IELTS Writing and Speaking: Grammar Mistakes You Shouldn’t Make

Mastering the Foundations of IELTS Grammar

Introduction: Why Grammar Matters in IELTS

Grammar is not just a set of rules—it is the backbone of effective communication. In the IELTS Speaking and Writing modules, grammar accounts for 25% of your overall score in each task. However, this assessment is twofold. First, you are judged on the range of grammatical structures you use. Second, and more importantly, you are scored on the accuracy of those structures.

To achieve Band 7 or higher, more than 50% of your sentences need to be grammatically accurate. If over half of your sentences contain mistakes, your score for grammatical range and accuracy will be capped at Band 6. This highlights how crucial it is to not only know grammar but to apply it correctly under exam conditions.

This part of the course introduces essential grammar concepts and highlights common errors candidates make. Becoming familiar with these pitfalls and how to avoid them is the first step in building a strong grammar foundation.

Article Usage in IELTS: The Word “The”

One of the most common mistakes in IELTS grammar is the incorrect use of the definite article “the.” Understanding when to use it—and when not to—is essential for clarity and accuracy.

When to Use “The”

1. When there is only one of something in a specific context:
   • The sun, the moon, the government, the police, the hospital

2. When there is only one in the world or context:
   • The environment, the internet, and the ozone layer

3. With ordinal numbers:
   • The first, the second, the third

4. With superlatives:
   • The best, the most expensive, the least effective

5. With plural place names involving groups:
   • The United States, the United Kingdom, and the Maldives

6. With general things, when speaking in a more abstract or representative way:
   • The motorbike is a common form of transport in Asia.

   • The role of women has changed over the decades.

7. Before abstract nouns are used in specific contexts:
   • The development of cities accelerated.

   • The frequency of crime has decreased.

When Not to Use “The”

1. When referring to things in general (plural or uncountable):
   • Cats hate water (not the cats hate the water)

   • Smartphones are essential for modern life.

   • People with asthma should avoid pollution.

2. With most single country or place names:
   • China, India, Europe, South America

Using “the” unnecessarily or omitting it where it’s needed can lead to confusion or sound unnatural. Overusing “the” is a common problem, especially among learners whose native language uses articles differently.

Countable and Uncountable Nouns

In English, nouns are either countable or uncountable. Mistaking one for the other is a common error that directly affects grammatical accuracy.

Common Uncountable Nouns

• Advice

• Information

• Traffic

• Research

• Food

• Education

• Advertising

• Money

• Knowledge

• Literature

• Entertainment

• Happiness

• Work

These nouns cannot be used with:

• Plural verbs: There were many traffic (incorrect)

• Numbers: Four advices (incorrect)

• Articles like “a/an”: An entertainment (incorrect)

• Quantifiers like “many,” “a few,” “several”: A few research (incorrect)

How to Use Uncountable Nouns Correctly

You can use quantifying phrases:

• A piece of advice

• A lot of information

• Some traffic

• Much work

• A bit of entertainment

• A great deal of money

Examples:

• He gave me some advice.

• There is a lot of traffic today.

• She has a lot of knowledge of the topic.

Mistaking these for countable nouns leads to unnatural or incorrect phrasing. Pay close attention to whether the noun is inherently countable or not before applying plural forms or quantifiers.

Noun-Verb Agreement

Subject-verb agreement is a fundamental grammar rule. The subject of your sentence must agree in number with its verb. If the subject is singular, the verb must be singular. If it is plural, the verb must be plural.

Examples of Errors

• Incorrect: There are some dogs outside.
  Correct: There are some dogs outside.

• Incorrect: Here is some homework for you
  Correct: Here is some homework for you

• Incorrect: The team is winning.
  More acceptable: The team is winning (especially in formal contexts)

Tips for Ensuring Agreement

1. Be cautious with collective nouns:
   Words like “team,” “group,” or “class” may seem plural but are singular in form.
   • The group of tourists is ready.

