IELTS Grammar雅思语法

These pages are here to help you with your

IELTS grammar

, mainly for writing.

However, it can obviously help with your speaking and also with your reading as it is easy to

misunderstand what you have read if you are confused by different sentence structures.

All grammar for IELTS is important, but there are some specific things that are directly

related to IELTS.

The explanations and exercises will highlight these so you can see how they are relevant.

Why is grammar important?

There is no actual grammar test section in the IELTS test, but you are still graded on this by

the examiner in the speaking test and writing test.

These are specifically what you are graded on in each test:

Writing:

?

?

?

?

Task Achievement / Response

Coherence and Cohesion

Lexical Resource

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

Speaking

:

?

?

?

?

Fluency and coherence

Lexical Resource

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

Pronunication

So as you can see, grammar makes up

25%

of each test.

However, it is also important for the

'lexical resource

' part. This is your use of such things as

your vocabulary, idiomatic vocabulary, and collocations.

You will be marked down on this if you are making mistakes with such things as

word

forms

(e.g. using a noun form instead of a verb form) so this is also grammar related.

This is not to suggest that you should focus only on grammar as the other elements such as

fluency in your speaking and your ability to answer the question and organise your response

in the writing are a major part of the marking.

But it is clearly important to work on

improving your IELTS grammar

, and this is often the

part candidates have the most problems with and the thing that brings their score down.

How is the grammar for IELTS writing marked exactly?

In order to work on improving your IELTS grammar, it is useful to understand how it is

marked.

For each of the parts of the exam highlighed above, you are given a band score (so you get

four scores) and these are then averaged to get your overall score for your writing.

For example:

Writing:

?

?

?

?

Task Achievement / Response

-

band 6

Coherence and Cohesion

-

band 6

Lexical Resource

-

band 6

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

-

band 5

Overall score =

5.5

The table below shows the two sections on

lexis

and

grammar

. These are adapted from the

public band descriptors and show you what the examiner is looking for.

The column on '

grammatical range and accuracy

' is exactly as from the public band

descriptors, but the '

lexical resource

' column just picks out the parts related to grammar.

Writing Band Descriptors for Grammar

Band

Lexical Resource

Sophisticaled control of lexical

features; rare

minor 'slips'

occur

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

?

Uses a wide range of structures

with full flexibility and accuracy; rare

minor errors occur only as slips.

9

?

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

?

8

?

?

Uses a variety of complex

structures

7

Occasional errors

in word choice,

?

spelling, and / or word formation

Produces frequent error-free

sentences

?

Has good control of grammar and

punctuation but may make a few errors

?

Some errors

in spelling and / or

6

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

?

Uses only a limited range of

structures

?

Noticeable errors

in spelling and /

5

or word formation that may

cause

some difficulty

for the reader

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

?

Limited control

of word formation

4

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

Essentially

no control

of word

formation and / or spelling

?

Attempts sentence forms but

errors in grammar and punctuation

predominate and distort the meaning

2

1

?

Cannot use sentence forms

except in memorised phrases

Cannot use sentence forms at all

Can only use a few isolated words

?

Understanding the descriptors

If you study the table you will notice phrases near the top such as '

rare

', '

occasional

' and

'few

'

in reference to word form and grammatical errors.

Near the band 6 range are phrases such as '

some

', and then '

noticeable

' and '

causing

difficulty

' as you go down lower.

You can also see that it is important to be:

?

?

?

?

Getting your

word forms

right

Understanding how to write

complex sentences

Expanding your

range of grammatical structures

you can use

Using

grammar accurately

(i.e minimising your error density).

So the pages you'll find here link to explanations and exercises on IELTS grammar to help you

improve your score and your grammar.

This is a new section so there are only two IELTS grammar lessons so far.

Start with this one on

sentence clauses

.

Sentence Clauses

In this grammar lesson we'll look at

sentence clauses

.

As you will see from the

IELTS writing band descriptors

,

you need to be able to write

complex sentences

in order to score higher for

your

grammatical range

- and write them correctly so you don't get marked down on

your

accuracy

!

The building blocks of sentences are '

clauses

' though, so the first step is understanding

these.

For example, a band 4 makes only

rare use of subordinate clauses

band descriptors.

This implies you must be making

good use of subordinating clauses

to get a higher score,

so you need to know first what sentence clauses are.

What is a clause in a sentence?

A clause

is a

group of words

with a

(s) subject

and a

(v)

verb

.

For example:

(s) Computers

(v) are

important.

= 1 sentence with 1 clause.

