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Common Mistakes

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Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them in IELTS Academic Writing Task 1

Why Avoiding Mistakes Matters

Even well-prepared candidates can make mistakes that reduce their IELTS Writing Task 1 scores.
These errors often result from misinterpreting the task, failing to meet the assessment criteria, or rushing through the writing under exam pressure.
This chapter highlights the most common pitfalls and offers practical strategies to help you avoid them and maximise your score.

Common Mistakes by Criterion

Task Achievement:

  • Mistake: Skipping the overview or providing an unclear overview.
    Solution: Always write a concise overview starting with “Overall, …” that summarises the main trends or features.

  • Mistake: Including irrelevant details or describing every single data point.
    Solution: Focus on the 2–3 most significant trends or comparisons that best represent the data.

Coherence and Cohesion:

  • Mistake: Overusing simple linking words like “and” or “but.”
    Solution: Use a variety of cohesive devices such as “however,” “in contrast,” and “similarly.”

  • Mistake: Poor paragraph structure.
    Solution: Organise your response into clear sections: an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs.

Lexical Resource:

  • Mistake: Repetition of basic vocabulary.
    Solution: Use synonyms and varied expressions (e.g., “increase” → “rise,” “climb,” “surge”).

  • Mistake: Using informal or inaccurate language.
    Solution: Avoid phrases like “went up a lot.” Instead, use precise alternatives like “rose significantly.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy:

  • Mistake: Limited sentence variety.
    Solution: Use a mix of simple, compound, and complex sentences.

  • Mistake: Errors in tense or subject-verb agreement.
    Solution: Proofread carefully to check for errors (e.g., “The data shows” instead of “The data show”).

General Mistakes

  • Ignoring Word Count:
    Mistake: Writing fewer than 150 words.
    Solution: Practise writing concise but complete responses that meet the word requirement.

  • Misinterpreting the Visual Data:
    Mistake: Misreading labels, axes, or trends.
    Solution: Spend time analysing the visual carefully before writing.

  • Writing Off-Topic Introductions:
    Mistake: Adding unnecessary background information.
    Solution: Paraphrase the task prompt directly without introducing extra context.

  • Failing to Proofread:
    Mistake: Submitting responses with avoidable errors.
    Solution: Reserve 2–3 minutes at the end of the exam to check grammar, spelling, and clarity.

Good vs Bad Examples

Bad Example (Task Achievement):

“The graph shows sales for three products. Product A and Product B went up, but Product C went down.”

Why It’s Bad:

  • Lacks specificity.

  • Uses overly simple and repetitive language.

  • No clear overview or logical development.

Good Example (Task Achievement):

“Overall, sales of Product A and Product B increased steadily, while Product C experienced a gradual decline over the period.”

Why It’s Good:

  • Provides a clear summary.

  • Uses varied and precise vocabulary.

  • Presents trends logically and appropriately.

Exercises for Avoiding Mistakes

Exercise 1: Identifying Errors

Read the response below and identify five mistakes:

“The graph shows changes in temperature. Temperature go up in summer. In winter, it go down. Overall, not much change in temperature.”

Exercise 2: True or False

Decide if the following statements are true or false:

  • Writing less than 150 words is acceptable if the essay is concise.

  • The overview should summarise the main trends or features.

  • Informal language like “went up a lot” is appropriate for Task 1 responses.

Exercise 3: Fill-in-the-Blanks

Complete the sentences using the provided options (overview, significantly, trends, paragraphs):

  1. Always begin the ________ with “Overall, …” to summarise the data.

  2. The sales of Product A rose ________ in the first quarter.

  3. Organise your response into clear ________ for better coherence.

Exercise 4: Error Correction

Correct the errors in the following sentences:

  1. “The chart show a increase in sales over time.”

  2. “Overall, sales was higher in 2020 than 2010.”

  3. “There is many trends in the graph.”

Exercise 5: Writing Practice

Rewrite the following response to address common mistakes:

“The bar chart shows data about income. Income go up every year. Overall, it is clear that income changes a lot.”

Final Advice on Avoiding Mistakes

Avoiding common mistakes in IELTS Writing Task 1 requires awareness, practice, and close attention to detail.
By understanding the pitfalls outlined in this chapter and applying the practical solutions provided, you can significantly improve the quality of your responses.
Consistent practice, careful proofreading, and disciplined writing habits are key to achieving a higher band score and producing essays that meet examiner expectations.