Band 6 speakers use a range of grammatical structures naturally. Two of the most effective for IELTS Speaking are conditionals and comparative structures.
Conditionals in speaking:
- Type 1 (real possibility): "If I get the job, I will move to London."
- Type 2 (hypothetical): "If I had more time, I would travel more."
- Mixed: "If I had studied harder, I would be in a better position now."
Conditionals are perfect for Part 3 questions like "What would happen if...?" or "What could governments do to...?"
Comparative structures:
- "X is considerably more [adjective] than Y"
- "X is not nearly as [adjective] as Y"
- "The more [adjective] X is, the more [adjective] Y becomes"
- "X tends to be [adjective], whereas Y is more [adjective]"
Band 4 (no complex structures)
Cities are better than villages. Cities have more jobs. Villages are quiet but boring.
Why this works: Simple comparisons. No conditionals. No complex structures.
Band 6 (conditionals and comparatives)
I think cities tend to offer considerably more professional opportunities than rural areas, particularly for young people who are just starting their careers. That said, if I had the choice, I would probably prefer to live somewhere that combines the convenience of urban life with the tranquility of the countryside — somewhere like a small town on the outskirts of a major city. I think the more connected cities become through public transport, the more viable that kind of lifestyle becomes.
Why this works: Comparative: 'considerably more... than', 'the more... the more'. Conditional: 'if I had the choice, I would'. Natural and varied.
tranquility
the state of being calm and peaceful
Example: I value the tranquility of rural life.
viable
capable of working successfully
Example: This is a viable alternative.
outskirts
the outer parts of a city or town
Example: She lives on the outskirts of the city.
This structure shows that two things increase or decrease together. It is a sophisticated structure that examiners notice.
- →The more connected cities become, the more attractive they are to young professionals.
- →The harder you practise, the more natural your English will sound.
- →The more technology advances, the more dependent we become on it.
- Use Type 2 conditionals (If I had..., I would...) for hypothetical Part 3 questions.
- Use 'considerably more/less than' for strong comparisons.
- Use 'the more... the more' for showing two things that change together.
- Use 'whereas' to contrast two things in a single sentence.
Answer these questions using at least one conditional and one comparative structure in each answer: 1) How do you think cities will change in the next 20 years? 2) What are the differences between studying online and studying in a classroom? 3) If you could change one thing about your education, what would it be?