Grammar (General / Academic)
A) Introduction
Grammar is the conventions of presenting language and is an aid to
communication. Grammar is one of the tools of language but is not the purpose,
which is to communicate well. The aim of all IELTS students should be to use
the conventions of the language that are used by native speakers. Native
speakers in all languages express ideas in the simplestway possible and
students should do the same. Keeping language as simple as possible aids
communication and helps avoid confusion. Using unnecessarily complex grammar
can confuse native speakers because it is not standard language. This
is particularly true if the vocabulary used is not precise. If a student confuses
the examiner, it will have a significant impact on their score.
Subject-Verb Agreement
To improve subject-verb agreement, always ensure that the verb matches the
subject in number. Pay close attention to singular and plural subjects when selecting
the appropriate verb form. Additionally, double-check complex sentence structures to
avoid agreement errors, especially when dealing with compound subjects or
intervening phrases.
Common errors
Example: "The dog runs in the park."
Tip: Remember that singular subjects usually take singular verbs. In this case, “dog” is singular, so it needs the singular verb “runs.”
Example: "The cats play with yarn."
Tip: Plural subjects generally require plural verbs. “Cats” is plural, so it takes the plural verb “play.”
Example: "The book on the shelf belongs to me."
Tip: When using “neither…nor” or “either…or,” the verb should agree with the closer subject. In this case, “students” is plural, so the verb should be “are.”
Example: "Every student and teacher was present.”
Tip: When “every,” “each,” “either,” or “neither” precedes compound subjects joined by “and,” the verb should be singular. So, “was” is correct here.
C) Use Formal and Informal Language
Articles are one of the most common sources of error and problems are
difficult to avoid because articles are used often and there are many exceptions
in their use. However, using the table below as a guide will allow students to
reduce the number of errors to an acceptable level.
Article | Singular | Plural | Specific | General | When to Use |
a/an | ✓ | ✖ | ✖ | ✓ | One of many |
the | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | It is clear which one(s) you are talking about |
no article | ✖ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | Speaking/writing in general terms |
The aim should not be to remove every error with articles but to remove the majority of errors.
A good Task 2 essay will usually cover general ideas so in most cases the “no
article/plural” form will be required.
C) Pluralization and Countability
Countable nouns refer to objects or entities that can be counted individually, such as
“books” or “chairs.” Uncountable nouns, on the other hand, represent substances,
concepts, or qualities that cannot be counted individually, such as “water” or
“happiness.” While countable nouns can be pluralized and quantified with numbers,
uncountable nouns typically do not have plural forms and are quantified using words like
“some,” “much,” or “a lot of.
Common errors
Example: "The graph shows the amount of cars sold in each month."
Correction: “The graph shows the number of cars sold in each month.”
Example: "There was a significant decrease in employments in the manufacturing sector."
Correction: “There was a significant decrease in employment in the manufacturing sector.”
Example: "The chart displays the quantities of foods consumed per person annually."
Correction: “The chart displays the quantities of food consumed per person annually.”
Final Help
Common countable nouns include: book, chair, table, pen, car, dog, cat, student, teacher, and bottle
Common uncountable nouns include: encompass water, air, advice, information, furniture, money, love, happiness, knowledge, and time.”
