1. Use PLURAL forms for Count NounsWrong: government, the governments, individual, computer

   Better: governments, governments / the government, individuals, computers

   (TIPS: Simply add ‘–s/-es’ at the end of a countable noun (but if you use THE, then don’t use the plural)

2. Always use THE for some nounsWrong: public, media, internet

   Right: the public, the media, the internet

   (TIPS: Memorise them!)

3. Use THE when you use a noun phrase ‘N + of +N’Wrong: majority of people, rate of unemployment

   Better: the majority of people, the rate of unemployment

   (TIPS:  Remember a few exceptions, eg. a wide range of, a vast variety of, a number of, a series of)

4. Do not use THE when speaking generally about the noun.Wrong: many of the students, the humanity, the people, go to the school, the society

   Better: many students, humanity, people, go to school, society

   (TIPS: Most of the time, don’t use THE in Task 2, except when you have a good reason to do so)

5. Use Present Perfect / Modal rather than Present / Future Simple/Continuous.Usual: become, became, will become, is affecting

   Better: has/have become, would/may/might become, has been affecting

   (Reason: Present perfect has a wider time frame and WILL is too strong /opionated)

 

 

 

Infrequent grammatical errors will score you 7+ in the Grammatical Accuracy criteria and will be decisive to help you achieve your target band in Writing!

Next month, we’ll discuss the Grammatical range criteria.

 

Happy Writing!

26 November 2017

Telaga