been noticed in the British Council web page of Bangladesh.
(1) a- quarantine
b- persistent
c- respiratory
(2) a- distancing
b- transmission
3- misinformation
4- ramping up
5- incubation period
6- asthma
7- pandemic
8- community spread
9- vigorous action
Matches my answers 95%
Thank you dear Liz.
Hope you and your loved ones are staying safe. Prayers for all of us to survive this crises🙏
Fingers crossed for everyone at this time. This situation will pass. Use this time to think of your future. Make plans, start preparing. Keep learning and developing. Stay safe!!
Thanks Liz… Very helpful vocabulary.
Glad it’s useful.
1.a.quarantine
b.persistent
C.respiratory
2.a.distance
b.increase
3.misinformation
4.ramp up
5.vaccine
6.asthma
7.pandemic
8.altruistic
9.utmost
1. Quarantine – persistent-respiratory
2. distancing – transmission
3. misinformation
4. ramping up
5. surface transmission
6. asthma
7. pandemic
8. altruism
9. utmost
1-lockdown /-persistent /-acute respiratory
2-distancing/ -transmission
3-misinformative
4-vigorously making
5- new strain
6-asthma
7- pandemic
8-altruistic
9-utmost
1. a. Quarantine.
1.b. Persistent.
1.c. Respiratory problems.
2.a. Distancing.
2.b. Transmission.
3. Misinformation.
4. Ramping up.
5. Incubation period.
6. Asthma.
7. Pandemic disease.
8. Altruistic.
9. Utmost.
Thanks so much for this! This page is really helping me!
I’m glad it’s useful.
1. a. quarantine
b. persistent
c. respiratory
2. a. distancing
b. transmission
3. misinformation
4. ramping up
5. severity
6. asthma
7. pandemic
8. altruistic
9. utmost
1 a . quarantine
b. Persistent
c.respiratory
2 a. Distancing
b.transmission
3.misinformation
4.ramping up
5.new strain
6.asthma and pneumonia
7.pandemic disease
8.altrustic
9.utmost
Thank you Liz, very helpful and organized as usual. You help a lot.
You’re welcome.
1-quarantine,persistent, respiratory
2-isolation, transmission rate
3-misinformation
4-ramping up
5-acceleration phase
6-pneumonia
7-pandemic
8-altruistic
9-stringent measures
1a. Quarantine
1b.persistent
1c.respiratory
2a.distancing
2b.transmission
3.Misinformation
4.Ramping up
5.New strain
6.Vulnerable person
7.Pandemic
8.Altruistic
9.utmost
1.(a) LOCKDOWN (b) PERSISTENT (c) BREATHING .
2. (a) DISTANCING (b) TRANSMISSION
3. MISINFORMATION
4. UTMOST
5. FOMITE
6. SYMPTOMS
7. NEW STRAIN
8. ULTRUISM
9. SEVERITY
1. a. quarantine
b. persistent
c. breathing
2. a. distancing
b. transmission
3. misinformation
4. ramping up
5. new strain
6. respiratory problems
7. pandemic
8. altruistic
9. stringent measures
1.a quarantine
b. persistent
c. respiratory
2. distancing
3. misinformation
4. lockdown
5. ventilator
6. asthma
7.pandemic
8.community spread
9.vaccine
1.a) Quarantine
b) Persistent
c) Breathing
2.a) Distancing
b) Transmission
3. Misinformation
4. Ramping up
5. Transmission rate
6. Asthma
7. Pandemic
8. Altruism
9. Utmost
1.
a. Quarantine
b. Persistent
c. Respiratory
2.
a. Distancing
b. Transmission
3. Misinformation
4. Ramping up
5.Incubation period
6. Asthma
7. Pandemic
8. Altruistic
9. Utmost
1. a. Self isolate
b. Persistent
c. Breathing
2. a. Distancing
b. Transmission
3. Misinformation
4. Ramping up
5. New strain
6. Asthma/pneumonia
7. Pandemic
8. Altruistic
9. Utmost
Beautiful and correct explantion in depth on par with official sources
1(a). Quarantine
(b). Persistent
(c). Respiratory
2(a). social distancing
(b). transmission rate
3. misinformation
4. Ramping up
5. Symptoms
6. Asthma
7. Pandemic
8. Community spread
9. Utmost
1 a. Self isolate
1 b. Persistent
1 c. Respiratory
2 a. Distancing
2 b. Transmission
3. Misinformation
4. Contact tracing
5. New strain
6. Asthma
7. Pandemic
8. Altruistic
9. Utmost
1(a)Quarantine
(b)Persistent
(c)Respiratory
2.(a)Distancing
(b)Transmission
3.CDC
4.Ramping up
5.Vaccine
6.Wheezing
7.Pandemic
8.Altruistic
9.Utmost
1. a- be quarantined
b- dry
c- respiratory
2- distancing; transmission
3- misinformation
4- ramping up
5- strain
6- Asthma
7- pandemic
8- altruistic
9- utmost
1.(a) Quarantine
(b)Persistent
(c)Respiratory
2.(a)Distancing
(b)Transmission
3. CDC
4.Ramping up
5.Vaccine
6.Wheezing
7.Pandemic
8.Altruistic
9.Utmost
1 a quarantined b persistent c respiratory
2 a distancing b transmission
3 misinformation
4 ramping up
5 vaccine
6 asthma
7 pandemic
8 altruism
9 precautions
1.
