Grammar for IELTS

While searching for options to study abroad we come across the best universities where we dream of studying. From STEM to Agriculture to Fine Arts courses, the universities abroad offer a perfect study environment. To get admission, proving your proficiency in the English Language is mandatory for which various tests are conducted. IELTS is one of the widely accepted language tests. In this blog, we will understand the importance of grammar for IELTS.

How Important is Grammar for IELTS?

Though grammar is not tested directly in IELTS as there is no dedicated section for it, it is worth noting that grammar is central to answering the questions and getting good scores in the exam. In order to make progress in all four sections of the IELTS syllabus that include Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking, grammar plays a significant role. 

IELTS Grammar Syllabus

There is no prescribed syllabus for grammar for IELTS. Generally, students have to develop their grammatical skills to answer the questions asked in the IELTS examination. Howeever, the conducting body has recommended the test takers to cover certain topics.

IELTS Grammar Topics

The IELTS Grammar Topics that the test takers need to cover are as follows. Studying these topics would develop the basic grammar for the IELTS examination .

• Adjectives
• Nouns
• Tenses Rules and Examples
• Pronouns
• Modals
• Examples of Simile
• Article Rules
• Prepositions
• Degree of Comparison Rules

Grammar for IELTS Speaking

The IELTS Speaking Section takes 11-14 minutes to complete. The section is aimed at testing your speaking skills. The questions range from personal to general to speak about a given topic. While speaking, you can have mother tongue influence which is okay but grammar for IELTS speaking section is taken seriously. You would require to speak on diverse topics that include abstract topics also. You will be evaluated on parameters like confidence, fluency and pronunciation for which grammar is crucial. 

Grammar for IELTS Writing 

IELTS writing section consists of two tasks that are to be completed within 60 minutes. In Task-I you will be presented with graphs, diagrams and other information based on which you will have to describe the data and give a conclusion. In Task-II, you are asked to write an essay that needs to be up to the standard. Grammar for IELTS Reading Section is undoubtedly the most important part as evaluators will judge your writing aptitude by your ability to write and your understanding of the grammar. 

Grammar for IELTS Listening

The section has four recorded texts, monologues and conversations on which 40 questions are asked. You will be made to listen to the recordings by various native speakers to test your aptitude for understanding the English language in various situations. Evaluating your ability to understand ideas and detailed factual information besides the underlying attitudes of speakers. Recordings of various accents are used to make it more challenging and inclusive. The importance of grammar for IELTS Listening Section must not be undermined as it is the basic thing that will help you comprehend the recordings in a given time and make apt inferences. 

Grammar for IELTS Reading

IELTS Reading Section comprises 3 sections that include passages aimed at testing your reading skills. Consisting of 40 questions on a variety of topics and of varied length to be completed in 60 minutes, the test includes reading for gist, skimming, understanding logical arguments given in the text. The section can appear to be easy but it is a tricky one as you are asked to recognize the writers’ opinions and attitudes besides their purpose of writing it. To do so, you need to be able to understand the text very clearly. Grammar for IELTS Reading Section helps you to achieve clarity while answering the questions. 

To get a detailed overview of the different aspects of the exam and scores, read our comprehensive blog on different IELTS Bands. 

Following the Grammar for IELTS

If you want to know how to crack IELTS, then besides preparing for it by taking up a prep course, you need to understand the basics of grammar. Once you understand it completely, then acing the exam would be a cakewalk. Here are some of the quick tips to help you follow the grammar for IELTS.

• Make apt usage of tense while speaking and writing. 
• Use passive voice while speaking to sound more formal but depending on the situation, you should choose accordingly.
• Unnecessary use of modal verbs should be avoided as it suggests uncertainty while speaking. 
• Having a clear understanding of the articles and adjectives help you craft well-structured sentences. 
• Adequate knowledge of prepositions helps you achieve clarity while answering the questions as most mistakes are because of improper usage of prepositions. 

8 Grammar Rules for English to Improve Your IELTS Score

Candidates who want to do well on their IELTS test should adhere to the following grammar rules:

The Simple Aspect

This is the first and most important requirement for all candidates. Candidates must respond to questions about themselves in the IELTS speaking test. They must be careful to use the appropriate verb tense and aspect in this situation.

People need to understand the differences between simple and continuous verb tenses. Simple tense is used when discussing commonplace topics. On the other hand, one should use the present continuous tense when talking about something that is happening right now.

Candidates might also need to use this grammatical rule while explaining the graphs and diagrams in part 1 of the writing section. In order to emphasise the previous events, one would largely utilise the past simple tense in this sentence.

