Mistake #2 - Unbalanced Paragraphs

One paragraph is long and overloaded, while the other is short and undeveloped.

❌ Example

• Body 1: 180 words
• Body 2: 50 words

Examiners immediately mark this as poor organisation.

🎯 Why Examiners Penalise This

Unbalanced paragraphs signal:

• poor planning
• unclear prioritisation
• weak idea development

Band-8 essays show even, coherent development.

✅ Band-8 Fix Method: “Equal Weight Plan”

Each body paragraph should contain:

• 1 main idea
• 2 explanations
• 1 example

Result: naturally balanced length (120–140 words each).

✔ Quick Checklist

• Are both paragraphs similarly developed?
• Does each contain only ONE central idea?

Continue to: Mistake #3 - Weak Linking Words