a. self isolate
b. persistent
c. respiratory
2.
a. distancing
b. transmission
3. misinformation
4. ramping up
5. vaccine
6. asthma/pneumonia
7. pandemic
8. altruistic
9. utmost
1_a,qurrantine
B_persistant cough
C_ Risperatory problem
2a social distancing
B_ Transmission
3_ misinformation
4_ Ramping
5_ strain
6_ Hypertension
7_pandermic
8_Altruistic
9_ utmost
Hear frm Madrid. Self-isolated.
Your work is very valuable and I appreciate a lot. Many thanks.
Let’s go:
1.-a. isolated (self-isolated)
b. persistent
c. acute respiratory problems
2.-a. social distancy
b.- transmission rate
3.- misinformation
4.- ramping up
5.- symptoms
6.- asthma
7.- Pandemic
8.- altruistic
9.- utmost
I’m glad you are taking the time to continue learning. Stay safe!!
thank you liz for your great effort.
1(a) self-isolate
(b) persistent
(c) Breathing
2 (a) Distancing
(b) Transmission
3. Misinformation
4. Ramping up
5. Surface transmission
6. Asthma
7. Pandemic
8. Altruistic
9. Best
1. Be Isolated
b.persistent
c.respiratory
2a. Gathering
b. Spreading
3.inaccurate information
4. Putting vigorously
5. Transmission rate
6. Asthma
7.pandenmic
8. Altruistic
9. Utmost best
Hey Liz, do you provide any actual IELTS class in London? Thank you
All my lessons are online. There are hundreds of free lessons on this site and I also have Advanced Writing Task 2 lessons as mentioned on the page above.
Hellos ,from Azerbaijan. Thanks a lot, most of these vocabulary are frequently used ,once I came across some of them on news websites.You made our preparation easy .God bless you from coronavirus!
I’m glad the list is useful. Stay safe!
1. a) use face mask b) dry c) respiratory
2. a) distancing b) transmission rate
3. misled
4. ramping up
5. severity
6. respiratory problems
7.pandemic
8. altruism
9. best
1. a. quarantine b. persistent c. respiratory
2. a. distancing b. transmission
3. misinformation
4. ramping up
5. incubation period
6. asthma
7. pandemic
8. altruism
9. precautionary measures
Thank you. I expect more lessons like this.
thank you for sharing useful study materials.
You’re welcome.
Dear Liz,
Thank you so much for all the support you provided through your website. It helped me a lot, to prepare and get a band 8! Your website content is just fantastic and was my primary preparation material.
You are just awesome!
That’s a great result – very well done 🙂 Glad my website lessons helped 🙂
1 (a) self-isolate
1 (b) respiratory droplets
1 (c) respiratory
2(a) physical distancing
(b) contaminate
3 misinformation
4 lockdown
5 incubation period
6 asthma
7 pandemic
8 altruistic
9 quarantine
Thank you very much for your information about this pandemic vocabulary, this really reflects your utmost respect and appreciation for your students and followers.
Thank you for that kind message. Glad you find the page useful.
1.a. to self isolate
b.dry
C. respiratory
2. a… distancing
b… High
3……misleading
4……doing
5…….research
6…….lungs
7……..threat
8… .. ..human
9……….best
1. a) self-isolate
b) persistent
c) acute respiratory
2. a) distancing
b) transmission
3. misinformation
4. ramping up
5. surface transmission
6. asthma
7.pandemic
8. altruistic
9. utmost
I am very pleased to get such as post.I think which will help me many more.Thanks you.
I’m glad you find it useful.
1- quarantine – persistent – breathing
2- social distancing and transmission rate
3-misinformation
4- exerting. not quite certain
5-vaccine
6-respiratory problems
7- pandemic
8- altruistic
9-precautionary measures
1a) self isolate (b) severe (c) breathing
2. distancing
3. transmission
4. misinformation
5.ramping up
6. pneumonia
7. pandemic
8. altruism
9.utmost
I’m blessed with this pages