viable
Practical and likely to succeed.
ExampleCycling is a viable alternative for short journeys in many cities.
ExampleSolar power is not yet a viable solution for every rural community.
Usage Scenarios
Evaluating a solution
Use viable when a solution is not only desirable but practical enough to work under real constraints.
ExampleCycling is a viable alternative for short journeys in many cities.
Limits on practicality
Use it with cost, infrastructure, public support, technology, or scale when explaining why an idea can or cannot work.
ExampleSolar power is not yet a viable solution for every rural community.
Usage Guide
Use viable when a solution or alternative is practical enough to succeed under real conditions such as budget, scale, resources, and public support.
High-value chunks include viable solution, viable alternative, economically viable, and politically viable when the essay evaluates whether an idea can actually work.
Do not use viable for ideas that are merely attractive. The sentence should show cost, resources, scale, public support, or feasibility.
Word Forms & Word Building
Viable uses the adjective suffix -able, meaning able to live, work, or succeed in practice.
Viability is formed with the noun suffix -ity and names whether an idea can realistically work.
Economically viable is a common academic chunk for something that can work financially.
Do not use viable for merely attractive ideas; the word includes practicality and realistic success.
Meaning Boundaries
Viable vs possible
Possible means something can happen. Viable means it can realistically work well enough under practical conditions.
Viable vs beneficial
Beneficial means helpful. Viable means workable; an idea can be beneficial in theory but not viable because of cost or scale.
Best IELTS context
Use viable in Task 2 solution essays when evaluating public transport, energy policy, education reforms, healthcare, or local planning.
Memory Tricks
Store viable as able to work in practice. The word needs evidence of cost, scale, resources, or implementation.
Anchor it in viable solution, viable alternative, economically viable, and politically viable.
Before using viable, ask whether the idea can realistically succeed, not merely whether it sounds positive.
Common Traps
Do not use viable when you only mean good or attractive. Viable means realistic enough to work.
Make the condition clear: affordable, practical, politically possible, easy to implement, or sustainable over time.
Do not say very viable too often. A viable solution is already a practical candidate; explain why it can work.