   • The class was noisy

2. Ignore interrupting phrases:
   Sometimes other words appear between the subject and the verb, but they don’t change the number of the subject.
   • The price of those jeans is high.

   • The list of items was long.

3. Watch for inverted word order:
   When sentences start with “there” or “here,” the real subject follows the verb.
   • There are many problems.

   • There is a solution

Failure to maintain proper agreement often lowers clarity and confuses the reader or listener.

Verb Forms: –ing or to + Infinitive

In English, some verbs are followed by to + the base form of another verb, while others are followed by verb–ing. Using the wrong form is a common source of error and can make your sentence grammatically incorrect.

Verbs Followed by “to + Infinitive”

Examples:

• Want to

• Hope to

• Decide to

• Promise to

• Refuse to

• Offer to

• Prepare to

• Plan to

Sample Sentences:

• I want to study overseas

• She refused to participate.

• They decided to stay home.

Verbs Followed by “–ing”

Examples:

• Suggest

• Recommend

• Avoid

• Finish

• Enjoy

• Consider

• Deny

• Keep

• Practice

• Involve

Sample Sentences:

• He suggested leaving early

• I enjoy reading science fiction.

• She avoided talking to him.

Verbs That Can Use Both

Some verbs, like “like,” “love,” or “prefer,” can be followed by both structures with a slight difference in meaning.

• I like to swim = I choose to swim (preference)

• I like swimming = I enjoy the activity.

• He began to cry

• He began crying

Both are usually acceptable, but subtle shifts in meaning can exist.

Understanding which verbs take which forms is essential for avoiding awkward or incorrect sentence construction in both Writing and Speaking tasks.

Using Articles Before Adjective-Noun Combinations

When using an adjective followed by a singular countable noun, an article like “a” or “an” must precede the phrase.

Examples

Correct:

• A major improvement

• An interesting idea

• A small percentage

• A surprising result

Incorrect:

• Major improvement (missing article)

• Interesting idea (missing article)

Exceptions

Some fixed expressions include quantifiers or prepositions and follow slightly different rules:

• A wide range of options

• An equal number of participants

• A large amount of traffic

• Quite a few people

• To a certain extent

These phrases are often used in IELTS Writing Task 2 and Task 1 to describe trends, give opinions, or present arguments. Learning them as chunks or collocations can help improve fluency and accuracy.

Using Commas Correctly in Academic Writing

In IELTS Writing, punctuation plays a supporting role in enhancing coherence and clarity. Commas are commonly used with discourse markers, which are phrases that help link ideas smoothly.

Use a comma after a linking phrase at the beginning of a sentence:

• Firstly, environmental problems need urgent solutions

• On the one hand, technology increases productivity.

• However, some people believe it harms society.

Use commas around linking words placed mid-sentence:

• Technology, however, also causes distraction

• Fossil fuels are, for example, harmful to the environment.

Incorrect punctuation can lead to sentence fragments or run-on sentences, both of which lower your score in coherence and cohesion.

This section introduces the foundation of grammatical accuracy required for the IELTS test. Key areas include the correct use of articles, distinctions between countable and uncountable nouns, subject-verb agreement, choosing between –ing forms and infinitives, appropriate article use before noun phrases, and punctuation through commas.

Each of these areas can significantly affect your grammar score. By practicing these rules and seeking feedback on your writing and speaking, you can reduce your error rate and boost your confidence. The next part will build on this by exploring verb tenses, prepositions after adjectives and nouns, apostrophe rules, and common spelling issues.

Developing Accuracy with Tenses, Prepositions, Apostrophes, and Spelling

Mastering English Verb Tenses in IELTS

Verb tense use is a key indicator of both grammatical accuracy and clarity. IELTS Writing and Speaking tasks require you to communicate clearly about the past, present, and future, sometimes switching between tenses in one response. Knowing when and how to use the correct tense is essential.

Here is a breakdown of the main tenses and their appropriate uses in IELTS:

Present Simple

Use for:

• General truths: Water boils at 100 degrees.

