Introduction
In IELTS writing, you are marked on four criteria: Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical resource and Grammar Range and Accuracy (GRA). In this post, we’re going to talk about the last one, IELTS Grammar Range and Accuracy (GRA) and especially about what simple steps you can take to improve this score.
Note: Improving your grammar is not the same as improving vocabulary, it is similar to improving your pronunciation. It takes a lot of practice and usually takes a long time. If you have doubts about your grammar, start working on it as soon as you can. It won’t get better tomorrow, it won’t get better next week, but in a few months you should start to see an improvement. Slow and steady, be patient!
Some of these 9 points are obvious, some not so obvious. Some of them are the most common errors students make. You are not alone.
This site is not a grammar book, so I haven’t even attempted to expalin everything here. Instead I’ve added links to two or three quality grammar sites so you will believe the advice, and so your score will go up.
1 – Practice Constantly
Rather than go into your IELTS Writing test having taken just a few lessons, practice regularly and when you feel you have improved, get a teacher to mark your essays and give you some guidance.
Often the guidance is not what you think it will be. You may worry about your vocabulary, while a teacher may point out that the way you organise your essays is making it harder for you to score well.
In addition, although it is great to practice writing the two essays in an hour, you need to take spelling, punctuation and grammar into account too. Doing that yourself or with a friend only works for a short time. As you grow as a writer, you will need more help.
2 – Know your IELTS Grammar Tenses
Although most IELTS Task 2 essay questions can be written in the present simple, many students worrry about showing they can use the other tenses too.
Tenses show when something happened, is happening or is going to happen.When these actions occur is often best described by using a timeline as well as examples rather than long explanations.
In the diagram below, there are timelines of all the main English tenses to show when the action took place and, in many cases, when it was completed.
These timelines give quick and easy explanations about each tense, but this post gives more in depth info-graphics and explanations on how to both make and use each tense.
3 – Vary Your Sentence Types
In IELTS Writing Task 2 band descriptors, to get a band 7 for Grammar and Accuracy score, you need to ‘use a variety of complex structures.
This means that the essay should be written so it has a variety of different sentence structures and is easy for the reader to read.
You SHOULD NOT fill the esssay with impossibly long sentences that are completely unnatural, but use a range of sentence types to express your argument clearly.
If you would like a score over 5 for your writing, then try to avoid using too many simple sentences and use compound, complex and compound complex sentences instead.
Although complex compound sentences are mentioned in both of the linked pages there are not really any IELTS examples such as those below.
Compound-complex sentences
As the name suggests, a compound-complex sentence is one that contains both a coordinating and a subordinating conjunction; therefore, combining more than one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.
In the examples below, the dependent clauses have been highlighted. Note how the position of the dependent clause can change. How does this affect the punctuation used in the sentence?
Example 1a – Working from home is now conceivable if the internet connection is fast enough, so companies might consider subsidising the cost.
Example 2a – People eat at fast food restaurants because the food is tasty and quick, but they are also aware that it is unhealthy.
Example 3a – The world needs countries to collaborate, and the climate crisis will not be resolved until international accords are negotiated, signed and respected.
Example 4a – Museums charging entrance fees makes sense as long as it reduces their reliance on public finances and gives decision-makers more autonomy.
Example 5a – Although some leaders claim to disagree, most governments feel that economic success is more essential than social progress, but this idea can be easily refuted.
Example 6a – Choosing which university to attend is a tough decision, therefore many young people depend on their parents’ advice because they trust in their experience.
As the examples above show, a comma will be placed before the coordinating conjunction, and another after the dependent clause if it comes first in the sentence. Notice the changes in punctuation when the dependent clause is moved.
Example 1b – If the internet connection is fast enough, working from home is now conceivable, so companies might consider subsidising the cost.
Example 2b – Because the food is tasty and quick, people eat at fast food restaurants, but they are also aware that it is unhealthy.
Example 3b – Until international accords are negotiated, signed and respected, the world needs countries to collaborate, and the climate crisis will not be resolved .
Example 4b – As long as it reduces their reliance on public finances, museums charging entrance fees makes sense and gives decision-makers more autonomy.
Example 5b – Most governments feel that economic success is more essential than social progress, although some leaders claim to disagree, but this idea can be easily refuted.
Example 6b – Choosing which university to attend is a tough decision, so because they trust in their experience, many young people depend on their parents’ advice .
Compound-complex sentences are common in advanced writing, and can be found throughout academic texts. In IELTS there is no requirement, but if test-takers can practice and master these sentence types it will help to create a text that flows more easily.
However, there are some reasons to be careful. Some test-takers mistakenly believe that long sentence are better sentences. This mistake often leads to sentences that are too long to read comfortably, or run on sentences that make little sense. For this reason, in IELTS it is wise to limit a sentence to three clauses at most unless you are extremely confident that you have good control over grammar and punctuation, and use simple, compound and complex sentences more frequently.
