Phase 4 Overview
You’ve rebuilt your grammar foundations and expanded your sentence length. Now it’s time to refine. This stage is all about accuracy, sophistication, and flow — turning your English from mechanical to natural and powerful.
Key Goals:
- Fix fossilized grammar mistakes
- Develop control over complex and compound structures
- Use tone and register appropriately for IELTS
- Master cohesion and coherence through grammar
- Gain stylistic flexibility — shifting from formal to informal English
🔹 Subtopics under Phase 4
- Fossilized Error Correction (Grammar Detox)
- Advanced Sentence Patterns (Inversions, Clefts, Conditionals)
- Mastering Tone & Register (Formal vs. Natural English)
- Grammar for Cohesion (Using Conjunctions, Pronouns, Substitution, and Ellipsis)
- Sentence Variety & Rhythm (Balancing Simplicity and Complexity)
- Polishing Punctuation for Meaning and Style
- IELTS-Specific Grammar Accuracy Drills
🩺 1. Grammar Detox — Fixing Fossilized Errors
Even advanced learners make the same basic errors repeatedly. These are called fossilized errors, and they’re dangerous in IELTS because they cap your writing and speaking score at Band 6.
🔍 Common Fossilized Mistakes:
| Error Type | Incorrect | Correct |
|---|---|---|
| Subject-Verb Agreement | He go to work everyday. | He goes to work every day. |
| Article Misuse | She is teacher. | She is a teacher. |
| Preposition Errors | Discuss about the issue. | Discuss the issue. |
| Tense Confusion | I am agree. | I agree. |
🧩 Exercise 1: Grammar Detox Drill
Rewrite these sentences correctly:
- She don’t likes coffee.
- I am studying English since 3 years.
- He told that he will come.
- I prefer tea than coffee.
(Answers below)
✅ 1. She doesn’t like coffee.
✅ 2. I have been studying English for 3 years.
✅ 3. He said that he would come.
✅ 4. I prefer tea to coffee.
🧱 2. Advanced Sentence Patterns
Now move from correctness to complexity. IELTS examiners love variety in sentence types.
🧩 Example: Inversion
- Normal: I had never seen such a view before.
- Inverted: Never had I seen such a view before.
🧩 Example: Cleft Sentence
- Normal: I met John at the library.
- Cleft: It was John that I met at the library.
🧩 Example: Mixed Conditional
- If I had studied harder, I would be living in Canada now.
🧠 Exercise 2: Transform & Upgrade
Rewrite the following using inversion or cleft structures:
- I rarely eat junk food.
- She helped me the most.
- I didn’t realize how late it was.
🎯 3. Tone & Register Mastery
IELTS rewards naturalness — not stiffness. Learn when to sound formal and when to be neutral or conversational.
| Context | Better Choice | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Writing Task 2 | Formal | Children should be encouraged to read more books. |
| Speaking Part 2 | Natural | Kids these days don’t really read much — they’re into phones more. |
🧩 Exercise 3: Tone Shift Practice
Change these sentences to a more natural spoken tone:
- I believe technology has numerous advantages.
- The government should take immediate action.
(Suggested)
➡️ Yeah, I think tech has loads of benefits.
➡️ They really need to do something about it soon.
🔗 4. Grammar for Cohesion
Cohesion means your sentences connect logically. Grammar plays a huge role here.
Useful Devices:
- Conjunctions: therefore, however, although
- Substitution: do so, one(s), that/those
- Ellipsis: leaving out repeated words for flow
🧩 Exercise 4: Cohesion Connect
Join these ideas smoothly:
- Many people own cars. Public transport remains unpopular.
- He didn’t study hard. He passed the exam.
(Example Answers)
- Although many people own cars, public transport remains unpopular.
- Even though he didn’t study hard, he passed the exam.
🌀 5. Sentence Variety & Rhythm
Avoid robotic writing — mix short, medium, and long sentences.
“People today rely heavily on technology.
This has both positive and negative effects.
While it makes life easier, it also isolates people.”
🧩 Exercise 5: Variety Challenge
Combine these into a smooth paragraph using different sentence types:
- Education is important.
- It helps people get jobs.
- It also builds character.
✍️ 6. Punctuation for Meaning & Style
Proper punctuation shows control:
- Commas for clauses and lists
- Semicolons to join related ideas
- Colons for explanations
- Dashes for emphasis
🧩 Exercise 6: Punctuation Polishing
Fix punctuation:
The weather was bad however we decided to go.
✅ Correct: The weather was bad; however, we decided to go.
🧩 7. IELTS Grammar Accuracy Drills
Mini Challenge:
Fix all the mistakes in this paragraph:
Everyone have their own opinion about success, some people think its about money, others think its about happiness, but in my opinion its depend on both.
✅ Corrected Version:
Everyone has their own opinion about success. Some people think it’s about money, while others think it’s about happiness. In my opinion, it depends on both.
🏁 Conclusion: From Correct to Confident
This phase transforms you from a “learner who avoids mistakes” into a “speaker who owns the language.”
You start writing essays that flow naturally and speak with authority, using structures that sound both smart and effortless.
Pro Tip: Record your speaking answers daily. Then rewrite them — upgrading grammar, tone, and flow. This bridges spoken and written English perfectly.