• Habits and routines: I go to the gym twice a week.

• Facts or permanent situations: The sun rises in the east.

• Describing graphs (general trends): The chart shows that sales increase in summer.

Examples:

• People usually eat three meals a day.

• The graph shows a steady increase in population.

Present Continuous

Use for:

• Actions happening now: I am speaking to you.

• Temporary situations: She is staying with her friend this week.

• Planned future events: We are meeting the professor tomorrow.

Examples:

• Many people are working from home now.

• The company is expanding its services.

Present Perfect

Use for:

• Actions completed at an unspecified time before now: I have visited Japan.

• Experiences: She has never flown before.

• Recent events with relevance to the present: He has lost his passport.

Examples:

• Crime rates have dropped in recent years.

• I have seen that documentary.

Present Perfect Continuous

Use for:

• Actions that began in the past and continue now: I have been studying for three hours.

• Recent continuous activities with present effects: She has been working hard lately.

Examples:

• Scientists have been researching the virus for months.

• He has been reading more lately.

Past Simple

Use for:

• Completed actions at a specific time in the past: I visited Rome in 2021.

• Narrating past events: The experiment failed after the change.

Examples:

• The factory closed in 2008.

• She graduated last year.

Past Continuous

Use for:

• Actions in progress at a time in the past: I was watching TV at 8 PM.

• Parallel past actions or interrupted events: He was cooking when the phone rang.

Examples:

• They were working all day yesterday.

• I was reading when the lights went out.

Past Perfect

Use for:

• One past action completed before another: She had left before I arrived.

Examples:

• He had studied English before moving to Canada.

• They had already eaten when the guests came.

Past Perfect Continuous

Use for:

• Duration of an action up to a point in the past: She had been working for two hours before the break.

Examples:

• They had been waiting for over an hour when the bus arrived.

Future Simple

Use for:

• Predictions: It will rain tomorrow.

• Promises or offers: I will help you with that.

• Decisions made at the moment: I think I’ll call her now.

Examples:

• Technology will change the way we live.

• I will attend the meeting.

Future Continuous

Use for:

• Actions in progress at a time in the future: This time next week, I will be flying to Paris.

Examples:

• At 9 PM, we will be having dinner.

• She will be presenting her findings.

Future Perfect

Use for:

• Actions that will be completed before a specific future time: I will have finished the report by Friday.

Examples:

• By 2030, emissions will have decreased.

• The course will have ended by then.

Future Perfect Continuous

Use for:

• Duration of an action up to a future point: By next year, he will have been working here for ten years.

Examples:

• They will have been living in New York for a decade.

• I will have been studying for months before the exam.

Learning when to use these tenses, especially while describing data (Writing Task 1) or experiences (Writing Task 2 and Speaking), will help you construct clear and accurate responses.

Prepositions After Adjectives and Nouns

Prepositions may seem small, but they play a big role in IELTS grammar. Certain adjectives and nouns are always followed by specific prepositions. Incorrect use of these can result in awkward or incorrect sentences.

Common Prepositions After Adjectives

At

• Good at

• Bad at

• Surprised at

Examples:

• He is good at drawing.

• She was surprised at the result.

About or With

• Pleased about (something)

• Pleased with (someone or result)

• Angry about (a situation)

• Angry with (a person)

• Disappointed about (a fact)

• Disappointed with (a person)

Examples:

• I’m pleased with my IELTS results.

• She is angry about the delay.

Worried about can refer to both situations and people.

Examples:

• Parents are worried about their children’s education.

• Many students are worried about their scores.

Prepositions After Nouns

In

• Rise in

• Increase in

• Fall in

• Drop in

Examples:

• There has been a rise in unemployment.

• A drop in sales was reported.

Of

• Number of

• Percentage of

• Example of

• Advantage of

• Disadvantage of

• Use of

Examples:

• A large number of people agree.

• The use of fossil fuels is declining.

Between

• Difference between

Examples:

• There is a difference between the two countries.