However, there are several reasons to exercise caution. Some test takers mistake lengthier sentences for better ones. This error frequently results in sentences that are too lengthy to read comfortably or that have run-on phrases that make no sense. For this reason, in IELTS, limit sentences to three clauses at most unless you are quite sure of your command of grammar and punctuation, and use simple, compound, and complex sentences frequently.
4/ Use Modal Verbs Accurately
Using modal verbs correctly will enhance any essay by expressing such things as possibilty, ability and obligation clearly and concisely.
Confusion often arises when using the modal verbs ‘can’ and ‘could’.
This is because ‘can’ is most often used to talk about ability, while ‘could’ is for possibility. However, ‘could’ is also the past form of ‘can’. It is all explained here.
5/ Improve Your IELTS Grammar to Improve Your Band
So what kind of grammar do you need for each band? If you need a band 6, what grammar should you learn? If you need a 7 what grammar should you learn? It’s not an easy question to answer.
Some IELTS examiners agree that there should be at least some particular grammar points evident in an essay for each band. These points should increase and improve with each rise in level, so if band 5 needs four points, then band 6 would need 8 and so on.
Here are grammar points for each band, remember, if you want a higher band, you’ll need to learn a greater number of them.
I repeat, this is not a grammar book, so I have included links to pages where there are great explanations as well as videos and tests. This should save you a considerable amount of time and focus your IELTS grammar learning on actionable points you can use in your writing test.
As you will see, particularly with Conditional Sentences and Relative Clauses, one link covers more than one band.
| Band 5 Grammar Range & Accuracy | |
| Simple subordinate clauses – when / because | Subordinate Clause: Explanation and Examples (grammar-monster.com |
| First conditional | Conditional Sentences: Explanation and Examples (grammar-monster.com) |
| Infinitive of purpose | Infinitive of Purpose (perfect-english-grammar.com) |
| Present Perfect | Present Perfect Tense: Explanation and Examples (grammar-monster.com) |
| Present Perfect Continuous | Present Perfect Progressive Tense: Explanation and Examples (grammar-monster.com) |
| Band 6 Grammar Range & Accuracy | |
| Complex subordinate clauses: although / while / so that | Subordinate Clause: Explanation and Examples (grammar-monster.com) |
| Second conditional | Conditional Sentences: Explanation and Examples (grammar-monster.com) |
| Defining relative clauses | Relative Clause: Explanation and Examples (grammar-monster.com) |
| Passive voice | Passive Voice: Explanation and Examples (grammar-monster.com) |
| Band 7 Grammar Range & Accuracy | |
| High-level subordinate clauses: despite / whereas | Subordinate Clause: Explanation and Examples (grammar-monster.com) |
| Third conditional | Conditional Sentences: Explanation and Examples (grammar-monster.com) |
| Result / Reduced Relative Clauses | Relative Clause: Explanation and Examples (grammar-monster.com) |
| Basic verb patterns: clauses as subjects / objects | Verbal Nouns: Explanation and Examples (grammar-monster.com) Clause: Definition and Examples (grammar-monster.com) |
| Band 8 Grammar Range & Accuracy | |
| Language to focus information: cleft sentences / inversion | Definition and Examples of Cleft Sentences (thoughtco.com) Inversion (perfect-english-grammar.com) |
| Mixed conditionals | 2 Types of Mixed Conditional Sentences |
| Participle clauses | Participle Clauses (perfect-english-grammar.com) |
| Complex verb patterns / Nominalisation | English Verb Patterns (perfect-english-grammar.com) Nominalisation in English Grammar: High Level Writing Tips (grammarwiz.com) |
6/ Use Articles Accurately
Articles are another tricky aspect of grammar. You can have no article, a, an, or the. Which one do you use?
Quick Hints about articles
a before consonants (a book)
an before vowels (an exam)
“The” with superlative forms (He is the smartest kid I have seen.)
Some Rules using Articles
Singular count nouns:
indefinite: use ‘a’
definite: use “the”
My daughter wants to buy a dog this weekend. (Indefinite – Could be any dog)
The dog in the backyard is very cute.(Definite – The one in the backyard)
He requested a puppy for his birthday.
He wanted the puppy he played with at the pet shop.
She ordered a hamburger without onions.
Did you drink the coke I just ordered?
Plural count nouns:
Use “the” or nothing, never ‘a’.
Come and look at the children, (definite)
Children are always curious, (indefinite)
She loves flowers, (indefinite)
The flowers in her garden are beautiful, (definite)
Do you like reading grammar rules?
Do you like reading the grammar rules on this page?
Non-count nouns:
Use “the” or nothing.
He has experience, (if indefinite or mentioned for the first time)
He has the experience necessary for the job. (if definite or mentioned before)
The medicine the doctor prescribed had unpleasant side effects.
Writing in a second language is especially challenging.
Have you studied the history of South Africa?
History reminds us that events repeat themselves.
