Ananya from Pune wrote twelve simple sentences in a row. When she tried complex ones, half of them broke.

Band 7 Grammatical Range asks for a variety of complex structures with frequent error-free sentences. Five clause patterns (relative, adverbial, conditional, participle and noun clauses) give you a starting range, and accuracy matters more than length.

What the Band Descriptors Demand at Band 7

The public IELTS Writing band descriptors judge both the range and the accuracy of your grammar. At Band 6, a mix of simple and complex sentence forms is used, but complex structures are not as accurate as simple ones. At Band 7, a variety of complex structures is used with some flexibility and accuracy, and error-free sentences are frequent.

In its examiner video, IELTS describes a complex sentence as a main clause plus one or more subordinate clauses. For Band 7 and above it also expects complex structures, and gives passive forms, modal verbs, comparative structures and complex noun phrases as examples.

Five Sentence Structures That Build Band 7 Range

The five patterns below build complex sentences. Add passives, modals, comparatives and complex noun phrases as your accuracy grows.

Structure Pattern Example
Relative clause Noun + who, which or that + clause Cities that invest in public transport can reduce traffic congestion.
Adverbial clause Conjunction (although, because, while) + clause, main clause While tea sales rose steadily, coffee sales fell.
Conditional If or unless + clause, main clause If governments subsidise solar panels, more households will install them.
Participle clause -ing or -ed phrase, main clause (same subject) Facing strict regulations, factories adopted cleaner processes.
Noun clause Verb + that or whether + clause Many employers believe that flexible hours improve productivity.

Our lessons on relative clauses, adverbial clauses, conditional sentences and gerunds and participles explain each pattern in detail.

Why Accuracy Comes Before Complexity

As a rule of thumb, one correct complex sentence is worth more than three broken ones. A sentence that breaks down adds an error, not range.

One slip to watch for is pairing two conjunctions in a single sentence:

Incorrect: “Although prices are rising but people still buy cars.”

Correct: “Although prices are rising, people still buy cars.”

“Although” already links the two clauses, so “but” is not needed.

Rewriting Simple Sentences for Variety

Here are two versions of the same point about remote working.

Before (simple sentences)

Many office staff now work from home. This reduces their commuting time. They feel less exhausted during the working week. They also have more time for their families. However, some staff miss workplace interaction. They struggle to separate their duties from their personal lives. Employers should therefore offer hybrid schedules.

After (illustrative Band 7)

Because working from home reduces commuting time, many staff feel less exhausted during the week and have more time for their families. However, employees who miss workplace interaction may struggle to separate their duties from their personal lives. Employers should therefore offer hybrid schedules, which allow staff to keep the benefits of remote work while staying in contact with colleagues.

The After paragraph uses these structures:

  • An adverbial clause of reason: “Because working from home reduces commuting time”.
  • A defining relative clause: “employees who miss workplace interaction”.
  • A non-defining relative clause, “which allow staff …”, followed by a participle clause: “while staying in contact with colleagues”.

Why it works:

  • Grammatical Range and Accuracy: the clause types vary, and all three sentences are error-free.
  • Coherence and Cohesion: cause (because), contrast (however) and result (therefore) are clearly marked.

Tip

After each complex sentence, add a short simple one. The contrast keeps your paragraph clear.

Try It

Combine each pair of simple sentences into one sentence, using a different structure for each pair:

  1. Many students choose to study abroad. They develop valuable independent living skills.
  2. Public bus fares decreased last year. Daily passenger numbers rose sharply.
  3. Local councils build dedicated cycling lanes. Road congestion decreases rapidly.
Show sample answer

Other answers are possible.

  1. Many students who choose to study abroad develop valuable independent living skills. (Relative clause)
  2. After public bus fares decreased last year, daily passenger numbers rose sharply. (Adverbial clause)
  3. If local councils build dedicated cycling lanes, road congestion will decrease rapidly. (Conditional sentence)

Key Takeaways

  • Band 7 asks for a variety of complex structures and frequent error-free sentences.
  • IELTS lists passives, modals, comparatives and complex noun phrases as complex structures.
  • Five clause patterns give you a starting range for both tasks.
  • Do not combine “although” with “but” in one sentence.

The bottom line: Ananya did not need longer sentences; she needed a few accurate ones with a clause attached.