Mistaking these collocations often results in grammatical or lexical errors. Practice these combinations to gain fluency and natural sentence structure in both written and spoken IELTS responses.

Apostrophes in IELTS Grammar

Apostrophes serve two main purposes in English: to show contractions and to indicate possession.

Contractions

Used in informal English and spoken English. You should avoid using them in IELTS academic writing, especially in Writing Task 2 and formal Task 1 responses.

Examples:

• Cannot → can’t

• Do not → don’t

• It is → it’s

• I will → I’ll

Speaking Example:

• I don’t think that’s a good idea.

Writing Example (avoid contractions):

• Incorrect: I don’t believe this is true.

• Correct: I do not believe this is true.

Possession

Apostrophes also show ownership.

Examples:

• John’s book

• The teacher’s pen

• My friend’s house

Plural possession:

• The students’ essays (more than one student)

• The children’s toys

Avoid Apostrophes With Possessive Pronouns

No apostrophes in:

• It’s (possessive form of “it”)

• Ours

• Yours

• Theirs

Examples:

• The dog wagged its tail.

• The book is ours.

Common mistake: Confusing its and it’s

• It’s = possessive: The car lost its wheel.

• It’s = contraction of “it is” or “it has”: It’s raining.

Understanding apostrophes helps you avoid careless mistakes, particularly in formal writing and personal statements.

Common Spelling Mistakes in IELTS

Spelling errors reduce clarity and can lower your score for lexical resource and accuracy. Some mistakes are due to sound confusion, while others are just memorization issues.

Confused Word Pairs

• To / too / two

• Their / there / they’re

• Your / you’re

• Though/through / thought / thorough

Examples:

• I’m going to the library.

• This is too difficult.

• Their house is big.

Common IELTS Words Often Misspelled

• Accommodation

• Advertisement

• Beginning

• Business

• Commercial

• Environment

• Government

• Occurred

• Practice (noun) / Practise (verb in British English)

Examples:

• The hotel offers excellent accommodation.

• The event was well-advertised.

Practice tip: Learn these words in context, not in isolation. Practice writing essays using them.

Days and Months

These are basic but frequently misspelled.

• Wednesday

• February

• Saturday

Examples:

• The meeting is on Wednesday.

• She was born in February.

Misspelling common words looks careless and can damage the impression you create, especially in academic essays.

This section has addressed four critical grammar areas for IELTS success: accurate verb tense usage, correct prepositions after adjectives and nouns, apostrophe rules, and common spelling pitfalls. Together, these elements influence how well you communicate ideas, present arguments, and describe data.

In IELTS, clear grammar isn’t just about avoiding mistakes. It’s about showing control, precision, and flexibility. By mastering these foundations, you reduce errors and make your writing and speaking more effective and professional.

Advanced Grammar Structures for Higher IELTS Bands

Using Complex Sentences Effectively

A high IELTS score in Writing and Speaking requires more than simple, short sentences. You need to demonstrate the ability to write and speak using complex sentence structures—sentences that include more than one clause, joined by conjunctions or relative pronouns.

Using complex grammar correctly is more important than just trying to make sentences longer. If complex sentences are filled with mistakes, they will not help your score and may even reduce it.

What is a Complex Sentence?

A complex sentence contains:

• An independent clause (can stand alone as a sentence)

• One or more dependent clauses (cannot stand alone)

These clauses are joined using subordinating conjunctions (such as because, although, while, since, unless, if) or relative pronouns (who, which, that).

Examples:

• Although people are living longer, healthcare costs are rising.

• Students who study abroad often gain more independence.

• If governments increase investment in education, long-term benefits will follow.

Subordinating Conjunctions

Some commonly used subordinating conjunctions in IELTS Writing:

• The project failed because there was insufficient funding.

• Although it was expensive, the new technology was effective.

• While some argue that exams are necessary, others disagree.

• Since resources are limited, alternatives must be found.

• If the weather improves, outdoor events will resume.

