Complex grammatical structure

In IELTS Speaking, you are expected to use complex sentences other than simple
structures.
A complex structure, does not necessarily mean a complicated long sentence. This
is a big mistake which leads the candidates to use grammatically incorrect
sentences which are hard to understand.
Therefore, to make a complex sentence, you should only be able to put two or
more simple sentences together to speak more coherently and understandable.
You can use a complex structure to expand your ideas and explain or give
examples about the main points you had mentioned earlier.
The importance of using complex sentences in IELTS speaking is in a way
that:
- if you use “a mix of simple and complex sentence forms” you will get a 6 in your
grammar
- if you manage to “use a variety of complex structures with some flexibility”, you
will boost your score to 7 in grammar criteria.
You can use Subordinate clauses, Relative Clauses, Conditional sentences, and
compound sentences using conjunctions and linkers to make complex sentences.

Let’s zoom in on each and do some practice to satisfy the marking criteria much
easier.
 Subordinate Clause and Time Order words

Time order words are to show the order of the events. Subordinate clauses are
made by connecting an independent clause with a dependent clause with words.
Here are some examples:
as, because, because of, so that, in order to, while, as soon as, until, even though,
although, firstly (first of all), then (=after that, afterwards, next), after, before,
finally (=eventually, in the end), as a result, in spite of (=despite), when, if, etc.

I travel abroad because I want to meet new people.

While I was talking on the phone, I was cooking lunch.
Even though she was richer, she was always nice to me.
Although using your own car is faster and more convenient, it can result in air
pollution.
They woke up very late. Then/afterwards they decided to go shopping.
Before I knew her, I was really alone.
I got a phone call after I arrived home.
The weather was bad and the traffic was awful, but eventually we got to our
destination.
When we watch TV, we eat some snacks to have more fun.
I will call you when/ as soon as I get home.
If you oversleep, you might face some health problems in the future.
 Relative Clause

A relative clause tells us which person or thing (or what kind of person or thing)
the speaker talks about. We can use a relative clause to talk about people, things or
places:
The woman who/that lives next door . . . ('who/that lives next door' tells us which
woman)
The book which/that is on the desk… (‘which/that is on the desk’ tells us which
book)
The house where I live in… (‘where I live in…’ tells us which house)

1)We use who/that in a relative clause when we are talking about people (not
things):
1) The woman- she lives next door- is a doctor
The woman who/that lives next door is a doctor.
2) They visit a lot of foreigners - they live in the city center
They visit a lot of foreigners who/that live in the city center.

2)When we are talking about things, we use which/that (not who) in a relative
clause:
1) The car- it is here- it is mine
The car which/that is here is mine.
2) All the houses- they are in this neighborhood- they are expensive
All the houses which/that are in this neighborhood are very expensive.
3)When we are talking about places, we use where (or which plus the preposition
of place) in a relative clause:
This is the house- I live here
-This is the house where I live in.
-This is the house in which I live.
-This is the house which I live in.
4)What= 'the thing(s) (that)’.
1)The thing that happened was my fault.
What happened was my fault.
2)The thing (that) I like about this house is its bedrooms.
What I like about this house is its bedrooms.

*When who/that/which/where is the object, you can leave it out:

1)The woman I wanted to see was away /The woman who I wanted to see ...
2)Have you found the keys you Lost? / Have you found the keys that you lost?
3)The dress Lisa bought doesn't fit her very well. / The dress that Lisa bought.
4) I bought a flat I can stay in. / I bought a flat where I can stay.
Time to practice

1) Make one sentence from two. Use who/that/which.

