IELTS Academic · grammar

Grammar for band 8

The word that separates 7 from 8 is systematic. An examiner who sees the same article error three times reads it as a pattern, and the score stays at 7 no matter how good the rest is. These are the eleven patterns engineers actually produce — each with a self-test whose misses go straight into your review ladder.

11 error patterns55 self-test itemsmisses become error records
1. How grammar is scored, in 2. The eleven errors that cos3. Range that examiners notic4. Punctuation that changes b5. Task 1 grammar kit6. Speaking grammar7. Two-minute error sweep2.12.22.32.42.52.62.72.82.92.102.11

1. How grammar is scored, in one paragraph

Grammatical Range and Accuracy is one of four equally weighted criteria. Band 8 requires "a wide range of structures flexibly and accurately used", "the majority of sentences error-free" and only "occasional, non-systematic errors"; band 7 tolerates "a few errors [that] persist". The word that separates them is systematic: an examiner who sees the same article error three times reads a pattern, not a slip, and the score stays at 7. Range is judged at the same time, so flawless simple sentences alone cannot reach 8 either. The examiner asks two questions: is there a controlled mix of structures, and do the errors recur?

Two rules of thumb:

  • A clean 14-word sentence beats a 35-word sentence with one error. Length earns nothing; every error costs.
  • Range means a mix, not maximal complexity. One cleft, one concession, one participle clause and several plain sentences reads as band 8; five subordinate clauses in one sentence reads as loss of control.

2. The eleven errors that cost engineers marks

Each has the rule, three wrong→right pairs, a band-8 line, a memory hook, and a five-item self-test. Wrong self-test answers become error records (cause: knowledge, section: Writing) and enter the review ladder.

2.1

Articles with abstract and generic nouns

Rule. a generic or abstract noun takes no article when uncountable or plural. Add the only when the reader can identify which one.

The pollution is a serious threat to the cities.Pollution is a serious threat to cities.
Governments should invest in the education.Governments should invest in education.
Education of the children in rural areas is neglected.The education of children in rural areas is neglected.

Band-8 line. Access to higher education has widened, yet the education that rural students receive still lags behind.

Hook. Arabic uses al- for generic statements; English drops the article there. Test: can you add "in general" after the noun? If yes, no the.

Self-test (add, remove or keep articles) — type the corrected sentence, or “correct” if it is already right
1The unemployment among the graduates is rising.
2Internet has changed the way people shop.
3Most people believe that the happiness cannot be bought.
4Research into the causes of the obesity is underfunded.
5The government of Jordan announced a new policy.
2.2

Subject–verb agreement across long noun phrases

Rule. the verb agrees with the head noun of the subject, not the nearest noun. Find the head by deleting everything between it and the verb.

The number of students who apply for engineering courses have fallen.The number of students who apply for engineering courses has fallen.
A range of measures, including subsidies, were introduced.A range of measures, including subsidies, was introduced.
Each of the proposed solutions carry a cost.Each of the proposed solutions carries a cost.

Band-8 line. The proportion of households that own more than one vehicle has doubled since 1990.

Hook. strike-through test — The number ~~of students who apply~~ has fallen. Trap: the number of ... is (singular) but a number of ... are (plural).

Self-test (choose the verb) — type the corrected sentence, or “correct” if it is already right
1The quality of the arguments in these essays (vary / varies) widely.
2A number of factors (explain / explains) this trend.
3Neither the government nor the companies (is / are) willing to pay.
4The data collected from the three sites (suggest / suggests) a clear pattern.
5One of the reasons that people give (is / are) cost.
2.3

Run-on sentences and comma splices

Rule. two independent clauses cannot be joined by a comma alone or by nothing. Use comma + conjunction, a semicolon, a subordinator, or a full stop.

Cities are growing rapidly, this puts pressure on housing.Cities are growing rapidly, and this puts pressure on housing.
Remote work has advantages, however it isolates employees.Remote work has advantages; however, it isolates employees.
Sales rose steadily in the first half the second half saw a decline.Sales rose steadily in the first half, whereas the second half saw a decline.

Band-8 line. Although automation removes routine jobs, it also creates demand for the engineers who maintain the systems.

Hook. however, therefore, moreover and consequently are adverbs, not conjunctions — they cannot glue clauses. Test: if both halves stand alone as sentences, a comma is not enough.

