When I check my students’ IELTS essays, I often see the same grammar mistakes again and again.
These errors may seem small, but in IELTS Writing Task 2, grammar counts for 25% of your score under Grammatical Range and Accuracy.
Even strong ideas can lose marks if your essay has tense mistakes, article errors, or awkward sentences.
In this guide, I’ll share:
- ✅ The top 10 grammar mistakes in IELTS Writing Task 2
- ✅ How each mistake reduces your band score
- ✅ Teacher-approved corrections to fix them
If you want a full guide to mastering grammar for high scores, see my IELTS Writing Task 2 Grammar for Band 7–9. This is our pillar resource that covers all essential grammar rules, sentence types, and tips to boost your score.
Before we start, don’t forget that vocabulary and grammar work together to create clear, formal, and examiner-friendly essays. Check out my IELTS Writing Task 2 Vocabulary for Band 7–9 for the perfect companion guide.
Why Grammar Mistakes Lower Your IELTS Score
IELTS examiners mark your essay in four areas:
- Task Response – answering the question fully
- Coherence and Cohesion – logical flow and linking
- Lexical Resource – vocabulary range and accuracy
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy – correct sentences and varied structures
Grammar mistakes:
- ❌ Reduce clarity and make your essay harder to follow
- ❌ Show limited range if you only use simple sentences
- ❌ Signal inaccuracy, which can keep you at Band 6
Check official resources for more scoring details:
Top 10 Common Grammar Mistakes in IELTS Writing Task 2
Here are the mistakes I see most often in student essays, along with examples and corrections.
1. Subject-Verb Agreement Errors
Many students forget to match the subject and verb correctly.
Wrong:
“The government have announced new policies.”
Correct:
“The government has announced new policies.”
Teacher Tip: Treat government, society, team as singular nouns in formal writing.
2. Mixing Tenses in One Paragraph
Task 2 essays should maintain tense consistency.
Wrong:
“Pollution was increasing, and many cities are taking action now.”
Correct:
“Pollution is increasing, and many cities are taking action now.”
3. Missing Articles (a, an, the)
Articles are small but crucial for grammatical accuracy.
Wrong:
“Government should invest in renewable energy.”
Correct:
“The government should invest in renewable energy.”
4. Overusing Simple Sentences
Relying only on simple sentences shows limited grammatical range.
Wrong:
“People use cars. Cities are polluted. Health problems rise.”
Correct (Complex):
“As people increasingly use private cars, cities become polluted, which leads to serious health problems.”
5. Run-On Sentences (No Proper Punctuation)
Long sentences without punctuation confuse examiners.
Wrong:
“Many people move to cities they want better jobs life is difficult there.”
Correct:
“Many people move to cities because they want better jobs, but life can be difficult there.”
6. Informal Contractions
Task 2 essays require formal tone. Avoid don’t, can’t, won’t.
Wrong:
“People don’t care about the environment.”
Correct:
“Many people do not care about the environment.”
7. Confusing Singular and Plural Forms
Using the wrong number can break sentence accuracy.
Wrong:
“Many information are available online.”
Correct:
“Much information is available online.”
8. Misusing Prepositions
Prepositions in English are tricky and often misused.
Wrong:
“We must discuss about this issue.”
Correct:
“We must discuss this issue.”
9. Misplaced Modifiers
When adjectives or phrases are in the wrong place, the sentence becomes awkward.
Wrong:
“The government announced new policies to improve education last year on TV.”
Correct:
“Last year, the government announced on TV new policies to improve education.”
10. Forgetting to Proofread
The easiest way to lose marks is by leaving avoidable grammar mistakes.
Teacher Tip: Always spend 2–3 minutes at the end of your essay to:
- Check subject-verb agreement
- Verify punctuation and articles
- Ensure tense consistency
Sample Paragraph: Incorrect vs Correct
Incorrect:
“Government should take action to reduce traffic, people use car too much, and environment are getting bad.”
Correct:
“The government should take action to reduce traffic because people use cars excessively, and the environment is deteriorating.”
Notice the fixes:
- ✅ Added missing article (the government)
- ✅ Corrected verb forms (environment is deteriorating)
- ✅ Combined clauses logically for coherence
Quick Practice Exercise
Correct this sentence for IELTS Writing Task 2:
“People is moving to city because job are easy get.”
Suggested Answer:
“People are moving to cities because jobs are easy to get.”
How to Avoid Grammar Errors in IELTS
- Learn your personal weak points (articles, tenses, plurals)
- Write practice essays and self-correct
- Use Band 7+ sample essays to see how sentences are structured
- Read your essay aloud – errors are easier to hear than see
For a complete guide to fixing grammar errors and learning advanced structures, review the IELTS Writing Task 2 Grammar for Band 7–9 pillar post.
FAQ Section
Q1: What are the most common IELTS grammar mistakes in writing?
Errors include tense shifts, article omissions, subject-verb disagreement, and run-on sentences.
Q2: How can grammar mistakes affect my band score?
Frequent errors reduce clarity and limit your Grammatical Range and Accuracy score, keeping you at Band 6–6.5.
Q3: How can I avoid grammar errors in IELTS essays?
Proofread your work, practice writing with varied sentence structures, and learn your weak points.
Conclusion
Avoiding IELTS grammar mistakes in writing is the key to unlocking Band 7–9 scores.
When you:
- ✅ Check subject-verb agreement
- ✅ Use correct tenses and articles
- ✅ Write clear, formal sentences
… your essay will impress examiners and boost your score.
🔗 Next step: Strengthen your grammar with our upcoming guide on IELTS Writing Task 2 Complex Sentences for Band 9 to expand your range.
