Is grammar tested directly in IELTS?

Yes, especially in the writing and speaking sections. Examiners evaluate how accurately and effectively you use a range of sentence structures and grammar.

How important is grammar in the IELTS Listening and Reading sections?

Grammar is not scored directly in these sections, but understanding tenses, sentence structures, and modifiers helps you comprehend passages and audio recordings more accurately.

Can I use complex grammar to boost my IELTS score?

Using a variety of complex and compound sentence structures can improve your score, provided they are grammatically correct. Clarity and accuracy are more important than complexity.

What IELTS grammar topics should I focus on?

Key IELTS grammar topics include tenses, subject-verb agreement, articles, modals, prepositions, sentence structure, and punctuation.

Should I avoid contractions in IELTS writing?

Yes, contractions like I’m or they’re are considered informal and should be avoided in the writing section. However, they are acceptable in the speaking section.

Which is the best book for IELTS grammar?

According to sources, Basic English Grammar, B. Azar (Prentice Hall Regents) is among the best books for IELTS grammar.

IELTS Grammar 2025: Syllabus, Topics, Best Books & Preparation Tips

Grammar doesn't have its section in the IELTS test, but it is an essential component of your performance, particularly in the Writing and Speaking sections, where grammar contributes 25% of your band score alone. Mastering English grammar makes your ideas clearer, your sentences more precise, and your communication more efficient.

In this guide, we will analyze the IELTS grammar syllabus, key topics to know, scoring system, frequent errors, and the best prep resources to better prepare you for grammar for the IELTS test.

IELTS Grammar Topics to Study

While there is no official grammar syllabus for the IELTS exam, grammar is integrated into all four modules: reading, listening, speaking, and writing. You’re expected to apply your knowledge of grammar naturally in all your answers.

These imortant IELTS grammar topics at large help you prepare the basics which you can then apply and strive for that 9.0 band score:

Tenses (Past, Present, Future)
Modals (can, could, may, might, must, etc.)
Sentence Structure (simple, compound, complex)
Subject-Verb Agreement
Pronouns & Prepositions
Articles (a, an, the)
Adjectives & Nouns
Adverbs & Verbs
Comparison of Degrees (e.g., big, bigger, biggest)
Modifiers & Parallelism
Passive Voice
Idioms, Metaphors, and Similes

To enhance your IELTS preparation, book a call with Yocket Prep experts for personalized advice, expert tips, and tailored strategies.

IELTS Grammar Syllabus

To assist you in preparing well, here's a list of the most critical grammar areas you need to concentrate on for IELTS. These vary from simple sentence structure to more complex rules like conditionals, modals, passive voice, and article use. Each area not only develops your grammatical correctness but also improves your fluency, coherence, and overall confidence while taking the test.

Grammar Topic	What It Covers	Why It Matters in IELTS
Tenses	Past, present, future forms and their variations	Helps convey ideas clearly in Writing and Speaking; used to describe events, trends, etc.
Subject-Verb Agreement	Ensuring verbs match their subjects in number and person	Key to grammatical accuracy in all written and spoken responses
Articles (a/an/the)	Use of definite and indefinite articles	Affects precision and clarity, especially in Writing and Reading comprehension
Prepositions	Place, time, and movement prepositions	Frequently tested in listening and used in everyday speech and writing
Sentence Structure	Simple, compound, and complex sentence formation	Demonstrates variety and control in Writing and Speaking
Conjunctions	Words that link ideas: and, but, although, because, etc.	Improves coherence and cohesion in essay writing and discussions
Modal Verbs	Can, could, may, might, must, should, etc.	Useful for expressing opinions, suggestions, and degrees of certainty
Conditionals	Zero, first, second, and third conditional structures	Useful in hypothetical questions or expressing possibilities
Passive Voice	Changing focus from subject to object	Common in task 1 writing when describing processes or data
Punctuation	Commas, periods, question marks, etc.	Essential for clarity and meaning in Writing
Reported Speech	Indirect speech format	Often appears in Listening and is useful in Writing task 2 or interviews
Word Order	Correct positioning of words in sentences	Ensures clarity and avoids awkward or confusing phrasing
Relative Clauses	Who, which, that, etc., to add detail	Adds complexity and depth to your sentences in Writing and Speaking

Section-Wise Breakdown of IELTS Grammar

Each part of the IELTS test, namely Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking, requires a different application of grammar. Although Writing and Speaking are expressly tested for range and accuracy in grammar, and Reading and Listening test your capability to comprehend grammar in context.

