Grammar for IELTS Writing: Connecting Sentences

Summary

This lesson focuses on crafting complex sentences for IELTS Writing Task 2 to enhance scores. The instructor demonstrates how to transform two simple sentences into one complex sentence by making three key changes. The use of gerunds as sentence starters is highlighted as a strategy to improve IELTS results. The lesson covers subject changes, the use of appropriate linkers, and maintaining subject-verb agreement, especially the third person singular 's'. The importance of complex sentences for achieving a high band score is emphasized, with practical tips for integrating them into essays during the writing test.

Takeaways

• 📝 The lesson focuses on constructing complex sentences for IELTS writing task 2.
• 🔍 The instructor demonstrates how to transform two simple sentences into one complex sentence.
• 🔑 The first step involves changing the beginning of the sentence with a gerund to enhance IELTS scores.
• 🏗️ The example uses 'building wider roads' as the gerund phrase to start the complex sentence.
• ✅ Gerunds are verbs ending in 'ing' that function as nouns, which can improve sentence structure.
• 🔗 The second step is to link the two original sentences using a conjunction like 'because'.
• 📖 It's important not to repeat the subject to maintain sentence flow and complexity.
• 📚 Changing the subject from 'wider roads' to 'it' reflects the singular form needed after the gerund.
• 📝 The讲师emphasizes the importance of using the correct subject-verb agreement, especially the third person singular 's'.
• 🎯 For a band score of six, the essay should include a good number of complex sentences.
• 🏆 Aiming for a band score of seven requires the use of mostly complex sentences throughout the essay.
• 👋 The lesson concludes with a reminder that complex sentences can be a key strategy for improving IELTS writing scores.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the lesson in the provided transcript?

The main focus of the lesson is to teach how to write a complex sentence for IELTS writing task 2.

What are the two sentences provided on the board in the script?

The two sentences are 'Wider roads can solve traffic congestion' and 'Wider roads allow traffic to move more easily'.

Why is it beneficial to start a sentence with a gerund in IELTS writing?

Starting a sentence with a gerund can improve IELTS results as it changes the verb into a noun and is considered a higher band score technique.

What is a gerund according to the lesson?

A gerund is a verb plus 'ing', which changes the base verb into a noun.

How does the lesson suggest changing the subject to avoid repetition in complex sentences?

The lesson suggests using a gerund at the beginning of the sentence to change the subject from plural to singular and avoid repetition.

What is the linker used to connect the two sentences in the example provided?

The linker used to connect the two sentences is 'because'.

Why is it important to change the verb form at the end of the sentence in the example?

The verb form needs to be changed to match the singular subject introduced by the gerund, ensuring grammatical correctness.

What is the significance of remembering the third person singular 's' on the verb in IELTS writing?

Remembering the third person singular 's' is important as the examiner checks for grammatical accuracy, which can affect the score.

How can complex sentences help in achieving a high score in IELTS writing task 2?

Using complex sentences demonstrates a higher level of language proficiency, which can help achieve a band score of six or seven.

What is the recommendation for sentence structure if aiming for a band score of seven in IELTS writing task 2?

For a band score of seven, it is recommended to use mostly complex sentences in the essay.

What is the final advice given in the lesson for improving IELTS writing test results?

The final advice is to make changes to connect sentences together, especially during the essay checking phase, to aim for a high score.

Outlines

00:00

📝 Mastering Complex Sentences for IELTS Writing

This paragraph introduces a lesson focused on crafting complex sentences for IELTS Writing Task 2. The instructor demonstrates how to transform two simple sentences into a single complex sentence by making three changes. The process involves identifying the subject, using a gerund to start the sentence, and linking the two original sentences with a conjunction like 'because'. The instructor emphasizes the importance of using gerunds and correct linking words to improve IELTS scores and provides a step-by-step guide on how to avoid subject repetition and maintain subject-verb agreement. The lesson aims to help students incorporate complex sentences into their writing to achieve higher band scores.

05:01

🔍 Revising for Higher Band Scores in IELTS

In this paragraph, the focus shifts to the revision process during the IELTS writing test. The instructor suggests that candidates aiming for a band score of six or seven should incorporate a significant number of complex sentences into their essays. The paragraph highlights the need for not only using complex sentences but also ensuring that they are used correctly and effectively. The instructor wraps up the lesson by reiterating the importance of clarity and simplicity in the writing process and invites students to join another IELTS lesson for further guidance.

Keywords

💡IELTS writing task 2

IELTS writing task 2 is a part of the International English Language Testing System that assesses a test-taker's ability to write an essay in response to a given argument or problem. In the video, the focus is on how to construct complex sentences to enhance the quality of the essay, which is a key aspect of achieving a high score in this task.

💡complex sentence

A complex sentence is a sentence that contains an independent clause and at least one dependent clause. The video aims to teach viewers how to create such sentences to improve their IELTS writing. The script provides an example of transforming two simple sentences into one complex sentence to demonstrate the concept.

💡gerund

A gerund is a verb form ending in -ing that functions as a noun in a sentence. The video script suggests starting a sentence with a gerund to improve IELTS writing scores. For instance, the script uses 'building wider roads' as a gerund phrase to begin the complex sentence example.

