/ˈfɒs.tər/ · verb
foster
nuôi dưỡng, thúc đẩy — Khuyến khích và tạo điều kiện cho một điều tích cực — như kỹ năng, giá trị hay mối quan hệ — phát triển dần theo thời gian.
The upgrade in 5 seconds
help develop creativity in children
foster creativity in children
No definition. No dictionary. Just the sentence, made better.
Section 02
The Common Mistake
Many IELTS candidates lean on encourage, help develop and promote.
“Encourage” and “help develop” are correct — but flat. “Help develop” is wordy, and “encourage” is so common an examiner barely notices it. Neither captures nurturing something over time.
“Yes — that's exactly how I write, too.”
Section 03
The Better Choice
This is the step from Band 6 to Band 7 — not a harder word, a more precise one.
Section 04
Why It Works
“Encourage” just says you gave a nudge. “Foster” says you actively nurtured something abstract — a skill, a value, a relationship — so it can grow over time.
That is why academic writers reach for it across education, society and work essays. It pairs with abstract nouns of growth (creativity, innovation, cooperation, independence) — the exact collocations Band 8 rewards.
Section 05 · The core of the lesson
Upgrade Matrix
Watch one idea climb from Band 6 to Band 9 — same meaning, rising precision.
Schools should encourage children to be creative.
Correct, but “encourage” is general and overused.
Schools should foster creativity in children.
Stronger verb, though the phrasing can go further.
Schools should foster creativity from an early age.
Natural collocation + a clear time frame. This is the target.
Schools should foster creativity from an early age, rather than focusing solely on exam results.
Developed idea with a clear contrast — fully controlled.
Good managers help develop teamwork among their staff.
Fine, but “help develop” is wordy and flat.
Good managers foster cooperation among their staff.
“Foster cooperation” is a top-tier academic collocation.
Good managers foster a culture of cooperation that keeps talented employees engaged.
Specific and developed — nothing wasted.
Section 06 · Read against the band descriptors
Examiner's Insight
How this word measures up against the public IELTS Writing & Speaking band descriptors — an editorial read, not a real examiner's verdict.
In Writing Task 2, “foster creativity” is the kind of phrasing the band descriptors reward — not because the word is rare, but because it is precise and naturally collocated. A well-placed B2 verb signals control of Lexical Resource far more than a misused rare word.
Section 07
Native Radar
Not about grammar — about whether a native speaker would actually say it.
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Native would naturally say
policies designed to foster innovation
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Native might say
foster a habit
Understood — but for a habit, “develop” or “build” usually sounds more natural.
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Native almost never says
foster pollution
Foster is for positive things you nurture — you can’t foster something harmful.
Section 08 · Under 5 minutes
Active Recall
01 Rewrite using foster: “Schools should help students develop independence.”
Model answer
Schools should foster independence in students.
02 Choose the stronger collocation: foster pollution / foster innovation.
Answer
foster innovation — precise and academic.
03 Complete naturally: “A good teacher can ______ a lifelong love of learning.”
Answer
foster — “foster a love of learning” is a perfect pairing.
Foster means to nurture something good over time —
not just encourage it once.
If you forget everything else, keep this.
Section 10 · Editorial rating
Examiner Score
Section 11 · The editor closes
Final Verdict
Foster is one of the highest-value verbs in academic English — and it is only B2, which is the point. It is not a rare word you show off; it is a precise word you rely on. The moment you stop “encouraging” ideas and start “fostering” them, your writing sounds like it understands how change actually happens.
Learn it once, pair it with abstract nouns of growth — creativity, innovation, cooperation, independence — and it will earn its place in most education and society essays you write.
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