Many students often wonder how they can improve their band score in writing and speaking. They have a vague idea of what is lacking in their skills, which restricts their score to below band 7. Sentence structure plays a vital role in assessing language skills, especially in writing. Improving the structure of a sentence can make a noticeable difference. Let’s take an example:

Example 1 (Simple Sentences):

“Role of technology is important nowadays. Some people think technology has lots of benefits. Other people think that technology has many disadvantages. It will cause more harm to humans.”

Although these sentences are grammatically correct, they lack connectivity and flow, which may not result in a good band score.

Example 2 (Improved Complex Sentences):

“Nowadays, technology plays a major role in the lives of humans. According to some, there are various benefits associated with its use. However, others believe that technology can prove to be detrimental to mankind and nature.”

In this explanation, complex sentence structures with the use of connectors and enriched vocabulary make the writing more effective.

Tips for Improving Sentence Structure:

1. Use Sentence Connectors:

Enhance the flow of ideas by incorporating sentence connectors such as “Moreover,” “On the other hand,” “In contrast to this,” “In addition to this,” “However,” etc. But avoid excessive use, as it might impact the overall impression of your writing.

2. Use Synonyms:

Elevate your writing by replacing common words with synonyms to improve its quality. For instance, replace “like” with “such as,” “help” with “assistance,” “give advice” with “provide suggestion,” and “I want to tell you” with “I would like to inform you.” Be cautious with synonyms and use only those words with which you are comfortable and have a good grasp of their meaning.

3. Convert Simple Sentences to Complex Ones:

Combine simple sentences to form complex ones. For example:

– Simple Sentences: “Living in a house is good. But living in an apartment brings problems.”

– Complex Sentence: “As compared to staying in a house, living in an apartment brings problems.”

– Simple Sentence: “Computer is an electronic device. It is being used every day for different purposes.”

– Complex Sentence: “Computer is a useful electronic device as it is being used every day for various purposes.”

Using complex sentences is a sign of advanced English proficiency and can help you score 7 bands or higher.

Exercise (With Corrected Answers):

1. As compared to staying in a house, living in an apartment brings problems.

2. People become independent when they are taught finance courses by teachers.

3. Attending a party is important as it allows us to interact with others.

4. Since I do not want to depend on public transport, I want to own my own car.

5. I had enjoyed going on numerous trips in the past as staying at home was boring, and I preferred going out on weekends.

6. I would like to talk about my favorite restaurant, which is Pizza Hut.

7. The computer is a useful electronic device, and it is used every day for various purposes.

8. I saw an accident that happened yesterday when a bus driver, who was driving very fast, suddenly hit a car.

9. I read newspapers daily because they provide accurate news about what happens in the world.

10. Children can learn a lot from parents who teach them well about mannerism.