Student practicing IELTS grammar improvement using books and online tools for Writing and Speaking preparation.

How to Improve IELTS Grammar for Writing & Speaking

Strong grammar is one of the key factors that determines your IELTS Writing and Speaking band score. The examiners check how well you can present information in a clear, accurate, and natural way, and grammar plays the most significant part. Whether you construct complex sentences for Writing Task 2 or describe your weekend plans during the Speaking test, your score is directly dependent on the correctness and range of your grammar. This is why improving grammar is essential if you’re aiming for Band 7 or higher.

Good grammar enhances clarity, helps you avoid misunderstandings, and gives your responses a professional, polished tone. With the right strategies and consistent practice, anyone can master the grammar required for both grammar for IELTS writing and grammar for IELTS speaking.

Common Grammar Issues in IELTS

Most IELTS candidates lose marks not because they lack ideas, but because they make repeated grammar mistakes. Here are the most common problem areas:

Tenses

Students frequently and incorrectly move between past, present, and future forms.

Examples of mistakes:

People are used mobile phones for communication.
“I think education was important in today’s world.”

Subject-Verb Agreement

A tiny but common mistake that reduces accuracy.

Example:

Incorrect: “People likes watching movies.”
Correct: “People like watching movies.”

Articles (a, an, the)

One of the trickiest areas for non-native speakers.

Example:

“The pollution in many of the cities is increasing” (correct only when referring to specific pollution).

Prepositions

Prepositions like in, on, at, for, since, during, and to often lead to confusion.

Example:

Incorrect: “I am interested on technology.”
Correct: “I am interested in technology.”

By focusing on these four areas alone, one can significantly increase one’s grammatical accuracy in writing and speech.

Grammar for Writing: Building Complex Sentence Structures

Grammar in the Writing module is a contributing factor to Grammatical Range and Accuracy, one of the four scoring criteria.

Use Complex Sentences Correctly

You don’t have to use complex structures, but you need to logically connect your ideas.

Examples of safe complex structures:

Although…,

Because…,

If…, then…,

While…,

So as to…,

Not only…but also…

Example in context:

“Though online learning has become popular, it is through traditional classrooms that social interaction is developed.

Do Not Repeat

Repetition of sentence patterns or vocabulary reduces your writing to simplicity.

Instead of writing:

“There are many problems. There are many solutions. There are many reasons.”

Use variety:

“Several problems exist, but several solutions can address them, and these arise from different underlying reasons.

Use Appropriate Punctuation

Commas, full stops, and connectors help your writing to flow smoothly.

Poor punctuation habits can render your thoughts confusing.

Be Clear in Your Writing

Good grammar allows you to express ideas without confusion. If you are not certain about a structure in a sentence, choose a simpler, correct one rather than a riskier, incorrect sentence.

Grammar for Speaking: Maintaining Fluency While Using Correct Tenses Naturally

Speaking is spontaneous; grammar should therefore flow naturally. The more one overthinks grammar, the less fluent a person is; the less consideration for grammar is given, the less accurate that person is. There needs to be a balance.

Use Tenses Based on Question Cues

IELTS questions often lead you:

Present: “What do you do?”

Past: “Describe a memorable childhood event.”

Future: “Do you think your city will change in the next 10 years?”

Pay attention to these cues and answer accordingly.

Add Simple Complex Sentences

Even in speaking, you can use connectors:

“because…”

“so…”

“although…

“actually…”

“the reason is that…”

Example:

“I like to read because it relaxes me after a long day.”

Avoid Over-memorised Grammar

Examiners can easily tell when answers are memorised. Use natural expressions and make your grammar functional.

Practice speaking every day

Even 5-10 minutes of speaking-to yourself or recording your voice-helps spot grammar gaps and builds accuracy.

Top Grammar Practice Resources

Here are some highly effective tools and books for mastering IELTS grammar improvement:
1. Cambridge Grammar for IELTS
One of the best books ever prepared for IELTS. It includes:

Grammar explanations

IELTS-style exercises

Practice tests
1. Grammarly
A great tool for correcting writing mistakes, and learning grammar through immediate feedback. Pair it with your daily writing practice.
1. English Grammar in Use by Raymond Murphy
The most popular grammar book for intermediate to advanced learners. There are clear explanations and exercises for all levels.
1. IELTS Liz
Her website and her YouTube channel offer excellent tips, grammar lessons, and model answers.
1. BBC Learning English
A reliable source for real-life grammar usage, pronunciation, and daily English lessons.

Using these consistently improves both grammar for IELTS writing and grammar for IELTS speaking.

Daily Grammar Practice Plan

You don’t need to study for hours; consistency matters more than length. Here’s a simple 20-minute daily plan:

Day 1 – Tenses

Learn present, past, future forms + common errors.

Day 2 – Subject-Verb Agreement

Practice correcting sentences.

Day 3 – Articles

Focus on rules for a, an, the, and zero articles.

Day 4 – Prepositions

Target time, place, and movement prepositions.

Day 5 – Complex Sentences

Practice connectors like although, whereas, however.

Day 6 – Writing Practice

Write a small paragraph and check it using Grammarly.

Day 7 – Speaking Practice

Record a 2-minute speaking answer and analyse grammatical mistakes. Repeat this cycle every week.

Within a month, your grammar accuracy and confidence will significantly improve.

Conclusion

Grammar makes your ideas clear, your writing structured, and your speaking natural. Along with daily practice, strong resources, and focused improvement, grammar will be your biggest strength in the IELTS exam. Remember, clarity and accuracy are rewarded by the examiner. Ace your tenses, sentence structure, and common mistakes, and your IELTS Writing and Speaking scores will rise steadily.