IELTS Guide Phil

Achieving a high IELTS score requires more than just strong ideas—it also demands accurate grammar. Even minor grammar mistakes can lower your band score in Writing, Speaking, Listening, and Reading. Here are some of the most common errors test-takers make and how to avoid them. You can watch this YouTube video explainer by IELTS Guide Phil.

Writing (Task 1 & Task 2)

Grammar errors in Writing can reduce clarity and coherence. Here are some common mistakes:

• Subject-verb agreement:
  • Incorrect: The number of people are high.
  • Correct: The number of people is high.
• Articles:
  • Incorrect: The technology is important nowadays.
  • Correct: Technology is important nowadays.
• Tense errors:
  • Incorrect: In the past, people use letters to communicate.
  • Correct: In the past, people used letters to communicate.
• Sentence structure:
  • Incorrect: Many people like coffee, they drink it every day.
  • Correct: Many people like coffee, and they drink it every day.
• Preposition errors:
  • Incorrect: Good in English
  • Correct: Good at English

Tip: Always proofread your essays to check for subject-verb agreement, correct article usage, and tense consistency.

Speaking

Grammar errors in Speaking can make your speech unclear or unnatural. Here are some key areas to focus on:

• Tense errors:
  • Incorrect: I go to the market yesterday.
  • Correct: I went to the market yesterday.
• Conditionals:
  • Incorrect: If I will study, I pass the test.
  • Correct: If I study, I will pass the test.
• Superlative mistakes:
  • Incorrect: This book is more better than the last one.
  • Correct: This book is better than the last one.
• Missing auxiliary verbs:
  • Incorrect: She not like coffee.
  • Correct: She does not like coffee.

Tip: Use a mix of simple, compound, and complex sentences to enhance fluency.

Listening

Even if you understand the audio, grammar mistakes in your written answers can lead to lost marks.

Common Errors & Fixes:

• Plural/Singular:
  • Audio: “The company offers many services.”
  • Incorrect: service
  • Correct: services
• Verb Forms:
  • Audio: “She has written a book.”
  • Incorrect: write
  • Correct: written
• Spelling Mistakes:
  • Audio: “The government is improving the economy.”
  • Incorrect: improveing
  • Correct: improving
• Missing Articles:
  • Audio: “He is an engineer.”
  • Incorrect: engineer
  • Correct: an engineer

Tip: Pay close attention to plural forms, verb tenses, and small words like “a/an/the.”

Reading

Grammar mistakes can lead to incorrect answers in summary completion, sentence completion, and short-answer questions.

• Verb Tense:
  • Text: “The company was established in 1980.”
  • Incorrect: establish
  • Correct: established
• Word Form:
  • Text: “The new law led to the improvement of services.”
  • Incorrect: improve
  • Correct: improvement
• Articles:
  • Text: “He was given a medal for bravery.”
  • Incorrect: medal
  • Correct: a medal
• Plural/Singular:
  • Text: “Many countries have adopted new policies.”
  • Incorrect: policy
  • Correct: policies

Tip: Read each sentence carefully and match verb tense, article usage, and singular/plural forms.

Final Tips to Improve Your IELTS Grammar

• Writing & Speaking: Review verb tenses, subject-verb agreement, and complex sentence structures.
• Listening & Reading: Watch out for plural/singular mistakes, incorrect verb forms, and missing articles.
• Always proofread: Check spelling and grammar carefully, especially in sentence completion tasks.

For more IELTS tips and daily lessons, stay tuned to this page!

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