IELTS Grammar Rules for Band 7 in Writing and Speaking

Grammar is a quarter of your IELTS Writing score and a quarter of your Speaking score. In both tests, grammatical range and accuracy is one of four equally weighted criteria, and in Writing it assesses the range of structures you use, the accuracy of simple, compound and complex sentences, and the density and effect of your errors.

That definition is the whole game. Examiners are not counting how many rare structures you can squeeze in. They are checking whether you vary your sentences and how many of them come out error-free. The rules below are the ones that move that balance.

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Key Takeaways

• Grammatical range and accuracy is 25% of the Writing band and 25% of the Speaking band.
• Band 7 Writing needs a variety of complex structures and frequent error-free sentences. Band 8 needs the majority of sentences error-free.
• Range and accuracy are judged together: a complex sentence with an error does not beat a correct simple one.
• The highest-return fixes are tense consistency, articles, subject-verb agreement, and comma splices.
• In Speaking, range shows in subordinate clauses, perfect and continuous forms, modals and the passive.

What do examiners mean by grammatical range and accuracy?

The Writing band descriptors describe each band in two halves: how wide your range is, and how accurate it is.

Band	Range	Accuracy
8	A wide range of structures, used flexibly and accurately	The majority of sentences are error-free; punctuation is well managed
7	A variety of complex structures, with some flexibility	Grammar and punctuation generally well controlled; error-free sentences are frequent
6	A mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but flexibility is limited	Complex structures are less accurate than simple ones; errors rarely impede communication
5	A limited, rather repetitive range	Complex sentences tend to be faulty; errors may be frequent and cause difficulty

The jump from 6 to 7 is the one most test takers need. At 6, your complex sentences contain more errors than your simple ones. At 7, error-free sentences are frequent across the whole response, complex ones included.

Rule 1: Use all three sentence types

The criterion names three sentence types. Range means using all three, not writing every sentence as long as possible.

Type	Structure	Example
Simple	One independent clause	Public transport reduces congestion.
Compound	Two independent clauses joined by and, but, or, so, yet	Public transport reduces congestion, but it needs steady funding.
Complex	An independent clause plus a dependent clause	Although public transport reduces congestion, it needs steady funding.

A practical mix for a 250-word essay: two or three short simple sentences for emphasis, and the rest split between compound and complex sentences.

Rule 2: Keep tenses consistent with the time frame

Context	Main tense	Example
Academic Task 1, past data	Past simple, past perfect for “by” a date	Sales rose to 40% in 2015. By 2020, they had doubled.
Academic Task 1, no time frame	Present simple	The table shows the cost of…
Academic Task 1, projections	Future forms	The figure is expected to reach…
Process diagrams	Present simple passive	The leaves are dried and then crushed.
Task 2 essays	Present simple, present perfect for recent change	Remote work has become common, and many firms now…
Speaking Part 2 stories	Past simple and past continuous	I was living in Hanoi when I first…

Switching tense without a reason is one of the most common errors at band 6. Decide the time frame before you write and check every verb against it.

Rule 3: Get articles right

Use	When	Example
a / an	A singular countable noun mentioned for the first time, or one of many	A new policy was introduced.
the	Something specific, already mentioned, or unique	The policy reduced waiting times.
the	Superlatives and ordinals	the highest figure, the second year
no article	Plural or uncountable nouns used in general	Education improves employment prospects.

The fastest check: every singular countable noun needs a, an, the, or another determiner (this, my, each). “Government should invest” is wrong; “The government should invest” or “Governments should invest” is right.

Rule 4: Make subjects and verbs agree

Trap	Wrong	Right
Long subject	The number of students in rural areas have risen.	The number of students in rural areas has risen.
A number of vs the number of	A number of problems has appeared.	A number of problems have appeared.
Uncountable nouns	The informations are useful.	The information is useful.
Each / every	Each of the countries have…	Each of the countries has…
People	People is worried about…	People are worried about…

Rule 5: Build complex sentences you can control

Structure	Pattern	Example
Concession	Although / While + clause, main clause	While online courses are cheaper, they demand more self-discipline.
Relative clause	noun + who / which / that + clause	Students who work part-time often manage their time better.
Non-defining relative	noun, which + clause,	The scheme, which began in 2019, has cut costs.
Second conditional	If + past, would + verb	If cities taxed cars, more people would cycle.
Third conditional	If + past perfect, would have + past participle	If I had started earlier, I would have finished.
Passive	be + past participle	Stricter rules should be introduced.
Participle clause	Having + past participle, main clause	Having finished school, many young people travel.
Cleft sentence	What + clause + is/was…	What worries most parents is screen time.

