📈 Grammar for Band 7+ – Subordinate Clauses, Inversions, and More

To score Band 7 or higher in IELTS Writing and Speaking, you must show a variety of sentence structures, used with flexibility and accuracy. This doesn’t mean long, complicated sentences — it means smart use of advanced grammar like subordinate clauses, inversions, and compound structures. Here's what you need to know.

🔹 1. Subordinate Clauses

These clauses add detail or explanation to the main clause. They often start with words like because, although, since, even though, while, if, unless.

Examples:

• “Although many people work from home, office-based jobs are still important.”
• “Education should be free, because it benefits society as a whole.”

✅ Use these to show contrast, reason, and conditional ideas clearly.

🔹 2. Inversions (Advanced Style)

Inversion means reversing word order for emphasis — often used in formal or academic writing.

Examples:

• “Not only do video games entertain, but they also improve reflexes.”
• “Rarely have I seen such a well-organized campaign.”

✅ Use 1–2 in your essay to show control of high-level grammar.

🔹 3. Compound and Complex Sentences

Mixing sentence types is essential. Try combining ideas logically using coordinating or subordinating conjunctions.

Compound Example: “Some people prefer online shopping, but others enjoy the physical experience.”
Complex Example: “While technology has made life easier, it has also created new challenges.”

🔹 4. Relative Clauses

Relative clauses add more information about a noun. They start with who, which, that, where, when.

Examples:

• “The teacher who inspired me the most was from high school.”
• “Public transport, which is often underfunded, needs improvement.”

🔹 5. Conditional Sentences (Reviewed)

Using second and third conditionals can elevate your grammar score.

Example: “If more people cycled to work, urban pollution would decrease significantly.”

🗣️ Sample Band 7–8 Sentences

“Although some argue that television damages children’s attention spans, others believe that educational programs provide valuable content.”

“Not only does online learning offer flexibility, but it also helps students access international resources.”

“Governments should have implemented strict environmental policies years ago.”

🎯 Final Tips

• ✔️ Avoid memorized, robotic structures
• ✔️ Combine short and long sentences with different clause types
• ✔️ Use inversion sparingly — for formal emphasis
• ✔️ Practice rewriting basic sentences with more advanced grammar

Band 7+ grammar is not about complexity — it’s about precision, range, and control. Use these tools to take your writing and speaking to the next level.

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