Definite Article THE Rules
Adjectives as Nouns
When referring to a group of people by use of an adjective rather than a noun, use “the”.
| the elderly | the disabled | the unemployed |
| the rich | the sick | the needy |
| the homeless | the young | the restless |
Names of Countries
Some countries are preceded by “the”, usually if the name is plural, a group, contains an adjective, or includes “of.
| The United States | The Soviet Union | The Republic of Congo |
| America | Russia | Spain |
| Japan | China | Mexico |
Cities and Streets use nothing
| Chicago | Fifth Avenue | San Francisco |
| Highway 5 | London | Kennedy blvd. |
Rivers, Oceans, Seas, Groups of Mountains & Islands use “the
| the Amazon | the Cascades | the Atlantic |
| the Hawaiian Islands | the Mediterranean | the Bahamas |
Cardinal numbers(l,2,3) use nothing
| World War 2 | Page 7 | Mission 1 |
| Paragraph 5 | Chapter 1 | Channel 6 |
Ordinal numbers (lst,2nd,3rd) use “the”
| The Second World War | the seventh page | the first mission |
| the fifth paragraph | the first chapter | the sixth channel |
Titles of People
When a title is given with a name, use nothing
| President Mitchel | Queen Mary | Professor Scott |
When a title is used without a name, use “the”
| The president | the queen | the professor |
Schools
When a school has “of” in its title, use “the”
| The University of Arizona | The University of London |
When a school does not have “of” in its title, use nothing
Lincoln High School Arizona State University Liverpool John Moores University
Location versus Activity
When referring to an activity, use nothing
I am going to school now.(activity-study)
He is always on time for class, (activity-learn)
When referring to the location, use “the”
The meeting is at the school, (location-campus)
They are remodelling the movie theater, (location-building)
The new student had trouble finding the class, (location-classroom)
Unique Objects – Use “the”
The earth the human race the world
The moon the sun the universe
Part of a larger group, Use “the”
One of the students
None of the students -Both of the students -All of the students
There is a great site called www.breakingnewenglish.com which publishes two or three texts each week. Each one has several exercises, and there is always one on ‘a’, ‘an’, ‘the’, or ‘no article’.
See the picture on the next page to see how to get the link each time. Go to www.breakingnewsenglish, click on a headline for an article, go to the grammar section in the top bar, then click on The / An / A to go to the exercise. It’s a great way to practice regularly. Good luck!
7/ Improve Subject-Verb Agreement
Another extremely common error is subject-verb agreement. This means that the subject (usually a person, a group of people or an organisation) has to match with the action they are doing.
For example:
They is trying to pass an exam. = incorrect
They are trying to pass an exam. = correct
Check out this page and the infographic below as a quick reference.
8/ Keep Errors to a Minimum
It doesn’t matter how good your sentence structure is or how good your cohesion is, the more errors you make, the lower your score will be.
Grammar Range & Accuracy
| Band | Grammar Range & Accuracy – Errors |
| 9 | – rare minor errors occur only as ‘slips’ |
| 8 | – the majority of sentences are error-free – makes only very occasional errors or inappropriacies |
| 7 | – produces frequent error-free sentences – has good control of grammar and punctuation but may make a few errors |
| 6 | – makes some errors in grammar and punctuation but they rarely reduce communication |
| 5 | – may make frequent grammatical errors and punctuation may be faulty; errors can cause some difficulty for the reader |
As far as grammar is concerned, it is better to be accurate and corect rather than try something and be wrong. Many teachers say that the examiner will give you marks if you try to use better grammar. He may, but he may also take marks off for being wrong! Be correct!
9/ Limit Punctuation Errors
It is tempting to use colons or semi-colons in your essays, but if you have ANY doubts, don’t for the reasons given above regarding errors.
English punctuation is also difficult for native speakers, so try to use only capital letters, full stops (periods) and commas.
Commas are the difficult ones, so try to learn the rules (that is difficult enough) and do your best. This post covers most punctuation, but as I said, just use these three and you will be more successful.
Here are a few quick tips for gaining better control over your commas
| When to Use Commas | Examples |
| Use a comma before coordinating conjunctions (but, and, yet, so, etc.) that join independent clauses | I wanted to go hiking, but it was too cold. |
| Use a comma after introductory clauses, phrases, and words before main clauses | While I was running, a dog walked by. Having finished the test early, I went to lunch. Well, the car is parked. |
| Use a comma in the middle of a sentence to set off clauses, phrases, and inessential words | That day, which was Shrove Tuesday, was the only day I could sleep. The professor of this class is interesting. The material, on the other hand, is not. Thank you for coming in. Today, however, we do not need help. |
| Use commas in a series | Apples, oranges, and bananas were on sale. The coach promised to win the game, go to the playoffs, and win the Super Bowl. |
| Use commas to separate main sentence structure from quotations that you integrate | The professor stated, “Profit is essential to sustainability”. |
Conclusion
Your writing score will definitely improve if you implement these 9 points but remember what I said in the introduction. Your grammar will take time to get better, so start practicing your new knowledge now! Good luck!