For all those who are planning to study or work abroad, IELTS exam is a must to take and pass with the highest possible score.
While quite many people are already pretty confident about speaking English and are even able to participate in the discussions, writing remains an area which requires much more efforts and attention to get satisfactory results at the exam.
Here we are going to highlight the most common mistakes in writing which you should be aware of and mind them while preparing for the exam and when doing the exam writing assignments.
Instead of Introduction: Understanding Test Format is a Must
The biggest mistake is to start doing an assignment without a proper understanding its instructions and requirements.
As IELTS has very strict time constraints, it is vitally important to be familiar with the type of the assignment and be equipped with the strategies of fulfilling it.
Due to the time limitation, you won’t be able to write and rewrite, neither sit and think about the topic for a long time.
That is why a very well developed skill of organising your thoughts and putting down them on a paper is a compulsory prerequisite for taking the exam and passing it with a high score.
The topics given in the IELTS general and academic exams are different but graded in a similar way. You should be specific about their instructions and plan your time accordingly in order to complete the test on time.
Now let’s look what mistakes can lower your overall score in writing and IELTS exam all together.
1. Writing Less Than Needed
IELTS is quite strict about the word limit, that is why writing fewer words than needed can affect your band score for the IELTS writing test negatively.
Failing to write the required number of words can make an impression that you don’t have enough ideas about the topic or your vocabulary is not enough to put the ideas into words.
To cope with this challenge, you should make a practice of writing a short paragraph on a certain topic your daily routine. In this way, you will get used to the volume needed and become ready to write a paragraph of the required number of words at the exam.
While training for the exam, learn how to structure the text.
Remember that regardless the volume, any text must include introduction, body and conclusion. While preparing yourself for the exam, learn how many sentences and words can be allocated for each part of the text and train to keep yourself within these lines.
2. Writing Too Many Words
Writing too many words is not a good sign too.
It means that you cannot organise your thoughts properly or you don’t know the structures and word expressions which can economise the language means and express your ideas.
In this situation, the examiner has all the rights to deduct your marks, which will negatively impact your overall band score.
You may think that writing more than needed will give a positive impression but it can work opposite, that is why make sure you follow the word limit and give proper answers within the word limits needed.
If you train yourself to write on different topics, organise your thoughts in a structured text, get familiar with the number of words which can be deducted to each part of the text, you will easily cope with this mistake as well as with the previous one.
3. Failing to Answer the Question
Be sure to read the instruction carefully and follow all the requirements. Stay stick to the topic and work to give direct answers.
Avoid taking an indirect approach and make sure that you answer what has been asked.
On the other hand if you make enough practice before taking the exam and if you are familiar with the assignment type, you won’t have difficulties with understanding the instruction. Just give an answer to the question, give details and proves if needed and mind the number of words you write.
4. Repeating the Question and Writing the Same Things
Repeating the question is one of the mistakes that many applicants make while attempting their IELTS test.
Repeating the question or some facts can be interpreted as a sign that you have little to say about the topic and try to reach the word limit by saying the same things or using the sentences and phrases given in the instruction.
That is why make sure you give new ideas or aspects to answer the question more precisely without repeating the same things.
Stay focused and read the questions thoroughly. Abundant practice before the exam will make you confident about your abilities and be helpful to cope with an anxiety about the test instruction and perform accordingly.
5. Using the Same Grammar Structures
IELTS is all about testing your proficiency in a language including your skills to frame your thoughts in different grammatical structures and vocabulary units. That is why using the same grammar structures and limited vocabulary will lead to lower scores at the exam.
To avoid this mistake, train to use different grammar structures and synonymic vocabulary to express the same idea in different ways.
Know how to replace active voice with passive constructions or visa versa. But you should remember that your selection of the language means must correspond to the style of your writing and overall tone of the text. Be sure not to sound too academic when you are writing a mail to your friend, and certainly avoid using spoken expressions when writing a text on some formal issues.
6. Too Many Linking Words and Cohesive Devices
Opposite to the limited vocabulary and dull repertoire of the grammar structures is a wish to demonstrate all your knowledge of linkers and cohesive means.
Using different transitional phrases to connect sentences and paragraphs is an important skill to show, but if there are too many of them, you can be suspected in little understanding of their meaning or in an attempt to increase the number of words of your text.
That is why be sure not to overuse transitional terms and linkers, because it is going to impact the overall readability and framework of your text and lower your score.
7. Using Limited Vocabulary
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Vocabulary plays a significant role and should show up directly on your IELTS score.
If you have a limited vocabulary repertoire and use the same words throughout your text, be sure to get a low score.
In case you are using different words and phrases, you must be certain that they are applied quite well to express the idea and suit the overall style of your writing.
To extend you vocabulary while preparing for the exam, make a habit to read authentic texts every day. Pay attention not only to new words, but also to collocations, set phrases, when and how they are used.
For these purposes, the texts on science, education, technology, global news, politics, social events, etc will be helpful for you to enrich your vocabulary.
8. Broken Structure of the Text
This should be understood from the very beginning. Any text has its structure. We cannot start a conversation without saying “Hi!” and when leaving, we say something to show that the talk is over.
The same and even more important for a written text.
Be sure to organise your text, regardless its size, according to the structure “Introduction – Body – Conclusion”.
Care about paragraphing if your body contains several ideas. Be sure to group them in separate paragraphs linking logically by necessary cohesive devices.
Even if one more brilliant idea came to you at the time of your finishing the text, don’t try to put it instead of the conclusion or after it. Think about your readers and let them go through your text smoothly and logically.
9. Including Something Which Not Required, E.g. A Personal Opinion or Reason
Another common mistake that most candidates make while taking the IELTS. That is adding something which is not required by the instruction.
To avoid this mistake, read the instruction carefully. If there is a need to analyse some data, you should do it without provision any personal reflections or speculations.
If the question concerns your personal point of view, then you can go for explaining your personal visions and attitudes.
You should to be mindful about the opinions and statements you make. Do not reflect personally in the essay concerning some formal processes and issues. Try to stick to the facts and make your answer as knowledgeable as you can. Refer to some respectful sources and data, stay away from personal evaluative remarks.
To learn the difference between facts and opinions and how to put them in the text, you should train beforehand by reading some academic texts and papers.
You can read and analyse some newspaper articles which disclose some economic or global processes. They all will be helpful for you to see the difference between facts and opinions and learn how to frame your personal point of view when it is needed.
To learn more about IELTS, you cam contact our team of experts for more useful tips and enrolling to the course, preparing you for all challenges of the exam.
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