Mistakes are inevitable on every test, but students can easily overcome them if they recognize the errors promptly and begin working to correct them. The same holds for the IELTS exam. Most test-takers repeat the most common IELTS mistakes and regret doing so. Nonetheless, be especially cautious about these typical errors in the IELTS test since missing the necessary score by as little as 0.5 Band will jeopardize your desire to study or stay abroad.
Talking Too Much During the IELTS Speaking Test
Some pupils approach the IELTS speaking test with the seriousness of a secret agent on a mission.
They will speak as much as possible and boast at every available chance.
I had interviewed applicants when it was almost hard to ask the following question because they wanted to give me their whole life narrative in response to the straightforward inquiry, “What is your name?”
This irritates the examiner, who has a job to do and must try to get through all the questions or get in trouble.
It may also significantly hinder your fluency. If you continue to add ‘uh,’ ‘um,’ and ‘er’ at the end of every phrase, your score in the fluency section will decrease quicker than a Task 1 line graph!
Try to impress and add detail, but not excessively. Learn more here about how much you should speak.
Talking Too Little During the IELTS Speaking Test
Even worse than talking too much and showing off is keeping your head in your shell out of shyness and not speaking enough.
I’ve seen applicants respond to every question with few words or a single phrase. The examiner must continue asking more questions and has difficulty hearing you well enough to provide an appropriate score.
Your fluency will suffer since you cannot sustain ’long turns’ or ‘speak at length.’ In addition, you will not employ sufficient vocabulary, grammar, or examples of proper pronunciation for the examiner to award you a score over 6.
The majority of the time, pupils are bashful. If this is your issue, consider reading this page about what will occur on your exam and seeing several sample tests to feel more confident.
Overemphasis on IELTS Trivia
Among the most frequent inquiries concerning the IELTS is, “Can I put T/F instead of True/False?” “How many individuals will grade my writing exam?” Will the examiner replay my recording after I’ve left the room? “Am I permitted to write Y instead of Y in listening and reading?” Can I use all capital letters? How is my grade weighted?’
These questions are not significant, so you don’t need to worry about unimportant matters. It doesn’t take any more time to write the complete word.
I see many students who ask trivia questions instead of more pertinent inquiries, such as how to improve their grammar, how to create a study plan, what their level is, how to enhance their listening or reading, etc.
Strenuous Study (but Not Improving)
Many students spend year after year (and cash after dollar) studying IELTS yet remain at the same proficiency level.
They are studying diligently but not advancing. Why then?
There are two explanations for this. First, they concentrate on exam preparation rather than English improvement.
These are two distinct concepts, and you can learn more about them here.
The second reason is that your English will stagnate once you reach the intermediate level (it will not increase as quickly).
It is still improving, but at a slower rate, giving the impression that you are not progressing. You lose motivation and cease making progress.
Learning English is like a marathon, and you are now at the most challenging phase – jogging slowly uphill – so keep working hard, and you will be successful. Here you may learn more about the distinction between successful and failed pupils.
Not Learning IELTS Writing and Speaking Band Descriptors
There is a simple technique to determine whether or not you can believe what someone tells you about the IELTS.
Is it included in the band descriptions? If yes, it must be true!
And that is true, all the information you need.
Therefore, print them out, hang them on the wall, and study them often; they will serve as your guide!
Everything else is a rumor, and you should not spend time on it!
Omission of Information in IELTS Writing Task 1
This is such an elementary error in IELTS Writing Task 1!
If you omit vital information (such as the leading demographic or a significant change), your score for task performance will be capped at a 5. Maximum!
If you exclude some less significant facts (a less significant demographic, lesser adjustments), you can still obtain band 6 for task performance.
Ensure that all the data is included in the graph (don’t describe it mechanically; grouping it together still counts as having it)!
Too Many Main Ideas in IELTS Writing Task 2
Here is my IELTS nightmare paragraph:
There are several reasons why smoking bans are a good idea. The first is that it is hazardous to human health. Additionally, it is dangerous to those who are likely to inhale secondhand smoke. Another argument is that it is expensive and that money may be better spent elsewhere. The last view is that it is detrimental to the environment.
This paragraph has one primary concept per sentence. Four critical concepts in 4 phrases Equal a score of 5 for assignment success!
None of them is sufficiently developed. Use just one primary theme in each paragraph. Develop it nicely with an excellent illustration = band 7+.
Thus, it’s advisable to learn more about the IELTS Task 2 Writing.
Not Making Sufficient Pronunciation Improvement
Many students waste a great deal of time concentrating on their grammar and vocabulary when they should be focusing nearly entirely on pronunciation.
It makes no difference whether your grammar and vocabulary are impeccable if nobody can understand you! Even if you had the most exemplary ideas in the world, no one would be able to understand them if your handwriting was unreadable!
This occurs because pronunciation is not precisely comparable to other talents. Because grammar and vocabulary are mental muscles, they can be strengthened.
For specific individuals, the muscles of the lips become fixed like statues, making it more challenging to alter them.
Nonetheless, it is possible to read this article to discover how to enhance your pronunciation with proven results.
Unclear Overviews for IELTS Writing Task 1
The most challenging aspect of the IELTS for all students is the overview of Task 1.
You are not to blame! It is a sentence that only occurs on the IELTS and disproportionately influences your score.
So many students get 6s for grammar, vocabulary, and cohesion/coherence, but only 5s for assignment completion due solely to the summary.
Overall, this student should get a 6, yet they receive a 5.5. It is unfair. However, sobbing about it will not help.
You can only assist yourself by improving your overviews. Start here!
Misinterpretation of the IELTS Writing Task 2 Question
In the same way as the most problematic aspect of Writing Task 1 overview, the most problematic element of Writing Task 2 misunderstands the question.
Students in my class don’t like practicing this because it isn’t technically writing. It’s a reading skill (and kind of a writing skill).
However, pupils should prioritize this above anything else. Depending on how severely you misinterpret the question, you will get a band score of 3, 4, 5, or 6 for task accomplishment.
Examiners love/hate it!
Take the time to study as many example questions and answers as possible until you are confident in your ability to read and comprehend the questions!
Now that you know, do not repeat the same IELTS mistakes! Be more like Vic Mensa: