10 Common IELTS Writing Mistakes That Cost You Band Scores

Why Good English Is Not Enough

Many IELTS candidates are competent English speakers who still struggle to reach their target band score in the Writing module. The reason is almost never a lack of English proficiency — it is a lack of understanding about what IELTS examiners specifically reward and penalise. Knowing the most common mistakes and how to avoid them can be the difference between Band 6 and Band 7.

Mistake 1: Copying the Question in Your Introduction

Copying words or phrases directly from the task prompt into your introduction is penalised under Lexical Resource. Examiners are trained to spot lifted language, and it signals a limited vocabulary. Instead, paraphrase the question using synonyms and different grammatical structures. If the prompt says "Many people believe that cities are becoming too crowded," write something like "Urban overpopulation is an issue that has attracted considerable debate in recent years."

Mistake 2: Not Having a Clear Position

For opinion-based Task 2 questions, your position must be clear, consistent, and stated in your introduction. Hedging throughout the entire essay — "there are advantages and disadvantages on both sides" without committing to a view — results in a low Task Achievement score. Decide your stance before you start writing and maintain it throughout.

Mistake 3: Ignoring the Overview in Task 1

In Academic Writing Task 1, the overview paragraph is explicitly assessed. Without a clear overview that identifies the most significant trends or features, your response cannot score above Band 5 for Task Achievement. Many candidates describe individual data points without ever stepping back to identify the big picture. Always ask: "What is the most important thing this visual is telling me?"

Mistake 4: Using Informal Language

IELTS Writing requires a formal, academic register. Common informal language errors include:

• Contractions: don't, it's, won't (write: do not, it is, will not)
• Colloquial phrases: a lot of, tons of, kids (write: a significant number of, a great deal of, children)
• Rhetorical questions: But is this really true?
• First-person informality: I think everyone knows that...

Mistake 5: Weak or Missing Examples

Every argument in a Task 2 essay must be supported with reasoning and, where possible, a specific example. Vague statements like "Many countries have benefited from this" are unconvincing and score poorly. Instead, try: "Countries such as Singapore and South Korea have invested heavily in technology education, resulting in rapid economic growth over the past three decades." Specificity signals intelligence and analytical ability.

Mistake 6: Poor Paragraph Organisation

Each body paragraph should contain exactly one central idea. A common mistake is mixing multiple unrelated points into a single paragraph, or writing a paragraph with no clear topic sentence. Start every body paragraph with a clear, focused topic sentence that tells the reader exactly what the paragraph will argue.

Mistake 7: Overusing Linking Words

Cohesive devices must be used accurately and appropriately — not mechanically. Excessive use of connectors like "Furthermore," "Moreover," and "Additionally" at the start of every sentence actually signals a low Coherence and Cohesion score because it shows formulaic, inflexible writing. Use a variety of cohesive techniques: pronouns, synonyms, sentence structure, and connectors used selectively.

Mistake 8: Writing Too Little

Task 2 requires a minimum of 250 words and Task 1 requires 150 words. Writing below the minimum results in an automatic penalty under Task Achievement. However, writing significantly over the word count (e.g., 500+ words for Task 2) often leads to more errors and poorer organisation. Aim for 260–290 words for Task 1 and 280–320 words for Task 2.

Mistake 9: Repeating the Same Vocabulary

Lexical Resource specifically assesses your ability to avoid repetition. If you use the word "important" five times in one essay, this signals a limited vocabulary range. Build your synonym bank for common IELTS topics: government, education, technology, environment, and health. For every high-frequency word in your vocabulary, learn at least two precise alternatives.

Mistake 10: Not Reviewing Your Work

Candidates who leave no time for proofreading lose marks to avoidable errors. Spend the last three to five minutes of each task reviewing for:

• Subject-verb agreement errors
• Missing articles (a, an, the)
• Incorrect prepositions
• Spelling mistakes on high-frequency words
• Sentence fragments or run-on sentences

Get Honest Feedback Before Your Exam

The most effective way to identify your specific writing mistakes is to have your essays assessed against official IELTS criteria. Use our AI evaluator to check your score and get detailed feedback on exactly which mistakes are costing you band scores, so you can fix them before exam day.