Essay Planning

Mistake #1: Not Answering All Parts of the Question Problem: Many candidates answer only one part of a two-part question or ignore a key phrase in the task. Why This Drops You to Band 5–6 Examiners call this “partial addressing of the task.” If any required component is missing → Band 6 maximum. Common Causes Misreading multi-part questions Ignoring the “why” or “how far” component Focusing too much on examples instead of the question Fix: “Question Breakdown Method” Highlight keywords Rewrite the task in your own words Identify the required operations (evaluate, discuss, explain, etc.) Next: Clear Position → ...

Mistake #2: Not Giving a Clear Position Problem: Candidates hide their opinion or change their stance halfway. Examiner Definition “The position must be clear throughout the essay.” Why This Fails Confuses paragraph purpose Makes examples irrelevant Examiner cannot identify your main message Fix: “Stance First” State your position in the introduction and keep it consistent. Next: Too Many Ideas → Ready to improve your IELTS Writing score? ✍️ Join IELTSWrite now to get a free IELTS essay check instantly! ...

Mistake #6: Off-Topic Paragraph Development Problem: The paragraph starts with a relevant topic sentence but drifts away. Why It Happens Trying to fill space Adding unrelated examples Misinterpreting the paragraph goal Fix: “TS → Logic Line” Everything must trace back to the topic sentence. Ask: Does this sentence help explain the main idea? Next: Repeating Question Words → Ready to improve your IELTS Writing score? ✍️ Join IELTSWrite now to get a free IELTS essay check instantly! ...