IELTS DEMYSTIFIED

Learn about the various types of sentence structures that help improve band score

As per the official writing band descriptors, grammatical range and accuracy contributes 1/4th weightage towards your overall writing score. Even a low band score of 5.0 specifies the requirement to use a good mix of simple & complex sentences, and bands 7 and above not only look for a wide variety in sentence structure, but also for its accuracy levels. It is therefore of paramount importance that you are well prepared with the various grammatical structures and use them in the best of your capacity.

Below listed are some of the sentence structures that can improve your score under the grammatical range scoring category.

1. Simple / Compound / Complex Sentences

Simple : Though you might feel that this is the most basic form of sentence writing, you should not under estimate its importance and the variety of its existence. Note that you get brownie points for using a wide range of grammatical sentence formats in your writing. So, despite using a structurally simple sentence, you can still play with the tenses to make it grammatically complex. Apart from the simple present/past/future tenses, try using continuous tenses and/or perfect tenses, but be extremely cautious that you maintain the correct tense both within the sentence and across the context being explained. By simply jumping from one tense to the other, just to showcase variety, could mess up your writing entirely, and drastically pull down your band score.

Compound : A compound sentence is made up of two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, or so) and a comma or by a semicolon. Note that each half of a compound sentence must stand on its own as a complete sentence. That means each half needs a subject and a verb.
E.g.: The pirate captain lost her treasure map, but she still found the buried treasure.

The waves were crashing on the shore; it was a lovely sight.

She did not cheat on the test, for it was the wrong thing to do.

Complex :
There are several forms of sentence structures that make a sentence grammatically complex. Here we shall discuss about two such ways -
a) Using Relative Clauses :

A relative clause is one kind of dependent clause with a subject and a verb. A relative clause always begins with a “relative pronoun,” which substitutes for a noun, a noun phrase, or a pronoun when sentences are combined. It serves the purpose of adding more information about the noun/pronoun.

Relative pronouns are: who, whom, whose, that, which

E.g. : My mother, who is a great cook, is thinking of opening a restaurant.
I love the bike that my father gifted me for my birthday.
I will have to drive across the country with three small children, which will be stressful.

b) Using Subordinate Clauses :

Subordinate clauses can be formed using subordinate conjunctions or relative nouns. These clauses can act as adverbs, adjectives, or nouns.

Example of a subordinate clause acting as an adverb:

• I fished until the sun went down.

Example of a subordinate clause acting as an adjective:

• The bull that charged us is back in the field.

Example of a subordinate clause acting as a noun:

• Whoever dislikes the new timings is more than welcome to leave.

Common subordinate conjunctions are -

after, although, as, because, before, even if, even though, if, provided, rather than, since, so that, than, though, unless, until, whether, while

Common relative nouns are -
how, that, what, when, where, which, who, whom, whose, why, whoever , whosever, whosoever, whosesoever

2. Active / Passive Sentences

The voice can be active or passive. In a sentence written in the active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action (e.g. She wrote the letter.) On the other hand, in a sentence written in the passive voice, the subject receives the action (e.g. The letter was written.)

You can use passive voice to express opinions of others. For example -

It is believe by some that...
While it is thought by others that...
The decision made by the group was disapproved.

3. Conditional Sentences
A conditional sentence is based on the word ‘if’. There are always two parts to a conditional sentence – one part beginning with ‘if’ to describe a possible situation, and the second part which describes the consequence.

There are four types of conditional sentences:

0 – The zero conditional

We use the zero conditional to talk about permanent truths, such as scientific facts, and general habits.
Structure: If + Simple Present , Simple Present

E.g. : If you eat a lot, you put on weight.
If we go out with friends, we normally go to a restaurant.

1 – The first conditional

We use the first conditional to talk about a realistic situation in the present or future. The structure of the first conditional is -

If + Simple Present , will/can/must + verb
or
If + Simple Present , imperative form

E.g. : If they’re hungry, I’ll make some sandwiches.
He’ll call if he needs help.

2 – The second conditional

We use the second conditional to talk about improbable or impossible situations in the present or future. Here is the structure -

If + Simple Past , would/could + verb

E.g.: If I were rich, I’d spend all my time travelling.
You wouldn’t have to walk everywhere if you bought a bike.

3 – The third conditional

We use the third conditional to talk about impossible situations, as in the second conditional, in the past. We often use the third conditional to describe regrets. The structure is -

If + Past Perfect , would/could have + past participle

E.g.: If you hadn’t forgotten her birthday, she wouldn’t have been upset.
If they had booked earlier, they could have found better seats.

4. Question Sentences

It is absolutely fine to write a rhetorical question in IELTS essay writing. It is usually the students with high command over English language that attempt it, mostly in the introduction paragraph. However, you won't lose points if you don't attempt this type of sentence structure. So don't worry if you are not comfortable in blending this type of sentence structure in your essay writing.

E.g. : Would sugar tax really work?
What is more, ....

5. Cleft Sentences

Cleft sentences are used to emphasize a point by putting it in a separate clause, and using an empty introductory word such as it or that. It is a useful advanced grammar technique that can be employed in your writing and speaking tests.

E.g. : What environmentalists object to, is burning plastic.
It is the financial greed that must be restrained, not the economic growth.

6. Inversion Sentences

In order to make certain sentences more emphatic and dramatic [such as to express surprise, or to show that something is strikingly unusual], we use inversion. This sentence type makes your English sound sophisticated and complex, and therefore, boost your band score.

We mostly use inversion with negative adverbs and adverbial phrases such as:

never, hardly, rarely, seldom, only then, it wasn’t until, in this way, nowhere, in no way, on no account, no sooner.../than.

E.g. : Rarely do people see governments offering actionable solutions to this kind of an issue.
Had mobile phones not been invented, the development of technology would have been slower.
Were the political leaders to ensure the safety of the community, the inhabitants would feel secure.
Not only is cycling good for our health, but it is also good for the environment.

7. Gerund Sentences

Gerunds are verbs ending with -ing that act as nouns.

E.g. : Having been cyber bullied, I know how psychologically damaging it can be.
Increasing taxes would create significant difficulties .

Note: Do not get confused between gerunds and participles. The biggest difference between the two is that gerunds are used as nouns while present participles are used as adjectives. For example, in the sentence -
'Feeling confident, she sang with passion', the participle phrase 'feeling confident' modifies the pronoun 'she'.