💡subject

In a sentence, the subject is the person, place, thing, or idea that performs the action or is being described. The script explains that repeating the subject is not necessary when creating a complex sentence, and it demonstrates changing the subject from 'wider roads' to 'building wider roads' to avoid repetition.

💡linker

A linker is a word or phrase that connects clauses within a sentence to show the relationship between them. In the script, 'because' is used as a linker to connect the reason for the solution presented in the first sentence to the solution itself in the second sentence.

💡solution

In the context of the video, a solution refers to a proposed answer or method to address a problem. The script uses 'wider roads' as an example of a solution to the problem of traffic congestion.

💡reason

A reason in this context is an explanation for why a particular solution is effective. The script shows how the second sentence provides a reason for the solution presented in the first sentence, stating that wider roads allow traffic to move more easily.

💡third person singular

The third person singular refers to the grammatical rule that a verb must take an -s or -es ending when the subject is a singular third person (he, she, it). The video emphasizes the importance of this rule for IELTS writing, as the script corrects 'allow' to 'allows' to match the singular subject 'it'.

💡high band score

A high band score in IELTS refers to a high overall score, typically achieved by demonstrating strong language skills in all areas of the test. The video mentions that using complex sentences can help achieve a band score of six or seven, indicating a competitive level of English proficiency.

💡essays

An essay is a short piece of writing on a particular subject, often used in academic settings to express an argument or point of view. In the script, essays are the focus for applying the technique of writing complex sentences to improve the quality and score of the writing task.

💡check

In the context of the video, to 'check' an essay means to review and revise it for errors or improvements. The script suggests that complex sentences can be added during this process to enhance the essay's coherence and complexity, which can contribute to a higher IELTS score.

Highlights

Lesson focuses on writing complex sentences for IELTS Writing Task 2.

Introduction of two example sentences on the board.

Explanation of making three changes to create a complex sentence.

Identification of the subject repetition in the example sentences.

Discussion on the first sentence as a solution and the second as an explanation of the solution.

Introduction of gerunds as a strategy for improving IELTS results.

Use of 'building wider roads' as a gerund to start the complex sentence.

Linking the first and second sentences using the word 'because'.

Avoiding subject repetition by changing 'wider roads' to 'it'.

Emphasis on the importance of singular and plural agreement in complex sentences.

Correction of the verb form to match the singular subject.

Importance of third person singular 's' in verb conjugation for high IELTS scores.

Advice on using complex sentences for a Band Score of 6 and above.

Recommendation to use complex sentences predominantly for a Band Score of 7.

Encouragement to practice complex sentence construction during essay review.

Conclusion of the lesson with a promise to meet again in another IELTS lesson.

Transcripts

hello in this lesson we're going to look

at how to write a complex sentence for

IELTS writing task 2 you can see I've

got two sentences on the board I'm going

to make three changes to these sentences

to make one long complex sentence and

you will see that it's not too difficult

now let's start with looking at the

sentences we've got wider roads can

solve traffic congestion and the next

one wider roads allow traffic to move

more easily you can see that we've got a

repeat of the subject we can change that

the first sentence is a solution and the

next sentence explains of a solution

it's the reason for the solution right

let's make three changes and make a

complex sentence the first thing we're

going to do is change this beginning now

it's very good in IELTS to start a

sentence with a gerund let me put that

here do you know what a gerund is well a

gerund is a verb thing which means a

verb plus ing and the base verb plus ing

changes it into a noun and using that at

the beginning of your sentence

will improve your IELTS results so let's

start our sentence with that

now what verb can we use well we could

use make making wider roads we could use

constructing wider roads but I'm going

to use building

building wider roads that is our subject

after that we continue with the sentence

so building wider roads can solve

traffic whoops

con justjan so building wider roads can

solve traffic congestion now we need to

link the first sentence with the second

sentence the second sentence is a reason

for that

so the linker we can use is because

because after the linker we need another

subject and we don't want to repeat that

normally wider roads

that's a plural we would use they

because they allow traffic to move more

easily but we have changed that subject

do you remember here we've put building

wider roads and when we use a gerund at

the beginning this becomes singular that

means we don't use they we use it so

because it and now we've got to change

this verb at the end because it's not

plural it's singular so because it

allows traffic to move more oops

easily so what we've done we've changed

the subjects and we've used a verbing

higher band score we have connected the

two sentences together using

the correct linker because we have

changed the subjects and we are now

referring and we're using the correct

one singular we did remember to add an S

to the verb

remember the examiner is checking if you

remember the third person singular S on

the verb and then we finished the

sentence so that is how to make a

complex sentence you can do that in your

writing test you can do it at the end of

your writing test when you're checking

your essay you could also quickly make

changes to connect the sentences

together if you are aiming for a bang

score six you do need to use quite a lot

of complex sentences in your essay not

all sentences but quite a lot if you are

aiming for a ban score seven you do need

to use mostly complex sentences so I

hope that was clear and not too

difficult for you well that's all for

this lesson I will see you again on

another IELTS lesson