Grammatical range: complex sentences for band 7+
Band 7 grammar needs a variety of complex structures and frequent error-free sentences. Master relative, concessive and conditional clauses, passives, participle and noun clauses, cleft sentences and careful inversion, then learn the checking routine that keeps your sentences accurate.
By the end of this lesson you will be able to:
- Explain what the Grammatical Range and Accuracy descriptors require at bands 6, 7 and 8
- Use defining and non-defining relative clauses, concessive clauses and conditionals (including mixed) accurately
- Use the passive, participle clauses, noun clauses and cleft sentences to vary sentence structure
- Use inversion sparingly and correctly
- Avoid the typical errors in complex sentences: although…but, which it, dangling participles, will in if-clauses, comma splices
- Apply a four-minute checking routine to produce frequent error-free sentences
What examiners look for in GRA (public descriptors, paraphrased)
| Band 5 | Band 6 | Band 7 | Band 8 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Range | Limited and rather repetitive range of structures | A mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but limited flexibility | A variety of complex structures, used with some flexibility and accuracy | A wide range of structures, used flexibly and accurately |
Accuracy | Complex sentences are attempted but tend to be faulty; the best accuracy is in short, simple sentences | Complex structures are less accurate than simple ones; errors rarely make meaning unclear | Grammar is generally well controlled and error-free sentences are frequent; a few errors may persist | The majority of sentences are error-free; errors are occasional and non-systematic |
Punctuation | May be faulty | Some errors | Generally well controlled | Well managed |
Teachers’ rule of thumb (unofficial) | Most sentences contain an error | Around half the sentences contain an error | Most sentences are correct, including many complex ones | Errors are rare slips, not patterns |
What counts as a ‘complex structure’?
- Simple sentence: one clause. Public transport reduces congestion.
- Compound sentence: two main clauses joined by and, but, or, so. Public transport reduces congestion, but it requires heavy investment.
- Complex sentence: a main clause plus at least one subordinate clause, a clause that cannot stand alone. Although public transport requires heavy investment, it reduces the congestion that costs cities billions every year.
Examiners mean the third type, plus other structures that pack information efficiently: passives, participle clauses, noun clauses, conditionals and comparative structures.
The target mix
A band 7–8 essay of 280–320 words usually contains 14–18 sentences. Aim for:
- most sentences with one subordinate clause or another complex feature;
- a few short, simple sentences for emphasis. They show control, not weakness;
- no sentence much longer than 40 words. Beyond that, the risk of error rises quickly and clarity falls.
Range means variety, not quantity. Ten relative clauses is not range. Six different structure types, each used correctly, is.
Your band 7+ toolkit
| Structure | Pattern | Example | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
Defining relative clause | noun + who / which / that / whose / where + clause | Students who work part-time often develop better time-management skills. | Low |
Non-defining relative clause | noun, + who / which + clause, | The Padma Bridge, which opened in 2022, has cut journey times to the south-west dramatically. | Low to medium: remember the commas |
Concessive clause | although / even though / while + clause; despite + noun or -ing | Although online courses are cheaper, they demand considerable self-discipline. | Low: never add but |
Conditional | If + present → will; If + past → would; If + past perfect → would + verb (mixed) | If cities invested more in cycle lanes, fewer people would drive to work. | Medium |
Passive | be + past participle | Thousands of hectares of forest are cleared every year. | Low |
Participle clause | -ing / -ed / having + past participle phrase | Faced with rising rents, many young people delay starting a family. | Medium: watch for dangling participles |
Noun clause | what / whether / the fact that / that-clause as subject or object | Whether this policy works depends on how it is enforced. | Medium |
Cleft sentence | It is … that … / What … is … | It is the cost of housing, not low salaries, that drives young people out of cities. | Medium |
Comparative structure | the + comparative …, the + comparative … | The longer children spend online, the less time they have for exercise. | Low |
Hedging | may / might / could / tend to / is likely to | Longer sentences may deter some offenders, but they are unlikely to reduce crime overall. | Low |
Inversion | Not only / Only by / Rarely / Were … + auxiliary + subject | Not only does tourism create jobs, but it also funds conservation. | High: once per essay at most |
Relative clauses: the workhorse of band 7
| Defining | Non-defining | |
|---|---|---|
| Job | Identifies which one | Adds extra information |
| Commas | None | Always (both sides if mid-sentence) |
| Can use that? | Yes | No |
| Can omit the pronoun? | Yes, if it is the object | Never |
- Defining: Countries that invest in early-years education see higher productivity later. (Which countries? Those ones.)
- Non-defining: Finland, which invests heavily in early-years education, has long performed well in international comparisons. (We already know which country; the clause adds information.)
Three advanced patterns that impress examiners
- Sentence which: refers back to the whole previous clause. Many graduates move abroad, which deprives the country of skilled workers.
- Preposition + which / whom: the extent to which…, the means by which…, a system in which every child…
- Quantifier + of which / of whom: The city has six universities, most of which are privately funded.
The four classic errors
- ✗ The students who they study abroad… → ✓ The students who study abroad… (no extra pronoun)
- ✗ My country, that has a large population, … → ✓ My country, which has a large population, … (no that after a comma)
- ✗ People which live in cities… → ✓ People who live in cities…
- ✗ Dhaka which is the capital is crowded. → ✓ Dhaka, which is the capital, is crowded. (a clause about a unique name is always non-defining, so it needs commas)
Concession and contrast: show that you can weigh ideas
Band 7+ essays rarely argue in one direction only. Concessive structures let you acknowledge the other side inside the same sentence.
| Linker | Followed by | Example |
|---|---|---|
| although / even though | a clause (subject + verb) | Although nuclear power is low-carbon, its waste remains dangerous for centuries. |
| while / whereas | a clause, often contrasting two facts | While some see tourism as a threat to local culture, others regard it as a lifeline for rural economies. |
| despite / in spite of | a noun or an -ing form | Despite its high cost, the metro has proved popular. / Despite being expensive, … |
| despite the fact that | a clause | Despite the fact that it is expensive, the metro… |
| however / nevertheless | a new sentence, or after a semicolon | The scheme is expensive. Nevertheless, it is worth the investment. |
Errors to eliminate
- ✗ Although it is expensive, but it is popular. → delete but. English uses one linker, not two.
- ✗ Despite of the cost… → ✓ Despite the cost… / ✓ In spite of the cost…
- ✗ Despite it is expensive… → ✓ Although it is expensive… / ✓ Despite being expensive…
- ✗ The scheme is expensive, however it is popular. → ✓ The scheme is expensive; however, it is popular. (see the punctuation callout below)
First conditional (real and likely): If the government raises fuel taxes, many commuters will switch to public transport.
Second conditional (a hypothetical proposal): If all schools taught financial literacy, fewer young adults would fall into debt.
Third conditional (an unreal past): If the river embankments had been properly maintained, the floods would have caused far less damage.
Mixed conditional (past cause → present result): If Dhaka had built a mass-transit system twenty years ago, its roads would not be so congested today.
Alternatives to if: Unless governments act now, … · Provided that the funding is transparent, … · As long as teachers receive training, … · Were governments to ban private cars from city centres, … (formal inversion)
- First conditionalUse it for realistic consequences of a policy: if + present simple, will + verb. Never put *will* in the if-clause: ✗ *If the government will raise fuel taxes…*
- Second conditionalIdeal for proposing solutions in problem–solution essays, because it presents the idea as hypothetical. Note *if … taught*, not *teach*, and *would fall*, not *will fall*.
- Third conditional*had + past participle → would have + past participle*. Useful for historical examples, but you will rarely need more than one in Task 2.
- Mixed conditionalA past action with a present result: *had built … would not be*. This is a strong band 8 signal because it shows control of time reference across two clauses.
- Unless*Unless* already means *if … not*. ✗ *Unless governments do not act…* is a double negative.
- Were … toA formal inversion of the second conditional (*If governments were to ban…*). Impressive, but use it once at most.
Check: relative, concessive and conditional clauses
8 questions- 1
Find and correct the mistake:
Although online learning is flexible, but it requires a great deal of self-discipline.
- 2
Find and correct the mistake:
Students who they work part-time often manage their time better.
- 3
Find and correct the mistake:
Bangladesh, that has a large young population, could benefit from vocational training.
