Assessment criteria: Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GRA) 

Topic: Grammatical Accuracy 

When getting ready for the IELTS Writing exam, ensuring accuracy in grammar is essential. Even the most brilliantly organized ideas can lose their effectiveness if fundamental grammar rules are not adhered to. This document highlights several frequent grammatical errors that candidates tend to make during the IELTS writing section and offers practical suggestions for how to sidestep these pitfalls. 

Common mistakes include issues with subject-verb agreement, incorrect verb tenses, and misuse of punctuation. To avoid these errors, it’s crucial to practice regularly, review grammatical rules, and seek feedback on your writing. Additionally, reading a variety of materials can help reinforce correct grammar usage and improve your overall writing skills. 

By focusing on these areas, a candidate can enhance the clarity and impact of their writing, ultimately leading to better scores.

1. Subject-Verb Agreement

A Simple Guide to Subject-Verb Agreement

In English, it’s important that the verb in a sentence agrees with the subject. This means that the verb must match the subject in both number (singular or plural) and person (first, second, or third). Following this rule makes your sentences sound natural and grammatically correct.

Common Mistake: The verb does not match the subject.

• Incorrect: The dogs barks at night.
• Correct: The dogs bark at night.

How to Avoid This Mistake:

1. Agreement in Number

• Singular subjects need singular verbs:
  • Example: The cat sleeps during the day.
• Plural subjects need plural verbs:
  • Example: The cats sleep during the day.

2. Agreement in Person

• First-person (I/we):
  • Singular: I am studying for my exam.
  • Plural: We are studying together.
• Second-person (you):
  • Same for singular and plural: You are doing great!
• Third-person (he/she/it/they):
  • Singular: He plays football every weekend.
  • Plural: They play football every weekend.

3. Compound Subjects

• When two subjects are joined by “and,” use a plural verb:
  • Example: Both my friend and my sister enjoy cooking.

4. Subjects Joined by “Or” or “Nor”

• The verb should match the subject that comes closest to it:
  • Example: Either the manager or the employees are attending the meeting.
  • Example: Neither the players nor the coach is ready for the match.

5. Indefinite Pronouns

• Words like everyone, someone, nobody are considered singular.
  • Example: Everyone needs to submit their assignments.

6. Collective Nouns

• Collective nouns like family or team can be singular or plural depending on how the group is acting.
  • Example: The family is going on vacation together. (acting as one unit)
  • Example: The team are arguing about their strategy. (acting as individuals)

Tip: Focus on the main subject of the sentence, ignoring any extra words or phrases. Make sure the verb agrees not only in number (singular/plural) but also in person (first, second, or third).

2. Word Order

One of the most common issues in English writing is incorrect word order, which can confuse the meaning of a sentence.

Mistake: Incorrect word placement.

• Incorrect: She every day goes to the library.
• Correct: She goes to the library every day.

Basic Word Order Rules:

English sentences usually follow the Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) structure:

• Subject (S): The person or thing doing the action.
• Verb (V): The action or state.
• Object (O): The person or thing receiving the action.
• Example: She (S) reads (V) a book (O).

Other Important Rules:

1. Adjectives come before nouns:
   • Example: A large (Adj) tree (N) stands in the park.
2. Adverbs of manner, place, and time usually come after the verb or object:
   • Example: She runs (V) quickly (Adv).
   • Example: He went (V) to the gym (Place) yesterday (Time).
3. In questions, the subject and auxiliary verb are often inverted:
   • Example: Is (Aux) she (S) coming (V) to the party?
4. In negative sentences, “not” comes after the auxiliary verb:
   • Example: She does (Aux) not (Neg) enjoy (V) spicy food.
5. Indirect objects can come before or after the direct object:
   • Example: She gave (V) him (IO) a letter (DO).
   • Example: She gave (V) a letter (DO) to him (IO).

Tip: The standard word order in English is Subject-Verb-Object (SVO). Adverbs like “every day” often come at the end of a sentence, though sometimes they can be placed before the main verb.

