IELTS Grammar
The grammar that raises your band score in Writing and Speaking, with explanations and exercises on Englisch-Grammatik.com.
Grammar is a quarter of your IELTS Writing and Speaking score. The examiner looks at two things: how many different structures you use (range), and how many of your sentences are free of mistakes (accuracy). This page shows which grammar matters most for IELTS, and where to practise it.
What the Examiner Looks For
The marking criterion is called "Grammatical Range and Accuracy".
✓Four Signs of a Higher Band
- Range You mix simple and complex sentences, not only one type.
- Accuracy Many of your sentences have no mistakes at all.
- Control Complex structures are used correctly, not just attempted.
- Punctuation Commas and full stops make long sentences easy to follow.
The Grammar Each Part Needs
Each part of the test calls for different structures.
| Part | Grammar you need | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Writing Task 1 | Past simple for past data, passive for processes, comparatives, prepositions of change | Sales rose by 20% to 5,000. The grain is then dried. |
| Writing Task 2 | Conditionals, modal verbs, relative clauses, contrast clauses | If cities invested in transport, fewer people would drive. |
| Speaking Part 1 | Present simple, present perfect for experience | I've lived in Münster for five years. |
| Speaking Part 2 | Past tenses to tell a story | While I was waiting for the train, I met an old friend. |
| Speaking Part 3 | Future forms, conditionals, modals for speculation | In twenty years, most people will probably work from home. |
Grammar Topics for IELTS
Eight areas to master. Each one links to explanations and exercises on Englisch-Grammatik.com.
Tenses
The basis of accuracy: choose the right tense for past data, experiences and predictions.
The number of visitors has doubled since 2015.
Conditionals
Essential for Task 2 arguments and Speaking Part 3: causes, results and possibilities.
If the government had acted earlier, the problem would have been smaller.
The Passive
Needed for process diagrams in Task 1, and for a formal, objective style in Task 2.
The bottles are collected, cleaned and then refilled.
Relative Clauses
An easy way to build complex sentences and add detail without starting a new sentence.
Students who work part-time often have better time management.
Modal Verbs
For careful, academic opinions: say how certain or necessary something is.
This policy could reduce traffic, but it might be unpopular.
Articles & Quantifiers
Small words, frequent mistakes: a, an, the, much, many, few, little.
Fewer people own a car than ten years ago.
Gerunds & Infinitives
Verb patterns are a common source of small errors that lower accuracy.
Many people avoid using public transport because they prefer to drive.
Adjectives, Adverbs & Prepositions
Describe changes precisely in Task 1 and avoid mistakes with prepositions of time and place.
Prices increased steadily in the 1990s and fell sharply in 2008.
Links marked ↗ open Englisch-Grammatik.com in a new tab.
From Simple to Complex Sentences
Higher bands need a mix of sentence types. Here is how to join simple ideas.
| Technique | Simple sentences | Complex sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Relative clause | Many students work. They have less time to study. | Students who work have less time to study. |
| Contrast | Cars are convenient. They pollute the air. | Although cars are convenient, they pollute the air. |
| Cause | Rents have risen. Many people move to the suburbs. | Because rents have risen, many people move to the suburbs. |
| Condition | Fares could be lower. More people would use buses. | If fares were lower, more people would use buses. |
| Participle clause | The report was published in 2020. It showed a clear trend. | Published in 2020, the report showed a clear trend. |
More on joining ideas: Adding information ↗
Common Mistakes for German Speakers
These mistakes come from German grammar. Fixing them raises accuracy quickly.
| Area | Mistake | Correct |
|---|---|---|
| since / for | I live here since 2019. | I have lived here since 2019. |
| Present perfect | I have seen the film yesterday. | I saw the film yesterday. |
| Uncountable nouns | The informations are useful. | The information is useful. |
| Word order | I like very much this city. | I like this city very much. |
| Articles | The life in cities is stressful. | Life in cities is stressful. |
| Adverbs | Prices increased very quick. | Prices increased very quickly. |
Many more examples: Common grammar mistakes for German learners ↗
Quick Grammar Quiz
Choose the correct form, then check your answers.
Questions 1–8
Choose the best answer for each sentence.
Show the answer key
- has risen: "since 2010" connects the past with now → present perfect.
- is heated: process descriptions use the passive.
- were: second conditional (an unreal situation) → past form.
- who: "who" refers to people.
- Although: followed by a full clause; "despite" needs a noun or -ing form.
- is: "information" is uncountable, so the verb is singular.
- fewer: cars are countable → fewer; "less" is for uncountable nouns.
- working: "enjoy" is followed by the -ing form.
Keep Practising
Put the grammar to work in real IELTS tasks.
Fewer mistakes, more variety.
Get the basics right first, then add complex structures one at a time until you can use them without thinking.
Accuracy. Range. Control. Practice.
Back to IELTS