IELTS Writing: IELTS Writing: Common Mistakes Practice Questions
Test yourself on IELTS Writing: Common Mistakes with 13 original IELTS practice questions. Pick an answer to see instant feedback and a full explanation.
Free original practice questions for study purposes. Open Exam Prep is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the makers of IELTS.
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Answer the questions below — you get instant feedback and a full explanation for each.
1. In IELTS Academic Writing Task 1, which of the following is a common mistake that lowers the Task Achievement score?
Explanation. Task 1 Academic requires an objective report of visual data. Adding personal opinions ('I think this is bad for the economy') is inappropriate and lowers Task Achievement, as no opinion is asked for. An overview, selecting key features, and varied comparisons are all desirable, not mistakes.
2. A candidate writes: 'In conclusion, I think governments should do more, more, and they should do more.' Which problem does this most clearly show?
Explanation. Repeating the same idea/words ('more, more, more') wastes words and shows limited lexical resource and idea development, both of which reduce the score. The tense is correct and it is on-topic, so those are not the main issues.
3. Which word count practice is a common error that penalises candidates in Task 2?
Explanation. Task 2 requires a minimum of 250 words; under-length essays (e.g., 230 words) are penalised under Task Response. Writing at or slightly above 250 with relevant content is fine. Going over the limit is not penalised as long as ideas remain relevant.
4. What is wrong with this Task 2 thesis: 'This essay will discuss advantages and disadvantages' when the question asks 'Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?'
Explanation. An 'outweigh' question demands a clear stance (advantages do/do not outweigh). Merely promising to 'discuss' both sides without taking a position is a common mistake that limits Task Response, because the question is not fully answered.
5. Identify the punctuation error: 'Pollution is a serious problem, it affects everyone.'
Explanation. Two complete sentences ('Pollution is a serious problem' and 'it affects everyone') are joined only by a comma — a comma splice. Correct options include a full stop, a semicolon, or a conjunction ('...problem, and it affects everyone'). This affects Grammatical Range and Accuracy.
6. Which is the most appropriate correction of the overly informal sentence 'Loads of kids don't get a fair shot at uni' for Task 2?
Explanation. IELTS Writing requires a formal/semi-formal register. 'Loads of', 'tons of', 'kids', 'uni' are too informal. 'Many children do not have equal access to higher education' conveys the meaning in appropriate academic style. The other options remain informal or change the meaning.
7. A student begins every body paragraph with 'Firstly... Secondly... Thirdly...' and 'In addition' between every sentence. What common mistake is this?
Explanation. Examiners note that overusing or mechanically inserting linkers ('Firstly... In addition... In addition...') is penalised under Coherence and Cohesion. Cohesion should feel natural through reference, substitution and varied connectors, not formulaic listing.
8. In a Task 1 line graph showing data from 2000–2010 (a past period), what is the correct tense?
Explanation. When the data covers a completed past period (2000–2010), the past simple is required ('Sales rose...'). Using present simple ('Sales rise...') is a common tense error. Future would only suit projections, and present perfect is not standard for a clearly finished period.
9. Which sentence shows a typical article error common among IELTS candidates?
Explanation. 'Government should invest in the education' is wrong twice: a singular countable noun ('government') usually needs an article ('the/a'), while abstract uncountable 'education' (in general) should not take 'the'. The placement is reversed. The other options use articles correctly.
10. What is the main weakness of memorising a 'one-size-fits-all' template paragraph and inserting it regardless of the question?
Explanation. Memorised, generic chunks often do not address the specific question, so they fail to answer the task and may be discounted by examiners. This lowers Task Response. Genuine engagement with the exact prompt is required.
11. Choose the version that correctly paraphrases the prompt without copying it word-for-word (a common copying mistake): Prompt = 'Some people believe that public transport should be free.'
Explanation. Effective paraphrasing changes vocabulary and structure while keeping meaning: 'A number of individuals think free public transportation should be provided.' Copying the prompt verbatim is not credited as your own words; the last two options are awkward or ungrammatical.
12. Which is a common Task 1 mistake regarding the overview?
Explanation. A good overview summarises the biggest, most general features. A frequent error is listing every detail with numbers instead of giving the big picture, which means there is effectively no overview — a key requirement of Task Achievement. The overview can come right after the intro or at the end, may state trends, and need not include precise figures.
13. Spot the subject-verb agreement error common in IELTS writing.
Explanation. 'The amount of pollution have risen' is wrong; the singular subject 'the amount' requires 'has risen'. The others are correct: 'the number...has', 'a range...exists', and 'each...is' all take singular verbs.
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FAQ
What are the most damaging common mistakes in IELTS Writing?
The most costly errors are not answering the exact question (poor Task Response), writing under the word limit, omitting a clear overview (Task 1) or position (Task 2), using memorised templates, and frequent grammar errors like comma splices, wrong tenses, and article misuse.
How can I avoid the 'big words' mistake?
Don't force rare vocabulary you don't fully control — wrong collocations and unnatural phrasing hurt Lexical Resource more than they help. Use precise, natural, topic-appropriate words and aim for variety, not just difficulty.
Is going over the word count a mistake?
No. There is no upper penalty for being over 250 (Task 2) or 150 (Task 1) words, as long as content stays relevant and you manage your time. The real risk is being under the minimum, which is penalised, or writing so much that quality and timing suffer.