As an IELTS teacher, I often see students struggling to add variety and complexity to their sentences. A structure that can significantly enhance your writing, particularly in tasks requiring you to describe events in a timeline, is “It was not until… that…”. This structure allows you to emphasize a turning point or a delayed action, adding sophistication and demonstrating your grasp of advanced grammar.
Let’s consider a few examples of how this structure can be used in different sections of the IELTS exam:
Speaking Part 2: Describe a time you had to wait for something important.
“It was not until I received the email confirming my scholarship that I truly believed I had been accepted.” (This emphasizes the delayed realization of the good news)
Writing Task 1 (describing a process):
“It was not until the final stage that the raw materials were subjected to high temperatures.” (This highlights the significance of the final stage)
Writing Task 2 (discussing historical events):
“It was not until the 19th century that widespread public education became a reality in many countries.” (This emphasizes the relatively late development)
Understanding “It Was Not Until… That…”
This structure is particularly useful when you want to highlight that something didn’t happen until a specific point in time. It emphasizes the delay and adds a dramatic effect to your writing. The structure also allows you to showcase your vocabulary by using synonyms for “came” (in the original phrase) that are more contextually appropriate.
Using “It Was Not Until… That…”
Here’s the formula for this structure:
It was not until + [time phrase/event] + that + [subject] + [verb in the past simple].
Breaking down the formula:
- It was not until: This sets up the sentence and introduces the idea of a delay.
- [Time phrase/event]: This specifies the point in time when the action finally occurred. Examples: “the 20th century,” “the invention of the internet,” “she finished university.”
- That: This conjunction connects the time phrase/event to the main clause.
- [Subject]: The person or thing performing the action.
- [Verb in the past simple]: The action that finally happened.
Examples:
- Basic: It was not until he arrived that we started the meeting.
- With a time phrase: It was not until after the war that the economy began to recover.
- With an event: It was not until she met her mentor that she discovered her passion for writing.
Applying “It Was Not Until… That…” in IELTS Writing
Let’s examine how to effectively incorporate this structure into your IELTS writing tasks:
Writing Task 1:
- Describing a graph showing the growth of online shopping: “It was not until the early 2000s that online shopping began to gain significant traction.”
- Describing a manufacturing process: “It was not until the second stage that the product was inspected for quality control.”
Writing Task 2:
- Discussing the benefits of technology: “It was not until the advent of smartphones that people could truly access information anywhere, anytime.”
- Discussing historical changes: “It was not until women gained the right to vote that they could fully participate in the democratic process.”
Enhancing Your Score with “It Was Not Until… That…”
Using this structure demonstrates to the examiner your ability to:
- Use a wider range of grammatical structures.
- Employ complex sentences effectively.
- Control punctuation accurately within complex sentences.
Common Errors to Avoid
- Incorrect tense: Remember to use the past simple tense after “that.”
- Missing “that”: The conjunction “that” is essential for grammatical accuracy.
- Overuse: While useful, don’t overuse this structure in your writing.
Conclusion
Mastering the “It was not until… that…” structure can be a valuable tool in your IELTS writing arsenal. It allows you to present information chronologically, highlight significant moments, and add variety to your sentence structure—all of which contribute to a higher band score. Remember to practice implementing this structure in your writing practice to gain confidence and fluency.