Top 10 IELTS Grammar Mistakes and How To Avoid Them

Grammar accounts for 25% of mark in the writing and speaking tests. To get a band 7 or higher,
at least 50% of your sentences must be free of errors.

As I work with students, I see many of the same mistakes being made over and over again. In
this article, we’ll look at the 10 most common errors and I’ll explain how to avoid them.

1) Countable and Uncountable Nouns

Several grammar rules relate to whether a noun is countable or uncountable. A surprising

number of students don’t understand the difference between these two types of nouns, so this is
the first problem we’ll look at.

Countable nouns – for things that can be counted using numbers (1, 2, 3...).

We can ask “How many?” if we want to know the quantity.

They have a singular and a plural form.

For example,

Singular Plural
one cat two cats
one egg two eggs
one house two houses
one person two people
one song two songs
one party two parties

The singular form uses the determiner ‘a’ or ‘an’ (‘a’ if the first letter is a consonant, ‘an’ if the
first letter is a vowel – a, e, i, o, u – or a silent ‘h’, e.g. ‘hour’).

Mary decided to get a cat because she sometimes felt lonely.

Would you like an egg for breakfast?

The plural form uses the determiner ‘the’.

The people who have moved in next door are really nice.

1
Uncountable nouns – for things that cannot be counted using numbers.

We can ask “How much?” if we want to know the quantity.

They include concepts, substances and names for groups or collections of things.

For example,

Concepts Substances Groups or collections of things

time water money
love electricity food
advice sugar furniture
news rice luggage
progress paint equipment
information sand rubbish

Uncountable nouns do not usually have a plural form. They are not usually used with the
indefinite article ‘a’/’an’.

For example, we cannot say, ‘a news’ or ‘an electricity’.

This brings us to the second common grammar mistake; not knowing how to express the
quantity of countable and uncountable nouns.

2) Quantity Expressions

There are many different words that can be used as quantifiers to express the amount of
something. However, some can only be used with countable nouns and others can only be used
with uncountable nouns.

I want to highlight four such words/phrases that are frequently used incorrectly by English
students.

Countable nouns – use ‘many’, ‘(a) few’ and ‘number (of)’

Uncountable nouns – use ‘much’, ‘(a) little’ and ‘amount (of)’

2
Countable noun examples

We can say:

✓ The hens laid many eggs.

✓ There are only a few chocolates left in the box.

✓ They are building a large number of new houses in the town.

We cannot say:

✘ The hens laid much eggs.

✘ There are only a little chocolates left in the box.

✘ They are building a large amount of new houses in the town.

Uncountable noun examples

We can say:

✓ They didn’t take much luggage on holiday.

✓ I have just a little milk in my tea.

✓ The solar farm produced a huge amount of electricity.

We cannot say:

✘ They didn’t take many luggage on holiday.

✘ I have just a few milk in my tea.

✘ The solar farm produced a huge number of electricity.

Words used with both:

Common words that can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns include ‘some’, ‘a
lot of’, ‘most’ and ‘any’.

3
We can say:

✓ The travel agent gave me some helpful advice when I booked my trip.

✓ A lot of children say that pizza is their favourite meal.

✓ Most news programmes focus on negative events.

✓ Have you got any biscuits?

3) Use of the Word ‘the’

The correct use of articles (the, a, an) can be a real challenge for students, especially if their
native language does not contain them. First, we’ll look at ‘the’.

The definite article ‘the’ is the most frequently used word in the English language. There are a
number of general rules that determine when to use it.

General rules

We use the:

• When there is only one of this thing – the earth, the sun, the environment, the seasons,
the nineteenth century, the internet

• When there is only one of this thing in the specific area or context – the library, the
hospital, the lake, the Prime Minister, the conference, the crowd

• To define or identify a particular person or object:

Can you pass the salt, please?

Harry wanted the blue balloon.

They ate at the new restaurant.

The policeman arrested the thief.

• With ordinal numbers – the first, the second, the third…

• With superlatives – the biggest, the highest, the oldest, the shortest, the heaviest,
the best, the most beautiful

• With states, republics and groups of islands – the UK, the United States, the People’s
Republic of China, the Seychelles

4
 • With named geographical features, such as rivers, seas, oceans, canals and mountain
ranges – the Amazon, the South China Sea, the Pacific (Ocean), the Suez Canal, the
Alps

• To say something about all the things referred to by the noun:

Age Concern is a charity that provides support for the elderly. (elderly people)

The blue whale is the largest mammal. (blue whales)

Exercise and healthy eating are good for the body. (bodies)

The bus is a popular form of transport in cities. (buses)

We do not use the

• With the names of countries or specific places – Spain, China, Peru, Paris, New York,
London

• When talking generally about something (drop ‘the’ and use the plural):

Koalas sleep for up to twenty-two hours a day.

Tourists visit the Lake District for the great hiking.

Bondi Beach is popular with surfers.

People with fair skin burn easily in the sun.

4) Use of ‘a’/‘an’

The correct use of the two indefinite articles ‘a’ and ‘an’ can also be confusing for non-native
English speakers.

Rule 1 – ‘a’/’an’ can only be used with singular countable nouns.

Rule 2 – ‘a’ is used before words starting with a consonant. ‘An’ is used before words starting
with a vowel (a, e, i, o, u) or a silent h, for example, ‘hour’.

Examples:

a man an owl
a tiger an egg

5
Rule 3 – ‘a/’an’ is used before adjective singular noun combinations:

• a bright star
• a delicious cake
• an elegant dress
• an ingenious solution

Rule 4 – to talk or write about something for the first time:

We have a new manager joining our department next week.

The heavy rain caused a flood which affected all the houses beside the river.

After mentioning these things for the first time, we would then say ‘the new manager’ and ‘the
flood’ because the listener or reader would understand which manager or flood we were
referring to.

5) Subject-Verb Agreement

This grammar rule, also called noun-verb agreement, is a basic rule that seems simple but can
easily catch students out.

Basic rule: The verb must agree with the noun. A singular verb must be used with a singular
noun. A plural verb must be used with a plural noun.

For example,

✓ There is a tree in my garden. (singular)

✘ There are a tree in my garden.

✓ There are two birds sitting in the tree. (plural)

✘ There is two birds sitting in the tree.

However, things get a bit more challenging with the changing nature of the subject. For
example:

1. Use a plural verb when the subject of a sentence is made up of two or more nouns or
pronouns connected by and.

Katie and her family are at the zoo.

6
2. Use a singular verb when two or more singular nouns or pronouns are connected
by or or nor.

Either Bill or Stan is driving the bus today.

3. Remember that the verb agrees with the subject of the sentence, not with other nouns or
pronouns that may be included.

One of the new houses is open for viewing today.

4. Collective nouns are considered to be singular even though they imply more than one person
or thing.

The family is getting together for a big reunion.

5. Don’t be misled by the word ‘of’. The subject will come before a phrase beginning with ‘of’.

A collection of beautiful sculptures is on display in the new art gallery.

6) Verb Tenses

One of the most common mistakes made in the IELTS exam is using the wrong verb tense.
Learn the twelve verb tenses and always think carefully about which is the correct one to use.

The table on the next page will help you to understand the form of each tense and when it
should be used.

Try writing sentences for the different tenses of other verbs. This will greatly increase your
knowledge and understanding of verbs and improve your accuracy when using them.

7
present simple
Used for short actions
happening now, permanent
situations, habits, and general
truths.
I eat an apple every day.
present continuous
Used for unfinished actions
happening now, temporary
situations and temporary
habits.
I am eating an apple. (I’m
eating)
present perfect
Used for actions and
situations that began in the
past and continued to the
present. There’s a suggestion
that they are now complete
but they may be unfinished.
I have eaten many different
varieties of apples. (I’ve
eaten)
present perfect continuous
Used for actions or situations
that started in the past and
are continuing in the present.
There’s a suggestion that
they’re unfinished.
I have been eating apples
since I was a child. (I’ve been
eating)
past simple
Used for an action, state or
habit that ended at a specific
time.
I ate an apple yesterday.
past continuous
Used for a past action or
event that was still occurring
at the time of another past
event.
I was eating an apple when
my friend arrived.
past perfect
Used to indicate the event that
occurred first when two past
events are being written or
spoken about.
I had eaten half the apple
before I noticed the maggot.
(I’d eaten)
past perfect continuous
Used to indicate an action in
the past that began before a
certain point in the past and
continued up until that time.
I had been eating the apple
for two minutes before I
noticed the maggot. (I’d been
eating)
8
future simple
Used to indicate an action or
situation that will happen in
the future.
I will eat another apple
tomorrow. (I’ll eat)
future continuous
Used to indicate a future
action or event that will still be
occurring at the time of
another future event.
I will be eating apple pie when
you get home tonight. (I’ll be
eating)
future perfect
Used to indicate a future
action or event that will be
complete before another
future event takes place.
I will have eaten the apple pie
by the time you get home. (I’ll
have eaten)
future perfect continuous
Used to indicate an action in
the future that will not yet be
complete when another action
or event in the future occurs.
I will have been making apple
pies for two hours by the time
you arrive. (I’ll have been
making)
 7) Prepositions

Prepositions are words that show the relationship between the noun and the rest of the
sentence and they link them together. They generally come before the subject noun or pronoun
in the sentence.

Prepositions are used to indicate location, time or some other relationship between a noun or
pronoun and other parts of the sentence. They include words such as:

at, to, for, of, with, in, on, by, about, from

Examples:

He got up at 7 o’clock. There is a hole in my shoe.

She went to the shop to buy bread. The cat sat on the wall.

My dog wants to go for a walk. They live by the beach.

Would you like a packet of crisps? I’m reading a book about gardening.

Ben wanted to play with the ball. Alice got a text from her friend.

Prepositions can be difficult to learn because many have several different functions. For
example,

They have been married for fifty years. (to indicate time)

She baked a cake for his birthday. (to indicate the use of something)

Also, there is no logical way of deciding which preposition goes with a particular noun, verb or
adjective.

However, the big issue I want to highlight here is missing them out altogether. This is one of the
most common errors I have to correct as an English language teacher.

Students frequently say or write incorrect sentences like this:

✘ He got up 7 o’clock.

✘ She went the shop to buy bread.

✘ My dog wants to go a walk.

✘ Would you like a packet crisps?

✘ Ben wanted to play the ball.

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So, what’s the best way to learn prepositions?

Don’t try to learn lists of prepositions and the nouns, verbs or adjectives they commonly go with.
There are just too many variables.

Instead, learn prepositions as chunks of language in context, which is how native speakers
learn them. Chunks of language are groups of words that naturally go together to create a
phrase.

Few native speakers would be able to explain why the words go together and there may be no
clear grammar rule. The words just sound right and the combination is learnt by repeatedly
hearing it or seeing it written.

This is the way for you to learn propositions too.

Reading and listening to English should already be a part of your daily routine. During this
language practice, take note of the prepositions used and how they are used.

It can be particularly helpful to highlight individual prepositions and identify the context they are
used in. Are they showing time, location, position or something else?

If you do this exercise regularly, you will gradually build up your knowledge and understanding.
Learning prepositions in context will also help you to remember them.

8) Using Commas with Discourse Markers

An easy way to improve cohesion and coherence in the IELTS writing and speaking tests is to
use ‘discourse markers’ to link ideas together.

They include words and phrases such as,

first also although

second but on the one hand

next if in conclusion

then as for example

after because such as

finally however of course

Discourse markers are sometimes called ‘signpost language’ because they guide the reader or
listener through what is written or said.

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A discourse marker that introduces a sentence is normally followed by a comma:

First, we want to visit the castle.

Then, we will probably find a nice café for a cup of coffee.

Next, we would like to walk along a river.

However, we won’t be able to go far as we have to be back at the hotel for lunch.

Commas are also used on either side of certain discourse markers in the middle of sentences:

I really like the blue shoes, although, the red ones go better with this skirt.

Eggs can be cooked in many different ways, for example, boiled or scrambled.

Children using the swimming pool must, of course, be accompanied by an adult.

9) Using Commas with Parenthetical Elements

A parenthetical element is a word or group of words that interrupts the flow of a sentence and
adds extra information to that sentence. For this reason, it is often called an interrupter. I’ll use
this term as it is far more helpful for understanding.

The purpose of interrupters is to show emotion or tone or to add emphasis, but they could be
removed without changing the meaning of the sentence. For example:

My mother, the girl on the pony, was about ten years old when this photo was taken.

The weather, I’m pleased to say, is expected to be warm and sunny at the weekend.

His latest book, about his journey across China, will be published next month.

An interrupting phrase is marked by a comma at the start and end.

10) Avoiding Noun Repetition

The final grammatical error we’re going to look at is the repetition of nouns.

The over-use of nouns is a clear indication to an IELTS examiner that the student’s ability to use
grammar is still at a fairly low level.

11
The student might produce paragraphs like these:

A hedgehog has a coat of stiff, sharp spines. If attacked, a hedgehog will curl into a
prickly and unappetizing ball that deters most predators. Hedgehogs usually sleep in
this position during the day and awaken to search for food at night.

While hunting, hedgehogs rely upon their senses of hearing and smell because a
hedgehog’s eyesight is weak. This small mammal is popular with gardeners because
one of a hedgehog’s favourite foods is slugs, a common garden pest.

We avoid the repetition of nouns (in this case, ‘hedgehog’) by replacing them with pronouns. For
example:

A hedgehog has a coat of stiff, sharp spines. If attacked, it will curl into a prickly and
unappetizing ball that deters most predators. They usually sleep in this position during
the day and awaken to search for food at night.

While hunting, hedgehogs rely upon their senses of hearing and smell because their
eyesight is weak. This small mammal is popular with gardeners because one of its
favourite foods is slugs, a common garden pest.

The four most common types of pronouns are:

Subject personal pronouns: I, you, he, she, it, we, they

Object personal pronouns: me, you, him, her, it, us, them

Possessive pronouns: mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs

Reflexive pronouns: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, themselves

Here’s an example of a typical IELTS-style letter. I’ve highlighted the pronouns that have been
used to replace nouns. Can you work out which nouns each pronoun has replaced?

12
Hi Sarah,

I’m writing to say how sorry I am for not replying to the invitation to your party. My friend
Tamsin broke her arm a few weeks ago when she fell down some steps and I’ve been helping
her out.

At the moment, she’s unable to cook for herself and is coming over for dinner most days.
She’s been complimentary about my cooking skills but only out of politeness, I think, as hers
are far better than mine.

I’m also walking her two dogs. They are quite big so she finds them difficult to manage with
one arm out of action. I’m quite enjoying myself out on our twice-daily walks. The dogs love
chasing balls so I always pop theirs in my pocket when we head to the park.

Anyway, with so much going on, I completely forgot about your party. I feel awful about it and
hope you can forgive me. As soon as Tamsin becomes more independent again, you must
come over for an evening so that we can catch up.

I look forward to seeing you soon.

All the best,

Jacky

If you can avoid these ten common grammar mistakes, you will be well on your way to a high
score for grammar in your IELTS exam.

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 Top 10 IELTS Grammar Mistakes and How To Avoid Them

Grammar accounts for 25% of mark in the writing and speaking tests. To get a band 7 or higher,
at least 50% of your sentences must be free of errors.

As I work with students, I see many of the same mistakes being made over and over again. In
this article, we’ll look at the 10 most common errors and I’ll explain how to avoid them.

1) Countable and Uncountable Nouns

Several grammar rules relate to whether a noun is countable or uncountable. A surprising

number of students don’t understand the difference between these two types of nouns, so this is
the first problem we’ll look at.

Countable nouns – for things that can be counted using numbers (1, 2, 3...).

We can ask “How many?” if we want to know the quantity.

They have a singular and a plural form.

For example,

Singular Plural
one cat two cats
one egg two eggs
one house two houses
one person two people
one song two songs
one party two parties

The singular form uses the determiner ‘a’ or ‘an’ (‘a’ if the first letter is a consonant, ‘an’ if the
first letter is a vowel – a, e, i, o, u – or a silent ‘h’, e.g. ‘hour’).

Mary decided to get a cat because she sometimes felt lonely.

Would you like an egg for breakfast?

The plural form uses the determiner ‘the’.

The people who have moved in next door are really nice.

1
Uncountable nouns – for things that cannot be counted using numbers.

We can ask “How much?” if we want to know the quantity.

They include concepts, substances and names for groups or collections of things.

For example,

Concepts Substances Groups or collections of things

time water money
love electricity food
advice sugar furniture
news rice luggage
progress paint equipment
information sand rubbish

Uncountable nouns do not usually have a plural form. They are not usually used with the
indefinite article ‘a’/’an’.

For example, we cannot say, ‘a news’ or ‘an electricity’.

This brings us to the second common grammar mistake; not knowing how to express the
quantity of countable and uncountable nouns.

2) Quantity Expressions

There are many different words that can be used as quantifiers to express the amount of
something. However, some can only be used with countable nouns and others can only be used
with uncountable nouns.

I want to highlight four such words/phrases that are frequently used incorrectly by English
students.

