Avoid These 20 Common Grammar Mistakes in IELTS Writing

Avoid These 20 Common Grammar Mistakes in IELTS Writing

Have you ever finished an IELTS writing task feeling confident, only to receive a lower band score than you expected?

You knew what to write, and your ideas made sense, yet the marks were not there.

As a teacher, this is one of the most common frustrations I see among IELTS students.

Let me tell you something important: most candidates do not lose marks because their ideas are bad.

They lose marks because of small, repeated grammar mistakes that quietly reduce their score.

Missing articles, incorrect verb tenses, run-on sentences, or subject-verb agreement errors may seem harmless, but in IELTS writing, they matter a lot.

So ask yourself this: how many times have you made the same grammar mistake even after studying for weeks?

The truth is, knowing grammar rules is not enough. You must learn how to identify, avoid, and control these mistakes under exam pressure.

That is exactly what this post will help you do.

I will guide you through 20 common grammar mistakes in IELTS writing and show you how to avoid them, so your writing sounds clearer, more accurate, and more like what an examiner expects.

1. Confusing “Its” and “It’s”

Many IELTS candidates lose marks on this simple mistake, and yet it’s completely avoidable.

The words its and it’s look almost identical, but their meanings are very different. Its is a possessive pronoun, showing ownership.

For example, “The company improved its customer service.” Here, the improvement belongs to the company.

On the other hand, it’s is a contraction for it is or it has, like in “It’s important to study grammar for IELTS” or “It’s been a long day.”

If you mix these up, your sentence meaning can change completely, and examiners notice this instantly.

A good trick to avoid mistakes is to read the sentence aloud and mentally replace the word with it is or it has.

If the sentence still makes sense, then it’s is correct; otherwise, you need its.

For example, “The cat chased it’s tail” fails this test, replace it with it is, and it becomes: “The cat chased it is tail,” which is obviously wrong.

Correct usage: “The cat chased its tail.”

Another strategy is to write a short paragraph about your day and deliberately practice both forms.

For instance: “It’s raining today, so I stayed at home. I saw my dog wag its tail happily.”

Doing this daily builds the habit, and soon you’ll use its and it’s without even thinking.

Small details like this can make a big difference in IELTS Writing scores, because examiners often award points for accuracy in grammar and careful writing.

2. Misplacing Commas

Commas may seem like minor punctuation marks, but misusing them can make your sentences confusing, even when your grammar is otherwise perfect.

A very common mistake is inserting unnecessary commas, like in “I studied hard, and passed the exam.”

Here, the comma is not needed because the sentence is short and clear. Conversely, forgetting commas in longer sentences makes your writing harder to read.

For instance: “After completing my assignments I went to meet my friends” should have a comma after assignments: “After completing my assignments, I went to meet my friends.”

Commas are not just about rules; they are about rhythm and clarity.

They help the reader understand where to pause and how your ideas are connected.

In fact, poorly placed punctuation is one of the Most Common Mistakes in IELTS Writing Task 2, which can directly affect your cohesion and coherence score because examiners expect sentences to flow naturally.

One trick is to read your sentences aloud. Wherever you naturally pause, think about whether a comma is needed.

Another tip is to pay special attention to introductory phrases, lists, and complex sentences, as these are the places where commas are most often misused.

Practising these will make your writing smooth, professional, and easy to read.

3. Using Incorrect Verb Tenses

Verb tenses are one of the biggest challenges in IELTS Writing, but they are also one of the most important.

Using the wrong tense can confuse the reader and make your sentences inaccurate.

For example, writing “I have went to London last year” is incorrect because present perfect (have went) should not be used with a specific past time.

The correct sentence is: “I went to London last year.”

Another common issue is switching tenses mid-paragraph without reason, which can make your writing look messy.

The secret to mastering tenses is awareness and consistency.

Identify whether your action happened in the past, is happening in the present, or will happen in the future.

Then, stick to that tense throughout your paragraph.

For instance, if you’re describing a historical event in IELTS Task 2, keep your verbs in the past tense: “In 1969, humans landed on the moon, which marked a huge achievement in science.”

Mixing in present tense like “This event changes history” would be jarring.