Relative Clauses

Use relative clauses to add detail without making separate sentences.

• The man who helped me was very kind.

• The city that experienced the earthquake recovered quickly.

• They chose a plan that reduced emissions.

Note: Avoid overcomplicating sentences with too many clauses. A few well-constructed complex sentences are better than many confusing ones.

Modal Verbs for Precision and Politeness

Modal verbs help you express possibility, necessity, obligation, and ability. They also add formality and variety to your grammar. Using them correctly can raise both your Writing and Speaking scores.

Common Modal Verbs

• Can / Could: Ability or possibility

• Will / Would: Future certainty or polite offers.

• Shall / Should: Suggestions or obligations

• May / Might: Weak possibility

• Must: Strong obligation or logical conclusion

Examples in IELTS Context:

• Governments should invest more in public transport.

• Individuals must take responsibility for recycling.

• This solution could reduce the level of pollution.

• Students might struggle to balance work and study.

Degrees of Certainty with Modals

High certainty: must, will

• The population will increase in the next decade.

Medium certainty: should, would

• Education should be free for all children.

Low certainty: might, could, may

• There might be fewer job opportunities due to automation.

Using modals appropriately demonstrates control over tone, meaning, and formality—skills the examiner looks for in higher band scores.

Mastering Conditionals

Conditional sentences describe situations and their possible outcomes. They are especially common in IELTS Task 2 when discussing causes, consequences, and hypothetical solutions. Many test-takers struggle with conditionals due to their structure and verb tense rules.

Types of Conditionals

1. Zero Conditional
   Structure: If + present simple, present simple
   Use: General truths or laws
   Example: If water reaches 100°C, it boils.

2. First Conditional
   Structure: If + present simple, will + base verb
   Use: Real future possibilities.
   Example: If people recycle more, pollution will decrease.

3. Second Conditional
   Structure: If + past simple, would + base verb
   Use: Unreal or hypothetical present/future situations
   Example: If I had more time, I would study abroad.

4. Third Conditional
   Structure: If + past perfect, would have + past participle
   Use: Regrets or hypothetical past
   Example: If they had taken action earlier, the crisis would have been avoided.

5. Mixed Conditional
   Use: Combining the second and third for complex meaning.
   Example: If I had studied harder (past), I would be working as a doctor now (present).

Common Errors to Avoid

• Using the wrong tense in the “if” clause

• Mixing conditionals incorrectly

• Forgetting “would” only appear in the main clause

Using a variety of conditional forms in your essays shows a mature command of English grammar, especially when discussing hypothetical policy changes or personal decisions.

Using Passive Voice in Formal Writing

Passive voice shifts focus from who is doing an action to what is being done. This is especially useful in Task 1 (Academic), where the subject is often unknown or unimportant, and also in Task 2 when you want to be more objective.

Structure

Be + past participle

Tense Example (Active) → Passive Form

• Present simple: They produce electricity → Electricity is produced

• Past simple: The government passed the law → The law was passed.

• Present perfect: Scientists have developed a vaccine → A vaccine has been developed.

• Future simple: They will open the new centre → The new centre will be opened.

• Modal: We must reduce waste → Waste must be reduced

Why Use Passive in IELTS?

1. To maintain an objective tone
   • Incorrect: I believe people should recycle

   • Better: It is believed that recycling is necessary.

2. To describe processes or trends without focusing on the agent
   • The data was collected from five countries.

   • Carbon emissions have been reduced over time.

3. To discuss societal or scientific actions
   • Action must be taken.

   • Policies have been implemented.

Tips for Passive Voice

• Don’t overuse it—balance active and passive forms.

• Avoid unnecessary passive sentences in IELTS Speaking.

• In Writing Task 1 (Academic), passive voice is often essential when describing process diagrams.