We can have

two clauses

though i.e.

two groups

of words with a subject and a verb:

Computers

are

important,

but

they

are

dangerous too.

= 1 sentence with 2 clauses.

How about

three sentence clauses

?

Computers

are

important,

but

they

can be

dangerous

too,

so

we

must be

careful.

= 1 sentence with 3 clauses.

Now let's add a

forth

!

Computers

are

important,

but

they

can be

dangerous

too,

so

we

must be

careful

when

we

use

them.

= 1 sentence with 4 clauses.

You'll have noticed then that a sentence is not the same thing as a clause.

A sentence

is the group of words that

comes between two full- stops

and it must be

a

complete thought

that

makes sense

.

So sentence clauses are what build a sentence, and one sentence can have a number of

clauses.

What if there is no subject and verb?

If there is no subject or verb in part of the sentence, then this may be a

phrase

.

For example:

(p) In many countries around the world

,

flooding

is becoming

more

common.

A phrase

is a group of words

without

a subject and verb (a phrase on its own obviously

cannot be a sentence because every sentence has a subject and a verb!).

__ __________________________________________________ __

You should now know the difference between a sentence, a clause and a phrase. Time to

practice!

Sentence Clauses Practice

Look at the sentences with clauses below, and put a check in the correct box to say how many

clauses each sentence has.

Look carefully for the

subjects and verbs

. This will help you identify the clauses.

1. I'm going out tonight so I must get ready soon.

1

2

3

4

2. Global warming is a major problem, but it can be solved if we take action now.

1

2

3

4

3. Obesity is getting worse now in developing countries.

1

2

3

4

4. I don't know when I will be able to stop studying because I have many more exams.

1

2

3

4

5. It's cold outside so I'm going to stay in.

1

2

3

4

6. Although cars are essential, they cause a lot of pollution, so governments must take action

soon, and individuals also need to play a role.

1

2

3

4

7. Why were you so late?

1

2

3

4

8. He said that he will come to see me tomorrow.

1

2

3

4

9. It is important to be on time, but it is ok to be late when you have an emergency.

1

2

3

4

10. I felt unwell when I ate the food, so I'll probably not eat at the restaurant again, but I

think my friend will.

1

2

3

4

Clear

Score =

Correct answers:

1. 2

2. 3

3. 1

4. 3

5. 2

6. 4

7. 1

8. 2

9. 3

10. 4

When you understand these, move on to learn more about

sentence structure

, specifically

simple, compound and complex sentences.

Sentence Structure

This page about sentence structure will focus on the differences between simple sentences,

compound sentences, complex sentences and compound-complex sentences.

You

must

know how to correctly write these sentence types for IELTS as the examiner will be

looking for them when they grade you for your 'grammatical range'.

Clauses are the buliding blocks of sentences.

So, before you go any further, make sure you

understand what clauses are

by looking at the previous lesson.

Sentence Types

There are four types of sentence:

1.

2.

3.

4.

Simple

Compound

Complex

Compound- Complex

1. Simple Sentences

A simple sentence is one clause with a

subject

and

verb

.

Computers

are

important in the modern world.

Formula = SV

However, it can have more than one subject and verb:

2 subjects:

Computers

and

other technological devices

are

important in the modern world.

Formula = SSV

2 Verbs:

I

search

for information and

play

games on my computer.

Formula = SVV

2 subject and 2 verbs:

I

and

my brother

search

for information and

play

games on our computers.

Formula = SSVV

2. Compound Sentences

A compound sentence consists of 2 or 3 clauses. It is when simple sentences are joined

together.

In this sentence structure, the clauses are joined with the following

coordinating

conjunctions

:

F

= for

A

= and

N

= nor

B

= but

O

= or

Y

= yet

S

= so

The word 'fanboys' is an easy way to remember the different conjuntions that make up

compound sentences. Obviously the most common are 'and', 'but', 'or' and 'so'.

Here are some examples of compound sentence structure:

Computers

are

important,

but

they can be

dangerous too.

Formula = SV but SV

Computers

are

important,

but

they can be

dangerous too,

so

we

must be

careful.

Formula = SV but SV so SV.

Avoid writing too many clauses as the sentence may get difficult to follow, and

you

cannot

use each one

more than once

in a sentence to join clauses.

This is

wrong

:

Computers are used widely in most countries now,

and

they are a sign of progress,

and

we

must ensure everyones has access to them.

Incorrect formula = SV and SV and SV.

X

Two possible corrected versions:

Computers are used widely in most countries now,

and

they are a sign of progress. We must

ensure everyones has access to them.

