Grammar

IELTS Grammatical Range and Accuracy: What Examiners Reward at Band 7

Grammatical Range and Accuracy reward writers who control a mix of sentence types with relatively few errors that distract the reader.

Check This Criterion in My EssaySee all four criteria

What examiners focus on

Whether you can control both simple and complex sentence structures
How often grammar errors appear and whether they reduce clarity
Whether punctuation, articles, agreement, and tense are managed consistently

Quick diagnosis

If this is your weakest criterion, the fastest win is usually not more vocabulary or longer essays. It is tighter control of the exact behavior this band descriptor rewards.

Read the Band 6 profile below, compare it against your last draft, and fix one item from the checklist in your next attempt.

Band 6 profile

A mix of sentence forms is present, but errors appear regularly in complex sentences
Meaning is usually clear, though grammar slips are noticeable
Common issues include articles, subject-verb agreement, and sentence control

Band 7 profile

There is a wider range of sentence patterns with better control overall
Errors still happen, but they are less frequent and usually minor
Complex sentences support the message instead of making it harder to follow

Common mistakes

Trying to sound advanced with complex sentences you cannot fully control
Losing tense consistency between examples and main arguments
Writing long sentences that become run-ons or fragments

Improvement checklist

Aim for accuracy first, then add one or two controlled complex sentences per paragraph
Proofread only for your top grammar mistakes instead of trying to fix everything at once
Use practice essays to track recurring article, tense, and agreement errors

Related scoring guides

IELTS writing scores are connected. Once you understand this criterion, compare it with the others so you can see what is limiting the whole essay.

Task Response

IELTS Task Response Band 6 vs 7

Task Response is about answering the exact question, maintaining a clear position, and supporting each main idea with relevant development.

Underline the exact task before writing and list every part you must answer
Read criterion guide

Coherence & Cohesion

IELTS Coherence and Cohesion Band 6 vs 7

Coherence and Cohesion measure how logically your ideas are organized and how naturally your sentences and paragraphs connect.

Give every body paragraph a single main idea before you start writing
Read criterion guide

Lexical Resource

IELTS Lexical Resource Band 6 vs 7

Lexical Resource is about range, precision, collocation, and using less common vocabulary accurately instead of stuffing essays with difficult words.

Build topic-based word banks around education, health, technology, and environment
Read criterion guide