10 Common IELTS Writing Mistakes That Cap You at Band 6

Mistakes 1 to 3: task management

The first cluster of errors are the ones examiners notice fastest, because they show up before the content even matters.

• 1. Writing under the word count. Task 1 requires at least 150 words and Task 2 at least 250 words. Fall short and you are penalized directly under Task Achievement or Task Response, no matter how good the writing is. Learn what your minimum looks like in your own handwriting or use the live word count on computer.
• 2. Not answering the whole question. Many Task 2 prompts have two parts, for example discussing both views and giving your opinion. Address only one part and you cap Task Response. Underline every part of the prompt before you start and make sure each one appears in your essay.
• 3. Mismanaging time between tasks. Task 2 is worth more than Task 1, so spend around 20 minutes on Task 1 and 40 minutes on Task 2. Running out of time and leaving Task 2 thin is one of the most common self-inflicted score caps.

Mistakes 4 to 6: position and argument

The next group is about whether the examiner can clearly follow what you think and why. This is where band 6 essays most often fail to become band 7 essays.

• 4. No clear position. In Task 2 the examiner needs to know your stance from the introduction and see it held consistently to the conclusion. A vague or shifting opinion signals a weak Task Response. State your position plainly and keep it steady.
• 5. Undeveloped ideas. Band 6 writers often list several points but explain none. A band 7 body paragraph takes one clear idea, explains why it is true, and supports it with a specific example. Depth beats breadth every time.
• 6. Off-topic or generic examples. Vague, invented statistics or examples that could fit any essay weaken your argument. Use concrete, relevant examples even if they are drawn from ordinary life, and make sure each one directly supports the point it sits under.

Mistakes 7 and 8: language traps

These two are counterintuitive, because they involve trying too hard rather than too little. Both are classic band 6 traps.

• 7. Memorized phrases and templates. Examiners are trained to spot pre-learned chunks such as elaborate stock introductions. These phrases are often marked down because they do not respond to the specific question and can read as filler. Write in your own words about this prompt, not a template.
• 8. Reaching for big words you do not control. Forcing rare vocabulary you cannot use accurately usually backfires, producing awkward collocations and wrong word forms. Lexical Resource rewards natural, accurate, appropriate word choice, not obscurity. Use precise everyday vocabulary correctly before reaching for showy alternatives.

Mistakes 9 and 10: cohesion and accuracy

The final pair are about how the essay holds together and how clean it reads. They map directly onto two of the four marking criteria.

• 9. Weak or mechanical cohesion. Two failure modes cap Coherence and Cohesion: no linking at all, so ideas feel disconnected, or linking words bolted onto the start of every sentence in a way that feels forced. Aim for logical paragraphing, clear topic sentences, and linkers used only where they genuinely signal a relationship.
• 10. Repeated grammar errors. Frequent mistakes in articles, verb tenses, subject-verb agreement, and punctuation drag down Grammatical Range and Accuracy. You do not need perfection, but you do need enough error-free sentences. Leave two to three minutes to proofread for the errors you know you tend to make.

How the four criteria fit together

Every mistake above maps onto one of the four equally weighted criteria that examiners use to grade your writing. Seeing the mapping makes it obvious why fixing these habits raises your band: you are not adding polish, you are removing the specific things that hold each criterion at 6.

Notice that none of the quick fixes require a higher level of English. They require better task management and self-awareness. That is exactly why targeted practice with feedback moves Writing scores faster than almost anything else: once you can see which criterion each habit is dragging down, you can repair them one at a time and watch the ceiling lift.