The IELTS exam’s main motto is to test the English proficiency of candidates, and any language is incomplete without grammar. Let’s face the truth; whether you love grammar or not, you have to keep in mind grammar rules while preparing for IELTS.
The subject is vast and takes years of practice to master, but you can achieve a good command of the English language if you keep some important points in mind.
Why Do I Have to Focus on English Grammar for IELTS if It isn’t Part of the Exam?
Yes, there is no grammar section in the IELTS exam, but the sections present in the exams require a fair amount of knowledge of grammar, especially in the speaking and writing sections. Grammar carries 25% of marks in both sections. Proper sentence formation, structuring, usage of tenses, usage of pronunciation is an essential element of language whether you are speaking or writing.
Good grammar can make you score a higher band. It shows your grammar and your English language proficiency level and how expansively you can use it to express your answers. So, it’s crucial that you pay attention to it.
Read the article till the end carefully on what grammar is needed for IELTS and how to improve grammar for IELTS. You will find everything you need for your preparation here!
Important English Grammar for IELTS
The IELTS exam does not have a grammar test separately, but all the sections require basic English grammar knowledge to score well. Here are some basics that you need to master.
Proper Punctuation
Punctuations like period, comma, question mark, exclamation mark, colon, hyphen and quotation mark should be used correctly. If used incorrectly, this could change the meaning of your answer. Let us look at an example where there is the wrong usage of punctuation.
For Example,
Let’s eat mother!
What does the sentence convey? Eat your mother right, which is practically not possible.
Correct sentence: Let’s eat, mother!
See, a little comma completely changed the meaning of the sentence.
Next time make sure you correctly use punctuation while writing.
Use Proper Tense
Tenses play a vital role in expressing your thoughts of a particular time. Improper structuring of tenses could make your writing harder to understand, and while speaking, it could deteriorate your impression in front of an examiner. So make sure you go with the tenses rules.
Let us look at some examples of tenses you might need in your speaking or writing test.
#1. To express general things, use the present simple.
For Example,
Aman plays badminton.
This means Aman often plays badminton. It’s his hobby.
#2. To express something which is happening at the time of speaking, use present continuous.
For Example,
I am trying to read Spanish.
#3. To express a past incident that is not related to the present, use the past simple.
For Example,
Alex wrote more than 300 pieces of music.
#4. To express a past incident that has an impact on the present, use present perfect.
For Example, Raghav has lost his key.
This means he had lost it recently and still doesn’t have it.
Use of Passive Voice
Using a passive voice in your writing can make it sound more formal and neutral.
For Example,
Active voice: Students choose language courses in the 4th semester.
This has a bit of an informal tone.
The passive form of the sentence would be,
Language courses are chosen by students in the 4th semester.
Use the passive voice correctly whenever needed in writing essays or reports.
Usage of Correct Articles
Articles are small words but hold great importance whilst speaking and writing. Especially the article ‘the’. It is used before the things or name that is specific and known by you or other people.
For Example,
The gift they bought was beautiful.
Here, the gift the speaker is talking about is known to them.
‘The’ is also used with superlatives.
For Example,
This is the best game I have ever played.
Modal Verbs
This expresses the degree of certainty. Some modal verbs are can, might, could, must and may. Let’s see when we should use it.
#1.Can: It is used when something is possible or allowed, or somebody can do something.
For example,
We can see the river from the train.
#2. Could: It is the past of can.
For example,
We had a lovely ride in the car. We could see the river while riding.
#3. Must: It is used when something is certain.
For example,
It must be very noisy living in the city.
#4. May and might: It is used when something is possible.
For example,
It may be false.
Lara might know something.
Correct Spellings
When you are giving an exam, oftentimes in a rush, you might misspell some easy words. This small mistake could lower your expected band score. So make sure you keep the correct spellings in mind while practising for the IELTS test.
Correct Vocabulary Usage
To write a precise and accurate piece of essay, or to speak without using redundant words, it’s important to have a good vocabulary and not just good vocabulary, but also the skills to use the vocabulary correctly. To have a good vocabulary, look at the meaning of every new word you come across.
There are many grammar rules you can learn and practice every day. However, if you have limited time, pay special attention to the basic English Grammar for IELTS.
How Can I Improve Grammar for IELTS?
Your improvement in grammar depends on your ability to figure out what will work best for you and what does not. Although, we have mentioned some great tips for you to improve your grammar for IELTS in a limited time.
Listen to English Videos
Listening to English videos of native speakers is by far the best technique to improve your English grammar. This instils correct sentence structure in your subconscious mind.
Listening to English videos will also improve your listening skills and vocabulary.
Read and Write Everyday
We are sure that you must have been reading regularly for IELTS preparation. But, you must be doing it to score well in the reading section. It will not only improve your reading skills but your writing and speaking skills too. As you read different types of books, newspapers, magazines, you consume a good amount of English grammar knowledge.
Also, make a habit of writing at least one page a day. It could be about the book you read, the place you went, anything. This will improve your grammar and the usage of grammar and vocabulary
Watch Videos of Grammar Rules
It is a direct way to improve your grammar. Grammar rules can be complex, and to learn them quickly, a video is a great solution as everything there is explained in the simplest language.
If you are doing it already, you are doing a great job in getting closer to your dream band!
Proofread and Point Out Your Mistakes
Practising and not noticing mistakes is of no use. This is even worse than not practising because, in the end, you will waste your time. So make sure, while you practice any questions, you check it twice. This can be time-consuming, but trust us, it could save you a lot of time in the long run.
Get a Personal Mentor
If you keep a personal mentor, figuring out your mistakes would become a lot easier and quicker. You could simply ask them to help you out in what area you should work on. The mentor can be your parents, siblings or your buddy who has cleared the IELT exam with a good band score.
Complete the Book English Grammar in Use by Raymond Murphy
This book contains every single grammar rule used in everyday life by English Native speakers. The best part about this book is its illustration and simple explanation. Even if you have no tutor to teach grammar rules, this book will easily help you understand things from scratch.
Keep a Journal
Yes, you guessed it right, you have to write down everything you learn in the journal. It should be a conversation between ‘you’ and ‘you’ where you talk about what you learnt, what mistakes you made, how you will improve it etc.
How to Improve Grammar for IELTS with IELTS Ninja?
You might be feeling overwhelmed after reading the article and maybe thinking of getting started now without wasting any time. And to save up more of your time, IELTS Ninja has the one-stop solution for you. Our team has high-quality members who produce the right resources for all the aspirants. With these resources, you can take your English grammar skills to the next level. Check the free demo classes now and save your precious time with us!
English 
Hindi