Formula = SV and SV. SV.

Computers are used widely in most countries now,

and

they are a sign of progress,

so

must

ensure everyones has access to them.

Formula = SV and SV so SV.

Using semicolons

There is an instance when you can have a compound sentence structure without a

coordinating conjuntion, and this is when you join two clauses with a semicolon. It is used

when two ideas are related.

For example:

Computers are used widely in most countires; they are a sign of progress.

3. Complex Sentences

Complex sentences are more complicated (which is maybe why they are called 'complex'!).

This type of sentence structure is important for IELTS because to get awarded a band 6 or

higher for your 'grammatical range and accuracy', you need to demonstrate that you are able

to use them.

The

more varied

and the

more accurate

your complex sentences are, the higher the band

score for this.

There are different types of complex sentences and these will be looked at in more detail later,

so here you are just provided with the basics.

Complex sentences are two (or more) clauses joined together, but they are not joined by

'fanboys' (coordinating conjuntions). They are joined by subordinating conjuntions.

These are subordinating conjunctions:

after

although

as

as if

as long as

as much as

as soon as

as though

because

before

even if

even though

if

in order to

in case

once

since

so that

that

though

unless

until

when

whenever

whereas

where

wherever

while

For example:

People take natural health supplements

even though

they may not have been tested.

Our children may not be properly educated

if

we don't spend more on schools.

I went to bed

as soon as

he left

because

I was tired.

These are all

adverbial clauses

. In these types of complex sentence, the second clause can

be used to start the sentence.

In this case, a comma is needed in the middle.

Even though

they may not have been tested, people take natural health supplements.

If

we don't spend more on schools, our children may not be properly educated

.

As soon as

he left, I went to bed

because

I was tired.

Noun clauses

and

relative clauses

are also a type of complex sentence structure, but

these will be looked at later.

4. Compound-Complex Sentences

Compound- complex sentences are the same as complex sentences but they also have a

simple (or compound) sentence before or after the 'complex' part.

For example:

I ate a lot

when

I got home,

but

I was still hungry.

The part that is underlined is the complex sentence. As you can see, it also has a simple

sentences connected to it. It can also have a full compound sentence attached to it:

I ate a lot

when

I got home,

but

I was still hungry,

so

I went shopping to buy some more

food.

These are a compound-complex sentences.

Sentence Structure Quiz

Now have a practice in the quiz. Identify what type of sentence each is.

1.

I was late for work.

Simple

Compound

Complex

Compound- complex

2.

He failed the test because he did not study hard enough.

Simple

Compound

Complex

Compound- Complex

3.

Even though pollution is widespread, people are doing little to prevent it.

Simple

Compound

Complex

Compound-Complex

4.

Animals should not be killed for their fur, but this is still occuring, so action must be

taken.

Simple

Compound

Complex

Compound-Complex

5.

I came to study in the UK because I wanted to improve my English, so I talk to as

many English people as possible.

Simple

Compound

Complex

Compound-Complex

This lesson then explains in more detail about

complex sentences

, which are essential to be

able to write correctly for a higher band score.

Complex Sentences

Understanding complex sentences and knowing how to write them is crucial for IELTS.

The examiner will not award you above a band 5 for '

grammatical range and accuracy

' if

you cannot write them or if you have a very limited ability to write them.

This is the marking criteria for a band 6 for grammar:

?

?

Uses a

mix of

simple and

complex sentence forms

Makes

some errors

in grammar and punctuation but they rarely reduce

communication

So you must have a mix of complex sentence forms, though some errors in them are

acceptable.

If, for example, you learned a couple of complex structures and used the same ones

throughout your essay, this would not demonstrate a '

mix

'.

For the higher band scores, you will need to show a greater range and more accuracy.

In order to understand a complex sentence, you need to

understand

independent

and

dependent clauses

(look at this previous lesson

on

clauses

if you are unsure what they are).

What are independent and dependent clauses?

A clause is a

group of words

with a

subject

and

verb

. This is a

dependent clause

:

...because it was raining so hard.

If something or someone is 'dependent' then it needs or relies on something else for aid,

support, life etc.

For example, a baby is dependent on its mother. Without the mother the baby cannot

survive.

In a similar way, a dependent clause cannot 'survive' on its own. It relies on something else.

The clause above

....because it was raining so hard

because it does not make sense.

In order to function, it needs an

independent clause

. An independent clause can function

on its own as a sentence:

I took my umbrella.

This has meaning so is ok on its own. It makes a

simple sentence

.