Let's look closely at how grammar affects your achievement in each part of IELTS.

IELTS Writing

This part contains two tasks: a 150-word description (Task 1) and a 250-word essay (Task 2). In this section, you are marked on how well you can employ a variety of sentence structures, connect ideas clearly, and write with no grammatical errors. Small errors in verb tense, article usage, or word order can lower your score, so accuracy and clarity are vital here.

IELTS Speaking

In the Speaking section, you'll be assessed on how naturally you speak and how effectively you employ different grammatical structures. Examiners are seeking flexibility in sentence forms, appropriate use of tense, and accurate word choice. Steer clear of elementary grammatical errors, and demonstrating range, such as conditional sentences, modals, and embedded questions, can propel your score upward.

IELTS Reading

Most of the IELTS reading passages consist of intricate sentence patterns, passive sentences, and idioms. If you know how to apply grammar properly, you can understand arguments, compare details, and provide accurate inference questions.

IELTS Listening

Grammar takes on a more understated but crucial function in the listening section. You'll require context knowledge, changes in verb tense, and grammatical cues to track the audio concisely. The recordings could feature varied accents and include contractions or slangs, that require a robust grammatical ear. The grammar used in spoken English allows you to track the rhythm and pick up on answers even when the language is subtle.

Why Grammar Matters in the IELTS Exam?

As IELTS is a language proficiency exam, grammar matters!
Even when your content is good, poor grammar will bring down your band score, particularly in Writing and Speaking.

To get to Band 7 or above, you must learn to:

Employ a range of sentence types (not simple or repetitive ones)
Be accurate with tense, subject-verb agreement, articles, and word order
Shun frequent grammatical errors that make the reader or listener confused

Hence, mastering grammar not only helps you get your points across, but it also demonstrates how you're fluent and competent in scholarly English.

Let’s take a quick look at what grammar looks like across different band scores!

How Does Grammar Impact Your IELTS Score?

Grammar has a strong influence on determining your IELTS band score, especially in the Writing and Speaking modules. The band descriptors of the IELTS explicitly state the way grammatical range and accuracy are assessed.

The following tables indicate how grammar levels match, given band scores for both modules.

Writing Band Score Criteria (Grammar)

Band	Grammatical Range and Accuracy
9	Wide range of structures, error-free
8	Wide range, rare errors
7	Good control, few errors
6	Simple + complex structures, some errors
5	Limited range, frequent errors
4 or below	Frequent errors that affect understanding

Speaking Band Score Criteria (Grammar)

Band	Grammatical Range and Accuracy
9	Full flexibility, natural sentences
8	Mostly error-free
7	Frequent error-free complex sentences
6	Frequent errors in complex structures
5 or below	Basic sentences with errors impacting understanding

Best Grammar Books for IELTS Preparation

Candidates find investing in an English grammar book for IELTS as a helpful method to score well on the tests. Here are the top IELTS grammar books that you should check out:

Title	Author	Price (INR)
Cambridge Grammar for IELTS	Diana Hopkins	605.00
English Grammar in Use	Raymond Murphy	807.00
Oxford Practice Grammar	George Yule	575.00
Common Mistakes at IELTS Advanced	Julie Moore	1569.00
Manhattan GMAT Sentence Correction	Manhattan Prep	988.00
IELTS Academic Writing Book with IELTS Grammar Preparation & Sample Essays	IELTS Success Group	1040.00
Advanced English Grammar with Answers	Hewings	490.00
Collins Grammar for IELTS	Fiona Aish	272.00

IELTS Grammar Preparation Tips

Mastering grammar for IELTS is not a matter of memorising all the rules it's learning how to use grammar spontaneously in writing and speech. Here are some useful tips to master grammatical range and accuracy:

Mix Sentence Structures: Avoid using just simple sentences. Practice compound (with connectors such as and, but, so) and complex sentences (with although, because, while).

