100 Common IELTS Writing Mistakes

No.	Item	Definition
1.	abbreviation misuse	Short form is inappropriate.
2.	absolute statement	Claim allows no exceptions.
3.	agreement with quantity	Verb disagrees with quantity phrase.
4.	ambiguity	Meaning can be understood differently.
5.	apostrophe error	Apostrophe is missing or wrong.
6.	article misuse	Wrong article is chosen.
7.	article omission	Missing a, an, or the.
8.	auxiliary verb error	Helping verb is incorrect.
9.	capitalization error	Uppercase letters used incorrectly.
10.	cliché use	Overused expression weakens writing.
11.	colon misuse	Colon is used incorrectly.
12.	comma splice	Comma joins two full sentences.
13.	comparison error	Items are compared incorrectly.
14.	conditional error	If-clause structure is incorrect.
15.	contradiction	Statement conflicts with another statement.
16.	countable noun error	Countable noun used incorrectly.
17.	dangling modifier	Modifier attaches to wrong word.
18.	data misinterpretation	Information is understood wrongly.
19.	demonstrative error	This, that, these, those misused.
20.	detail overload	Too many minor details included.
21.	determiner error	Determiner is missing or wrong.
22.	double negative	Two negatives create incorrect meaning.
23.	empty generalization	Broad statement says little.
24.	false cause	Cause-and-effect link is unsupported.
25.	faulty parallelism	Parallel structures do not match.
26.	feature selection error	Key features are not chosen.
27.	first-person overuse	I or we used too much.
28.	formulaic conclusion	Ending sounds memorized.
29.	formulaic opening	Introduction sounds memorized.
30.	gerund-infinitive error	Verb pattern after word is wrong.
31.	hedging failure	Caution language is missing.
32.	hyphenation error	Hyphen is missing or wrong.
33.	idea underdevelopment	Main ideas lack explanation.
34.	idiom misuse	Idiom is used incorrectly.
35.	illogical progression	Ideas move in a confusing way.
36.	inconsistent viewpoint	Position changes without explanation.
37.	informal language	Too casual for IELTS writing.
38.	irrelevant example	Example does not support point.
39.	lack of coherence	Overall meaning is hard to follow.
40.	lack of cohesion	Ideas do not connect smoothly.
41.	lexical overreach	Vocabulary is too ambitious.
42.	linker overuse	Too many linking words used.
43.	listing without development	Points are listed, not explained.
44.	literal translation	Native-language pattern copied directly.
45.	memorized phrase overuse	Prepared phrases sound unnatural.
46.	misplaced modifier	Modifier is in wrong position.
47.	misreading the question	Task is misunderstood.
48.	missing reference words	Cohesive reference words are absent.
49.	missing topic sentence	Paragraph lacks a clear main idea.
50.	modal verb error	Modal verb is used wrongly.
51.	negation error	Negative form is incorrect.
52.	nominalization overuse	Too many abstract noun forms.
53.	off-topic response	Writing does not answer task.
54.	one-sided argument	Only one view is discussed.
55.	opinion in Task 1	Personal view added unnecessarily.
56.	overloaded sentence	Sentence carries too many ideas.
57.	overstatement	Claim is stronger than evidence.
58.	overview omission	Main trends are not summarized.
59.	partial task response	Only part of task answered.
60.	pluralization error	Singular and plural used wrongly.
61.	poor paragraphing	Paragraphs are organized badly.
62.	poor sequencing	Ideas are ordered badly.
63.	preposition error	Wrong preposition is used.
64.	pronoun agreement error	Pronoun does not match noun.
65.	pronoun reference error	Pronoun refers unclearly or wrongly.
66.	punctuation error	Punctuation mark is wrong.
67.	quantifier error	Amount word is used wrongly.
68.	redundancy	Unnecessary extra words are included.
69.	register inconsistency	Formality level changes awkwardly.
70.	relative clause error	Relative clause is formed badly.
71.	repetition	Same words or ideas repeated.
72.	run-on sentence	Sentences joined without proper punctuation.
73.	second-person use	You is used inappropriately.
74.	semicolon misuse	Semicolon is used incorrectly.
75.	sentence fragment	Incomplete sentence presented as complete.
76.	spelling mistake	Word is spelled incorrectly.
77.	style inconsistency	Writing style changes unevenly.
78.	subject-verb disagreement	Verb does not match subject.
79.	tense inconsistency	Verb times shift without reason.
80.	there is/are error	Existence structure is incorrect.
81.	third-person inconsistency	Person reference changes unnecessarily.
82.	topic drift	Writing gradually moves off task.
83.	trend description error	Change over time described wrongly.
84.	unbalanced essay	Parts receive unequal attention.
85.	unclear linking reference	Reference link between ideas is unclear.
86.	unclear main idea	Central point is hard to identify.
87.	unclear thesis statement	Main position is not clear.
88.	uncountable noun error	Uncountable noun used incorrectly.
89.	unsupported opinion	Opinion lacks reasons or evidence.
90.	vague language	Meaning is unclear or imprecise.
91.	verb pattern error	Required verb structure is wrong.
92.	voice inconsistency	Active and passive shift awkwardly.
93.	weak conclusion	Ending is unclear or ineffective.
94.	word form error	Wrong part of speech used.
95.	wrong collocation	Words are combined unnaturally.
96.	wrong comparative form	Comparison form is incorrect.
97.	wrong passive form	Passive structure is formed badly.
98.	wrong superlative form	Highest-degree form is incorrect.
99.	wrong tense	Incorrect verb time used.
100.	wrong word choice	Inappropriate word is selected.