Another tip is to practice writing short paragraphs on your daily routine, past trips, or future plans, deliberately using different tenses. For example:

Past: “Last summer, I visited my grandparents and learned to cook traditional dishes.”

Present: “I usually wake up at 6 am and go for a jog.”

Future: “Next year, I will travel to Italy to explore historical landmarks.”

Consistently practising these exercises trains your brain to use correct verb forms automatically.

Just as mastering Yes No & Not Given IELTS Tips You Should Know is essential for navigating the reading section with precision, eliminating these tense errors is crucial in an exam setting where time pressure can cause careless mistakes.

4. Subject-Verb Agreement Errors

Subject-verb agreement is another common pitfall.

It seems simple, singular subjects take singular verbs, plural subjects take plural verbs, but many students overlook tricky exceptions.

For instance, “The team of students are working hard” is incorrect because team is singular, even though students is plural.

The correct sentence is: “The team of students is working hard.”

Even small errors like this are noticeable to IELTS examiners and can reduce your grammatical accuracy score.

A practical method is to underline the subject in each sentence and ask yourself: singular or plural? Then match the verb accordingly.

Watch out for collective nouns like audience, family, or committee, which are singular in standard English, even if they describe multiple people.

For example: “The committee decides on the new rules” is correct, not “The committee decide on the new rules.”

Mastering subject-verb agreement shows attention to detail and makes your writing sound professional and fluent, exactly what examiners want.

5. Overusing or Misusing Articles

Articles, a, an, and the, might seem small, but they are one of the trickiest parts of English for non-native speakers.

Using the wrong article can subtly change your meaning. For example, “I saw a sun rising” is incorrect; it should be “I saw the sun rising.”

Similarly, many learners omit articles entirely, writing “I went to market” instead of “I went to the market.”

The key is to understand specificity and familiarity. Use the when talking about something specific or already known to the reader, like “the teacher in my class”.

Use a/an when introducing something new or non-specific, like “a student asked a question.”

Reading well-written texts, like newspapers or academic essays, and noticing how articles are used, is a great way to internalise the rules.

Practising by writing descriptive paragraphs about your day or a recent trip and carefully applying articles will make a huge difference.

Correct article usage not only improves your grammar score but also makes your writing flow naturally, showing examiners that you can handle complex English with precision.

6. Confusing “Much” and “Many”

Using much and many correctly is one of the simplest ways to make your writing sound polished, yet it’s surprisingly tricky for many IELTS candidates.

The general rule is that much is used with uncountable nouns, such as money, water, information, or advice, while many is used with countable nouns, like books, students, cars, or opinions.

For example, writing “I don’t have many time to finish my essay” is incorrect. The correct sentence is: “I don’t have much time to finish my essay.”

Many learners make this mistake because they treat every noun as countable.

One effective strategy is to pause and ask yourself: Can I count it? If yes, use many. If no, use much.

Another helpful trick is to write sentences about your daily routine, school, or work, deliberately including both countable and uncountable nouns.

For instance: “I drank much water after my run, but I also read many pages of my book.”

Mastering this distinction is a core part of the Top 12 Cambridge IELTS Tips for boosting your grammatical accuracy, and practising like this trains your brain to automatically select the right word, which is crucial during IELTS Writing when time is limited.

7. Incorrect Plural Forms

Forming plurals may seem simple, but many IELTS candidates make mistakes that can cost marks, especially with irregular nouns.

A common error is adding -s to everything, such as “childs” instead of “children”, or “mousies” instead of “mice.”

Even regular plurals can be tricky when words end with -y, -f, -fe, or -o. For instance, “citys” should be “cities”, and “knifes” should be “knives.”

Small mistakes like these make sentences look careless and can lower your grammatical accuracy score.

To master plurals, first memorise common irregular nouns such as man → men, woman → women, tooth → teeth, foot → feet.

Then, focus on spelling rules for regular plurals: consonant + y becomes -ies (baby → babies), f/fe becomes -ves (leaf → leaves), and some words ending in o take -es (tomato → tomatoes).

Practising writing essays or daily journals while intentionally using these plural forms helps reinforce the rules.

The more you practice, the easier it becomes to spot errors, and your writing will appear more accurate and professional to IELTS examiners.

8. Confusing “Few” and “A Few”

Understanding the difference between few and a few is essential, because the meaning of your sentence can completely change depending on which one you use.

Few carries a negative sense, implying almost none, while a few is positive, meaning some, but enough.

For instance, if you write, “Few students understood the instructions during the class”, it suggests that almost no one understood, which emphasises a problem or scarcity.

On the other hand, “A few students understood the instructions during the class” suggests that while many may not have understood, some did, which changes the tone from negative to positive.

This distinction is subtle but can impress IELTS examiners because it shows control over nuance.

A practical way to remember this is to think about whether you want to emphasise lack or presence.

If scarcity is the focus, use few, and if existence or sufficiency is the focus, use a few.

For example, you could write: “Few employees completed the task on time, which delayed the entire project,” versus “A few employees completed the task on time, helping the project move forward.”

Practising these types of sentences in your essays or notes helps make the difference automatic.

It’s not just about grammar; it’s about conveying exactly what you mean, which is a critical skill for IELTS Writing Task 2.

9. Mixing Up “Then” and “Than”

Then and than are two words that sound alike but have very different functions, and confusing them is a common mistake in IELTS essays.

Then refers to time or sequence, as in “I finished my homework, then I went to the park.” It shows what happens next or what follows.

In contrast, than is used for comparisons, as in “I am taller than my brother.” If you accidentally write “I am taller then my brother”, the sentence not only becomes grammatically incorrect, it also distracts the examiner, making your writing seem careless.

Mixing up these is actually one of the top Spelling Mistakes in IELTS Writing that candidates repeatedly overlook.

To avoid this Common Grammar Mistakes in IELTS Writing, think about the function of the word in the sentence.

If it shows order, timing, or consequence, then is the correct choice. If it compares two things or ideas, then is needed.

For example, “First I will finish my essay, then I will revise it carefully” uses then to show sequence, while “This book is more interesting than the one I read last week” uses than for comparison.

Reading your sentences aloud often helps, because the comparison versus sequence distinction becomes clearer when you hear it.

By mastering then and than, your sentences become precise, clear, and more professional, which examiners highly value.

10. Using “Me” Instead of “I” or Vice Versa

Many IELTS candidates misuse I and me, which is one of the easiest errors for examiners to spot.

For example, a common mistake is writing “Me and my friend went to the park”, instead of the correct sentence: “My friend and I went to the park.”

Another frequent error is “He gave the book to I”, where I is wrongly used as an object; the correct form is “He gave the book to me.”

These errors may seem small, but they make sentences awkward and can lower your grammar score in IELTS Writing.

The key is to determine whether the pronoun is the subject (performing the action) or the object (receiving the action).

Subjects require I, and objects require me.

For instance, “I went to the market with my sister” uses I because it is the subject doing the action, while “My sister invited me to the market” uses me because it is receiving the action.

A good practice is to write daily journal entries or short essays, deliberately focusing on using I and me correctly. Reading the sentences aloud helps too, because “Who went? I went” sounds natural, whereas “Who received it? Me received it” immediately sounds wrong. Mastering this small detail makes your writing look polished, confident, and fluent, exactly what IELTS examiners are looking for.

11. Misusing “Who” and “Whom”

Many students struggle with who versus whom, but mastering this can make your writing sound polished and professional.

Who is used as the subject of a verb, while whom is used as the object.

For example, “Who is coming to the meeting?” is correct because who performs the action of coming.

In contrast, “Whom did you invite to the meeting?” is correct because whom receives the action of being invited.

Using who in both places, as in “Who did you invite?”, is a common informal mistake that IELTS examiners notice.

A simple trick is to rephrase the sentence to see if he/she fits; if it does, use who.

If him/her fits, use whom.

For example, “You invited whom?” can be rephrased as “You invited him?”, which confirms that whom is correct.

Another practice method is to write sentences about your daily experiences using both words correctly: “Who taught you English?” and “To whom should I send the email?”

Mastering this distinction shows a strong grasp of formal English, which is highly valued in IELTS Writing Task 2.

