Top 20 Grammar Mistakes in IELTS Writing Task 2 (GT & Academic) — Fix Them & Get Band 7+

 1. Subject–Verb Agreement

❌ People likes to spend time online.
✅ People like to spend time online.
📘 Rule: “People” is plural → use “like,” not “likes.”

🔹 2. Singular–Plural Confusion

❌ There are many problem in my city.
✅ There are many problems in my city.
📘 Rule: Use plural forms with many, several, a few, etc.

🔹 3. Using Uncountable Nouns Incorrectly

❌ I have many informations about this topic.
✅ I have a lot of information about this topic.
📘 Rule: “Information,” “advice,” “furniture,” “homework” → uncountable nouns (no s).

🔹 4. Missing Articles (a, an, the)

❌ Government should provide better healthcare.
✅ The government should provide better healthcare.
📘 Rule: Use “the” when referring to a specific group or thing.

🔹 5. Repetition of Words

❌ Nowadays technology is very important. Technology helps people in many ways. Technology is developing fast.
✅ Nowadays, technology plays a vital role in our lives and is rapidly advancing in many areas.
📘 Tip: Use synonyms or paraphrasing to avoid repetition — e.g., innovation, digital tools, modern devices.

🔹 6. Informal Language

❌ Kids are getting lazy because of phones.
✅ Children are becoming lazy because of smartphones.
📘 Rule: Avoid informal words like kids, stuff, a lot of, gonna, wanna, etc.

🔹 7. Wrong Word Forms

❌ Government should encourage the develop of new industries.
✅ The government should encourage the development of new industries.
📘 Rule: Use the correct noun/verb/adjective form (develop → development).

🔹 8. Overuse of Personal Pronouns

❌ I think pollution is bad. I believe people should stop it. I feel it is dangerous.
✅ Pollution is a serious issue that needs urgent attention from the government and individuals.
📘 Tip: Minimize “I think / I believe” — make sentences more formal and academic.

🔹 9. Run-On Sentences (No Proper Punctuation)

❌ People use cars it makes pollution and traffic problems.
✅ People use cars, which causes pollution and traffic problems.
📘 Rule: Use commas and linking words to join ideas properly.

🔹 10. Not Using Linking Words Properly

❌ People use the internet. It is helpful. It is also harmful.
✅ People use the internet, which is both helpful and harmful.
📘 Tip: Use connectors like however, moreover, therefore, on the other hand, as a result.

🔹 11. Not Supporting Ideas with Examples

❌ Education is important for everyone.
✅ Education is important for everyone, for example, it helps people get better jobs and improve their lives.
📘 Rule: Always give an example to support your idea (real or imaginary).

🔹 12. Wrong Tense Usage

❌ In the future, people use electric cars.
✅ In the future, people will use electric cars.
📘 Rule: Match tense to time — future = will + V1.

🔹 13. Missing Plural Verbs with Plural Nouns

❌ Many people thinks that social media is harmful.
✅ Many people think that social media is harmful.
📘 Rule: Plural noun → plural verb.

🔹 14. Overgeneralization

❌ All young people are addicted to the internet.
✅ Many young people are addicted to the internet.
📘 Tip: Avoid all, everyone, always → use many, most, some instead.

🔹 15. Short, Choppy Sentences

❌ Technology is important. It helps people. It saves time.
✅ Technology is important because it helps people save time and work more efficiently.
📘 Rule: Join short sentences to show complex grammar (Band 7+).

🔹 16. Repeating the Question (No Paraphrasing)

❌ The question says that travelling is popular today. I agree that travelling is popular today.
✅ Travelling has become increasingly common in modern times due to affordable transport and globalisation.
📘 Rule: Always paraphrase the question in your introduction.

🔹 17. Word Count Too Low

❌ Essay only 220 words.
✅ Write 250–280 words.
📘 Rule: Under-length essays lose marks in Task Response.

🔹 18. Missing Clear Opinion

❌ There are advantages and disadvantages of online education.
✅ In my opinion, the advantages of online education outweigh the drawbacks.
📘 Rule: Always state your opinion clearly (Band 7+ requirement).

🔹 19. No Conclusion or Repeated Introduction

❌ In conclusion, I agree with this statement.
✅ In conclusion, although there are some drawbacks, online education offers greater flexibility and access for learners worldwide.
📘 Rule: Conclusion = summary + opinion (no new idea).

🔹 20. Wrong Prepositions

❌ Depend on to technology.
✅ Depend on technology.
📘 Rule: Learn fixed prepositions: depend on, focus on, interested in, responsible for.