🎯 “Grammatical range and accuracy” counts for 25% of your IELTS Speaking score!
Using a mix of simple, compound, and complex sentence structures shows that you’re a flexible and confident speaker of English. Examiners look for your range and accuracy—so don’t just use basic patterns!
🤔 Why Is This Important?
✅ Proves your control of the language
✅ Demonstrates fluency and clarity
✅ Boosts your Grammar Range & Accuracy band score
✅ Prevents your speech from sounding robotic or basic
🧠 Strategy: Use “Sentence Mix” in Every Answer
Try to include at least 1 simple + 1 complex or compound sentence in each response.
💡 Sentence Types You Should Master:
| Type | Example |
|---|---|
| Simple | I love traveling. |
| Compound | I love traveling, and I often go with friends. |
| Complex | I love traveling because it helps me relax after a busy week. |
| Conditional | If I had more time, I’d travel every month. |
| Relative Clause | The city where I grew up is full of history. |
| Passive Voice | English is spoken in many countries around the world. |
🛠️ Tips & Tricks
🧩 Link ideas naturally with connectors like: because, although, whereas, unless, as soon as, while, even if
🎭 Don’t force complexity. Complex doesn’t mean complicated! It just means well-structured.
🧪 Mini Practice Exercise 1: Sentence Transformation
Take this basic sentence and expand it using different structures:
Basic: I like music.
🔄 Try:
- Complex: I like music because it helps me stay calm.
- Relative Clause: I like music that has meaningful lyrics.
- Conditional: If I could play an instrument, I’d choose the guitar.
- Passive: Music is played in almost every shop these days.
🧠 Mini Practice Exercise 2: The “Add & Expand” Game
Topic: “Describe your hometown.”
Start with a simple sentence and keep expanding:
- My hometown is small.
- It’s small, but it has a lot of character.
- Although it’s not modern, many people love it for its peaceful atmosphere.
- If tourists visit, they’re often surprised by how friendly the people are.
➡️ Now try this with topics like hobbies, family, daily routine, or food!
✅ Grammar Variety Checklist
| ✅ Task | Status |
|---|---|
| Used at least one complex sentence | |
| Included a conditional sentence (if…) | |
| Used a sentence with a relative clause | |
| Tried passive voice appropriately | |
| Maintained correct tenses throughout |
👂 Examiner Insight:
“We’re not expecting perfect grammar. But we are listening for a range—show us you can move beyond only ‘I like… because…’ structures.”
🎯 Real Speaking Example (Band 9 Style):
💬 Question: What kind of movies do you like?
🗣️ “I usually enjoy thrillers, especially ones that keep you guessing until the end. Although I don’t watch them every day, I find that a well-made suspense film helps me unwind. If I had more free time, I’d probably go to the cinema more often.”
✅ Simple + Complex + Conditional = 📈 High Band Grammar Range
✨ Final Pro Tip:
🔄 Record yourself and check:
- Are you only using short, basic sentences?
- Can you combine ideas into one longer, complex sentence?
🎧 Listen. Rewrite. Re-speak.