Countable nouns – use ‘many’, ‘(a) few’ and ‘number (of)’

Uncountable nouns – use ‘much’, ‘(a) little’ and ‘amount (of)’

2
Countable noun examples

We can say:

✓ The hens laid many eggs.

✓ There are only a few chocolates left in the box.

✓ They are building a large number of new houses in the town.

We cannot say:

✘ The hens laid much eggs.

✘ There are only a little chocolates left in the box.

✘ They are building a large amount of new houses in the town.

Uncountable noun examples

We can say:

✓ They didn’t take much luggage on holiday.

✓ I have just a little milk in my tea.

✓ The solar farm produced a huge amount of electricity.

We cannot say:

✘ They didn’t take many luggage on holiday.

✘ I have just a few milk in my tea.

✘ The solar farm produced a huge number of electricity.

Words used with both:

Common words that can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns include ‘some’, ‘a
lot of’, ‘most’ and ‘any’.

3
We can say:

✓ The travel agent gave me some helpful advice when I booked my trip.

✓ A lot of children say that pizza is their favourite meal.

✓ Most news programmes focus on negative events.

✓ Have you got any biscuits?

3) Use of the Word ‘the’

The correct use of articles (the, a, an) can be a real challenge for students, especially if their
native language does not contain them. First, we’ll look at ‘the’.

The definite article ‘the’ is the most frequently used word in the English language. There are a
number of general rules that determine when to use it.

General rules

We use the:

• When there is only one of this thing – the earth, the sun, the environment, the seasons,
the nineteenth century, the internet

• When there is only one of this thing in the specific area or context – the library, the
hospital, the lake, the Prime Minister, the conference, the crowd

• To define or identify a particular person or object:

Can you pass the salt, please?

Harry wanted the blue balloon.

They ate at the new restaurant.

The policeman arrested the thief.

• With ordinal numbers – the first, the second, the third…

• With superlatives – the biggest, the highest, the oldest, the shortest, the heaviest,
the best, the most beautiful

• With states, republics and groups of islands – the UK, the United States, the People’s
Republic of China, the Seychelles

4
 • With named geographical features, such as rivers, seas, oceans, canals and mountain
ranges – the Amazon, the South China Sea, the Pacific (Ocean), the Suez Canal, the
Alps

• To say something about all the things referred to by the noun:

Age Concern is a charity that provides support for the elderly. (elderly people)

The blue whale is the largest mammal. (blue whales)

Exercise and healthy eating are good for the body. (bodies)

The bus is a popular form of transport in cities. (buses)

We do not use the

• With the names of countries or specific places – Spain, China, Peru, Paris, New York,
London

• When talking generally about something (drop ‘the’ and use the plural):

Koalas sleep for up to twenty-two hours a day.

Tourists visit the Lake District for the great hiking.

Bondi Beach is popular with surfers.

People with fair skin burn easily in the sun.

4) Use of ‘a’/‘an’

The correct use of the two indefinite articles ‘a’ and ‘an’ can also be confusing for non-native
English speakers.

Rule 1 – ‘a’/’an’ can only be used with singular countable nouns.

Rule 2 – ‘a’ is used before words starting with a consonant. ‘An’ is used before words starting
with a vowel (a, e, i, o, u) or a silent h, for example, ‘hour’.

Examples:

a man an owl
a tiger an egg

5
Rule 3 – ‘a/’an’ is used before adjective singular noun combinations:

• a bright star
• a delicious cake
• an elegant dress
• an ingenious solution

Rule 4 – to talk or write about something for the first time:

We have a new manager joining our department next week.

The heavy rain caused a flood which affected all the houses beside the river.

After mentioning these things for the first time, we would then say ‘the new manager’ and ‘the
flood’ because the listener or reader would understand which manager or flood we were
referring to.

5) Subject-Verb Agreement

This grammar rule, also called noun-verb agreement, is a basic rule that seems simple but can
easily catch students out.

Basic rule: The verb must agree with the noun. A singular verb must be used with a singular
noun. A plural verb must be used with a plural noun.

For example,

✓ There is a tree in my garden. (singular)

✘ There are a tree in my garden.

✓ There are two birds sitting in the tree. (plural)

✘ There is two birds sitting in the tree.

However, things get a bit more challenging with the changing nature of the subject. For
example:

1. Use a plural verb when the subject of a sentence is made up of two or more nouns or
pronouns connected by and.

Katie and her family are at the zoo.

6
2. Use a singular verb when two or more singular nouns or pronouns are connected
by or or nor.

