IELTS Grammar: errors vs complex structures

Too many students (and teachers) waste time worrying about the 'complex structures' aspect of the grammar score in the writing test.

From what I've seen when marking essays, 99% of students are able to write sentences with more than one clause, using words like and, but, because, while, which, if... to connect ideas. Therefore, they are able to meet the requirement for 'complex structures'.

On the other hand, many of the same students are not able to produce frequent error-free sentences (band 7), and it's rare for me to see essays in which the majority of sentences are error-free (band 8).

So, if people can't produce error-free sentences, why are they worrying about complex structures? In most cases, the key to a high grammar score is fewer mistakes, not more complex sentences.

Comments

[Pachu]

Sir is this from your writing workshop? Also sir I always trying to use at least 3 or 4 subjects + verbs combination to attain longer sentence.

[Tae]

Hi Simon.

It seems to me that you are talking about my essay...
I have learnt how to tackle writing tasks from you such as using topic vocabulary, task response and cohesion etc.
As you mentioned, I can't achieve to write frequent error-free sentences.
What would you suggest to tackle this problem?

[LuLuha]

Hello Simon
I agree with what you've said! Instead of worrying about writing complex structures, people really need to focus on minimizing their mistakes.
BTW, how can we tell the difference between "frequent" and "the majority" in the writing criteria you mentioned in this article? If I accidently made two or three mistakes in writing task 2, would it be a 7 or 8 in that criterion?

[Yennie]

Hi, Simon. I know that this comment is not relevant to the topic, but I do not know how to contact you for more information.
I paid the fee for the 7-day writing course yesterday (19th, July), but I haven’t got any news from you yet. I wonder when i could get the materials?

[Gandalf]

Tae

Re: "I can't achieve to write frequent error-free sentences".

"Achieve" is not naturally followed by "to" with an infinitive. We naturally "achieve success", "achieve the desired effect" and so on.

https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=achieve+*_VERB%2Cachieve+to%2Cachieve+*_NOUN%2Cachieve+the+*&year_start=1960&year_end=2008&corpus=15&smoothing=3&share=&direct_url=t2%3B%2Cachieve%20%2A_VERB%3B%2Cc0%3B%2Cs0%3B%3Bachieve%20is_VERB%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bachieve%20desired_VERB%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bachieve%20was_VERB%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bachieve%20increased_VERB%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bachieve%20are_VERB%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bachieve%20sustained_VERB%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bachieve%20specified_VERB%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bachieve%20given_VERB%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bachieve%20will_VERB%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bachieve%20improved_VERB%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2Cachieve%20to%3B%2Cc0%3B.t2%3B%2Cachieve%20%2A_NOUN%3B%2Cc0%3B%2Cs0%3B%3Bachieve%20success_NOUN%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bachieve%20anything_NOUN%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bachieve%20something_NOUN%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bachieve%20results_NOUN%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bachieve%20goals_NOUN%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bachieve%20independence_NOUN%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bachieve%20peace_NOUN%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bachieve%20victory_NOUN%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bachieve%20unity_NOUN%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bachieve%20equality_NOUN%3B%2Cc0%3B.t2%3B%2Cachieve%20the%20%2A%3B%2Cc0%3B%2Cs0%3B%3Bachieve%20the%20same%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bachieve%20the%20desired%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bachieve%20the%20goal%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bachieve%20the%20goals%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bachieve%20the%20best%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bachieve%20the%20objectives%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bachieve%20the%20highest%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bachieve%20the%20required%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bachieve%20the%20maximum%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bachieve%20the%20objective%3B%2Cc0

-> I can't achieve the goal of writing frequent error-free sentences.
My error rate is always too high.
I fail to achieve the required error-free level.
I always fall short of the required minimal error level.

The path to success is made up of a thousand small steps where you investigate your mistakes. Every mistake you make is a pointer to victory. They show you what you need to learn. Do not make the mistake of just saying to yourself "oh, well" and moving on. You must first figure out why you made the mistake in the first place and what to say instead. Make a list of your mistakes, and keep checking that you are not repeating your misguided ways. That is the route to achieving success. Much diligence is needed in your quest for the Holy Grail.

[Gandalf]

Tae

Many European students make up unusual phrases because they translate word-for-word from their own language. Example (where English tends to use 'opportunity' and 'chance' rather that 'possibility':

https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=had+the+possibility+to%2Chad+the+possibility+of%2Ctook+the+opportunity+*%2C+had+the+possibility+*%2C+had+the+chance+to&year_start=1960&year_end=2008&corpus=15&smoothing=3&share=&direct_url=t1%3B%2Chad%20the%20possibility%20to%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2Chad%20the%20possibility%20of%3B%2Cc0%3B.t2%3B%2Ctook%20the%20opportunity%20%2A%3B%2Cc0%3B%2Cs0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20to%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20of%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20in%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20offered%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20and%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20afforded%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20for%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20provided%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20at%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20presented%3B%2Cc0%3B.t2%3B%2Chad%20the%20possibility%20%2A%3B%2Cc0%3B%2Cs0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20of%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20to%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20for%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20in%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20and%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20not%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20that%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20been%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20or%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2Chad%20the%20chance%20to%3B%2Cc0#t1%3B%2Chad%20the%20possibility%20to%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2Chad%20the%20possibility%20of%3B%2Cc0%3B.t2%3B%2Ctook%20the%20opportunity%20*%3B%2Cc0%3B%2Cs0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20to%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20of%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20in%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20offered%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20and%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20afforded%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20for%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20provided%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20at%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20presented%3B%2Cc0%3B.t2%3B%2Chad%20the%20possibility%20*%3B%2Cc0%3B%2Cs0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20of%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20to%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20for%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20in%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20and%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20not%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20that%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20been%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20or%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2Chad%20the%20chance%20to%3B%2Cc0

