Grammar for IELTS
How Important is Grammar for IELTS?
Grammar is a crucial aspect of the IELTS exam, and it is evaluated in both the writing and speaking modules. Poor grammar can lead to confusion, a lack of clarity, and a lower score. It is important to focus on improving grammar skills by practicing and reviewing grammar rules, taking language courses or working with a tutor, and practicing writing and speaking in English. By doing so, test-takers can be better prepared to perform well on the IELTS exam and achieve their desired score.
IELTS Grammar Syllabus
The IELTS Grammar Syllabus covers a wide range of topics related to English grammar. Here are some of the topics that are typically included:
Parts of speech (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, etc.)
Tenses (present, past, future, perfect, progressive, etc.)
Modal verbs (can, could, may, might, should, would, etc.)
Conditionals (zero, first, second, third)
Examples of Simile
Degree of Comparison Rules
Passive voice
Reported speech
Relative clauses
Comparatives and superlatives
Articles
Quantifiers (some, any, much, many, etc.)
Gerunds and infinitives
Phrasal verbs
Collocations
Sentence structure and punctuation
These topics are not exhaustive, and the IELTS exam may also test grammar rules not included in this list. It is important to have a solid understanding of English grammar in order to perform well on the IELTS exam.
Grammar for IELTS Speaking
The IELTS Speaking Section is a test of your speaking skills that takes 11-14 minutes to complete. The questions can range from personal to general to speak about a given topic. While speaking, you can have mother tongue influence which is okay, but grammar is taken seriously. You will be evaluated on parameters like confidence, fluency and pronunciation, for which grammar is crucial. You would require to speak on diverse topics, including abstract ones. Therefore, it is essential to have good grammar skills to perform well in the IELTS Speaking section.
Grammar for IELTS Writing
The IELTS Writing Section consists of two tasks to be completed within 60 minutes. In Task-I, you will have to describe data and give a conclusion based on graphs, diagrams, and other information presented. In Task-II, you will be asked to write an essay up to a given standard. Grammar is undoubtedly the most important part of the IELTS Writing Section, as your writing aptitude will be evaluated based on your ability to write and your understanding of grammar. It is crucial to have good grammar skills to perform well in the IELTS Writing Section.
Grammar for IELTS Listening
The IELTS Listening Section consists of four recorded texts, monologues, and conversations, with 40 questions asked. You will be made to listen to recordings by various native speakers to test your aptitude for understanding the English language in various situations. This section evaluates your ability to understand ideas and detailed factual information, as well as the underlying attitudes of speakers. Recordings of various accents are used to make it more challenging and inclusive. Grammar is crucial for the IELTS Listening Section, as it helps you comprehend the recordings within the given time and make apt inferences. Therefore, having good grammar skills is essential to perform well in the IELTS Listening Section.
Grammar for IELTS Reading
The IELTS Reading Section comprises three sections consisting of passages aimed at testing your reading skills. It includes 40 questions on a variety of topics of varied length to be completed in 60 minutes. The test requires you to read for gist, skim, and understand logical arguments given in the text. The section can appear to be easy but can be tricky, as you are asked to recognize the writers’ opinions, attitudes, and purpose of writing. To do so, you need to understand the text very clearly. Therefore, grammar is essential for the IELTS Reading Section, as it helps you achieve clarity while answering the questions. Having good grammar skills will help you to perform well in the IELTS Reading Section.
8 Grammar Rules for English to Improve Your IELTS Score
- The Simple Aspect
The simple aspect is a verb form that indicates that an action is happening in a habitual, repeated, or general sense, or that it happened at a specific time in the past and is now complete. In the simple aspect, the verb remains in its base form, with the addition of an -s ending for third-person singular subjects in the present tense.
For example:
I walk to school every day. (habitual action in present tense)
She plays the piano well. (habitual action in present tense)
He worked hard yesterday. (specific past action that is now complete)
The simple aspect is important in the IELTS exam because it is used to describe actions and events in both the writing and speaking modules. It is also used to indicate the time frame in which an action occurred, which is crucial for accurately conveying information and ideas.
- Present Perfect and Simple Past Verb Tenses
Present Perfect and Simple Past are two verb tenses that are frequently used in the IELTS exam.
The Simple Past is used to talk about completed actions in the past. It is often used to describe a specific time or event that happened in the past. For example, “I visited Paris last year.”
On the other hand, the Present Perfect is used to talk about actions that began in the past and continue up to the present or have a connection to the present. It is often used with the words “already,” “yet,” and “just.” For example, “I have already eaten breakfast this morning.”
It is important for IELTS candidates to use these verb tenses correctly as they are often tested in both the writing and speaking sections. Using the wrong tense can result in lower scores for grammar and coherence.
- Passive Voice
Passive voice is a grammatical structure in which the subject of a sentence receives the action of the verb, rather than performing the action. In other words, the focus is on the recipient of the action rather than the doer of the action.
For example:
Active voice: The teacher graded the papers.
Passive voice: The papers were graded by the teacher.
In the passive voice, the subject of the sentence becomes the recipient of the action, and the doer of the action is either omitted or mentioned at the end of the sentence with the preposition “by”.
Passive voice can be used to change the focus of a sentence, to emphasize the object of the action rather than the person or thing performing the action. It can also be used when the doer of the action is unknown or unimportant. However, passive voice can sometimes make sentences more wordy and less direct, so it is important to use it judiciously.
- Modal Verbs
Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs that express a variety of meanings such as ability, possibility, permission, obligation, and advice. They include words such as “can,” “could,” “may,” “might,” “must,” “shall,” “should,” “will,” and “would.”
Modal verbs are frequently used in both the speaking and writing modules of the IELTS exam. They can be used to express a range of meanings and are essential for demonstrating a high level of English proficiency.
For example, in the speaking module, you might use modal verbs to express your ability to do something, such as “I can speak two languages fluently.” In the writing module, you might use modal verbs to express your opinion or give advice, such as “People should recycle more to reduce pollution.”
It is important to use modal verbs accurately and appropriately in the IELTS exam. Misusing modal verbs can result in confusion and lower your score. Therefore, it is recommended to practice using modal verbs and familiarize yourself with their meanings and uses.
- Definite Article
The definite article is “the” and is used to refer to a specific noun or a group of nouns that have already been mentioned or are known to the speaker and the listener. It is also used to refer to something unique or specific, such as a famous landmark or a unique object. In English, the use of the definite article can often be determined by whether the noun is singular or plural, and whether it is countable or uncountable. For example, “the book” refers to a specific book that has already been mentioned, while “the sun” refers to the specific star in our solar system. - Adjective Comparison
Adjective comparison is a grammatical rule used to compare two or more things or people. There are three forms of comparison: positive, comparative, and superlative.
Positive adjectives are used to describe one thing or person without comparing them to anything else, such as “She is pretty.”
Comparative adjectives are used to compare two things or people, indicating that one is superior or inferior to the other. They are formed by adding “-er” to the end of the adjective, such as “She is prettier than her sister.”
Superlative adjectives are used to compare three or more things or people, indicating that one is the best or worst. They are formed by adding “-est” to the end of the adjective, such as “She is the prettiest of all the girls.”
- Eradicate Frequent Spelling Mistakes
The summary is: Candidates, especially kids, tend to make frequent spelling mistakes such as adding an extra letter to adverbs or adding “ing” to verbs ending in “ed”. To eliminate these mistakes and better understand the test format, candidates should practice and speed through answering questions from earlier tests. - Construction of Sentences
The construction of sentences is an important aspect of grammar for the IELTS exam. It is essential to ensure that sentences are grammatically correct and coherent. Proper sentence construction requires the correct use of subject-verb agreement, correct word order, and the correct use of punctuation. Sentence structure also includes the use of clauses and phrases, and understanding how they are used to convey meaning. Understanding the construction of sentences is crucial for both the writing and speaking sections of the IELTS exam.
How is Grammar for IELTS Writing Marked?
Grammar is an essential component of the IELTS Writing test, and it is marked using specific criteria. The writing section of the test is evaluated based on the following four criteria:
Task Achievement: This criterion evaluates how well the candidate has addressed the prompt and whether the response is relevant or not.
Coherence and Cohesion: This criterion focuses on the organization of the response and how effectively the ideas are connected.
Lexical Resource: This criterion evaluates the vocabulary range and accuracy of the candidate.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: This criterion assesses the candidate’s use of grammar, including sentence structure, verb tense, subject-verb agreement, articles, prepositions, and other aspects of English grammar.
In terms of grammar, the evaluators look for a variety of complex sentence structures, proper use of verb tense, subject-verb agreement, and proper use of articles and prepositions. The use of cohesive devices such as conjunctions, transition words, and linking phrases is also evaluated.
It is crucial to remember that grammatical accuracy is just one of the four criteria, and candidates must pay attention to all of them to score well in the IELTS Writing test.
Best Books for IELTS Grammar
Basic English Grammar, B. Azar
Grammar for IELTS, D. Hopkins, P. Cullens
Oxford Practice Grammar Advanced, G.Yule
Oxford Practice Grammar Intermediate, J.Eastwood
English Grammar in Use, R.Murphy
Collins Grammar For IELTS [Advanced]
Achieve IELTS Grammar and Vocabulary
Get IELTS Band 9 Grammar Secrets
Cobuild English Grammar [Advanced]