- 4
The bridge was expensive, but it has transformed the regional economy. → Despite , the bridge has transformed the regional economy.
- 5
If the government more in rural clinics, fewer patients would need to travel to Dhaka for treatment. (invest)
- 6
Which sentence is a correct mixed conditional?
- 7
Which sentence uses a non-defining relative clause correctly?
- 8
Many skilled graduates move abroad, deprives the country of talent.
Answer every question to check.
The passive: objectivity, not evasion
Academic writing often focuses on the action or result rather than the person. The passive also lets you report views impersonally:
- It is widely believed that… / It has been argued that…
- Social media is often blamed for rising anxiety among teenagers.
- Stricter standards should be introduced. (We know who would do it: the government.)
Don’t overdo it. An essay written entirely in the passive sounds evasive and is harder to read. Use the passive when the doer is unknown, obvious or unimportant.
Participle clauses: two ideas, one sentence
- -ing (active, same time): Working long hours, many parents have little time to cook healthy meals.
- -ed (passive meaning): Designed for wealthy tourists, these resorts offer few benefits to local communities.
- Having + past participle (an earlier action): Having invested heavily in solar home systems, Bangladesh brought electricity to millions of rural households.
The hidden subject of the participle must be the subject of the main clause. See the trap below.
Noun clauses: turn an idea into a subject
- What is clear is that tougher penalties alone will not solve the problem.
- Whether a four-day week would raise productivity remains uncertain.
- The fact that so many graduates are unemployed suggests a mismatch between education and the job market.
- Critics question how such a scheme would be funded. Notice the word order: no question inversion inside a noun clause (✗ how would such a scheme be funded).
Cleft sentences: point the spotlight
- It is not technology itself that harms children, but the way it is used.
- What most commuters want is a reliable service, not a cheaper one.
A cleft sentence adds emphasis. One per essay is effective; three sounds like a template.
Inversion: the spice, not the meal
Inversion (auxiliary verb before the subject after a negative or restrictive opening) is formal and effective, and very easy to get wrong.
| Opening | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Not only | Not only + auxiliary + subject …, but … also | Not only does deforestation destroy habitats, but it also accelerates climate change. |
| Only by / Only when | Only by + -ing … + auxiliary + subject | Only by investing in teachers can the government raise standards. |
| Rarely / Seldom | Rarely + auxiliary + subject | Rarely has a technology spread as quickly as the smartphone. |
| Were / Should (conditional) | Were / Should + subject … | Were governments to ban cars from city centres, air quality would improve. |
Common errors:
- ✗ Not only deforestation destroys habitats… (no inversion)
- ✗ Only by investing in teachers the government can raise standards. (no inversion)
- ✗ Not only does it destroys… (after does, use the base form: destroy)
Limit: one inversion per essay. Two or three look memorised, and if one of them contains an error, you have spent accuracy for nothing. Remember also that not only… but also works perfectly well without inversion: Tourism not only creates jobs but also funds conservation.
Showing off vs controlled range
Band 6: ambitious but inaccurate
Not only the government is responsible for river pollution but also the citizens which they throw waste in the river. Having walked along the Buriganga, the smell is unbearable. If factories will be forced to treat their waste, the river would become clean. What is the problem is that laws are not enforcing properly.
Band 8: varied and controlled
Responsibility for river pollution lies not only with the government but also with industry and ordinary citizens. Anyone who has walked along the Buriganga will know how severe the problem has become. If factories were required to treat their waste before discharging it, water quality would improve within a few years. What is lacking is not legislation but enforcement: existing laws are rarely applied.
The left paragraph attempts six advanced structures and gets every one wrong: an inversion without the auxiliary, *which they*, a dangling participle (the smell did not walk), *will* in an if-clause, a broken noun clause (*What is the problem is*) and an active form where a passive is needed (*are not enforcing* → *are not enforced*). The right paragraph uses almost the same range (*not only… but also*, a relative clause, a second conditional, a *what*-clause) and every sentence is error-free. That is the difference between band 6 and band 8.
The four-minute accuracy check
- 1
1. Verbs first
Find every main verb. Check subject–verb agreement (the number of cars has), tense (present simple for general truths, present perfect for recent trends) and passive form (laws are enforced, not are enforcing).
