📉 5 Basic Grammar Mistakes That Lower Your IELTS Band Score

If you’re preparing for the IELTS exam, you already know how essential grammar is. Grammar is a key part of your Writing and Speaking score. Even if your ideas are good, grammar mistakes can lower your band score.

In this article, we’ll look at five common grammar mistakes students often make—and how to avoid them. Understanding these mistakes will help you sound more natural and improve your marks.

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1. Subject-Verb Agreement Errors

This is one of the most common grammar problems. The subject and the verb in a sentence must match (agree) in number.

❌ He go to school every day.
✅ He goes to school every day.

Many students forget to add -s to the verb when using he, she, or it in the present simple.

💡 Tip: In the present simple tense, check if the verb ends in -s.

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2. Wrong Tense Usage

Using the wrong tense can confuse the examiner and lower your score. This often happens when talking about past experiences or future plans.

❌ Last year I am visiting London.
✅ Last year I visited London.

❌ Tomorrow I go to the test centre.
✅ Tomorrow I am going to the test centre.

💡 Tip: Use the correct time word (like "yesterday", "tomorrow", "now") to help choose the proper tense. *Remember- We don’t use ‘will’ for existing plans.

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3. Article Mistakes (a / an / the)

Articles are small but important. Missing articles or using them incorrectly can make your sentences unclear and your English sound poor.

❌ I saw elephant at zoo.
✅ I saw an elephant at the zoo.

Use "a" before words that start with consonant sounds, and "an" before vowel sounds. Use "the" when talking about something specific or known.

💡 Tip: Learn set phrases that always use “the”, like at the moment, in the morning, on the left.

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4. Run-On Sentences

Some students try to connect too many ideas in one sentence without using correct punctuation or linking words.

❌ I love reading it helps me relax I read every night.
✅ I love reading because it helps me relax. I read every night.

💡 Tip: Use linking words like because, so, and, but to connect your ideas clearly.

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5. Confusing Word Order

Word order in English is usually Subject + Verb + Object. Mistakes in word order can make your sentence sound strange or incorrect.

❌ Always I study in the evening.
✅ I always study in the evening.

💡 Tip: Adverbs like always, never, usually go before the main verb, but after the verb to be (e.g., She is always tired).

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📘 Glossary

Word / Phrase	Meaning
Band score	IELTS score from 1 to 9 shows your English level
Subject-verb agreement	Matching the subject and verb in number (singular/plural)
Tense	Verb form that shows when something happens (past, present, future)
Article	Words like a, an, the used before nouns
Run-on sentence	A long sentence with no correct punctuation or structure
Word order	The correct position of words in a sentence
Adverb	A word that tells how, when, or how often something happens

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❓ Comprehension Questions

Answer in full sentences.

1. Why is grammar important in the IELTS exam?
2. What is wrong with the sentence “He go to school”?
3. What should you use before a vowel sound—“a” or “an”?
4. What is a run-on sentence?
5. Where should you usually place adverbs like “always” in a sentence?

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✅ Comprehension Answers

1. Because grammar affects your Writing and Speaking band scores.
2. It has a subject-verb agreement mistake; it should be “He goes to school.”
3. You should use “an” before a vowel sound.
4. A run-on sentence is a sentence with too many ideas and no proper punctuation.
5. Adverbs like “always” usually go before the main verb (e.g., “I always eat breakfast”).

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🧠 Mini Grammar Quiz

Choose the correct answer.

1. I ______ to the library every Saturday.
   a) go
   b) goes
   c) going
2. They ______ an amazing film last weekend.
   a) see
   b) saw
   c) seen
3. She is very tired, ______ she didn’t sleep well.
   a) so
   b) because
   c) but
4. I met ______ interesting person yesterday.
   a) the
   b) a
   c) an
5. He always ______ his homework at night.
   a) do
   b) does
   c) doing

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✅ Quiz Answers

1. a) go
2. b) saw
3. a) so
4. c) an
5. b) does