12. Confusing “Less” and “Fewer”

Using less and fewer correctly is essential for precise language in IELTS Writing.

Fewer is used with countable nouns, while less is used with uncountable nouns.

For example, saying “I have less books than you” is incorrect because books are countable.

The correct version is: “I have fewer books than you.” Conversely, “I have less water in my bottle” is correct because water is uncountable.

Using the wrong word can make your writing sound careless or unpolished.

A helpful trick is to ask yourself:

Can I count it? If yes, use fewer; if no, use less.

For instance, “Fewer students attended the lecture this week” versus “There is less information available online than last year.”

Practising with sentences about your day, studies, or hobbies helps internalise this distinction.

Correct usage demonstrates precision, which examiners look for when awarding marks for grammatical accuracy.

Even small errors like this can reduce clarity, so mastering less vs. fewer is a quick way to improve your writing score.

13. Mixing Up “Bring” and “Take”

Many students confuse bring and take, which can subtly change the meaning of a sentence.

Bring implies movement toward the speaker or listener, while take implies movement away.

For example, writing “Please take the documents to my office” is correct if the documents are moving away from the speaker, but saying “Please bring the documents to my office” suggests movement toward the speaker.

Mixing up these directions can lead to subtle IELTS Writing Mistakes That Could Cost You Marks, confusing the reader and reducing your overall score.

To avoid mistakes, focus on the direction of movement. If the object moves toward you or the person you are speaking to, use bring; if it moves away, use take.

For example, “I will bring my notes to class tomorrow” makes sense because you are bringing them to a shared space. “I will take my notes home after class” is correct because the movement is away from the current location.

Practising both words in sentences about daily activities or personal experiences helps reinforce their meanings.

Using bring and take correctly improves clarity and shows mastery of nuanced English, which is impressive to IELTS examiners.

14. Misusing “Who’s” and “Whose”

Confusing who’s and whose is another common mistake in IELTS Writing.

Who’s is a contraction for who is or who has, while whose shows possession.

For example, writing “Whose coming to the party?” is incorrect because whose shows ownership, not a contraction.

The correct sentence is “Who’s coming to the party?” Similarly, “Who’s bag is this?” is wrong; the correct version is “Whose bag is this?” Errors like these can make even a strong essay look careless.

A good strategy is to read the sentence aloud and try expanding contractions.

If it makes sense to say who is or who has, use who’s. Otherwise, use whose.

For instance, “Who’s finished their homework?” versus “Whose homework is on the table?” Writing practice sentences that mix contractions and possessives helps cement this rule.

Getting it right every time shows examiners that you have control over both grammar and meaning, which can improve your overall score.

15. Using Double Negatives

Double negatives, such as “I don’t need no help”, are a common mistake for many students.

In standard English, two negatives make a positive, so the sentence above actually means “I need help”, which is probably not what you intended.

In IELTS Writing, double negatives are considered incorrect and informal, which can lower your grammatical accuracy score.

A correct version would be: “I don’t need any help” or “I need no help.”

To avoid this, carefully check your sentences for multiple negative words like no, not, never, or nothing.

For example, “She didn’t see nobody at the park” should be “She didn’t see anybody at the park.”

Another helpful technique is to read your sentences aloud; if it sounds confusing or contradictory, you may have a double negative.

Correcting this ensures your writing is clear, precise, and professional, which is exactly what IELTS examiners are looking for in higher band essays.

16. Confusing “Between” and “Among”

Many IELTS students misuse between and among, but understanding the difference is simple once you know the rule.

Between is used when referring to two distinct items or people, while among is used for more than two.

For example, writing “I shared the chocolate among my friend and me” is incorrect because only two people are involved.

The correct sentence is “I shared the chocolate between my friend and me.”

Similarly, “She felt comfortable between the group of students” should be “She felt comfortable among the group of students.”

Misusing these two prepositions is actually one of the Most Common Mistakes in IELTS Writing Task 1 data descriptions, and while they may seem minor, examiners notice them, and they can quickly pull down your grammar score.

A helpful trick is to count the people or items in your sentence.

If there are exactly two, use between; if there are more than two, use among.

