Hi, I’m Jonathan Mitchell, an IELTS Writing examiner and academic trainer. Over the last 20 years, I’ve marked thousands of IELTS scripts — and one pattern is clear: grammar can make or break your score.
In this guide, I’ll help you understand exactly what examiners look for when assessing Grammar for IELTS Writing, how to avoid common errors, and how to show a wide range of structures with confidence.
Grammar accounts for 25% of your IELTS Writing score under the category Grammatical Range and Accuracy. This means examiners are looking at both how many different sentence types you use and how accurately you use them.
A candidate aiming for Band 7 or higher must demonstrate:
Even strong writers often lose marks due to careless errors in articles, prepositions, or subject–verb agreement — issues that are easily fixed with awareness and practice.
Here’s how grammar affects your score according to official IELTS band descriptors:
Band | Grammar Characteristics |
9 | Uses a wide range of sentence structures with full flexibility and precision; rare minor errors. |
8 | Variety of complex structures; frequent accuracy; occasional slips. |
7 | Mix of complex and simple structures; some grammar errors but rarely reduce understanding. |
6 | Simple sentences dominate; frequent errors in complex forms and agreement. |
5 or below | Limited range; errors cause confusion or misunderstanding. |
So, to move from Band 6 to Band 7, you don’t need perfect grammar — you need controlled complexity.
1️⃣ Sentence Variety
Use different sentence types to show grammatical range.
Sentence Type | Example | Purpose |
Simple | Education improves lives. | Clear, direct idea |
Compound | Education improves lives, and it strengthens communities. | Connects two equal ideas |
Complex | Although education improves lives, it requires government support. | Shows relationship between ideas |
Band 8 Tip: Each paragraph should contain at least one complex sentence and one compound sentence.
IELTS Writing often requires describing trends (Task 1) or discussing facts and opinions (Task 2).
Common mistake: Mixing tenses unnecessarily — e.g. “The chart shows sales increased and are increasing.”
Non-native speakers often lose marks due to article misuse.
Practice Tip: Read BBC or The Guardian articles and note how writers use a, an, and the naturally.
Ensure verbs agree in number with subjects.
Incorrect | Correct |
People enjoys travelling. | People enjoy travelling. |
The number of students are increasing. | The number of students is increasing. |
Band 7 Tip: When the subject is long, identify the main noun before choosing the verb — this prevents hidden agreement errors.
Prepositions often differ between languages, making them a frequent problem.
Incorrect | Correct |
Depend on to technology | Depend on technology |
Increase in by 20 percent | Increase by 20 percent |
Also watch word forms: develop → development, strong → strength.
Consistency shows grammatical and lexical precision.
Examiners notice punctuation errors instantly. Use commas, full stops, and connectors correctly.
Error Type | Example | Correction |
Missing articles | Education is important for society. | ✅ Education is important for the society. |
Wrong tense | Last year, the prices are high. | ✅ Last year, the prices were high. |
Overuse of passive voice | It is believed that people are preferred to… | ✅ Simplify to Many people prefer… |
Singular/plural confusion | Informations are limited. | ✅ Information is limited. |
Misused preposition | Discuss about the issue. | ✅ Discuss the issue. |
Band 8 Tip: Keep a “grammar logbook” — every time you find an error in your writing, record the correct rule with an example.
Aspect | Task 1 (Academic) | Task 2 (Essay) |
Focus | Describing data and trends | Presenting arguments and opinions |
Tenses | Past, present perfect, and sometimes future | Present and modal forms |
Voice | Mostly passive (was produced, were built) | Mostly active (governments should provide) |
Complexity | Objective statements and comparisons | Logical development and cause–effect structures |
Knowing when to use passive or active voice helps you sound formal and precise.
Identify and correct the mistakes below:
✅ Answers:
Grammar is the foundation of IELTS Writing success.
The examiner isn’t looking for perfection — they want to see variety, accuracy, and control.
Now that you’ve mastered the essentials of Grammar for IELTS Writing, your next step is to strengthen vocabulary and lexical range with Paraphrasing for Introductions.
Or revisit the IELTS Writing Overview: Format, Scoring & Key Skills mother page for a complete pathway.
For verified assessment criteria, consult IELTS.org.
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