Either Bill or Stan is driving the bus today.

3. Remember that the verb agrees with the subject of the sentence, not with other nouns or
pronouns that may be included.

One of the new houses is open for viewing today.

4. Collective nouns are considered to be singular even though they imply more than one person
or thing.

The family is getting together for a big reunion.

5. Don’t be misled by the word ‘of’. The subject will come before a phrase beginning with ‘of’.

A collection of beautiful sculptures is on display in the new art gallery.

6) Verb Tenses

One of the most common mistakes made in the IELTS exam is using the wrong verb tense.
Learn the twelve verb tenses and always think carefully about which is the correct one to use.

The table on the next page will help you to understand the form of each tense and when it
should be used.

Try writing sentences for the different tenses of other verbs. This will greatly increase your
knowledge and understanding of verbs and improve your accuracy when using them.

7
present simple
Used for short actions
happening now, permanent
situations, habits, and general
truths.
I eat an apple every day.
present continuous
Used for unfinished actions
happening now, temporary
situations and temporary
habits.
I am eating an apple. (I’m
eating)
present perfect
Used for actions and
situations that began in the
past and continued to the
present. There’s a suggestion
that they are now complete
but they may be unfinished.
I have eaten many different
varieties of apples. (I’ve
eaten)
present perfect continuous
Used for actions or situations
that started in the past and
are continuing in the present.
There’s a suggestion that
they’re unfinished.
I have been eating apples
since I was a child. (I’ve been
eating)
past simple
Used for an action, state or
habit that ended at a specific
time.
I ate an apple yesterday.
past continuous
Used for a past action or
event that was still occurring
at the time of another past
event.
I was eating an apple when
my friend arrived.
past perfect
Used to indicate the event that
occurred first when two past
events are being written or
spoken about.
I had eaten half the apple
before I noticed the maggot.
(I’d eaten)
past perfect continuous
Used to indicate an action in
the past that began before a
certain point in the past and
continued up until that time.
I had been eating the apple
for two minutes before I
noticed the maggot. (I’d been
eating)
8
future simple
Used to indicate an action or
situation that will happen in
the future.
I will eat another apple
tomorrow. (I’ll eat)
future continuous
Used to indicate a future
action or event that will still be
occurring at the time of
another future event.
I will be eating apple pie when
you get home tonight. (I’ll be
eating)
future perfect
Used to indicate a future
action or event that will be
complete before another
future event takes place.
I will have eaten the apple pie
by the time you get home. (I’ll
have eaten)
future perfect continuous
Used to indicate an action in
the future that will not yet be
complete when another action
or event in the future occurs.
I will have been making apple
pies for two hours by the time
you arrive. (I’ll have been
making)
 7) Prepositions

Prepositions are words that show the relationship between the noun and the rest of the
sentence and they link them together. They generally come before the subject noun or pronoun
in the sentence.

Prepositions are used to indicate location, time or some other relationship between a noun or
pronoun and other parts of the sentence. They include words such as:

at, to, for, of, with, in, on, by, about, from

Examples:

He got up at 7 o’clock. There is a hole in my shoe.

She went to the shop to buy bread. The cat sat on the wall.

My dog wants to go for a walk. They live by the beach.

Would you like a packet of crisps? I’m reading a book about gardening.

Ben wanted to play with the ball. Alice got a text from her friend.

Prepositions can be difficult to learn because many have several different functions. For
example,

They have been married for fifty years. (to indicate time)

She baked a cake for his birthday. (to indicate the use of something)

Also, there is no logical way of deciding which preposition goes with a particular noun, verb or
adjective.

However, the big issue I want to highlight here is missing them out altogether. This is one of the
most common errors I have to correct as an English language teacher.

Students frequently say or write incorrect sentences like this:

✘ He got up 7 o’clock.

✘ She went the shop to buy bread.

✘ My dog wants to go a walk.

✘ Would you like a packet crisps?

✘ Ben wanted to play the ball.

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So, what’s the best way to learn prepositions?

Don’t try to learn lists of prepositions and the nouns, verbs or adjectives they commonly go with.
There are just too many variables.

Instead, learn prepositions as chunks of language in context, which is how native speakers
learn them. Chunks of language are groups of words that naturally go together to create a
phrase.

Few native speakers would be able to explain why the words go together and there may be no
clear grammar rule. The words just sound right and the combination is learnt by repeatedly
hearing it or seeing it written.

