Grammatical Range and Accuracy in IELTS Writing

It is important to show both range and accuracy in your grammar. The examiner expects you to use all different forms of sentences in your chart: simple, compound, and complex sentences.

In this short guide, we will go over all three types of sentences and how you can use them in IELTS writing and speaking.

🔗 Navigation

• 📝 Band Description

• 📘 Independent and Dependent Clauses

• ✅ Simple Sentence

• ✅ Compound Sentence

• ✅ Complex Sentence

• 🧩 Forming Compound Sentences

• 🧠 Forming Complex Sentences

  • 🔹 Using Relative Pronouns

  • 🔸 Using Subordinating Conjunctions

  • 💡 Conditional Clauses: If

Have a look at the required criteria for the band you desire, taken from IELTS British Council.

Understanding Independent and Dependent Clauses

Before that, we need to understand the difference between independent and dependent clauses.

Independent clauses, as the name suggests, can stand on their own. Have a look:

The numbers grew by 50%.
(This is a complete sentence.)

Now look at this sentence:

Although the sales increased steadily in the first quarter.
And then? What happened after the sales increased? This is simply a dependent clause. It depends on the other clause; it does not make any sense without an independent clause. Let’s make it right:

Although the sales increased steadily in the first quarter, they dropped to reach their lowest by the end of the year.

Now that we know dependent and independent clauses, it is time to move on to simple, compound, and complex sentences.

✅ Simple Sentence

➡️ Independent clause

I tried to kill him.

✅ Compound Sentence

➡️ Independent clause + Independent clause

I tried to kill him, but he survived.

✅ Complex Sentence

➡️ Independent clause + Dependent clause

I tried to kill him because he did not buy my course.

Forming Compound Sentences

Forming compound sentences is actually a piece of cake. Just use coordinating conjunctions, such as and, but, yet, so, or, and many more.

Forming Complex Sentences

Coming to the meat of the guide here — you need to be able to write complex sentences seamlessly for a higher band. We will cover the ways you can form complex sentences.

Using Relative Pronouns

Relative pronouns can simply be described as pronouns that connect two clauses as well.
Relative pronouns are: who, which, that, whose, whom.

Have a look at these two sentences:

The number of people visiting the park increased significantly in 2020.
It was the highest point recorded in the past decade.

These are two simple sentences. We can easily combine them to make one long complex sentence using the relative pronoun “which”:

The number of people visiting the park increased significantly in 2020, which was the highest point recorded in the past decade.

If I can tell you one thing, it is that you have to think of complex sentences just as an amalgamation of two sentences. You already must be writing these sentences — just make sure to combine them into one sentence sometimes to show your grammar range.

Subordinating Conjunctions

Do not be afraid of these technical terms. Subordinating conjunctions are simply words that connect two clauses, but one of them is a dependent clause.

Examples of subordinating conjunctions: because, although, while

In Writing Task 2, you will be defending your position with arguments and reasons. How can you do that without using these words?

Online education is better than traditional classrooms.
Okay, defend it.

Online education is better than traditional classrooms because of its accessibility across the world.

This is exactly what your examiner expects you to do: give arguments to support your claim. You do that with the help of subordinating conjunctions. And by doing so, you will not only get a better score for grammar range but also for task achievement.

In both writing tasks, you are required to compare. You do that with words like “although” and “while”.

Although online education is accessible, I believe traditional classrooms to be a better option.

You are adding an opposite point in a complex sentence here.

Punctuation Tip:

✅ Although online education is accessible, I believe traditional classrooms to be a better option.
✅ I believe traditional classrooms to be a better option even though online education is accessible.

Conditional Clauses: If

Conditional clauses express a condition and its possible result. They often follow this pattern:

• If + condition, result

• OR

• Result + if + condition

Types of Conditional Clauses

✅ Zero Conditional (Facts and Truths)

Form: If + present simple, present simple
Use: To state general truths or scientific facts

Creating a Need for Zero Conditional

You need to show the examiner your range in grammar, so you need to create a need for these sentences.

One way to use the zero conditional (or for that matter, any conditional) is to report findings of a made-up study, and then give a conclusion in the conditional.

For instance, the example below can be a perfect result from a fake study to support your claim:

If students do not get enough sleep, their academic performance declines.

🔵 First Conditional (Real Future Possibility)

Form: If + present simple, will + base verb
Use: To talk about likely results in the future

Creating a Need for First Conditional

This is the one I use the most in my own writing. It is fairly easy to use, because you are always making claims in IELTS Writing Task 2 — there you can easily mention that if this thing happens, then that will happen. Have a look at the following sentences:

• If governments invest in renewable energy, carbon emissions will decrease.

• If children are taught about environmental issues, they will grow up more conscious.

🔴 Second Conditional (Hypothetical Present/Future)

Form: If + past simple, would + base verb
Use: To talk about unlikely or imaginary situations

Creating a Need for Second Conditional

I will be honest — this is something I do not use that often. But you can use it by creating an idealistic solution to an existing problem. Have a look at the following examples:

• If public transport were more efficient, fewer people would use private cars.

• If education were free, more students from poor backgrounds would pursue higher studies.

⚫ Third Conditional (Hypothetical Past)

Form: If + had + past participle, would have + past participle
Use: To reflect on past situations

Creating a Need for Third Conditional

This can be used by mentioning a past issue and saying if only they had done this. You can easily do this by simply giving an example where something you claim is good didn’t happen, and say if only they had done that.

For instance, we want to claim that the only way to improve literacy rate is to invest in rural schools. How do we give an example? Simple — either give an example of a country investing in the rural sector (or make up a country) or give an example of a country not doing it and facing severe consequences.

We usually give examples of things being done successfully by others, but with this strategy, we can give examples even of things done unsuccessfully.

Examples:

• If more money had been invested in rural schools, the literacy rate would have improved.

🎯 Grammar Practice for IELTS

✍️ Instructions:

Rewrite each idea as one complete sentence, following the instruction.

✅ Part A: Complex Sentences with Subordinating Conjunctions

1. Use because
   ➡️ Idea: "Children stay focused. They sleep well at night."

2. Use although
   ➡️ Idea: "The prices dropped. Customers didn’t buy more."

3. Use while
   ➡️ Idea: "Car usage decreased. Public transport use increased."

✅ Part B: Relative Clauses

4. Use which
   ➡️ Idea: "The number of elderly people rose in 2010. This was surprising."

5. Use who
   ➡️ Idea: "The students got scholarships. They scored the highest."

✅ Part C: Zero Conditional (General Truths)

➡️ People don't drink water → they get dehydrated.

➡️ You mix red and blue → you get purple.

✅ Part D: First Conditional (Real Future)

➡️ Unemployment rises → crime increases.

➡️ Students revise regularly → they pass the exam.

✅ Part E: Second Conditional (Unreal/Imaginary Present or Future)

➡️ I earn more money → I travel the world.

➡️ The roads are better → there are fewer accidents.

✅ Part F: Third Conditional (Hypothetical Past)

➡️ She studies medicine → she becomes a doctor.

➡️ They invest earlier → they make more profit.