If we now join this independent clause with the dependent clause, we have a complex

sentence that has meaning:

I took my umbrella because it was raining so hard.

Types of complex sentence

Complex sentences have three types:

1.

2.

3.

Adverbial Clauses

Relative Clauses

Noun Clauses

In the following sections, there is a brief explanation of how to construct each of these with

some examples.

However, they are complicated, so lessons explaining them in more detail will follow later on.

1) Adverbial Clauses

Adverbial clauses answer questions such as

how? why? when? where?

They are made by connecting an

independent clause

and a

dependent clause

with

a

subordinating conjunction

.

Here are some common subordinating conjunctions that make complex sentences:

because

although

if

until

while

when

even though

as

For example (the subject is in green and the verb in blue).:

Some

experiments on animals

give

us the wrong result

because

animals’

bodies

are

not exactly the same as our own.

S

V

subordinating conjunction

S

V

Some experiments on animals give us the wrong result

------------------- INDEPENDENT CLAUSE -------------------

...because animals' bodies are not exactly the same as our own.

--------- DEPENDENT (SUBORDINATING) CLAUSE ---------

In adverbial clauses, however, it is possible to put the dependent clause

before

the

independent clause. In fact, more often than not, this is the case.

When you do this though, you

MUST

put a comma after the dependent clause (a comma is

not needed when the independent clause comes first):

Because

animals’ bodies

are

not exactly the same as our

own

,

some

experiments on animals

give

us the wrong result.

subordinating conjunction

S

V,

S

V

Here are some further examples. Notice how in some sentences the dependent clause comes

first, in others it is second. This is your choice:

Even though

he arrived late, he did not apologize.

Pollution will get worse

if

car emissions are not reduced.

While

the number of people going to Japan increased, the number going to the UK

decreased.

I don't know

when

he will arrive.

2) Relative Clauses

Like adverbial clauses, relative clauses are made up of an independent clause and a

dependent clause.

However, these clauses have a different use. Relative clauses are used to modify a noun. In

other words, to give more information about it.

The relative pronouns

who, which, that

and

where

are used to do this, and the relative

clause is placed after the noun it is modifying.

For example:

Animal experimentation, which is legal in most countries, should be banned.

Animal experimentation

should be

banned.

------------------- INDEPENDENT CLAUSE -------------------

which

is

legal in most countries

------------- DEPENDENT (RELATIVE) CLAUSE -------------

Unlike adverbial clauses, the dependent clause (which is the relative clause) can break up the

independent clause - the dependent clause just needs to go after the noun, wherever that is.

Notice also that there are

two

Subject

-

Verb

combinations. This will always be the case with

complex sentences as there are

two clauses

.

Here are some more examples. The dependent (relative) clause is in red, the independent

clause is in bold, and the noun being modified is underlined.

A library is a place

where you can borrow books

.

Global warming is a problem

that must be solved

.

Obesity

,

which is the condition of being overweight,

affects millions of children.

A person

who breaks the law

must face serious penalties

.

3) Noun Clauses

Noun clauses are probably the most difficult to master of the complex sentences, so we'll

focus here on the most common and easiest form which you will probably have used many

times. We'll look at them in more detail later.

A noun clause answers the question '

who?

' or '

what

?'. Unlike relative clauses, which come

after the noun, noun clauses come

after the verb

.

For example:

What do you think about corruption?

I think

that corruptions is wrong

and

that those guilty of it should be punished.

In this example, there are two noun clauses, and they are the

object

of the verb

'think'

.

The noun clauses are the dependent clauses because they do not make sense on their own.

They need the independent clause

I think...

I

think

.

------------------- INDEPENDENT CLAUSE -------------------

that

corruption

is

wrong

that

those guilty of it

should be

punished

------------------ DEPENDENT (NOUN) CLAUSES ----------------

Here are some more examples. The dependent (noun) clause is in red, and the independent

clause is in bold:

I agree

that capital punishment must be abolished.

I hope

that the government intervenes to resolve the situation.

I believe

that experimentation on animals is unethical.

It is common to omit

'that

' when speaking. For example, we can say:

I believe experimentation on animals is unethical.

However, in formal writing such as IELTS, or academic writing generally, you should include

it.

There are further rules and possibilities to use these adverbial, relative and noun clauses, but

we will look at them in more detail later.

This lesson provides you with the basics on how they are used.

IELTS and Complex Sentences

To achieve a good score for your grammatical range, you would need to be able to use a mix

of these types of complex sentences, and to use them fairly accurately for a band 6, and very

accurately for a band 7 or higher.

For band 7 or higher you will also need to try and use these structures in more complex ways,

such as reducing your relative clauses and using nominalizations.

We will look at these in another lesson.

One type of complex sentence you can learn about here is

adverbial clauses

.

Adverbial Clauses

In this lesson we will look in more detail at

adverbial clauses

.

These clauses are a type of complex sentence, so it is essential that you are able to use them

in your writing and speaking if you want to achieve a good band score.

The examiner will be monitoring your speaking and writing closely to assess how well you

know them.

In the table below you can see the most common types of adverbs used to make adverbial

clauses.

You can also see what they are used for and some example sentences.

Types of Adverbial Clause

Time Clauses

In reference to a period of time or another event

He arrived

before

I did.

After

I have finished studying, I intend to work abroad.

As

the climate gets hotter, sea levels will rise.

I will keep learning English for

as long as

it is necessary.

While

I am studying, I usually listen to the radio.

Rates of obesity increase

when

too much junk food is eaten.

Since

I started going to fitness, I have lost 5 kilos.

I will keep learning English

until

I am upper intermediate.

Conditional Clauses

Expressing a hypothesis or condition, real or imagined

If

we clone humans, it may have terrible consequences.

What would you buy

if

you won the lottery?

Our food will not be safe

unless

GM crops are banned.

Reason Clauses

To explain why

My English is not improving

because

I am not studying enough.

Since

the govenment cut spending, poverty has increased.

Pollution is increasing

as

there are too many cars.

Purpose Clauses

To show the purpose of doing something

I am studying IELTS in

order to

attend university abroad.

He went to the gym

so that

he could lose weight.

Concession Clauses

To show contrast between two statements, or surprise.

Although

e-readers are popular, most people still prefer books.

The Minister wants to incease taxes

though

his party disagrees.

Even though

I studied every day, I didn't get the score I needed (surprising)

Internet usage increased,

while

phone usage decreased.*

Whereas

you have a lot of time to study, I do not.*

Place

To talk about location of position

Wherever

he goes, I will go.

I am not sure

where

I put my pen.

Rules for Adverbial Clauses

Remember that adverbial clauses are made up of two clauses - an

independent clause

and

a

dependent clause

(look at these lessons on

sentence clauses

and

complex

sentences

again if you are not sure what clauses are).

1) Switching the Clauses

The first thing to note is that the independent and dependent clauses can be switched

around:

After I have finished studying

,

I intend to work abroad

.

(

Dependent Clause

+

Independent Clause

)

I intend to work abroad

after I have finished studying

.

(Independent Clause

+

Dependent Clause

)

In all of the sentences in the table above, the clauses can be switched around.

2) Commas

Note though that if you switch them around and put the

dependent clause first

, a

comma

must

come at the end of the dependent clause:

After I have finished studying

,

I intend to work abroad

.

(Comma)

I intend to work abroad

after I have finished studying

.

(No Comma)

This might seem like a minor point but it is quite important in your writing. Complex

sentences can sometimes get confusing if commas are missing as it can become unclear

where one clause ends and the other begins.

If any of your sentences are confusing, this will definitely reduce your score.

*'While' and 'Whereas' are execptions to this rule because they

do

have commas even when

they appear in the middle of the sentence.

3) Meanings

Even though certain adverbs have been grouped together in the adverbial clauses table, this

does not mean that they are all synomyms for each other.

Some you can interchange with each other without changing the meaning. For instance,

'since', 'as' and 'because' all have the same meaning and you can choose which one you want

to use. But some you cannot.

For example, look at these conditional adverbs:

I will go

if you go

.

I will go

unless you go

.

The word 'unless' does not work in the second sentence. It has to be changed:

I won't go

unless you go

.

Now it has the same meaning.

Similarly, 'although', 'even though', and 'though' are all synonyms of each other and can be

interchanged, but 'while' and 'whereas' canot always be swapped with them.

So you need to practice each individual word and check how it is used.

A Common Mistake

A common mistake with adverbial clauses (and other complex sentences) is to

write

fragments

.

A fragment is an incomplete sentence:

My English is not improving

.

Because I am not studying enough

.

A dependent clause (the second one in this case) cannot be a sentence on its own. By placing

a full-stop after

A dependent clause

must

have an independent clause attached to it:

My English is not improving

because I am not studying enough

.

When you check your work, you should check your complex sentences and check that you

have not written any fragments.

Examples in Context

Look at this sample essay. The adverbial clauses are coloured, with the independent clauses

in green (and italics) and the dependent clauses in red (and underlined). The adverbs are

shaded in yellow.

