The 20 Most Common IELTS Writing Mistakes and How to Fix Them
After marking thousands of IELTS essays, examiners report seeing the same mistakes again and again. These are not obscure grammar issues or advanced vocabulary errors — they are common, predictable patterns that cost candidates marks every single test. The good news is that each mistake is fixable with awareness and targeted practice.
This guide identifies the 20 most common IELTS Writing mistakes, shows you real examples of each, and provides specific fixes. The mistakes are organized by marking criterion so you can focus on the areas where you lose the most marks. For a complete improvement plan, see our Band 6 to Band 7 guide. For essay templates, see our Writing Task 2 Templates.
Task Achievement Mistakes
1. Not Answering All Parts of the Question
The mistake: The question asks you to discuss both views and give your opinion, but you only discuss one view. Or the question asks for causes AND solutions, but you only write about causes.
Example: Question: 'Discuss both views and give your own opinion.' Response: Only argues one side for 250 words.
Fix: Before writing, underline every part of the question. Create a paragraph plan that addresses each part. If the question has two parts, your essay needs at least one paragraph for each part plus your opinion.
2. Unclear or Missing Position
The mistake: Your opinion is vague, changes throughout the essay, or is completely absent. Examiners call this 'sitting on the fence.'
Fix: State your position clearly in the introduction and maintain it throughout. 'I strongly believe that...' or 'While both views have merit, I believe that...' Make sure your conclusion reinforces your position.
3. Under-Developed Ideas
The mistake: You list ideas without explaining or supporting them: 'Technology is important for education. It helps students learn. It makes studying easier.'
Fix: For every main idea, provide a reason (why is this true?), an explanation (how does it work?), and an example (can you give a specific illustration?). One well-developed idea is worth more than three under-developed ones.
4. Off-Topic Content
The mistake: Including information that does not relate to the question. If the question is about university education, do not write extensively about primary school.
Fix: After each paragraph, ask: 'Does this directly answer the question?' If not, cut it or modify it to be relevant.
5. Memorized Essays
The mistake: Using a pre-memorized essay or large memorized chunks. Examiners are trained to detect this, and memorized content is penalized severely under Task Achievement because it does not address the specific question.
Fix: Learn essay structures and vocabulary, not complete essays. You should be able to write about any topic using a flexible framework, not a fixed script.
Coherence and Cohesion Mistakes
6. Overusing Linking Words
The mistake: 'Furthermore, moreover, in addition, additionally, also...' in every sentence. This makes your writing sound robotic and reduces coherence rather than improving it.
Fix: Use linking devices only when they genuinely help the reader follow your argument. Many sentences connect naturally through the logic of the ideas themselves. A good essay uses linking words in about 30-40% of sentences, not every sentence. For effective linking strategies, see our Linking Words guide.
7. Weak Paragraph Structure
The mistake: Paragraphs that contain multiple ideas, or ideas that span across paragraphs inappropriately.
Fix: Each body paragraph should have: one clear topic sentence, 2-3 supporting sentences, and optionally a concluding sentence. If you introduce a new main idea, start a new paragraph.
8. No Clear Progression
The mistake: Ideas jump randomly between topics without logical flow. The reader cannot follow the argument.
Fix: Plan your essay before writing. A 2-minute outline saves time and ensures logical progression: Introduction → Point 1 → Point 2 → Counter-argument or additional analysis → Conclusion.
Lexical Resource Mistakes
9. Repeating the Same Vocabulary
The mistake: Using 'important' five times in one essay, or repeating the question's exact words without paraphrasing.
Fix: Build synonym groups: important → crucial, vital, essential, significant, pivotal. Practice paraphrasing the question in your introduction using different words.
10. Using Vocabulary Incorrectly
The mistake: Attempting 'advanced' vocabulary but using it in the wrong context: 'The government should ameliorate the education system' (incorrect — you ameliorate conditions or problems, not systems).
Fix: Only use words you have seen in context multiple times. Learn collocations (which words go together), not just definitions. If you are unsure about a word, use a simpler, correct alternative.
11. Informal Language
The mistake: Using contractions (don't, won't, can't), slang, or overly casual expressions in an academic essay.
Fix: Write in a formal academic register: 'do not' instead of 'don't,' 'children' instead of 'kids,' 'approximately' instead of 'around.' Avoid 'etc.' and 'things' — be specific.
