G.B.C. Grammar/syntax score, explained

By Kevin on April 25 2020
The Grammar/Syntax section of the G.B.C. test

Good Grammar Gets Good Grades

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The Grammar/Syntax section of the G.B.C. test is one in which the majority of students score below 3, with scores of 1 or 2 being very common.

Grammar is the whole system of rules in a language, while syntax is the way you arrange words and phrases to create well-formed sentences. In other words, you can speak with correct grammar, but if you have poor syntax you will be difficult to understand or just sound unnatural.

Improving your score in this section requires a systematic study of English grammar and structure. The books we use at The English Farm—Oxford Intermediate Grammar, Oxford Advanced Grammar, Beginner Grammar in Use, Intermediate Grammar in Use and Advanced Grammar in Use—are ideal for this purpose.

You also need to focus on using the correct grammar and syntax when you actually speak, so lots of practice is crucial. Take regular lessons, in other words.

Let’s take a look at the individual scores in this section and see what they really mean.

Misused, omitted or added prepositions/articles

The first three sections deal with prepositions and articles. 

Prepositions are words such as in, on, to, at etc... that introduce a noun, a noun phrase or a gerund (verb + ing). 

  • I go to the supermarket on Sundays. 
  • I had a meeting with the client.

Misusing prepositions is common because they are difficult to learn. Prepositions tend not to follow logical rules. Many verbs, nouns and adjectives have ‘dependent’ prepositions and it’s important to learn these. For example, 

  • I often listen to music before I go to sleep.
  • Italy is famous for its creative design in fashion and architecture.

Omitting prepositions is another common mistake that non-native speakers can make. 

  • I usually look up words using an online dictionary. (Mistake: I usually look words...)
  • There is a growing awareness of the impact of climate change among the young. (Mistake: There is a growing awareness the impact...)

Adding unnecessary prepositions is also common.

  • I usually go home after work at around 8 p.m. (Mistake: I usually go to home...)
  • At the meeting, we discussed the new marketing campaign. (Mistake: ...We discussed about the new marketing campaign)

You can find information and explanations for the correct use of prepositions here:

Articles are a, an and the. These can cause problems for speakers of languages that don’t use them.

Misusing articles is very common because the rules are difficult to learn.

  • I’ve read the book you lent me. (Mistake: I’ve read a book...)
  • Henry applied for a job with the FBI because he wanted to become a detective. (Mistake: … he wanted to become the detective)

Omitting articles is another common mistake that non-native speakers can make.

  • I am a consultant for a major company. (Mistake: I am consultant for a major company)
  • I think the Japanese government is doing a good job. (Mistake: I think Japanese government...)

Adding unnecessary articles is also common. 

  • I need advice about how to improve my grammar. (Mistake: I need an advice…)
  • Helen really loves music. (Mistake: Helen really loves the music)

There are specific rules for the correct use of articles in English. You can find these here:

Struggled with subject/verb agreement

It’s important to make sure that a subject agrees with its verb, otherwise, it is easy to make mistakes:

  • My sister doesn’t commute to work every day.” (Mistake: My sister don’t commute…’)
  • Scientists haven’t come up with a consistent quantum theory of gravity. (Mistake: Scientists hasn't come up with...’)

Mistakes like this are most often made in spoken rather than written English, and in order to avoid them, it is essential that you pay attention to the correct forms when you speak.

A good knowledge of verb tenses and forms is essential. You can find all the information you need on:

Confused singular/plural usage

Confusing singular and plural countable nouns is easy to do, leading to mistakes:

  • A lot of Japanese companies have an old-fashioned hierarchical organization. (Mistake: A lot of Japanese company…’)
  • More people are using social media to advertise their business nowadays. (Mistake: More person are using…)

You can read detailed notes on the correct forms and uses of nouns on:

Made errors in verb tense selection / Could not sustain tense in longer utterances

Mistakes in the correct choice of tense can lead to a low score in this category. 

Using incorrect present tenses is a common mistake:

  • I commute by train every morning. (Mistake: I’m commuting by train every morning)
  • She's reading a good book at the moment. (Mistake: She reads a good book at the moment)

Mixing present tenses and past tenses in long descriptions is also common::

  • I grew up in Yokohama. It was a great place to live. I could go to the huge parks where I
  • enjoyed playing with my friends. (Mistake: … I can go to the huge parks where I enjoy playing…’)

Future tenses and forms can also cause issues for learners, especially when they tend to use ‘will’ for all future actions and events:

  • On Saturday, I am having dinner with some old colleagues of mine.’(Mistake: On Saturday, I will have dinner…”)
  • In the New Year, I'm going to join a gym and get fit. (Mistake: ... In the New Year, I will join...)

You can find detailed information about the use of tenses here:

Struggled to form basic SVO sentences

The inability to use the basic subject-verb-object structure in English can lead to very confusing communication.

These are typical SVO errors:

  • Marily speaks English very well. (Mistake: Marily speaks very well English)
  • I travelled to Peru last summer. (Mistake: I travelled last summer to Peru)

There are good explanations of how to form correct SVO sentences here:

Struggled to form complex sentences

Complex sentences (in which there is an independent clause and at least one dependent clause) can be difficult to form when speaking. When formed correctly, this kind of sentence is very effective as it shows a well-structured and sophisticated use of English. G.B.C. candidates should use complex sentences as far as possible in order to achieve a high score in this category.

Mistakes are easy to make with complex sentences :

  • I went to the shopping centre, bought some clothes, and then went to my favorite restaurant. After doing all that, I came back home. (Weak syntax: I went to the shopping centre, I bought some clothes I went to my favorite restaurant, and I came back home.) 
  • Although New York is a great place to live, it is a very crowded city, especially in the summer. (Mistake: Although New York is a great place to live, but it is a very crowded city. Furthermore in the summer)

To be able to use complex sentences, you need to have a good knowledge of conjunctions and relative clauses. There are detailed notes on:

Confused countable/uncountable nouns

It is important to be familiar with the correct uses of countable and uncountable nouns, which do not have plural forms.

These are typical mistakes:

  • We need more information before we make a decision. (Mistake: We need more informations…)
  • The project leader didn’t give me much advice. (Mistake: … many advices)

You can read notes on countable and uncountable nouns here:

How do I improve?

Focus on the areas where you have a low score and discuss these with your teachers - they can give you excellent advice on how to improve.

Covering the relevant sections of the grammar books we use at The English Farm can give you invaluable practice on grammar and syntax. Systematic practice will help you to understand the rules, and regular lessons will allow you to put this knowledge into practice.

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