Self-test (fix or mark correct) — type the corrected sentence, or “correct” if it is already right
1Fuel prices fell, demand for large cars recovered.
2Fuel prices fell, so demand for large cars recovered.
3Many students study abroad, therefore universities compete internationally.
4The process begins with sorting, after which the waste is crushed.
5Electric cars are cleaner, they remain expensive.
2.4

Tense choice in Task 1

Rule. a chart with past dates → past simple; no dates → present simple; projections → will / is expected to. A process diagram or current map → present simple, usually passive.

In 2010, the share of renewable energy rises to 12%.In 2010, the share of renewable energy rose to 12%.
First, the sugar cane was crushed to extract the juice.First, the sugar cane is crushed to extract the juice.
By 2040, the population reached 9 billion.By 2040, the population is projected to reach 9 billion.

Band-8 line. Between 1995 and 2015, coal's share of electricity generation fell from 40% to 22%, and it is forecast to drop below 10% by 2035.

Hook. read the axis before writing a verb. Past date → -ed; no date or a process → -s; future date → will. Decide once and hold it for the whole report.

Self-test (name the tense) — type the corrected sentence, or “correct” if it is already right
1A bar chart of average salaries in five countries, no year given.
2A line graph, 1990–2020.
3A map of a town in 1950 and today.
4The stages of recycling plastic bottles.
5A table of visitor numbers in 2015 with projections for 2030.
2.5

Present perfect vs past simple

Rule. past simple for a finished time (in 2010). Present perfect for a span reaching the present (since, over the past decade) or a result that matters now.

Since 2015, the company doubled its workforce.Since 2015, the company has doubled its workforce.
I have graduated in 2017 and worked in Amman.I graduated in 2017 and worked in Amman.
Over the past decade, remote work became normal.Over the past decade, remote work has become normal.

Band-8 line. Smartphone ownership has risen sharply over the last decade, whereas landline use collapsed between 2005 and 2012.

Hook. a finished point → past simple; a span that includes today → present perfect. Since triggers the perfect; a bare year triggers the past.

Self-test (choose the form) — type the corrected sentence, or “correct” if it is already right
1Governments (introduced / have introduced) several carbon taxes since 2010.
2In 2019, the city (built / has built) a new metro line.
3I (worked / have worked) as an engineer for seven years and still do.
4Recently, many firms (adopted / have adopted) four-day weeks.
5When I (was / have been) at university, we (had / have had) no online lectures.
2.6

Countable and uncountable academic nouns

Rule. research, evidence, information, equipment, advice, knowledge, progress, feedback, software are uncountable — no a/an, no plural, singular verb. To count them, use a partitive (a piece of evidence) or a countable synonym (a study).

There are many researches on this topic.There is a great deal of research on this topic.
The evidences suggest that the policy works.The evidence suggests that the policy works.
Students need an advice from tutors.Students need advice from tutors.

Band-8 line. Although the available evidence is limited, several recent studies point in the same direction.

Hook. if you cannot put a in front of it, it is uncountable. A research fails; a study passes. Swaps: research → study, advice → suggestion, equipment → device.

Self-test (correct or mark fine) — type the corrected sentence, or “correct” if it is already right
1The government has invested in new equipments for schools.
2Several informations in the report were outdated.
3Much progress has been made on renewable energy.
4The lab published three researches last year.
5Feedback from users have improved the design.
2.7

Prepositions after academic verbs and nouns

Rule. the preposition belongs to the word, not the meaning. Increase in X (but of 5%), reason for, depend on, responsible for, effect of X on Y, access to, solution to, demand for.

There was a sharp increase of car ownership.There was a sharp increase in car ownership.
The main reason of this trend is cost.The main reason for this trend is cost.
Success depends of adequate funding.Success depends on adequate funding.

Band-8 line. Demand for skilled engineers depends largely on the pace of investment in infrastructure.

Hook. store the word with its preposition as one unit, like a function with its argument type. Arabic sabab li- pulls you towards reason of.

Self-test (fill the preposition) — type the corrected sentence, or “correct” if it is already right
1Employers are responsible ___ the safety of staff.
2The decline ___ birth rates is most visible in cities.
3This policy has had a positive effect ___ literacy.
4Rural areas lack access ___ fast broadband.
5There is no simple solution ___ traffic congestion.
2.8

Relative clauses and their punctuation

Rule. a defining clause identifies which one — no commas, that or which/who. A non-defining clause adds information about an identified noun — commas both sides, which/who, never that.

