Understanding ‘Implausible’: Boost Your IELTS Vocabulary
Learn the meaning, usage, and importance of the word ‘implausible’ for IELTS success. This video covers pronunciation, etymology, synonyms, antonyms, and common usage errors to help you master this valuable vocabulary item.
Imagine you’re watching a sci-fi movie where aliens with five heads land on Earth and claim they’re here to teach us advanced mathematics.
Your first thought might be, This plot is completely implausible! Today, we’re exploring the word implausible, a vocabulary item that’s crucial for achieving a high band score in IELTS.
Word type: Implausible is an adjective. It’s pronounced im-PLAW-zuh-buhl, with the stress on the second syllable.
Meaning: Implausible describes something that’s difficult to believe, not seeming reasonable or probable.
It’s used to express skepticism about the likelihood or credibility of a claim, situation, or explanation.
Word history: The term implausible has Latin roots. It comes from the prefix im, meaning not, and plausible, which derives from the Latin plausibilis, meaning worthy of applause or acceptable.
So, implausible literally means not acceptable or not worthy of belief.
Antonyms: Some opposites of implausible include plausible, credible, believable, and likely.
Synonyms: Words with similar meanings to implausible are improbable, unlikely, far-fetched, dubious, and preposterous.
Examples use in sentences: Let’s look at how to use implausible in various contexts. In scientific discourse, you might say: The researcher’s hypothesis seemed implausible at first, but her experimental results provided compelling evidence.
In literature analysis: The novel’s plot became increasingly implausible as the author introduced more coincidences and unlikely events.
In everyday conversation: His excuse for being late was so implausible that no one believed him. In political commentary: The candidate’s promises were deemed implausible by economic experts, who argued that the proposed policies were financially unfeasible.
Common errors in use: Be careful not to confuse implausible with impossible. While implausible means difficult to believe or unlikely, impossible means not able to occur or exist under any circumstances.
For instance, time travel to the past is currently considered impossible, while winning the lottery twice in a row is highly implausible but not impossible.
Another common mistake is using implausible when you mean unpalatable or disagreeable. Remember, implausible refers to the likelihood of something being true, not whether it’s desirable or acceptable.
Mastering words like implausible can significantly enhance your vocabulary for the IELTS exam. It allows you to express skepticism and critical thinking more precisely, which is particularly valuable in the writing and speaking sections.
Practice using this word in your own sentences and look for it in academic texts to reinforce your understanding and usage.