For instance, “I had to choose between chocolate and vanilla ice cream” makes sense because there are two options.

“She was popular among her classmates” works because it refers to a group larger than two.

Practising these distinctions in your essays and speaking exercises helps make the usage automatic.

Correctly using between and among shows precision and fluency, which examiners love.

17. Misplacing Modifiers

A misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that is incorrectly separated from the word it describes, leading to confusion.

For example, “She almost drove her kids to school every day” suggests she nearly drove but didn’t, whereas the intended meaning is likely “She drove her kids to school almost every day.”

Small placement errors like this can drastically change your sentence’s meaning, making your writing unclear to IELTS examiners.

To avoid misplaced modifiers, always place descriptive words and phrases as close as possible to the word they modify.

Another example: “I saw a man on the hill with binoculars” could be confusing.

Did the man have binoculars, or did you? A clearer sentence would be: “Using binoculars, I saw a man on the hill.”

Practicing sentence restructuring exercises helps train your brain to position modifiers correctly, which makes your writing precise and professional.

Examiners notice clarity and correctness, so mastering this point can significantly boost your writing score.

18. Confusing “Since” and “For”

Many IELTS students confuse since and for when talking about time, especially in perfect tenses.

Since is used to indicate the starting point of an action, while for shows the duration.

For example, writing “I have lived here for 2010” is incorrect because it’s a specific point in time.

The correct sentence is “I have lived here since 2010.” Conversely, “I have lived here since ten years” is wrong because since is used for a starting point, not a duration; it should be “I have lived here for ten years.”

A practical trick is to ask yourself: Am I talking about when it started or how long it lasted? For starting points, use since; for durations, use for.

Examples: “She has worked at the company since 2015” and “She has worked at the company for eight years.”

Practising sentences like this about your own experiences, school, or work helps you internalise the distinction.

Using since and for correctly shows examiners that you understand subtle grammar rules, which can improve your band score significantly.

19. Confusing “Each” and “Every”

Each and every are often used interchangeably, but they have different nuances, and using them incorrectly can make sentences sound awkward.

Each emphasizes individuality within a group, while every emphasizes the group as a whole.

For example, “Each student must submit their essay by Friday” focuses on individual responsibility, while “Every student must submit their essay by Friday” stresses that all students collectively have the responsibility.

Using the wrong word can make your sentence either too vague or slightly misleading.

To master this, think about whether you want to highlight individual members or the entire group.

For instance, “Each of the players wore a different jersey” focuses on individual players, whereas “Every player needs to be present for practice” refers to the entire team.

Writing sentences about groups of friends, classmates, or coworkers using both words helps cement the difference.

Correct use of each and every demonstrates precision and shows examiners your ability to handle nuanced English structures.

20. Using “Who” vs. “That” for People

Many IELTS students struggle with using who and that when referring to people.

Who should be used for humans, while that is generally used for objects, animals, or groups.

For example, “The teacher that helped me was kind” is commonly written, but more formally and correctly it should be “The teacher who helped me was kind.”

While that can sometimes replace who in informal English, overusing it in academic writing can make your essay sound less precise.

A helpful strategy is to identify whether the noun is a person or thing. If it’s a person, always use who.

Understanding the Secrets Of Successful Students often begins with mastering these exact types of subtle grammar rules.

For example, “Students who study regularly perform better on exams” is correct, whereas “Students that study regularly perform better” is technically acceptable but less formal.

Practising formal sentences about people you know, teachers, or historical figures using who consistently improves the professionalism of your writing.

Using who correctly in essays signals to IELTS examiners that you have strong grammatical control, which is crucial for achieving a higher band score.

Closing Remarks

Mastering these 20 common grammar mistakes can completely transform your IELTS Writing.

Each small detail, from using its correctly to distinguishing who and that, contributes to making your writing clear, professional, and precise.

By practising these rules consistently, paying attention to subtle differences, and applying them in your essays, you’ll not only avoid errors but also impress examiners with your control of English.

Remember, accuracy and clarity are just as important as ideas, so take the time to focus on these areas.

With persistence, your writing can reach the next level, giving you confidence and a higher band score.