Make sure you have got the common issues with your own first language influences taped:

https://www.quora.com/What-are-some-grammatical-mistakes-that-non-native-English-speakers-from-Korea-commonly-make

https://www.waygook.org/index.php?topic=1198.0

http://english4korea.com/commonmistakes.html

https://tefltastic.wordpress.com/worksheets/for-koreans/common-english-errors-koreans/

https://pronunciationstudio.com/korean-speakers-english-pronunciation-errors/

https://www.italki.com/article/846/Common-English-Mistakes-Made-By-Koreans

https://onlinepedagogy.wordpress.com/2009/08/11/a-catalogue-of-errors-made-by-korean-learners-of-english/

In my experience, there are deep issues with English passives. "The English and Korean languages differ from each other with respect to how they carry passive meaning. Although almost all English transitive verbs can be made passive, this is not the case in Korean. There are some verbs in the Korean language that cannot carry passive meaning (e.g., ttalaka ‘follow’)." (Whereas in English we can say 'I was followed by a strange man').

Apologies if I have mistaken your first language. ?Taekwondo?

[Wanda]

Tae

I suggest you google "common mistakes for korean speakers of English".

[Wanda]

Tae

You can also use ngrams to check whether a phrase is normal, or which is the more common:

https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=had+the+possibility+to%2Chad+the+possibility+of%2Ctook+the+opportunity+*%2C+had+the+possibility+*%2C+had+the+chance+to&year_start=1960&year_end=2008&corpus=15&smoothing=3&share=&direct_url=t1%3B%2Chad%20the%20possibility%20to%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2Chad%20the%20possibility%20of%3B%2Cc0%3B.t2%3B%2Ctook%20the%20opportunity%20%2A%3B%2Cc0%3B%2Cs0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20to%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20of%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20in%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20offered%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20and%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20afforded%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20for%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20provided%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20at%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20presented%3B%2Cc0%3B.t2%3B%2Chad%20the%20possibility%20%2A%3B%2Cc0%3B%2Cs0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20of%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20to%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20for%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20in%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20and%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20not%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20that%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20been%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20or%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2Chad%20the%20chance%20to%3B%2Cc0#t1%3B%2Chad%20the%20possibility%20to%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2Chad%20the%20possibility%20of%3B%2Cc0%3B.t2%3B%2Ctook%20the%20opportunity%20*%3B%2Cc0%3B%2Cs0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20to%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20of%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20in%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20offered%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20and%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20afforded%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20for%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20provided%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20at%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Btook%20the%20opportunity%20presented%3B%2Cc0%3B.t2%3B%2Chad%20the%20possibility%20*%3B%2Cc0%3B%2Cs0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20of%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20to%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20for%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20in%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20and%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20not%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20that%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20been%3B%2Cc0%3B%3Bhad%20the%20possibility%20or%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2Chad%20the%20chance%20to%3B%2Cc0

[Hoori]

Hello Simon,

I would like to thank you for the time and effort you put into preparing these useful material. Words cannot express how greateful I am for your kindness and generosity.
I've just received my IELTS test results and I still can't belive my eyes, I scored band 8.
I'm a busy mom and I didn't have much time to attend any IELTS preparation classes. I could only manage to study your material in the past three months and I found them so helpful. I wish I'd had more time to subscribe to your video lessons and to focuse more on all your tips and advice .
Anyhow, I could nevere imagine achieving such a band score, and I'm over the moon.
I highly recommend all IELTS candidates that they use this goldeng opportunity to improve their English through such an incredible guidline.

Thank you so much,

Hoori

[sjm]

'frequent error free sentences' usually means 40% to 50%
'the majority' usually means around 70% to 80%.

[Zoe]

Tae

There seems to a particular issue for Korean speakers of English regarding the passive.

In Korean, middle and passive voice constructions have come to share the same grammatical marker (-eci).

In English, passive voice sentences are just ‘passive voice’ sentences. However in Korean, the verbs take on the meaning of “can/to be possible/to be doable/would” as well. Therefore it’s almost even incorrect to call it the ‘passive voice’ in this case.

http://www.koreanwikiproject.com/wiki/Passive_form

https://painintheenglish.com/case/5161

[Tae]

Hi Everyone.

Thank you for your suggestions and advice.
I appreciate your comments.
I will keep working on it.
When you read my posts, please correct my mistakes. So I can improve my English.
By the way, Zoe and Wanda, I'm not Korean:)

[Yves]

I often just use S-V-O with expanded Subject and use as much adjective as possible. The same goes to the Verb with proper use of adverbs.

[gigi]

Yves

-> as many adjectives as possible ??