_________________________________________

Some people believe the aim of university education is to help graduates get better

jobs. Others believe there are much wider benefits of university education for both

individuals and society.

Discuss both views and give your opinion.

These days, more and more people are making the choice to go to university. While

some

people are of the opinion that the only purpose of a university education is to improve job

prospects

,

others think that society and the individual benefit in much broader

ways

.

It is certainly true that one of the main aims of university is to secure a better job.

The

majority of people want to improve their future career prospects and

attending university

is one of the best ways to do this

as

it increases a persons marketable skills and

attractiveness to potential employers

.

In addition, further education is very expensive,

so

most people would not consider it

if

it would not provide them with a more secure

future and a higher standard of living

. Thus job prospects are very important.

However, there are other benefits for individuals and society.

Firstly,

the independence of

living away from home is a benefit

because

it helps the students develop better social

skills and improve as a person

.

A case in point is that many students will have to leave their

families, live in halls of residence and meet new friends.

As a result, their maturity and

confidence will grow enabling them to live more fulfilling lives.

Secondly, society will gain

from the contribution that the graduates can make to the economy.

We are living in a very

competitive world, so

countries need educated people

in order to

compete and prosper

.

Therefore, I believe that although

a main aim of university education is to get the best

job

,

there are clearly further benefits

. If

we continue to promote and encourage

university attendance

,

it will lead to a better future for individuals and society

.

___ ______________________________________

It is good to have a variety of sentences types. and as you can see, there are a mix of

adverbial clauses which demonstrates that the candidate has a good grammatical range.

Try writing your own essay. When you have finished, go through your work and highlight the

adverbial clauses, identifying the adverb and the dependent and independent clauses.

Is there a mix? Are they used correctly with subjects and verbs present in each clause and no

fragments?

Adverbial Clause Practice Exercise

In the following exercise, choose which adverb fits in the gap in order to make correct

adverbial clauses.

1

. Much of the food we eat would not actually last that long

the chemicals they contain

it were not for

2

.

have robust evaluation procedures in the future, both formal exams

and continual assessment should be used to assess students during their education.

3

.

chatting online can be beneficial, it is certainly not the same as real

interaction with human beings.

4

. Long prison sentences should remain for assault or murder

the victim and their family should take priority.

justice for

5

. It is important that the government financially assists theatres

can continue to provide entertainment to the public.

they

6

. I will keep studying hard

I pass the exam.

7

. I will continue to use my bike

petrol prices remain high.

8

.

he practiced the guitar every day, he was still not very good.

9

. Global warming will not slow down

soon.

governments take serious action

10

. I used to live

house down to build it.

you can now see that office block. They knocked my

Clear

Score =

Correct answers:

1. if

2. In order to

3. Although

4. as

5. so that

6. until

7. as long as

8. Even though

9. unless

10. where

Follow this link to learn more about

modal verbs

and how they are commonly used in IELTS

for writing and speaking.

Keep an eye on this page though as it will be updated further. Good luck!

Modal Verbs for IELTS

This IELTS lesson is about modal verbs and how they can be used to improve your writing

(though of course they are also used in your speaking in the same way).

You are likely to use these a lot in your academic writing for task 2, particularly if you are

writing an essay which needs to give solutions to a problem.

They are also important to help in clarifying the certainty with which you are making a point,

which is important for your writing.

The examiner will expect you to be competent in using these to award you a higher band

score.

What are they?

Modal Verbs are used commonly in English to add further information to the main verb.

They are auxiliary or 'helping' verbs, which means they cannot be used on their own but must

be used with the main verb.

Modal Verbs

May

Might

Can

Could

Shall

Should

Will

Would

Must

‘Semi’ Modal Verbs

Ought

Need

Have

to go

(Infinitive)

Sentence Examples

go

Main Verb

(Bare Infinitive)

Sentence Examples

?

?

?

She can swim

Can she swim?

She can not swim

?

?

?

She has to go

Does she have to go?

She doesn?t have to go

How are they used?

These verbs are used with a main verb and are followed by the

bare

infinitive (

bare

means no

“to”).

The exceptions are ?ought?,? need? and ?have? which are followed by the infinitive (with “to”).

Common Use in IELTS Task 2

Three important functions of modal verbs when you are writing or speaking for IELTS are:

1.

2.

3.

discussing

degrees of certainty

making

suggestions

.

hypothetical

situations

1) Degrees of Certainty

Will, may, might

and

could

are common to make logical deductions about a situation or

the future, which you often need to do in task 2:

Children with no father as a role model

will

become criminals. (100%)

Children with no father as a role model

may

become criminals. (Possible)

Children with no father as a role model

could

become criminals. (Possible)

Which of these sentences do you think is incorrect?

