Boosting your IELTS writing score does not require reinventing the English language. Most high-scoring candidates do not necessarily use “big” words – they use simple grammar perfectly. That distinction matters more than you might think.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy accounts for 25% of your writing score. One quarter of your result depends entirely on how well you handle grammar. Here are five rules to make sure you nail it.
1. Master Subject-Verb Agreement
It sounds basic, but writing “The government have” instead of “The government has” is one of the quickest ways to signal a lack of control to an examiner. This single error type appears in nearly every Band 5 essay – and eliminating it is one of the fastest wins available to you.
The rule: Singular subjects take singular verbs; plural subjects take plural verbs.
The common trap: Watch out for “Everyone,” “Each,” and “Nobody” – these are always singular, even though they feel like they refer to multiple people.
Incorrect: Everyone have a role to play.
Correct: Everyone has a role to play.
If subject-verb agreement trips you up regularly, you are not alone. It is one of the most frequent errors we cover in our guide on common IELTS mistakes and how to avoid them.
2. Use the “Rule of Three” for Sentences
To score a 7.0 or above, you cannot rely solely on simple sentences. The examiner wants to see that you can control a mix of three specific structures:
Simple: “Technology has changed education.”
Compound: “Technology has changed education, and it has made resources more accessible.”
Complex: “Although technology has changed education, it cannot replace the human touch of a teacher.”
If every sentence in your essay follows the same pattern, your Grammatical Range score drops – even if every sentence is technically correct. The key word in the criterion is range. You need variety.
Pro Tip: Use subordinating conjunctions (while, because, although, since) to create complex sentences naturally. Do not force them – just look for moments in your essay where one idea depends on or contrasts with another, and connect them.
3. Do Not Fear the Comma
Punctuation is the “traffic control” of your essay. Without it, the examiner gets lost – and a confused examiner does not give generous scores.
The rule: Use a comma after an introductory phrase or a dependent clause.
Example: “In conclusion, the benefits of urban living outweigh the drawbacks.”
The “FANBOYS” rule: Use a comma before coordinating conjunctions (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) when they join two independent clauses. This is one of the simplest punctuation rules in English, yet many candidates ignore it entirely.
Getting punctuation right is one of those small details that separates a Band 6 essay from a Band 7 essay. For more on the techniques that push your score upward, see our guide on 3 simple tricks to boost your writing.
4. Stick to Your Tense
In Task 2, students often drift between the present and past tense without reason. The examiner notices this immediately, and it costs marks under both Grammatical Accuracy and Coherence.
The strategy: If you are discussing a general truth or a current situation, stay in the Present Simple. If you are giving a specific example from history, switch to the Past Simple – but return to the present once the example is finished.
Example: “Many people believe (Present) that cars are necessary. However, in the 1900s, most people walked (Past) to work.”
Think of tense shifts like changing lanes on a motorway. Every shift should be deliberate and signalled. If you drift without reason, you create confusion.
5. Get Your Articles Right
The words a, an, and the are small but mighty. Misusing them is a hallmark of “translated” English rather than “natural” English – and examiners are trained to spot the difference.
General vs. Specific
“Education is important.” (General – no article)
“The education I received was excellent.” (Specific – use the)
When you are making a broad statement about a concept, drop the article. When you are referring to a specific instance that has already been introduced or is defined by context, use the.
Countable vs. Uncountable
Never use a/an with uncountable nouns like advice, information, or research.
Incorrect: “She gave me an advice.”
Correct: “She gave me advice.” / “She gave me a piece of advice.”
Articles are one of the trickiest areas for non-native speakers, but getting them right makes your writing sound significantly more natural. If you want a broader look at what makes exam-day writing different from regular practice, our post on why IELTS writing preparation is different breaks it down.
Put These Rules to Work
You do not need to overhaul your entire writing style. These five rules – subject-verb agreement, sentence variety, comma usage, tense consistency, and correct articles – cover the grammar errors that cost candidates the most marks. Fix these, and you remove the biggest obstacles between you and a higher Grammatical Range and Accuracy score.
Start with your next practice essay. Pick one rule, focus on it while you write, and then review your work specifically for that error type. Once it becomes automatic, move on to the next. That is how you build the kind of consistent, accurate grammar that earns a Band 7 and above.