- 2
2. Then nouns
Plural -s on countable nouns after many, several, one of the; no -s on uncountables (information, advice, research); an article or determiner before every singular countable noun.
- 3
3. Then clauses
Every clause needs a subject and a finite verb. Check each although / because / which / if: does it have its own verb? Have you added a double linker (although… but) or an extra pronoun (which it)? Is there will inside an if-clause?
- 4
4. Then punctuation
Commas after fronted clauses and around non-defining clauses; no comma splices; a semicolon or full stop before however.
- 5
5. If in doubt, simplify
If a sentence still feels shaky after one check, split it into two sentences you are sure of. Two accurate sentences always score better than one long, faulty one.
Transformation drill
8 questions- 1
Cleft sentence: ‘The cost of housing drives young people out of cities.’ → It is the cost of housing drives young people out of cities.
- 2
Inversion: ‘The government can raise standards only by investing in teachers.’ → Only by investing in teachers the government raise standards.
- 3
Participle clause: ‘Because they are faced with rising rents, many young people live with their parents.’ → with rising rents, many young people live with their parents.
- 4
Noun clause: ‘It is clear that fines alone will not work.’ → What clear is that fines alone will not work.
- 5
Passive: ‘People widely believe that exercise improves mental health.’ → It widely believed that exercise improves mental health.
- 6
Comparative structure: ‘When cities grow larger, air quality usually gets worse.’ → The larger cities grow, the air quality usually becomes.
- 7
Relative clause with a quantifier: ‘Dhaka has dozens of universities. Most of them are private.’ → Dhaka has dozens of universities, most of are private.
- 8
Find and correct the mistake:
Not only tourism creates jobs, but it also funds conservation.
Answer every question to check.
Writing Task 2 practice
150+ words · 15 minWrite one body paragraph (150–180 words) for this Task 2 question:
Many young people in developing countries are leaving rural areas to work in cities. What problems does this cause, and what measures could be taken to solve them?
Write the paragraph that presents solutions. Your paragraph must use at least five different structures from this lesson, for example: a non-defining relative clause, a concessive clause, a second or mixed conditional, a passive, a participle clause, a noun clause or cleft sentence, a comparative structure and (optionally) one inversion.
Then spend three minutes on the accuracy check. Your goal is a paragraph in which every sentence is error-free.
Self-check before submitting
- ☐ Starts with a clear topic sentence that tells the reader this paragraph is about solutions
- ☐ Uses at least five different complex structures (relative clause, concessive clause, conditional, passive, participle clause, noun clause or cleft, comparative structure)
- ☐ Contains no although… but, no which it / who they, and no will inside an if-clause
- ☐ Every participle clause has the same subject as the main clause
- ☐ Commas after fronted clauses and around non-defining clauses; no comma splices
- ☐ At most one inversion, and only if it is definitely correct
- ☐ Includes at least one short, clear sentence for emphasis
- ☐ 150–180 words, checked sentence by sentence for errors
Final quiz: grammatical range and accuracy
11 questions- 1
According to the descriptors, what most clearly separates band 7 GRA from band 6?
- 2
Band 8 GRA (paraphrased): A wide range of structures is used flexibly and accurately. The majority of sentences are error-free, and punctuation is well managed. Occasional, non-systematic errors may occur.
An essay can still achieve band 8 for grammar if it contains a few minor, unrelated errors.
- 3
Find and correct the mistake:
If the government will build more hospitals, waiting times will fall.
- 4
Find and correct the mistake:
Despite of the high cost, many families send their children to private universities.
- 5
Find and correct the mistake:
Having lost their jobs, the government offered the workers retraining.
- 6
Find and correct the mistake:
Many people are moving to cities, this puts pressure on housing.
- 7
Find and correct the mistake:
Critics question how would the scheme be funded.
- 8
Match each structure with its example.
Cleft sentenceMixed conditionalParticiple clauseConcessive clauseNoun clause as subject - 9
Choose TWO sentences that are grammatically correct.
Select 2.
- 10
The more time children spend outdoors, the likely they are to become short-sighted.
- 11
You have three minutes left. One long sentence feels wrong, but you cannot find the error. What is the best action?
Answer every question to check.
Key takeaways
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