Practice Sentences: Bringing It All Together

1. Complex + Modal + Passive
   • If stricter rules are enforced, people will be encouraged to use public transport.

2. Conditional + Passive
   • If taxes were increased, more funding could be allocated to education.

3. Relative Clause + Passive
   • The technology that was introduced last year has significantly improved communication.

4. Modal + Passive
   • Governments should be held accountable for environmental damage.

5. Present Perfect Passive
   • Many policies have been introduced to support renewable energy.

By combining these structures skillfully, you increase both the complexity and accuracy of your sentences, which is exactly what the IELTS examiner is looking for.

This section has covered essential advanced grammar features needed to push your score into Band 7 or above. These include:

• Constructing and using complex sentences to show relationships between ideas

• Applying modal verbs to express degrees of certainty, obligation, or suggestion

• Using conditional structures accurately to discuss hypothetical or future scenarios

• Employing the passive voice appropriately to enhance formality and clarity in writing

These elements help you build mature, flexible, and clear English responses, especially in Task 2 essays and formal language scenarios in Task 1 (Academic).

Enhancing Clarity, Cohesion, and Structure in IELTS Grammar

Sentence Clarity: Writing for Understanding

Clear writing is one of the most underrated elements in IELTS success. A sentence may be grammatically correct but still difficult to understand if it is wordy, vague, or poorly structured. Sentence clarity helps the examiner follow your argument or description without confusion or distraction.

Common Problems That Reduce Clarity

1. Overuse of complex vocabulary:
   • Poor: The amelioration of urban infrastructural limitations continues to be imperative.

   • Clearer: Improving city infrastructure is still important.

2. Misplaced modifiers:
   • Poor: She almost drove her kids to school every day.

   • Clearer: She drove her kids to school almost every day.

3. Unclear pronoun references:
   • Poor: When people shop online, they get more choices. This makes it easier.

   • Clearer: Online shopping provides more options, which makes buying products easier.

4. Excessive passive voice:
   • Poor: The new law was passed, and implementation was begun.

   • Better: The government passed the new law and began implementation.

To improve clarity, aim for precision, consistency, and directness. Don’t try to impress the examiner with complicated phrasing; instead, focus on making your ideas easy to follow.

Parallel Structure: Balance in Writing and Speaking

Parallelism means using the same grammatical form when listing or comparing ideas. It improves both grammar and coherence. Errors in parallel structure are common, especially in longer sentences.

Why It Matters

Incorrect parallel structure is confusing and makes your writing look disorganized. IELTS examiners look for fluency and control in sentence construction—parallelism is a key sign of that.

Examples of Parallel Structure

1. Noun consistency:
   • Incorrect: The policy affects the economy, education, and how people live.

   • Correct: The policy affects the economy, education, and lifestyle.

2. Verb consistency:
   • Incorrect: He likes reading, playing football, and watching movies.

   • Correct: He likes reading, playing football, and watching movies.

3. Phrase or clause consistency:
   • Incorrect: The study focused on reducing costs, improving productivity, and ensuring that workers felt more motivated.

   • Correct: The study focused on reducing costs, improving productivity, and increasing motivation.

4. Comparisons:
   • Incorrect: Renewable energy is safer and better for the environment than using fossil fuels.

   • Correct: Renewable energy is safer and more environmentally friendly than fossil fuels.

Practicing parallelism can also help with organizing ideas logically in Writing Task 2 when presenting arguments, examples, or lists.

Punctuation Beyond Commas: Using Colons, Semicolons, and Dashes

Correct punctuation is not just about commas. Higher-scoring responses in IELTS often use a wider range of punctuation, including colons, semicolons, and dashes, where appropriate.

Colons (:)

Use a colon to introduce a list, explanation, or result after an independent clause.

• The causes of pollution are clear: vehicle emissions, factory waste, and deforestation.

• One thing is certain: education must be improved.

Don’t use a colon directly after a verb or preposition.

Incorrect: The main sources are: traffic, industry, and farming.
Correct: The main sources are traffic, industry, and farming.

Semicolons (;)

Use semicolons to link two related independent clauses that could stand as separate sentences.

