These are cliffs, not small slips
Most mistakes cost you one small mark. You can still get a good score. But a few big mistakes are different. They make your band drop fast, all at once, because they hurt more than one part of your score at the same time. The good news is that every one of these six is easy to see and easy to avoid. Here they are, with the fix for each.
6 mistakes that drop your score fast
Mistake 1: Writing about the wrong topic
The question asks about online learning. You write about the general benefits of school.
Read the question twice. Underline the key words. Answer that exact question, not a topic near it.
Off-topic is the worst mistake in Task 2. If you do not answer the real question, your Task Response score falls no matter how good your English is.
Mistake 2: Writing fewer than 250 words
You finish a short essay of 180 words and feel it is enough.
Aim for 250 to 290 words. Plan two or three body paragraphs so you have enough to say.
250 words is the official minimum for Task 2. Writing fewer than that lowers your score on its own, before the examiner even looks at your ideas.
Mistake 3: One big block with no paragraphs
Your whole essay is a single wall of text from the first line to the last.
Use 4 or 5 clear paragraphs. Leave a blank line between them so the reader can see them.
No paragraphs means the examiner cannot follow your ideas. This hits Coherence and Cohesion hard and makes the whole essay look weak.
Mistake 4: Notes instead of full sentences
- online learning is cheap
- but students feel alone
- so we need balance
Online learning is cheaper for many students. However, some feel alone, so a mix of online and class time works best.
IELTS Task 2 must be full sentences in real paragraphs. Bullet points, notes, or an outline are not an essay and cost you across every score.
Mistake 5: Not answering every part
The question asks for causes and solutions. You write only about the causes.
Find every part of the question first. Give each part its own paragraph so nothing is missed.
Many questions have two parts. If you answer only one, half your Task Response is gone, even if that half is excellent.
Mistake 6: An opinion that turns around
You agree in the introduction, then your body paragraphs argue the other way.
Pick one clear opinion and keep it from the first paragraph to the last.
When your opinion changes, the examiner cannot tell what you really think. A confused position pulls your Task Response down fast.
Avoid all six and you protect your band
Read the question twice and answer the exact topic.
Write 250 or more words, aiming for 260 to 290.
Use 4 or 5 clear paragraphs with space between them.
Write full sentences, never notes or bullet points.
Cover every part of the question, one part per paragraph.
Choose one opinion and keep it to the very end.
Read next
Keep going with the series: 6 beliefs that lower your score and one essay shape for every question.
Check your essay before the exam
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