Grammar is the backbone of any language irrespective to the region. The students will be well-versed with effective grammar knowledge of their subjects to excel in the respective examination.
The errors in grammar can bring major differences in the sentence meaning or damage the whole paragraph. Therefore, effective grammar is the key to any language or examination.
Most corporate in the native-English speaking nations requires candidates who are proficient in the English language.
Grammar for IELTS
IELTS grammar plays a vital role in acquiring a good IELTS band score. It helps in assessing the applicant’s language abilities. Being an English Language Proficiency Test, you should ensure that the answers were written using proper grammar.
Grammar is an essential constituent in all IELTS modules ensuring that Grammar of IELTS plays a major role in all IELTS modules. However, the grammar of IELTS plays a major role in writing and speaking rather than reading and listening.
The IELTS test itself is to assess the student’s English language proficiency and readiness to study abroad. Let’s have a look at interesting facts related to grammar of IELTS and its importance in acquiring an IELTS band 7+.
“Does Grammar of IELTS play a vital role to acquire a higher IELTS Band Score?”
Even though none of the IELTS modules direct assesses the grammar of IELTS, but adequate grammar knowledge is essential to get a higher IELTS score in all the four sections of the Exam Writing, Speaking, Listening, and Reading. Furthermore, the importance clearly depends on the particular module and varies from one another.
As the toughest subject in the English language, Grammar of IELTS stresses most students. Of course, appropriate grammar is essential for both the students and working professionals.
The grammar of IELTS is vital since the IELTS test is purely based on English language assessment and to test the test taker’s ability and readiness to study/work abroad. Although there exist some particular consequences where grammar of IELTS is essential, the truth is it is required for all types.
IELTS GRA- IELTS Grammatical Range and Accuracy. The IELTS & GRA comprises two parts:
- Grammatical Range
- Accuracy
You should be proficient in both grammars of IELTS concepts, thus achieving a higher IELTS band.
Let’s look at these two parts in detail:
Let’s look into the essential concepts related to grammar for IELTS and why it is vital for the test-takers to follow the grammar rules while attempting the test.
Grammatical Range
The grammatical range in IELTS indicates the quantity to assess the IELTS writing test criteria.
The range of grammar in IELTS writing includes:
- Task Achievement/Response
- Coherence and Cohesion
- Grammatical range and accuracy
- Lexical resource
The band descriptors for IELTS speaking are:
- Grammatical range and accuracy
- Pronunciation
- Fluency and Coherence
- Lexical resource
The factors mentioned above can be applied for both tasks of writing- task1 and task 2. Even though it is essential for the IELTS speaking test too.
Accuracy
The accuracy in the IELTS speaking and writing sections is a reference of being error-free. An IELTS test-taker’s band score in that area is related to the presence or lack or recurring errors they produce.
Now look at the Grammar for IELTS in each section:
Grammar for IELTS Writing Module
One of the prominent areas where the grammar of IELTS plays is IELTS writing section. Writing essay in IELTS test is different from typical essay writing as a part of your university education. The essay must be a clear one in a precise way and should be at least 250 words following a proper structure.
Grammar for IELTS- let’s look at the primary writing consequences
Tenses:
It is essential to understand the 12 verb tenses in the English Grammar for IELTS. They are:
- The simple present tense
- The simple past tense
- The simple future tense
- The present continuous tense
- The past continuous tense
- The future continuous tense
- The present perfect tense
- The past perfect tense
- The future perfect tense
- The present perfect continuous tense
- The past perfect continuous tense
- The future perfect continuous tense
Based on the topic, you have to use the appropriate tense.
Punctuation:
Pronunciation is the mix of small symbols plays a crucial role in the grammar of IELTS. It helps in conveying the right meaning of the sentence in the right sense. Proper usage of pronunciation is very important in acquiring a higher IELTS band.
Here is the list of various types of punctuation:
- Comma
- Colon
- Semicolon
- Apostrophe
- Square brackets
- Full stop
- Question mark
- Braces
- Hyphen
- An exclamation point or exclamation mark
Practice using correct pronunciation as incorrect usage may change the meaning of the sentence. Underuse or overuse of pronunciation is not a good IELTS practice. Click Here IELTS Coaching Centre in Hyderabad
Practice appropriately using pronunciation as improper use may change the entire meaning. Over or under pronunciation use is not a good IELTS writing practice.
Types of Sentences
The sentence types are one among the major parts in the IELTS grammatical range. It should be included as a part of the Writing section. There are seven major sentence types that are important for IELTS writing-both academic and general modes.
The candidate should have a proper understanding of sentence clauses and structures before appearing for the IELTS examination as the examiner will look for them to grade you for the grammatical range.
Here are some exercises highlighting the grammar for IELTS.
Types of sentences in the IELTS Writing Test
Simple Sentences
It is a clause with a subject and a verb. However, it may consist of more than one subject and verb.
One subject and Verb:
Technology plays a major role in the modern world.
The above sentence consists of one subject “Technology” and the verb “plays”.
Two subjects with one verb:
Technology and innovation play a major role in the modern world.
The above sentence contains two subjects “Technology”, and “Innovation”, and the verb “play”.
Similarly, it can be one subject and one or more verbs.
Compound Sentences
These are one among the importance sentence types for the IELTS writing and speaking modules. These sentences were formed when combining the simple or independent clauses using coordinate conjunctions.
The primary conjunctions include:
- for
- and
- nor
- but
- or
- yet
- so
Example:
I’m really needed to go to the bank, but I am too sick to drive.
The conjunction used in the above sentence is ‘but’, for connecting the two independent clauses.
Complex Sentences
The sentences formed while combining the dependent and independent clauses. A dependent clause is incomplete and has no proper meaning unless it is combined with an independent clause.
Example:
Dependent clause: I heated it in the Microwave.
Independent clause: My pizza is too cold.
Because my pizza is too cold, I heated it in the Microwave.
Compound-Complex Sentences
A compound sentence is one which combines both a compound sentence and a complex sentence within it is known as the Compound-Complex Sentence.
Example:
Geetha cried when her puppy got sick, but he soon got better.
Passive Sentences
Sentences that convey the meaning in a passive manner are known as Passive sentences.
Example:
Active Sentence: Ram painted the house
Passive Sentence: The house was painted by Ram
Sentences in Reported Speech
Sentences which are not in the direct form are defined as the Sentences in Reported Speech.
Example:
I’ve been waiting for 2 hours. She said that she’d been waiting for two hours.
Conditional Sentences
The sentences start with the words if, when, unless etc are termed as conditional sentences. There are four Conditional sentence types:
- Zero conditional
- First conditional
- Second conditional
- Third conditional
Grammar for IELTS Speaking Module
As we discussed above, the grammar of IELTS speaking is an important and crucial factor to consider for achieving a higher band 7+. The surprising this is it consists of 25% of the IELTS speaking score.
Most candidates believe that the grammar of IELTS speaking only relates to accuracy and error-free speaking. This is only half of the story and even band 7 of IELTS expect some grammatical errors to persist.
Most applicants believe that the grammar of IELTS speaking is not related to error-free speaking but also accuracy.
Let’s say the question asked is “What did you have for breakfast today?” the verb here is in the past tense. So your answer should also be in the same tense. For example, I had bread.
To avoid making such errors, think of the tenses and make sure that you are answering in the same sense that you have been questioned.
However, the grammar of IELTS also deals with a wide range of grammatical structures as in IELTS writing module.
However, you know that grammar is also about showing a range of grammatical structures. This means going beyond simple sentences (for instance, only using the simple present tense), and using a variety of grammatical features and sentences.
Grammar for IELTS Reading and Listening Modules:
Though grammar for IELTS is not highly essential in IELTS Listening and Reading sections, appropriate grammatical usage is still important in selecting the right answers.
Your IELTS answer choices purely depend on the grammar which in turn can affect your IELTS band.
Common Grammar Mistakes in IELTS
We’ve seen how the grammar of IELTS is essential in scoring a higher IELTS band 7+. Let’s now have a look at some common grammatical mistakes that most IELTS test-takers perform during test.
- For the reading and listening sections, ensure that you are using appropriate grammar for answering short questions.
- For writing, understand how grammar helps you in identifying suitable words like writing summaries.
- For listening, understand how to adapt the words you listen to the grammar to sentence you’d write.
- Know that the grammar might be a deciding factor of your IELTS speaking grade.
- The more grammatical errors you make, the lower the grade you get.
- Right grammar helps you in identifying the right answer in IELTS reading.
The required criteria to get a higher IELTS band 7+ is creating “error-free sentences”, and acquiring band 8 is “the majority of the sentences are error-free.”
Thus, we can conclude that the Grammar of IELTS is highly essential to achieve a higher IELTS band. IELTS Coaching