Hopefully you worked out that the first one is wrong. This is a common mistake to see in

IELTS essays.

The grammar is ok, but it is not possible to conclude that

all

children with no father as a role

model will become criminals!

Be careful when you are making assessments in this way.

?

Will

?? is 100% going to happen, so avoid using it to make g

eneralizations about

everybody/everything unless you know it is 100% true.

(There are other ways to make it

less certain e.g. “will possibly”).

When you are writing IELTS essays, it's unusual that you will have evidence with you or that

you can use to show 100% what you are saying is true.

So the second two are better in this situation.

2) Suggestions

Must, should, ought to, have to

and

could

are often used to make suggestions for solving

a problem.

It is common in task 2 to get a question asking you to discuss a problem and

suggest solutions.

Governments

must/have to/need to

take action to tackle global warming.

(strong

obligation)

Parents

should/ought to

stop their children watching too much television. (Strong

suggestion)

Individuals

could

recycle more (possibility).

Take a look at this

model essay on global warming

and note how modal verbs are used in the

second body paragraph to discuss the solutions.

3) Hypothetical Situations

It is common to use

would

and

could

to discuss hypothetical situations.

If something is hypothetical, this means in effect it has not happened. You are discussing an

unreal situation in the future or imagining something.

For example:

If the government spent more money on hospitals, people

would

be healthier.

It is something that has not happened and you don't know if it will.

See this

model essay on human cloning

and notice the use of

would

and

could

throughout the

essay.

IELTS Human Cloning Essay

This is a model answer for a

human cloning

essay.

If you look at the task, the wording is slightly different from the common

'do you agree or

disagree'

essay. However, it is essentially asking the same thing.

You are asked if you

agree with human cloning to use their body parts

(in other words,

what are the benefits), and

what reservations (concerns) you have

(in other words,

what are the disadvantages).

So the best way to answer this human cloning essay is probably to look at both sides of the

issue as has been done in the model answer.

As always, you

must read the question carefully

to make sure you answer it fully and do

not go off topic.

You are specifically being asked to discuss the issue of creating human clones to then

use

their body parts

. If you write about other issues to do with human cloning, you may go off

topic.

Human Cloning Essay - Sample 11

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Present a written argument to an educated reader with no specialist knowledge of

the following topic.

As people live longer and longer, the idea of cloning human beings in

order to provide spare parts is becoming a reality. The idea horrifies most

people, yet it is no longer mere science fiction.

To what extent do you agree with such a procedure?

Have you any reservations?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own

experience or knowledge.

You should write at least 250 words.

Model Answer for Human Cloning Essay

The cloning of animals has been occurring for a number of years now, and this has now

opened up the possibility of cloning humans too. Although there are clear benefits to

humankind of cloning to provide spare body parts, I believe it raises a number of worrying

ethical issues.

Due to breakthroughs in medical science and improved diets, people are living much longer

than in the past. This, though, has brought with it problems. As people age, their organs can

fail so they need replacing. If humans were cloned, their organs could then be used to replace

those of sick people. It is currently the case that there are often not enough organ donors

around to fulfil this need, so cloning humans would overcome the issue as there would then

be a ready supply.

However, for good reasons, many people view this as a worrying development. Firstly, there

are religious arguments against it. It would involve creating another human and then

eventually killing it in order to use its organs, which it could be argued is murder. This is

obviously a sin according to religious texts. Also, dilemmas would arise over what rights these

people have, as surely they would be humans just like the rest of us. Furthermore, if we have

the ability to clone humans, it has to be questioned where this cloning will end. Is it then

acceptable for people to start cloning relatives or family members who have died?

To conclude, I do not agree with this procedure due to the ethical issues and dilemmas it

would create. Cloning animals has been a positive development, but this is where it should

end.

(276 words)

_____________________ ______________________

Comments

The essay is well-organized, with a clear introducion which introduces the topic:

The cloning of animals has been occurring for a number of years now, and this has now

opened up the possibility of cloning humans too.

And it has a thesis statement that makes it clear exactly how the human cloning essay will be

structured and what the candidate's opinion is:

Although there are clear benefits to humankind of cloning to provide spare body parts, I

believe it raises a number of worrying ethical issues.

The first body paragraph discusses the advantages of cloning humans, and then the second

body paragraph looks at the problems associated with this. The change of direction to look at

the other side is clearly marked with a transition word (

However, for good reasons, many people view this as a worrying development.

