Introduction

Since the IELTS evaluates a person’s English proficiency, grammar plays a crucial role in the test. Since the IELTS assesses English language competence, candidates must ensure that their answers are written or expressed using proper grammar. In each of the four test sections, grammar is an essential component. It is vital in the speaking and writing sections, though. This is so that thoughts can be expressed using the grammar structures in these sections. Therefore, having a better command of grammar will guarantee that the candidate can easily understand the issue and what others are trying to express.

International students studying in Canada often take the IELTS exam to demonstrate their English language proficiency for academic and immigration purposes. The Canadian government actively encourages students with high IELTS scores, offering pathways to study permits, work permits, and even permanent residency through programs like Express Entry and the Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP).

Comprehending Sentence Structure

Sentence structure is a necessary skill for scoring well on the IELTS test. To dramatically improve your clarity and coherence in English, learn the subtleness of subject-verb agreement, proper tenses, and appropriate active and passive voice usage.

Agreement between the subject and verb

Consistency in the number of the subject and verb in a sentence is one of the fundamental rules of English grammar. Accordingly, a singular subject requires a singular verb, whereas a plural subject requires a plural verb. “The cat runs fast” exhibits singular agreement, but “The cats run fast” displays plural agreement. Though they happen frequently, mistakes in subject-verb agreement can be avoided, helping you to become a more accurate grammar user.

Applying tenses

For a sentence to make sense and be logical, the tenses must indicate when an action is taking place. Errors like improper tense usage or uneven tense application are frequently found in textual documents. For example, when describing an activity that happened in the past, the statement “Last year, I visited London and saw many interesting places” is an example of how the present tense is misused. It isn’t apparent to determine the exact time the action occurred.

Instead, the sentence should read, “Last year, I visited London and saw many interesting places.” This is Clear and coherent, and it appropriately uses the past tense to express past acts. Knowing whether to use the past, present, or future tenses for the various IELTS task components is crucial for getting a good result on the IELTS test.

The difference between active and passive voice

The clarity of your sentences can be significantly affected by your choice of active or passive voice. Using the active voice, in which the subject takes the action, adds energy and directness to sentences like “The committee approved the new policy.” In formal or academic writing, on the other hand, the passive voice—which emphasizes the action itself or the target of the action—can be helpful. For example, “The committee approved the new policy.” Clear and effective communication is essential for the IELTS test, and knowing when to use each voice successfully is the key.

Getting Proficient With Punctuation

Punctuation marks, similar to road signs for readers, guide the flow and clarity of written language.

Using commas correctly

Commas serve as a list separator and help make complicated phrases easier to understand. If commas are misused, a sentence’s meaning may need to be clarified or understood. When the comma is removed from “Let’s eat, Grandma,” the sentence seems less like an invitation to eat. On the other hand, when the comma is there, it conveys a frightening message.

Constraints and possessives with apostrophes

The two primary purposes of apostrophes, which are little but powerful punctuation symbols, are contraction formation and possession indication. They are used in contractions to indicate missing letters, such as “don’t” for “do not,” and they demonstrate ownership, as in “John’s Book,” which is the book that belongs to John. Misusing apostrophes for plurals is a common blunder in English grammar; avoid making this mistake! Recall that their purpose is to indicate contractions or possession rather than to pluralise nouns.

Use of semicolons

Despite their potential to connect closely related concepts or clauses in a phrase, semicolons are frequently underutilized in language. They’re employed when a comma is weak and a period is too powerful. An example of a semicolon connecting two related ideas is “She loves reading; books are her escape.” Learning how to use semicolons effectively will improve the coherence and flow of your writing on the IELTS test, giving it a more sophisticated look.

Clause Alignment and Modifiers

The correct placement of clauses and modifiers is essential to effective English communication. A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause characterizing another element in a sentence or adding more detail. The term “carefully” is used as a modifier to describe the process of proofreading, for instance, in the sentence “The student carefully proofread her draft.”