Cities, which have good public transport, are less polluted.Cities that have good public transport are less polluted. (A subset is meant.)
The study which was published in 2020 changed the debate.The study, which was published in 2020, changed the debate. (Only one study is in play.)
Engineers, that work remotely, report higher satisfaction.Engineers who work remotely report higher satisfaction.

Band-8 line. Renewable energy, which accounted for a fifth of supply in 2020, is the sector that has attracted the most investment.

Hook. delete test. Remove the clause; if the sentence now means something broader than intended, it was defining — no commas. Commas mean "by the way".

Self-test (add or remove commas) — type the corrected sentence, or “correct” if it is already right
1My brother who lives in Dubai works in finance. (You have three brothers.)
2The Nile which flows through eleven countries is heavily dammed.
3Companies, that ignore cybersecurity, pay for it later.
4The engineer who designed the bridge received an award.
5Solar panels which have become cheaper are now common on homes.
2.9

Conditionals and hedging

Rule. second conditional (if + past, would) for a hypothetical present or future; third (if + past perfect, would have) for an unreal past. Would, might, could and tend to mark a claim you can defend; bare will overclaims.

If governments will ban cars from city centres, pollution falls.If governments banned cars from city centres, pollution would fall.
If the bridge was inspected more often, the collapse was avoided.If the bridge had been inspected more often, the collapse would have been avoided.
Working from home will make everyone more productive.Working from home may make some employees more productive.

Band-8 line. Were universities to charge lower fees, participation among poorer students would probably rise, though the effect might be smaller than campaigners claim.

Hook. unreal → move the verb one step back in time (present-unreal → past; past-unreal → past perfect). Hedging: replace will with is likely to whenever you cannot cite a source.

Self-test — type the corrected sentence, or “correct” if it is already right
1If people (use / used) public transport more, cities (will / would) be quieter.
2Had the policy (been / was) introduced earlier, it (would save / would have saved) money.
3Hedge: "Automation will destroy most jobs."
4Make a second conditional: "Governments do not fund research, so innovation is slow."
5Correct: "If I would have more time, I would learn Spanish."
2.10

Parallel structure in lists

Rule. items joined by and, or, or not only ... but also must share one grammatical form.

The scheme aims to reduce costs, improving safety and the training of staff.The scheme aims to reduce costs, improve safety and train staff.
Students benefit not only from lectures but also they gain from practical work.Students benefit not only from lectures but also from practical work.
The report recommends more funding, that fees are cut, and to widen access.The report recommends increasing funding, cutting fees and widening access.

Band-8 line. A successful transport policy must be affordable for users, sustainable for the city and simple for operators to run.

Hook. the array test — every element must have the same type. [to reduce, improving, the training] fails type-checking.

Self-test (fix or mark correct) — type the corrected sentence, or “correct” if it is already right
1Cycling is cheap, healthy and it does not pollute.
2The engineer must test the design, document it and present the results.
3The city plans to build housing, expanding the metro and lower taxes.
4Either the state pays or the users.
5She likes coding, reading and to run.
2.11

Word-form errors

Rule. know the look-alike pairs. Economic (of the economy) vs economical (cheap to run); affect (verb) vs effect (noun); rise/rose/risen (no object) vs raise/raised/raised (needs an object).

The economical crisis affected on exports.The economic crisis affected exports.
Fuel prices raised sharply in 2022.Fuel prices rose sharply in 2022.
The policy had a positive affect on literacy.The policy had a positive effect on literacy.

Band-8 line. Higher interest rates raised borrowing costs, and the effect on small firms was severe.

Hook. rise happens by itself; raise needs someone to do it. To affect (verb), an effect (noun). Economic = of the economy; economical = saves money.

Self-test — type the corrected sentence, or “correct” if it is already right
1Smartphones have (affected / effected) how people read.
2The government (rose / raised) the retirement age.
3Small cars are more (economic / economical) to run.
4There has been a (rise / raise) in remote work.
5The (economic / economical) impact of the pandemic was severe.

3. Range that examiners notice

Six structures worth having, once each, in an essay or a Part 3 answer. The same one twice in a 270-word essay looks like a template.