3. Conditionals

Conditionals in English express what happens if a certain condition is met. They can describe real or unreal situations, and it’s common for learners to mix them up.

Mistake: Using the wrong conditional form.

• Incorrect: If I will have time, I will help you.
• Correct: If I have time, I will help you.

Understanding Conditionals:

Conditionals are made up of two parts:

1. The if-clause (condition)
2. The main clause (result)

Here are the main types of conditionals:

1. Zero Conditional (General truths or scientific facts)

• Structure: If + present simple, present simple
• Example: If you freeze water, it turns into ice.

2. First Conditional (Real and possible future situations)

• Structure: If + present simple, will + infinitive
• Example: If it rains tomorrow, we will stay inside.

3. Second Conditional (Hypothetical or unlikely present/future situations)

• Structure: If + past simple, would + infinitive
• Example: If I had more money, I would buy a bigger house.

4. Third Conditional (Hypothetical past situations that didn’t happen)

• Structure: If + past perfect, would have + past participle
• Example: If I had studied more, I would have passed the test.

5. Mixed Conditionals (A mix of timeframes, combining different conditionals)

• Example: If I had saved more money (third conditional), I would be less stressed now (second conditional).

4. The Use of Commas

One of the most common punctuation mistakes is either overusing or underusing commas. Incorrect placement of commas can make sentences confusing or hard to read.

Mistake: Overloading a sentence with commas.

• Incorrect: In conclusion, many students struggle with grammar mistakes, they need to practice more.
• Correct: In conclusion, many students struggle with grammar mistakes. They need to practice more.

Key Rules for Using Commas:

1. Separating items in a list:
   • Example: I brought pens, pencils, paper, and erasers.
2. Before conjunctions (and, but, or) in compound sentences:
   • Example: I wanted to buy the book, but it was sold out.
3. After introductory words, phrases, or clauses:
   • Example: After finishing dinner, we went for a walk.
4. Setting off non-essential information (information that can be removed without changing the main meaning):
   • Example: My uncle, who is a doctor, lives in Brisbane.
5. With direct addresses (when calling someone by name):
   • Example: Peter, can you help me with this?
6. With dates, addresses, titles, and numbers:
   • Example: We moved to London on May 25, 2016.
7. Before quotations:
   • Example: Peter said, “I’ll be there at 2 PM.”
8. To separate adjectives that equally describe a noun:
   • Example: It was a warm, sunny day.

Tip: Be careful not to create run-on sentences by using too many commas. If a sentence feels long or complicated, it’s often better to break it into two shorter sentences. This makes your writing clearer and easier to follow.

5. Tense Inconsistency

Mistake: Switching between past, present, and future tenses inappropriately.

• Example: Last week, she studies hard and will take the test tomorrow.
• Correction: Last week, she studied hard and will take the test tomorrow.

For more information about a better understanding of tenses read

Tip: Stick to the same tense throughout a sentence unless there is a valid reason to switch. For example, describing a past event and then mentioning a future action should be done carefully.

6. Article Errors

Deciding whether to use “the” (definite article) or “a/an” (indefinite articles). Using the wrong article can change the meaning of a sentence or make it unclear. Some people completely avoid using articles, this is one of the common mistakes in IELTS. 

Mistake: Confusing “the” with “a” or “an.”

• Incorrect: She bought the book yesterday, and it was an amazing read.
• Correct: She bought a book yesterday, and it was an amazing read.

Types of Articles:

There are two main types of articles in English: definite and indefinite.

1. Definite Article (“the”)

“The” is utilized to refer to a specific entity that is already known to the reader or listener.

• Example: The book on the shelf is mine. (Referring to a specific book)

2. Indefinite Articles (“a” and “an”)

The article “A” precedes words that begin with a consonant sound.

• Example: I saw a bird in the garden. (Referring to any bird, not a specific one)

“An” is used before words that start with a vowel sound.

• Example: She ate an orange. (Referring to any orange, not a specific one)

Key Rules to Remember:

“The” can be used with singular, plural, or uncountable nouns.

