Grammar Focus: Complex Sentences

In Task 2 of the IELTS Academic Writing Test, one of the four areas on which your essay is assessed is Grammatical Range and Accuracy. One important aspect of this is sentence structure. It is important to use complex sentences. If your sentences are all simple, then you will lose marks for grammatical range. So, let’s look at how you can include complex sentences in your writing.

So let’s begin with a brief overview of sentence structure. A simple sentence contains only one main or independent clause, for example, 'The baby cried'. A complex sentence contains one main or independent clause and at least one subordinate or dependent clause. For example, 'Although I was tired, I stayed up late studying.' As the name suggests, the independent clause can stand on its own, while the dependent clause cannot.

Now, let’s take a look at how you can link your ideas to create complex sentences.

Look at these two simple sentences. They have a common theme. We can combine these short sentences into a larger sentence in several ways.

For example, we could use a relative pronoun like 'where', 'which', or 'that' to create complex sentences like these.

Another way to make complex sentences is to use linking words and phrases to link your ideas and show the relationships between them. The kinds of relationships you can show include comparison and contrast, cause and effect, additional information, and opposition.

This table shows some of these linking words and phrases. On the left, you can see the meaning or function of these words and phrases, and on the right, you can see them used in example sentences. You may find this table a useful reference when you are practicing Task 2 writing tasks.

So I hope you now have a better understanding of the importance of using complex sentences in your writing. I’m sure you’re ready now to do some practice to help you build some more skills around linking your ideas and showing relationships between them.

Below, there are different ways of linking ideas for four different meanings: opposition, comparison/contrast, addition, and cause/effect. Hover your mouse over the different colors to see how you make these structures.

Opposition = a difference from what we normally expect
1. Although he was tired, he was happy.
2. He was very tired. However, he was happy.
3. Despite being very tired, he was happy.

Comparison/contrast = a difference between two things or situations
1. The teacher was very tired, whereas the student was full of energy.
2. The teacher was very tired. On the other hand, the student was full of energy.

Additional information
1. As well as being tired, he was hungry.
2. Not only was he tired, but he was also hungry.
3. He was tired. In addition, he was hungry.

Cause/effect = one action/event producing another
1. The teacher was very tired because he had worked all day.
2. The teacher had worked all day. As a result, he was very tired.
3. The teacher was very tired because of had worked all day.