A common misconception that most IELTS takers believe is that grammar knowledge only affects their writing performance. So, they only put in a token effort toward developing their grammar know-how. Don’t make the same mistake.

On-point grammar and structure knowledge is crucial to achieving a high score—not only in the writing exam, but in the other three sub-tests as well. So, make sure to hone yours during your IELTS review. Start by keeping the following grammar errors off your verbal and written responses.


IELTS review


       1.    Incorrect Use of Uncountable Nouns

Converting singular nouns to plural nouns is simple.
Add “s” to nouns that end in vowels and “es” to nouns that end with consonants. Most IELTS takers got this rule down pat—that is, until uncountable nouns come into play. There are two things you need to know about these nouns:

·         They always appear in the singular form.
·         Adding “s” or “es” to them will not make them plural.

Here are some of the uncountable nouns that IELTS takers misuse.

·         information
·         research
·         advice
·         knowledge
·         literature

Find out more about uncountable nouns by enrolling in an affordable IELTS review.

       2.    Inaccurate Modal Verbs
Modal verbs (e.g., could, might, may, must, etc.) are used to indicate varying nuances like the degree of certainty behind an act. Consider the following guidelines to use them accurately.

·         Use “must” when you are sure that something true.
·         Use “must have” when you are sure that something that happened in the past is true.
·         Use “can” when indicating general and possible statements about the present.
·         Use “can’t” or “cannot” when referring to something impossible.
·         Use “may,” “might,” and “could” when referring to possible but indefinite actions in the future.
·         Use “may have,” “might have,” and “could have” when referring to possible but uncertain actions in the past or present.

       3.    Improper Use of the Article “The”
The misuse of the article “the” is one of the most common grammar errors IELTStakers commit. You can easily avoid misusing it by keeping the following guidelines in mind.

Don’t use the

·         …before a single country or place (e.g., Japan, India, Russia). Study up on geography to ace this.
·         …when talking about something in general. Mention the word in plural form instead (e.g., say “dogs don’t like cats” instead of “the dogs don’t like the cats”).

Be mindful of how you use this article during your IELTS review period.

Don’t sabotage your IELTS performance with poor grammar knowledge. Keep these grammatical errors off your answers. Want to learn more ways to enhance your test performance and guarantee IELTS success? Enroll in an affordable IELTS review course!

References:

“7 English Grammar Rules You Need to Get a Higher IELTS Score.” Fluentu. Accessed September 28, 2018. https://www.fluentu.com/blog/ielts/ielts-grammar/

Gwendolyn. “5+ Common Grammar Mistakes in IELTS Writing.” Magoosh. July 7, 2016. Accessed September 28, 2018. https://magoosh.com/ielts/5-common-grammar-mistakes-ielts-writing/

Pell, Christopher. “Top 10 IELTS Grammar Mistakes and How To Avoid Them.” IELTS Advantage. Accessed September 28, 2018. https://www.ieltsadvantage.com/2015/04/20/ielts-grammar-mistakes/