• Example: The water is too cold.

“A” and “an” are only used with singular, countable nouns.

• Example: He needs a notebook.

Usage Tips:

Use “the” when talking about something unique or something that’s already been mentioned.

• Example: The moon is shining brightly tonight.

Use “a” or “an” when referring to something for the first time or when it’s not specific.

• Example: I bought a new jacket yesterday.

Tip: When uncertain, opt for “the” when referring to something familiar or particular, and choose “a” or “an” when presenting something for the first time or when it is one among many choices. This straightforward guideline will assist you in steering clear of typical article mistakes in your writing!

7. Countable/Uncountable Noun Confusion

In English, nouns are either countable or uncountable, and this difference affects how we use them with quantifiers (e.g., much, many, some, a lot of). Confusing these can lead to common mistakes.

Mistake: Using the wrong quantifier with an uncountable noun.

• Incorrect: There is too many information in this article.
• Correct: There is too much information in this article.

Understanding Countable and Uncountable Nouns:

1. Countable Nouns:

Countable nouns refer to things that can be counted individually. They have both singular and plural forms and can be used with numbers, as well as articles like a or an.

Examples:

• Singular: a book, an apple, a car
• Plural: two books, three apples, several cars

Usage:

• I bought a car.
• She has two brothers.

2. Uncountable Nouns:

Uncountable nouns (also called mass nouns) refer to substances, concepts, or categories that cannot be counted individually. They do not have a plural form and are typically used with quantifiers like some, much, or a lot of.

Examples:

Substances: water, rice, milk

Abstract concepts: information, advice, knowledge

Collective categories: furniture, equipment, luggage

Usage:

• Can I have some water?
• She gave me a lot of advice.

Key Differences:

Countable nouns can be used with numbers and have plural forms.

• Example: I need two chairs.

Uncountable nouns cannot be used with numbers and do not have a plural form.

• Example: I need some furniture.

Special Cases:

Some nouns can be both countable and uncountable depending on the context. Here are examples:

Light:

• Countable: There are three lights in the room. (referring to light fixtures)
• Uncountable: There is light in the room. (referring to general illumination)

Tip: For countable nouns (e.g., apples, books), use numbers or plural forms. For uncountable nouns (e.g., furniture, information), use quantifiers like much, some, or a lot of. Knowing this distinction will help you avoid common errors in your writing.

8. Preposition Errors

Prepositions can be challenging since they frequently don’t have direct translations from other languages. They demonstrate the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other parts of the sentence, usually indicating time, place, direction, or manner. Misusing prepositions can lead to confusion.

Mistake: Using the wrong preposition.

• Incorrect: She is good in English.
• Correct: She is good at English.

Common Types of Prepositions and Their Uses:

1. Prepositions of Place:

These prepositions describe the location of something.

Examples: at, on, in, under, over, between, among

Example: The book is on the table.

2. Prepositions of Time:

These prepositions indicate when something happens.

• Examples: at, on, in, before, after, during
• Example: We will meet at 3 PM.

3. Prepositions of Direction:

These prepositions describe the movement or direction.

• Examples: to, towards, into, through, across
• Example: She walked to the park.

4. Prepositions of Manner:

These prepositions explain how something is done.

• Examples: by, with, like, as
• Example: He wrote the letter with a pen.

5. Prepositions of Cause or Purpose:

These prepositions explain why something happens or its purpose.

• Examples: for, because of, due to
• Example: She is studying for her exams.

Usage Tips:

Prepositions are typically followed by a noun or pronoun.

• Example: She sat beside him.

They can show relationships in space and time:

Space: The cat is under the table.

Time: We have class in the morning.

Prepositions can also indicate abstract relationships:

• Example: He succeeded despite the challenges.

Common Prepositional Phrases:

In front of: The car is parked in front of the house.

Next to: She sat next to her friend.

On behalf of: I am speaking on behalf of the team.

Tip: Prepositions don’t always follow the same patterns in other languages. Pay close attention to how they are used in reading and listening to English materials to improve your accuracy.