Present Perfect and Simple Past Verb Tenses

Candidates may be required to discuss a variety of historical events in the Speaking component of the IELTS exam, either in relation to themselves or another subject. They will also need to determine if the activities are still applicable now or not.

Usually, when writing, people have more time to consider this. However, it could be challenging to talk about such a subject in a limited amount of time. However, learning the present perfect and simple past verb tenses can make it much easier to pass this exam.

Passive Voice

The passive voice can be used by people to sound more formal and indifferent. By combining the verb “to be” in the appropriate tense with the past participle, one can create the passive voice. For instance, one should use the word “written” rather than “wrote.”

There are sections of the IELTS exam where it may be necessary to write the sentence in a formal tone. Consider the section on writing reports. This will show that the candidate is knowledgeable about the subject and retains the answer’s tone.

Modal Verbs

People can communicate a variety of nuanced ideas, such degrees of certainty, using modal verbs.
For instance, modal verbs include could, may, and could. These phrases can be used to describe hazy future scenarios.

The reading and listening components of the IELTS exam involve the usage of modal verbs in grammar for IELTS. Higher exam scores are more likely for people who have a better grasp of the questions in these parts.

When the examiner asks you to expand the discussion beyond yourself to other topics in part 3 of the speaking examination, you might want to employ modal verbs. When speaking relatively abstractly, modal verbs can also be employed to communicate likelihood regarding a specific situation. The statement will seem more elegant and grab the examiner’s attention if you can employ modal verbs effectively.

Definite Article

When referring to individuals or objects that the speaker is already familiar with, the definite article, or “the,” is used. It’s crucial to keep in mind that “the” can also be used before ordinal numbers, superlatives, and nations with plurals.

Candidates who are writing for the IELTS exam must set aside time at the end to edit their papers. If there is still a question about whether to use “the” or not, they should use the extra time to reflect on their errors.

Adjective Comparison

Candidates must describe things, people, or situations using adjectives as frequently as possible. This will demonstrate the person’s extensive vocabulary in both writing and speaking. People might also need to use superlatives and comparatives to compare the adjectives.

Eradicate Frequent Spelling Mistakes

The majority of kids frequently blunder in their spelling. For instance, adding an extra “l” to adverbs or adding “ing” to verbs ending in “ed.” Candidates must put in as much practise as they can and speed through answering questions from earlier tests in order to eliminate these mistakes and better understand the test format.

Construction of Sentences

Candidates must know how to properly compose a sentence so that it sounds significant. In the IELTS writing test, this is of the utmost importance. Furthermore, using proper grammar is crucial for creating effective sentences. This is due to the fact that grammar is a language’s foundation.

How is Grammar for IELTS Writing Marked?

Below is a table based on lexis and grammar described by the public band descriptors indicating what examiners look for while analysig the answers of the writing section.

Band	Lexical Resource	Grammatical Range & Accuracy
9	Sophisticaled control of lexical features; rare minor ‘slips’ occur	Uses a wide range of structures with full flexibility and accuracy; rare minor errors occur only as slips.
8	Produces rare errors in spelling and / or word formation	-Uses a wide range of structures -The majority of sentences are error-free -Makes only very occasional errors or inappropriacies
7	Occasional errors in word choice, spelling, and / or word formation	-Uses a variety of complex structures -Produces frequent error-free sentences -Has good control of grammar and punctuation but may make a few errors
6	Some errors in spelling and / or word formation, but they do not impede communication	-Uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms -Makes some errors in grammar and punctuation but they rarely reduce communication
5	Noticeable errors in spelling and / or word formation that may cause some difficulty for the reader	-Uses only a limited range of structures -Attempts complex sentences but these tend to be less accurate than simple sentences -May make frequent grammatical errors and punctuation may be faulty; errors can cause some difficulty for the reader
4	Limited control of word formation and / or spelling; errors may cause strain for the reader	-Uses only a very limited range of structures with only rare use of subordinate clauses -Some structures are accurate but errors predominate, and punctuation is often faulty
3	Errors may severely distort the message	-Attempts sentence forms but errors in grammar and punctuation predominate and distort the meaning
2	Essentially no control of word formation and / or spelling	-Cannot use sentence forms except in memorised phrases
1	Can only use a few isolated words	-Cannot use sentence forms at all

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]

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FAQs

Grammar for IELTS exam is proportional to getting good scores which is a basic criterion to study a university abroad. If you are looking for overseas education in a country of your choice, it is just a click away. Reach out to us at Leverage Edu and take a flight to your dream university.