12. Spelling Errors That Change Meaning
The mistake: 'Their' vs 'there' vs 'they're,' 'affect' vs 'effect,' 'its' vs 'it's.' These errors are more damaging than obscure spelling mistakes because they indicate confusion about word meaning.
Fix: Learn the most commonly confused word pairs and practice them until the distinction is automatic.
Grammar Mistakes
13. Subject-Verb Agreement
The mistake: 'The number of students have increased' (incorrect — 'number' is singular, so it should be 'has increased'). 'People thinks that...' (incorrect — 'people' is plural).
Fix: Identify the subject of each sentence and ensure the verb agrees. Watch for tricky subjects: 'the number of' (singular), 'a number of' (plural), collective nouns.
14. Run-On Sentences
The mistake: Joining two independent clauses with a comma instead of a period, semicolon, or conjunction: 'Technology is changing education, students now have access to many resources.'
Fix: Use a period, semicolon, or conjunction: 'Technology is changing education. Students now have access to many resources.' OR 'Technology is changing education, and students now have access to many resources.'
15. Article Errors
The mistake: Missing or incorrect articles: 'Education is important for development of country' (should be 'the development of a country'). Article errors are extremely common for speakers of languages without articles (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Turkish, Hindi).
Fix: Learn the basic rules: 'the' for specific or previously mentioned things, 'a/an' for non-specific singular countable nouns, no article for general plural nouns and uncountable nouns. See our Grammar Mistakes guide.
16. Incorrect Tense Usage
The mistake: Switching tenses randomly within a paragraph or using the wrong tense for the context: 'In the past, many people are working in agriculture.'
Fix: Maintain consistent tense within each paragraph. Use past tense for past events, present tense for current situations and general truths, and conditional structures for hypothetical scenarios.
17. Comma Splice
The mistake: Connecting two complete sentences with only a comma: 'Many students prefer online learning, it is more flexible.'
Fix: Options: (1) Use a period: 'Many students prefer online learning. It is more flexible.' (2) Use a conjunction: '...online learning because it is more flexible.' (3) Use a semicolon: '...online learning; it is more flexible.'
Strategic Mistakes
18. Poor Time Management
The mistake: Spending 30+ minutes on Task 1 and only 25-30 minutes on Task 2. Task 2 is worth twice as much as Task 1.
Fix: Allocate 20 minutes maximum for Task 1 and 40 minutes for Task 2. If Task 1 is taking too long, finish it quickly and move on — the marks lost from a shorter Task 1 are less than the marks lost from a rushed Task 2.
19. Writing Too Few Words
The mistake: Task 1: Writing 120 words instead of 150+. Task 2: Writing 200 words instead of 250+. Writing below the minimum word count is penalized under Task Achievement.
Fix: Practice until you can consistently write 170-190 words for Task 1 and 270-300 words for Task 2 within the time limits. Count your words during practice sessions so you know your natural writing speed.
20. Not Proofreading
The mistake: Finishing your essay and immediately moving on without checking for errors.
Fix: Leave 2-3 minutes at the end of each task to proofread. Focus on your most common error types (which you should know from practice). Even catching 2-3 errors can improve your Grammar and Accuracy band by 0.5.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which mistakes cost the most marks?
Not answering all parts of the question (#1) and under-developed ideas (#3) are the most damaging because they directly cap your Task Achievement score. Even perfect grammar and vocabulary cannot compensate for poor Task Achievement. Fix these first.
How many mistakes can I make and still get Band 7?
Band 7 allows 'a few errors' in grammar and vocabulary. In practice, this means 3-5 minor errors in a 280-word essay. Major errors (subject-verb agreement, article errors that change meaning, run-on sentences) are weighted more heavily than minor slips (occasional missing article, spelling of a difficult word).
Fix your IELTS Writing mistakes with WitPrep's IELTS Practice Hub. Vocabulary building, writing practice, and targeted exercises for common error patterns.
Key Takeaways
- The most damaging mistakes are Task Achievement errors (not answering the question, under-developed ideas) — fix these before worrying about grammar
- Overusing linking words hurts coherence more than not using them — use connectors naturally and sparingly
- Use only vocabulary you are confident about — incorrect advanced vocabulary scores lower than correct simple vocabulary
- Leave 2-3 minutes for proofreading — catching a few errors can improve your Grammar score by half a band
- Allocate 20 minutes for Task 1 and 40 minutes for Task 2 — poor time management is one of the most common reasons for low Writing scores