Other transition words are used effectively to guide the reader through the ideas in the

human cloning essay:

Firstly,.. Also,... Furthermore,...

The candidate demonstrates that they can use a mix of complex structures. For example:

Due to

breakthroughs in medical science and improved diets, people are living much longer

than in the past.

It would involve creating another human and then eventually killing it in order to use its

organs,

which

it could be argued is murder.

...

if

we have the ability to clone humans, it has to be questioned where this cloning will end.

Cloning of human beings has not happened yet, so it is a hypothetical situation

It may also be used in your speaking - see this lesson on

hypothetical situations for part 2 of

the speaking test

.

Lesson 7: Hypothetical Situation

Sometimes in part 2 of the speaking test you are asked to describe things that involve a

hypothetical situation.

If something is hypothetical, then it is an

unreal situation in the future

. It is just an idea or

imagined.

The grammar for this is connected to conditional type II 'if clauses'. Take a look at this:

Question:

If you won the lottery, what

would

you do?

Answer:

I’d

buy a large house in the countryside.

Of course the person has NOT won the lottery

–

so it is just an imagined or unreal situation.

In the ?if? part of the clause, you?ll notice that the

past simple

(won) is used, even though

the imagined future is being referred to. ?

Would

? is used in the second part.

For the IELTS task card, you'll just be seeing the 'would' part.

Take a look at this sample task 2 question:

Describe an interesting job you

would like

to

have

You should say:

?

?

?

What the job is

Who normally does this job

What skills are needed for the job

Explain why you

would like

this job

So when you talk about a hypothetical situation, you need to make sure you use the correct

grammar.

Remember that ‘I would…’ is usually shortened to ‘I’d…” when we are speaking.

Take a look at this model answer. The uses of '

would

' are in red.

Model Answer

I?m going to

talk about a job

I?d

like to have.

Ok,

if I could choose any job, it would be an air hostess

. They are the people who take care

of customers who are travelling on planes - serving the food, making sure the travellers board

and depart the plane safely, and taking care of any other issues.

This type of job can be done by men or women, but there are usually certain requirements.

For instance, you have to be at least 19 years old in most cases when you first apply and

usually a certain height, not too small. Also, your weight needs to be in proportion to your

height.

So in other words, not overweight unfortunately.

They also really prefer people who

are younger. So not just anyone can do it. Those who do the job usually want to travel as

much as they can to see the world, or maybe to make money as in some developing countries

it is a lot better paid than many other jobs.

Regarding the skills, one of the most important things to be is outgoing.

I think you need to

be very confident and happy to chat with anyone

! You also need to be patient as I?m sure you

can sometimes get passengers who complain, but you still have to continue to be nice to

them. For qualifications, you have to have good GSCE marks. I think that is it.

The reason that I?d like a job like this is because I?d really like to see the rest of the world and

I?d like to meet lots of new people from different cultures and countries

. It?s actually

something I?ve wanted to do for a very long time, since I was young, which is why I know so

much about the

requirements. I?m quite a confident person and very outgoing, so I think I

have all the qualities that are needed for such a job.

If I was given the chance to do this job in the future, I?d be very happy

. It?s my dream so

hopefully one day it will come true.

_________________________________________ __

As you'll notice, only a few parts of this response are using 'would'. The amount you use it will

depend on what you are saying.

In much of the response the candidate is talking about facts regarding the job, which are

always true, so the present simple is being used. She's not referring to the future.

She only refers to a hypothetical situation a few times in her response.

Here are some examples for you to practice with:

_________________ __________________________

Example Hypothetical Situation Speaking Card 1

Describe

a

beautiful

place

in

your

country

that

you

would like

to visit

You should say:

?

?

?

Where it is

Who you

would go

with

When you

would go

Explain why you

would like

to visit this place

Example Hypothetical Situation Speaking Card 2

Describe a house you

would like

to buy in the

future.

You should say

?

?

?

What kind of house it

would be

Where you

would like

it to be

Who you

would like

to live there with

Explain why you

would like

to buy a house like

this

Relative Clauses

Relative clauses

are a type of complex sentence.

It essential that you know how to write complex sentences if you want to do well in the IELTS

writing test.

Here are some examples used in an

IELTS task 1

:

Consumption of pizzas was far higher than hamburgers,

which were consumed

approximately 5 times a year

.

Community contributions,

which were the second largest revenue source,

brought in 10.4%

of overall income, and this was followed by program revenue, at 2.2%.