Example: Instead of saying, “I enjoy reading. I read each day.”, one must say, “ I enjoy reading, and ensure to follow a routine to read each day for at least 10 minutes.”

Practice Tense Consistency: Many examinees involuntarily switch tenses during a sentence, which confuses the reader and can bring down your score. Here's some quick advice: While you are writing letters or essays, maintain a single time frame unless there is a context requirement that asks for changing.
Familiarise Yourself with Articles and Prepositions: Basic words such as a, an, the, in, on, and at are simple to ignore but important to ensure clarity.

For Example, instead of writing,” She went to hospital to see doctor.”, write “She went to the hospital to see a doctor”

Learn by Example, Not Just Rules: Practice by reading model Band 8 or Band 9 responses and paying attention to how grammar is used. Study the sequence of sentences, the use of connectors, and the verb conjugations.
Edit and Proofread Your Writing: Always leave a few minutes to review your writing. Watch for repeated mistakes, omitted verbs, or clunky phrasing.

Common Mistakes Made in Grammar for IELTS

These errors may seem small, but repeated mistakes can cost you an entire band point. Here's what to watch out for:

Mistakes To Avoid	Incorrect Example	Correct Example
Subject and verb don't agree in number. "We" is plural, so the verb should be "go", not "goes". (Subject-Verb Agreement)	We goes to school every day.	We go to school every day.
Mixing different tenses in the same sentence leads to confusion. Maintain consistency to reflect the correct timeline. (Tense Consistency)	I studied English for two years, and now I study French.	I studied English for two years, and now I am studying French.
Using the wrong article or omitting it can change the meaning. Use "a" or "an" for general singular nouns, and "the" for specific ones. (Article Usage)	I have the cat. (talking about cats in general)	I have a cat.
Prepositions must match the verb and context. Using the wrong one affects sentence clarity and correctness. (Preposition Errors)	I went at the store.	I went to the store.
Uncountable nouns like "air" don't take plural verbs or numbers. Use quantifiers instead. (Countable vs. Uncountable Nouns)	There are two air on the table.	There is some air on the table.
Missing commas or periods affect clarity. Proper punctuation helps convey lists and clauses correctly. (Punctuation)	I went to the store and I bought milk eggs and bread.	I went to the store, and I bought milk, eggs, and bread.
Incorrect spelling can lead to misunderstandings and reduce your band score. (Spelling Mistakes)	I recieved the letter yesterday.	I received the letter yesterday.
Word Order: Incorrect word order changes sentence meaning. English often follows a subject-verb-object pattern. (Word Order)	I only not understand this part.	I do not understand only this part.
Contractions are informal and should be avoided in IELTS Writing Task 1 and Task 2 for a more academic tone. (Contractions in Writing)	I'm going to explain this in the essay.	I am going to explain this in the essay.
Idioms are often informal or culture-specific. They may confuse the examiner and should be replaced with direct language. (Idioms)	It’s raining cats and dogs today.	It’s raining heavily today.

From the Desk of Yocket

At Yocket Prep, we know that IELTS grammar is not merely about the rules!

It's more about putting them into practice with confidence in real situations. Whether you're writing an essay, comprehending rapid conversations, or communicating freely in front of an examiner, grammar is the core of your communication. Our goal is to make your prep process easier by guiding you through typical grammar mistakes, refining your abilities, and creating a solid foundation that shines through each part of the test.

If you’re still unsure where to begin or how to structure your grammar prep, Yocket Prep offers free IELTS mock tests, expert-led sessions, and in-depth grammar practice designed to improve your accuracy and range.