• The population is increasing rapidly; more housing is needed.

• She studied engineering; however, she chose an art career.

Semicolons help maintain sentence flow while avoiding repetitive sentence structures.

Dashes (—)

Use a dash to add emphasis, explanation, or interruption in informal writing or Speaking responses.

• There’s only one solution — stricter regulations.

• I had a plan — at least I thought I did.

While dashes are less common in formal academic writing, they can be useful in the Speaking test or informal letters (General Training Task 1).

Full Stops and Sentence Boundaries

Students often write long, confusing sentences because they fear using full stops. Breaking long ideas into two clear sentences is better than writing a confusing compound sentence.

• Poor: Technology is developing rapidly and it affects every aspect of life and this is why some people feel overwhelmed.

• Improved: Technology is developing rapidly. It affects every aspect of life, which is why some people feel overwhelmed.

Good punctuation supports both grammatical range and coherence.

Cohesive Devices: Linking Your Ideas Clearly

Cohesive devices (linkers or discourse markers) help organize ideas and guide the reader or listener through your argument. Using a variety of appropriate cohesive devices is necessary for achieving a high score in Coherence and Cohesion.

Categories of Cohesive Devices

1. Addition:
   • Furthermore, Moreover, In addition, Also

2. Contrast:
   • However, on the other hand, although, despite, whereas

3. Cause and Effect:
   • Therefore, as a result, because, consequently

4. Examples:
   • For example, for instance, Such as, namely

5. Time/Sequence:
   • First(ly), Then, Next, Finally, Subsequently

6. Conclusion/Summary:
   • In conclusion, to sum up, overall, in summary

Examples in Use:

• In addition, education plays a vital role in shaping society.

• However, this solution is not always effective.

• As a result, many cities face housing shortages.

• For instance, Singapore has strict environmental laws.

• To sum up, renewable energy should be prioritized.

Common Errors:

• Overusing the same device repeatedly (e.g., starting every paragraph with “Also”)

• Using informal markers in formal writing (e.g., “Anyways” in Task 2)

• Incorrect punctuation around linkers (e.g., “However pollution is increasing.” → Correct: “However, pollution is increasing.”)

Examiners are not impressed by long lists of linkers—they are looking for effective, meaningful use that improves the flow of your response.

Putting It All Together: Sample Paragraph

Let’s see how these elements work in an IELTS Writing Task 2-style paragraph:

Topic: Some people think that students should take a gap year after high school.

Sample:

Although taking a gap year may seem like a waste of time, it can offer valuable experiences that benefit students both academically and personally. For instance, students who travel during this period often gain cultural awareness, develop independence, and improve problem-solving skills. Moreover, a break from academic life might help reduce burnout and improve future performance. Therefore, a well-planned gap year should be considered an important part of education, not an interruption.

Grammar features used:

• Complex sentence with although

• Modal verbs: can, might, should

• Parallel structure: gain, develop, improve

• Cohesive devices: for instance, moreover, therefore

• Passive voice: should be considered

This type of paragraph demonstrates strong grammatical range, accuracy, and cohesion—exactly what examiners are looking for.

Final Tips for Grammar Mastery

1. Quality over complexity: Use complex grammar only if you can use it accurately.

2. Seek feedback: Ask teachers or native speakers to point out frequent mistakes.

3. Edit and review: In Writing, always leave time to check your grammar.

4. Record yourself: In Speaking, listen back to hear your verb and article errors.

5. Practice deliberately: Don’t just read rules—write your sentences with them.

In this final section of the grammar mini-course, you learned how to:

• Improve sentence clarity and eliminate confusion

• Maintain parallel structure for logical, balanced writing.

• Use advanced punctuation for variety and precision.

• Apply a range of cohesive devices for fluent, well-connected ideas.

Together with Parts 1–3, these skills provide the full set of grammar tools you need to score highly in both IELTS Writing and Speaking. Grammar in IELTS is not just about avoiding mistakes—it’s about communicating logically and effectively.