1)A girl was injured in the accident. She is now in hospital.
- The girl who/that was injured in the accident is now in hospital.
2) A waitress served us. She was impolite and impatient.
-The…
3) A building was destroyed in the fire. lt has now been rebuilt.
-The…
4) Some people were arrested. They have now been released.
-The…
5) A bus goes to the airport. lt runs every half hour.
-The…

2) What do you say in these situations? Complete each sentence with a relative
clause.
1)Your friend lost some keys. You want to know if he has found them. You say:
Have you found the keys you lost?
2)A friend is wearing a dress. You like it. You tell her:
I like the dress ................................................................. .
3)A friend is going to see a film. You want to know the name of the film. You say:
What's the name of the film.....................................................................................?
4)You wanted to visit a museum. lt was shut when you got there. You tell a friend:
The museum .......................................................................... was shut when we got
there.
5)You invited some people to your party. Some of them couldn't come. You tell
someone:
Some of the
people....................................................................................................... couldn't
come.
6)Your friend had to do some work. You want to know if she has finished. You
say:
Have you finished the work ...............................................................?
7)You rented a car. lt broke down after a few miles. You tell a friend:
The car ………………………………......................... broke down after a few
miles.
Answer Key

1)
2)The waitress who/that served us was impolite and impatient.
3)The building that/which was destroyed in the fire has now been rebuilt.
4)The people who/that were arrested have now been released.
5)The bus that/which goes to the airport runs every half hour.

2)
2)you're wearing or that/which you're wearing
3)you're going to see or that/which you're going to see
4)1/we wanted to visit or that/which 1/we wanted to visit
5)1/we invited to the party or who/whom/that we invited ...
6)you had to do or that/which you had to do
7)1/we rented or that/which 1/we rented
 Conditional sentences

Zero Conditionals are used to talk about information that is true or facts. We can
use if or when to introduce the conditional.

If/when+ simple present, simple present

Simple present +if/when+ simple present

If you study hard, you pass the exam. (You pass the exam if you study hard.)
When you study hard, you pass the exam. (You pass the exam when you study
hard.)

First conditionals are used to talk about things in the present or future.

If + simple present, will

Will +if + simple present

If they don’t wear a coat in the cold weather, they will catch a cold. (They will
catch a cold if they don’t wear a coat.)
Second Conditionals are used to talk about things that are impossible to happen or
we don’t expect them to happen.

If + simple past, would

Would +if + simple past

1)If I had more time, I would read more books. (I would read more books if I had
more time.)
(This is impossible to happen)

2)What would you do if you won a lot of money? (If you won a lot of money, what
would you do?)
(we don't really expect this to happen)

*Could and might are also possible in this form of conditional:

If + simple past, could/might

Could/might +if + simple past

If I won a lot of money, I might buy a house. (I might buy a house, if I won a lot of
money.)

(= it is possible that I would buy a house.)

If it stopped raining, we could go out. (We could go out if it stopped raining.)

(=we would be able to go out)

Third Conditionals are used to speculate about past events. It is often used when
we regret something or to imagine a past unreal situation.

If + past perfect, would+ have+ p.p

Would+ have +p.p +if + past perfect

If they had arrived earlier, they wouldn’t have lost the train. (They wouldn’t have
lost the train if they had arrived earlier.)
Time to practice

1)Put the verb into correct form.

1)I'd be very scared if somebody pointed (point) a gun at me.
2)I can't afford to buy a car. If I ……....... (buy) a car, I'd have to borrow the
money.
3)Don't lend Amy your car. If she ............... (ask) me, I wouldn't lend her mine.
4)If the computer factory closed down, many people ............... (lose) their jobs.
5)I don't think Gary and Emma will get married. I ...............(be) amazed if they
did.
6)What would you do if you ……......... (be) in a lift and it ……......... (stop)
between floors?
7)If somebody ................ (give) me £10,000, I ................... (have) a very long
holiday.
8) .................... (I / help) you if I could, but I'm afraid I can't.
9)We don't need a car at present, but we would need a car if ................ (we / live)
in the country.
10)If we had been given the choice, ................. (we / live) in the country.
Answer Key
1)
1)pointed
2)bought
3)asked
4)would lose
5)'d be / I would be
6)were ... stopped
7)gave ... 'd have/I would have
8)I'd help / I would help
9)we would have lived
10)we'd live / we would live
 Compound sentences

Compound sentences consist of two independent clauses linked together with a

conjunction such as ‘and’ (=besides, in addition, in addition to that, furthermore,
plus, what’s more), ‘for’ or ‘but’ (=however, nevertheless, nonetheless, thus).

They got stuck in the traffic and arrived late.

She would like to major in Law but she doesn’t know how.