  • Cleft — What matters is not how many hours students spend in class but how those hours are used.
  • Concession — While it is true that electric cars cut local emissions, the batteries carry an environmental cost of their own. (Although X, Y is the shorter form.)
  • Participle clause — Having failed to attract private investment, the council abandoned the project. The participle's subject must be the main clause's subject; Having failed to attract investment, the project was abandoned dangles.
  • Inversion (once, no more) — Not only does urban farming reduce food miles, but it also turns unused roofs into productive space. Note the auxiliary does.
  • Nominalised subject (sparingly) — The reluctance of employers to hire older workers is partly a matter of cost. One or two per essay; a paragraph of them reads as bureaucratic.
  • Complex conditional — Unless cities invest in public transport now, they will face gridlock within a decade, however many roads they build.

Each must be error-free or it counts against you twice: once for the error, once for the failed attempt at range. If unsure, write a plain sentence.

4. Punctuation that changes bands

"Punctuation is well managed" is in the band 8 descriptor. Five rules cover nearly every mark lost.

  • Comma before a coordinating conjunction joining two independent clauses: The scheme was expensive, but it cut congestion by a third. No comma when the second part has no subject: The scheme was expensive but cut congestion by a third.
  • No comma splice (section 2.3): The plan was ambitious; it was also unfunded.
  • Semicolon between two closely related independent clauses, or before a linking adverb: Coal output fell steadily; oil, however, held its share.
  • Colon before a list or explanation, and only after a complete clause: The proposal has two weaknesses: cost and timing. Not The weaknesses are: cost and timing.
  • Apostrophes for possession only (the government's plan, the students' union); possessive its has none; never for plurals (the 1990s). It's means it is — write it out in academic prose.

5. Task 1 grammar kit

Tense: past simple for dated charts; present simple for undated charts, processes and current maps; present perfect for change from a past date to now; is expected to / will for projections. Voice: passive for processes and map changes (the ore is crushed, a car park was built); active for trends. One tense per paragraph unless the data forces a change.

Eight reusable patterns:

  • Trend with figures: [Subject] rose steadily from [X] in [year] to [Y] in [year].
  • Peak and trough: [Subject] peaked at [X] in [year] before falling back to [Y] by [year].
  • Comparison: Whereas [A] accounted for [X]% of the total, [B] made up only [Y]%.
  • Ranking: [A] was the largest category, followed by [B] and [C], with [D] a distant fourth.
  • Overview: Overall, [A] increased over the period while [B] declined, and [A] had overtaken [B] by [year].
  • Projection: [Subject] is projected to reach [X] by [year], roughly double its [start year] level.
  • Process step: Once the [material] has been [past participle], it is [past participle] and transferred to [place].
  • Map change: The [feature] that stood [location] in [year] has been replaced by [new feature], and a [new feature] has been added [location].

Reuse the shape, not the words.

6. Speaking grammar

Speech is judged more leniently: band 8 allows "occasional inappropriacies and non-systematic errors" and "a few basic errors may persist". Self-correction (she go — she goes to work early) is fine and even reads as control; what fails is the same error left uncorrected five times. Speak in complete clauses: an answer built entirely of fragments gives the examiner nothing to grade for range.

Three structures that lift Part 3 answers:

  • Concession with a follow-through: Although online learning is cheaper, I doubt it suits younger children, mainly because they need supervision.
  • Hypothetical: If I were in charge of a city budget, I would probably prioritise transport over parking. A second conditional in speech is rare and always noticed.
  • Change over time: People used to rely on newspapers, but over the last decade that has shifted almost entirely to social media.

Buying thinking time grammatically: open with a clause that is true and grammatical while you plan. That's an interesting question because it depends on whether we're talking about large cities or small towns. By the end of the clause you have committed to a structure (whether A or B) and can fill it in. Use it once in the interview.

7. Two-minute error sweep

Read before submitting any essay; every "no" is a fix.

  • Did I strike out the prepositional phrases and check every verb against its head noun?
  • Is every abstract or generic noun free of the unless the reader can identify which one?
  • Does every however / therefore / moreover sit after a semicolon or a full stop, not a comma?
  • Are research / evidence / information / equipment / advice all singular with singular verbs?
  • Is every since / over the past clause in the present perfect, and every bare year in the past simple?
  • Do the items in every list share the same grammatical form?
  • Are commas around a relative clause only where the clause is "by the way"?
  • Did I use at least three structures from section 3 — and none of them twice?