Use a structure only once you can produce it accurately. The band 6 descriptor is explicit: complex structures that are less accurate than simple ones hold you at 6.

Rule 6: Fix punctuation that breaks sentences

Error	Wrong	Right
Comma splice	Prices rose, demand fell.	Prices rose, so demand fell. / Prices rose; demand fell.
Fragment	Because it is cheaper.	Many people choose it because it is cheaper.
However mid-sentence	Costs are high, however it is popular.	Costs are high; however, it is popular.
Missing comma after an opening clause	Although it is popular it is expensive.	Although it is popular, it is expensive.

Punctuation sits inside the same criterion in Writing. Band 7 needs it “generally well controlled”, band 8 “well managed”.

Grammar in IELTS Speaking

Speaking uses the same criterion name, but the key indicators of range are specific to speech: the length of spoken sentences, subordinate clauses, the complexity of the verb phrase (continuous and perfect aspect, modals, the passive), and moving elements around for focus. Accuracy is judged on error density and how much errors affect meaning.

Part	Structures to show	Example
Part 1	Present perfect, frequency, preference	I’ve lived here for six years, and I’d rather walk than drive.
Part 2	Narrative tenses, relative clauses	It was a trip that I’d been planning for months.
Part 3	Conditionals, modals of speculation, passive	If housing were cheaper, fewer people might move abroad.

Band 6 to band 7: sentence upgrades

Band 6 version	Band 7 version	What changed
Many people use cars. This causes pollution.	The number of people who drive to work has risen, which has worsened air quality.	Relative clauses, present perfect
Some people think school uniforms are good. Others disagree.	While some argue that uniforms reduce peer pressure, others believe they limit self-expression.	Concession, reported views
The government must build more houses.	More affordable housing should be built, particularly in fast-growing cities.	Passive, modal, added detail
If people exercise, they are healthy.	If more people exercised regularly, healthcare costs would fall.	Second conditional

How to practise IELTS grammar

1. Find your pattern: mark every error in three of your own essays and count them by type. Start with the type that appears most often.
2. Drill the top error: rewrite ten sentences that contain it, then write ten new ones without it.
3. Add one structure a week: pick one complex structure from Rule 5 and use it correctly twice in every practice essay.
4. Proofread for your own errors: keep the final 3 minutes of Writing for a check of tenses, articles, agreement and punctuation.
5. Record your speaking: transcribe one Part 3 answer a week and correct it line by line.

FAQ

How much does grammar count in IELTS?

Grammatical range and accuracy is one of four equally weighted criteria in both Writing and Speaking, so it accounts for a quarter of each of those two bands.

What grammar do I need for band 7?

In Writing, a variety of complex structures used with some flexibility, generally well-controlled grammar and punctuation, and frequent error-free sentences. In practice, accurate complex sentences matter more than rare ones.

Is it better to write simple sentences to avoid mistakes?

No. Simple sentences only cap your range: band 5 describes a limited, repetitive range, and band 6 still expects a mix of simple and complex forms. Use complex structures you can control, and keep simple sentences for emphasis.

Which grammar mistakes are most common in IELTS?

Tense shifts, missing or extra articles, subject-verb agreement after long subjects, plural uncountable nouns such as “informations”, and comma splices.

Does punctuation affect my IELTS score?

Yes, in Writing. Punctuation is assessed under grammatical range and accuracy, and the band 7 and 8 descriptors both mention it.

Does the grammar criterion work the same in Speaking?

The name is the same, but the indicators differ. Speaking looks at sentence length, subordinate clauses, verb forms such as perfect and continuous aspect, modals and the passive, plus how often errors occur and how much they affect meaning.

Related practice resources

• IELTS Writing Task 2 templates
• IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 letter templates
• IELTS collocation list

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