A group of words that make up a sentence and have a subject and a verb is called a clause. The phrase “When the bell rings” in the sentence “When the bell rings, the students leave” is an example of how to establish the scene for the main event. The correctness of your responses on the IELTS test can be significantly increased by showcasing your proficiency with modifiers and clauses.

Avoiding dangling modifiers

Dangling modifiers are a typical source of errors in English grammar. Confusing phrases arise when a descriptive phrase fails to make sense of the noun it is meant to modify. For example, the modifier “Running rapidly” in “Running rapidly, the finish line seemed never-ending” depicts the finish line incorrectly. Rephrasing it to read, “Running rapidly, the runner felt the finish line seemed never-ending,” would better convey the meaning of the subject (the runner), as the modifier does.

Placement of related clauses correctly

The appropriate placement of relative clauses is essential to preserving sentence clarity because they add details about a noun. It may need to be made clear what the clause refers to due to improper placement, which might cause ambiguity. “I read the book yesterday, which was interesting” is an example of a sentence. Which was more intriguing—the day or the book—is unclear because of the relative word “which was interesting” in this sentence. “Yesterday, I read the book, which was interesting,” which would have a more transparent structure because it clarifies that “the book” has been modified.

Writing With Consistency

Consistency in writing and speaking throughout the IELTS exam guarantees clarity in your communication and displays your grasp of the language. Come with me as we examine ways to stay consistent.

Parallel structure

Using the same grammatical form for related elements within a sentence is a practice known as parallel structure or parallelism. This method improves readability and gives your text symmetry. As demonstrated in “He enjoys running, swimming, and biking,” mixing grammatical forms is a typical error. The correct phrase would be “He enjoys running, swimming, and biking” to preserve parallelism. Regular grammar in lists and series gives your writing clarity and rhythm, which is highly regarded in the IELTS exam.

Reducing redundant information

Wordiness and needless repetition are two ways that redundant language use can lessen the impact of your work. Thinking clearly and succinctly is essential for effective communication, especially when taking the IELTS exam.

Find the redundant words or phrases in your sentences and eliminate them. It is unnecessary, for instance, to refer to “planning” because planning is, by definition, completed beforehand. Your IELTS score can be significantly increased by being able to write clear, effective responses and getting rid of such redundancy.

Frequent Errors and Ways to Prevent Them

Accurately identifying and avoiding frequent grammar faults is essential for doing well on the IELTS test. This section addresses common grammatical errors in English and offers solutions to prevent them, helping you become more fluent.

Dual negatives

When a statement contains two double negatives, it frequently conveys a connotation that is not intended and confuses. In English, a statement can become positive by using two negative terms together in the same sentence. For instance, using the two negatives “don’t” and “no” in the sentence “I don’t need no help” really implies that you do need help. The use of just one negative form is crucial for clear communication. To effectively communicate your ideas on the IELTS test, you must comprehend this particular feature of English grammar.

Divided infinitives

In modern English, there is less emphasis on the rule of splitting infinitives, which involves placing an adverb between “to” and the verb. Split infinitives are now commonly tolerated for stylistic or clarifying purposes, even though they were discouraged by classical grammatical standards. A well-known example is the expression “to go boldly,” which is equally appropriate as the more conventionally accurate “to go boldly.” Knowing when and how to employ split infinitives can help you prepare for the IELTS.

Conclusion

In conclusion, grasping advanced grammar principles is essential to success in the direction of the IELTS test. Comprehending sentence framework, skilful use of basic punctuation, proper clause placement, consistent writing, and preventing usual mistakes are crucial pillars in attaining a high rating. By developing these abilities, candidates can improve their quality, comprehensibility, and general language efficiency. These are necessary for testing and reliable interaction in real-world situations. Ambitious test-takers ought to commit time to exercise these grammar methods. They are well-equipped to succeed in all areas of the IELTS and beyond. For more information, visit the official website of IELTS.