IELTS Task 1 Grammar: Tenses, Comparisons, the Passive and Relative Clauses (Part 5 of 5): Two Rewrites, a Grammar Checklist and Practice

IELTS · Task 1 Structure中文版　Updated 2026/11/09

In this post: two of my Task 1 paragraphs rewritten, a two-minute grammar checklist to use before you hand in, and 12 sentences to correct, with answers.

Task 1 Grammar · 5 parts

1. Six grammar groups and tenses
2. Comparisons and the passive
3. Relative and participle clauses
4. Numbers and agreement
5. Rewrites, checklist and practice (you are here)

✦ In this post

8. Rewrite examples: a table Body 3 and a metal prices paragraph
9. A two-minute grammar checklist before you hand in
10. Quick practice: 12 sentences to correct (with answers)
Further reading

A two-minute grammar checklist for IELTS Task 1 — Part 5 at a glance: the two-minute grammar check, item by item.

8. Rewrite examples: a table Body 3 and a metal prices paragraph

Rewrite 1: university facilities table, Body 3 (Task 47, GRA 7–8)

OVERALL

Achievement

Coherence

Vocabulary

GRA

Grammar

7–8

This essay scored 7 overall and its GRA was already 7–8, but the last paragraph packed in several of the mistakes covered in this post: with + past tense, the comparison structure, and one misread figure.

Original (Task 47 Body 3, unchanged)

However, when it comes to the cafeteria, undergraduates, who were more satisfied with this service, scored 50%, 30%, and 15% on “very satisfied,” “quite satisfied,” and “dissatisfied”, each. As for postgraduates, the trend changed slightly, with 40% said “very satisfied,” 25% reflected “quite satisfied,” and 35% rated “dissatisfied.”

Rewritten version

The cafeteria received the least favourable ratings. Half of the undergraduates were very satisfied with it, compared with 40% of postgraduates. However, the proportion of dissatisfied postgraduates (35%) was more than twice as high as that of undergraduates (15%), which made the cafeteria the least popular facility among postgraduates.

What changed	Why
Deleted 30% and stopped listing all three figures one by one	In the table, the undergraduate “quite satisfied” figure is 35%, so my 30% was a misreading; and copying all three numbers is weaker than picking out the key ones
with 40% said … → compared with 40% of postgraduates	with cannot be followed by a past-tense verb; compared with makes the comparison more direct
the trend changed slightly → more than twice as high as	35% is more than double 15%, not “slightly” different; and a static table has no trend
Added that of undergraduates	Like with like: a proportion compared with a proportion
Removed each and scored … on	scored means “earned points” and does not suit proportions; each at the end of the sentence is unclear

Rewrite 2: the copper paragraph in the metal prices essay (Task 8)

Original (Task 8 Body 2, unchanged)

Regarding Copper, the fluctuation was not as significant as other metals, while the highest growth went to 2% in January and the largest drop was in May and June with 0.5% decrease. Additionally, with ten-twelfths of months in 2014 witnessed an upward trend in the range of approximately 0.5% and 1.5%.

Rewritten version

Copper prices were the most stable of the three metals. The monthly change ranged only from a rise of 2% in January to a fall of 0.5% in May and June. In fact, copper prices increased in ten of the twelve months, mostly by between 0.5% and 1.5%.

What changed	Why
not as significant as other metals → the most stable of the three metals	The comparison is balanced, and the superlative is clearer
with 0.5% decrease → a fall of 0.5%	For the size of a change, use a fall of + number; the article a cannot be left out
with ten-twelfths of months … witnessed → increased in ten of the twelve months	The original has only a with phrase and no main verb, so it is not a complete sentence; ten-twelfths is also unnatural
in the range of 0.5% and 1.5% → by between 0.5% and 1.5%	between … and go together; by shows the size of the increase

9. A two-minute grammar checklist before you hand in

When you finish Task 1, I suggest keeping two minutes just for grammar, not content. Go through the list in this order and spend only 10–15 seconds on each item:

☐ Tenses: Does the first verb of each paragraph match that paragraph’s time (past / present / future / no time)? No switching within a paragraph?
☐ Passive: Is there a be before every past participle? No are been? No passive with take place, remain or rise?
☐ located: Written as is/was located, not located on its own as the verb?
☐ Superlatives: Is there a the before highest, largest and most?
☐ What you compare: When comparing prices, did you use that of / those of, rather than comparing a figure with a country?
☐ Multiples: twice as high as, three times the figure for, and no more than tripled the …?
☐ One main verb per clause: the number of people chose → who chose / choosing?
☐ with: Followed by an -ing form or a figure, not a past-tense verb?
☐ Prepositions: between … and, from … to, at + figure, in + year?
☐ Subject–verb agreement: Cover up everything after of: do the number / percentage / figure take a singular verb?
☐ Numbers: No s on million; adverbs like slightly and steadily not written as adjectives?

Tip: You do not need to memorise the whole list. Write your three most frequent mistakes on the first page of your practice notebook and check those three after every essay. My own top three were with + past tense, between … to, and subject–verb agreement. To find out what you get wrong most often, copy the faulty sentences from five essays onto one page and sort them; the answer is usually obvious. If you want to see how I checked my sub-scores and found the criterion that was pulling my score down, see my essay-marking experience.

10. Quick practice: 12 sentences to correct (with answers)

The 12 sentences below are all my own examples (some adapted from my mistakes). Each has one main error. Find it and correct it.

The number of visitors to the museum have risen sharply since 2010.
In 1990, the proportion of car owners was the higher among the four countries.
Sales in Japan were twice as high as Korea in 2005.
After the clay is dug up, it is been placed on a metal grid.
A new car park will be taken place by a shopping centre.
The percentage of people chose public transport fell to 20%.
In 2010, sales rose sharply, with exports reached a record high.
The figure fluctuated between 40% to 55% throughout the decade.
Coal remained the main source of electricity until 2000 in 130 units.
In 2020, the library has been replaced by a car park. (Map: 2000 vs 2020)
Two-thirds of the land are used for farming.
The cafe, which located opposite the station, will be demolished.

Answers

have risen → has risen (the number of takes a singular verb).
the higher → the highest (comparing four countries needs the superlative).
as high as Korea → as high as those in Korea (compare like with like).
it is been placed → it is placed (the passive is be + p.p., never is been).
will be taken place by → will be replaced by (take place is intransitive and has no passive).
people chose → people who chose / people choosing (one main verb per clause).
with exports reached → with exports reaching (with takes an -ing form).
between 40% to 55% → between 40% and 55% (or from 40% to 55%).
until 2000 in 130 units → ending at 130 units in 2000 (at for figures, in for years).
In 2020, the library has been replaced → By 2020, the library had been replaced (both years are in the past, so use the past perfect; or drop the year and write The library was replaced by a car park).
are used → is used (two-thirds of + uncountable land takes a singular verb).
which located → which is located (located is a past participle and needs be).

If you can spot all 12 within five minutes, these six grammar groups are already solid. If you miss more than three, go back to the relevant section, copy out my original example sentences once, and then write another Task 1 answer of the same type.