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. 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:
1. Task Achievement / Response
2. Coherence and Cohesion
3. Lexical Resource
4. Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Speaking:
1. Fluency and coherence
2. Lexical Resource
3. Grammatical Range and Accuracy
4. Pronunciation
Grammar and Vocabulary Band Descriptors
| Band | Lexical Resource | Grammatical Range & Accuracy |
| 9 | Sophisticated control of lexical features; rare minor ‘slips’ occur | Uses a wide range of structures with full flexibility and accuracy; rare minor errors only as slips. |
| 8 | 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 inappropriateness |
| 7 | Occasional errors in word choice, spelling, and / or word formation | Uses a variety of complex structures Produces frequent error-free sentences Has good control of grammar and punctuation but may make a few errors |
| 6 | Some errors in spelling and / or 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 |
| 5 | Noticeable errors in spelling and / or word formation that may cause some difficulty for the reader | Uses only a limited range of structures 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 |
| 4 | Limited control of word formation 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 | Attempts sentence forms but errors in grammar and punctuation predominate and distort the meaning |
| 2 | Essentially no control of word formation or spelling | Cannot use sentence forms except in memorized phrases |
| 1 | Can only use a few isolated words | Cannot use sentence forms at all |
Band Self-Analyzer
| 4 – 5 Band Achievers | ||
| Listening | 1. Listen to individual words. 2. Fail to understand the overall meaning. 3. Don’t predict information and analyze. 4. proceed impatiently if they don’t find answers. 5. Cannot find hidden meanings | |
| Reading | 1. Start reading the passage 2. Waste time in finding information 3. Don’t answer appropriately 4. Try to understand difficult words 5. Start assuming answers | |
| Writing | 1. Don’t make proper planning 2. Don’t focus main aspects of the graph 3. Don’t understand the essay question and start writing 4. Uses basic vocabulary repeatedly 5. Make frequent grammatical errors | |
| Speaking | 1. Behave nervously 2. Don’t answer the question in detail 3. Make pronunciation errors 4. Provide irrelevant answers 5. Don’t organize the topic | |
| 5 – 6 Band Achievers | ||
| Listening | 1. Can focus individual and overall meaning 2. Predict and find information correctly 3. Focus the tone and stress patterns of the speaker 4. Predict the situations and speakers 5. Can understand dialogues, discussions but not monologues. | |
| Reading | 1. Skim and Scan the text but don’t read it. 2. Read questions first to get the answers. 3. Don’t use exact words in gaps. 4. Cannot understand opinions well. 5. Cannot follow summary questions | |
| Writing | 1. Uses limited range of vocabulary 2. Can Sufficiently use vocabulary but repeatedly. 3. Cannot organize, compare and contrast data well. 4. Cannot develop arguments well. 5. Cannot properly justify opinions | |
| Speaking | 1. Frequent pronunciation pitfalls 2. Cannot control intonation well. 3. Frequent off-topics 4. Hesitation and lack of fillers 5. Cannot conduct discussions well. | |
| 7 + Band Achievers | ||
| Listening | 1. Have full understanding of all situations. 2. Can understand hidden meanings 3. Can understand various accents 4. Know surface and deep meaning 5. Follow speakers’ arguments | |
| Reading | 1. Understand text formats well. 2. Can Follow, accept and reject the writer’s opinion confidently 3. Use exact words and check spelling 4. Can predict information correctly 5. Quickly scan and find answers | |
| Writing | 1. Wide range of vocabulary to communicate precise meanings 2. Full sense of text organization and argument development 3. Understanding of key graph points and skill to compare and contrast 4. Operational command to use language to express opinions 5. Practical use of grammar, Coherence, cohesion and unity | |
| Speaking | 1. Variety of spoken expressions and collocations 2. Operational command over pronunciation, stress patters and intonation of English 3. Understand of organization of speaking and discourse makers 4. Practical use of tenses in narrative and descriptions 5. Understanding of literary devices | |
