Grammatical Range

What is Grammatical Range and Accuracy?

Grammar in IELTS Writing Task 2 is about two things:

• How wide a range of grammatical structures you use.

• How accurately you use them.

Examiners are looking for a balance of complexity and correctness.
Using only simple sentences, even if they are error-free, will limit your score.
On the other hand, using complex grammar with lots of mistakes will also lower your score.

To score highly, you must:

• Use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures.

• Show control over tenses, articles, prepositions, and word forms.

• Keep errors to a minimum, especially errors that make meaning unclear.

Examples of Strong and Weak Responses

Strong Response:
While some people argue that newspapers offer the most reliable news, others believe that online media sources provide faster and more convenient access to information. Personally, I believe that the quality of journalism found in newspapers remains unmatched.

Weak Response:
Some people think newspapers is good because they are better than internet. I think newspaper is best way. Internet is also good but not better. It is fast but not always true.

Why is the strong answer better?

• It uses a mix of complex and compound sentences.

• Grammar is accurate and natural.

• Tense, subject-verb agreement, and articles are handled correctly.

The weak response has multiple errors: incorrect verb forms, missing articles, and short, repetitive sentence patterns.

How to Improve Your Score

• Practise combining sentences using linking words (e.g., while, although, however).

• Review common grammar issues such as articles (a, an, the) and subject-verb agreement.

• Focus on using complex structures naturally — avoid forcing them.

• Proofread your writing to catch small mistakes that can lower your score.

Final Reminder

Strong grammar supports clear communication.
Focus on writing sentences that are both accurate and varied.
Remember, it is better to write a slightly simpler sentence correctly than to attempt a complex structure that you cannot control.