This is the way for you to learn propositions too.

Reading and listening to English should already be a part of your daily routine. During this
language practice, take note of the prepositions used and how they are used.

It can be particularly helpful to highlight individual prepositions and identify the context they are
used in. Are they showing time, location, position or something else?

If you do this exercise regularly, you will gradually build up your knowledge and understanding.
Learning prepositions in context will also help you to remember them.

8) Using Commas with Discourse Markers

An easy way to improve cohesion and coherence in the IELTS writing and speaking tests is to
use ‘discourse markers’ to link ideas together.

They include words and phrases such as,

first also although

second but on the one hand

next if in conclusion

then as for example

after because such as

finally however of course

Discourse markers are sometimes called ‘signpost language’ because they guide the reader or
listener through what is written or said.

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A discourse marker that introduces a sentence is normally followed by a comma:

First, we want to visit the castle.

Then, we will probably find a nice café for a cup of coffee.

Next, we would like to walk along a river.

However, we won’t be able to go far as we have to be back at the hotel for lunch.

Commas are also used on either side of certain discourse markers in the middle of sentences:

I really like the blue shoes, although, the red ones go better with this skirt.

Eggs can be cooked in many different ways, for example, boiled or scrambled.

Children using the swimming pool must, of course, be accompanied by an adult.

9) Using Commas with Parenthetical Elements

A parenthetical element is a word or group of words that interrupts the flow of a sentence and
adds extra information to that sentence. For this reason, it is often called an interrupter. I’ll use
this term as it is far more helpful for understanding.

The purpose of interrupters is to show emotion or tone or to add emphasis, but they could be
removed without changing the meaning of the sentence. For example:

My mother, the girl on the pony, was about ten years old when this photo was taken.

The weather, I’m pleased to say, is expected to be warm and sunny at the weekend.

His latest book, about his journey across China, will be published next month.

An interrupting phrase is marked by a comma at the start and end.

10) Avoiding Noun Repetition

The final grammatical error we’re going to look at is the repetition of nouns.

The over-use of nouns is a clear indication to an IELTS examiner that the student’s ability to use
grammar is still at a fairly low level.

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The student might produce paragraphs like these:

A hedgehog has a coat of stiff, sharp spines. If attacked, a hedgehog will curl into a
prickly and unappetizing ball that deters most predators. Hedgehogs usually sleep in
this position during the day and awaken to search for food at night.

While hunting, hedgehogs rely upon their senses of hearing and smell because a
hedgehog’s eyesight is weak. This small mammal is popular with gardeners because
one of a hedgehog’s favourite foods is slugs, a common garden pest.

We avoid the repetition of nouns (in this case, ‘hedgehog’) by replacing them with pronouns. For
example:

A hedgehog has a coat of stiff, sharp spines. If attacked, it will curl into a prickly and
unappetizing ball that deters most predators. They usually sleep in this position during
the day and awaken to search for food at night.

While hunting, hedgehogs rely upon their senses of hearing and smell because their
eyesight is weak. This small mammal is popular with gardeners because one of its
favourite foods is slugs, a common garden pest.

The four most common types of pronouns are:

Subject personal pronouns: I, you, he, she, it, we, they

Object personal pronouns: me, you, him, her, it, us, them

Possessive pronouns: mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs

Reflexive pronouns: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, themselves

Here’s an example of a typical IELTS-style letter. I’ve highlighted the pronouns that have been
used to replace nouns. Can you work out which nouns each pronoun has replaced?

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Hi Sarah,

I’m writing to say how sorry I am for not replying to the invitation to your party. My friend
Tamsin broke her arm a few weeks ago when she fell down some steps and I’ve been helping
her out.

At the moment, she’s unable to cook for herself and is coming over for dinner most days.
She’s been complimentary about my cooking skills but only out of politeness, I think, as hers
are far better than mine.

I’m also walking her two dogs. They are quite big so she finds them difficult to manage with
one arm out of action. I’m quite enjoying myself out on our twice-daily walks. The dogs love
chasing balls so I always pop theirs in my pocket when we head to the park.

Anyway, with so much going on, I completely forgot about your party. I feel awful about it and
hope you can forgive me. As soon as Tamsin becomes more independent again, you must
come over for an evening so that we can catch up.

I look forward to seeing you soon.

All the best,

Jacky

If you can avoid these ten common grammar mistakes, you will be well on your way to a high
score for grammar in your IELTS exam.

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