Common IELTS mistakes and how to avoid them

The short answer

Many avoidable IELTS mistakes have the same root: the candidate does something slightly different from what the task asks. They write fewer words than the minimum, answer only part of a Writing Task 2 question, confuse True/False/Not Given with Yes/No/Not Given, skim past the instructions on a completion task, or recite a prepared Speaking answer that does not fit the question. Each of these can be fixed with deliberate practice once you know what to look for.

Explanation, step by step

Writing mistakes

Writing takes 60 minutes in both Academic and General Training. Task 1 needs at least 150 words and should take about 20 minutes; Task 2 needs at least 250 words and should take about 40 minutes. Task 2 counts twice as much as Task 1, so the time split matters.

• Writing under the minimum. Fix: learn roughly how many words you write per line in your own handwriting or typing, so you can check length quickly without counting every word. Plan enough ideas to reach 150 and 250 comfortably.
• Spending too long on Task 1. Fix: practise with a timer and move on to Task 2 after about 20 minutes. Task 2 carries double the weight.
• Not answering every part of the Task 2 prompt. The Band 6 Task Response descriptor says 'The main parts of the prompt are addressed (though some may be more fully covered than others)', while Band 7 says 'The main parts of the prompt are appropriately addressed. A clear and developed position is presented.' Fix: before planning, underline each thing the question asks you to do and make sure your plan covers all of them.
• Ideas that are listed but not developed. Band 6 notes that main ideas 'may be insufficiently developed or may lack clarity'. Fix: for each main idea, add an explanation and a specific example rather than a new idea.
• Mechanical linking words. The Band 6 Coherence and Cohesion descriptor mentions cohesion that is 'faulty or mechanical due to misuse, overuse or omission'. Fix: use linking words only where they show a real relationship, and use reference words (this, these, such) and substitution as well, which the Band 7 descriptor mentions.
• Forcing 'impressive' vocabulary. The Band 7 Lexical Resource descriptor refers to 'an awareness of style and collocation'. Fix: choose words you can use accurately and in natural combinations.
• Wrong tone in a General Training letter. Task 1 letters may be personal, semi-formal or formal. Fix: decide who you are writing to before you start, and keep the style consistent.

Reading mistakes

Reading takes 60 minutes and has 40 questions. In Academic Reading there are three passages totalling 2,150–2,750 words; in General Training there are three sections of increasing difficulty, from short everyday texts to workplace texts to one longer general-interest text.

• Confusing True/False/Not Given with Yes/No/Not Given. The first is about identifying information in the text; the second is about identifying the writer's views or claims. Fix: before answering, ask yourself whether the set is testing facts or opinions.
• Skimming past instructions on completion tasks. Sentence, summary, note, table, flow-chart and diagram label completion all come with their own instructions. Fix: read the instruction line for every question set and check each answer against it before moving on.
• Running out of time on the last passage. Fix: with three passages in 60 minutes, roughly 20 minutes each is a sensible starting point; practise under timed conditions so you know your own pace.
• Assuming Academic and General Training are scored the same way. They are not: published conversions show 30 correct answers giving band 7 in Academic but band 6 in General Training. Fix: judge your practice scores against the right version.

Listening mistakes

Listening takes about 30 minutes, with four parts and 10 questions in each. Part 1 is an everyday conversation between two speakers, Part 2 is one speaker in an everyday situation, Part 3 is a conversation in an educational or training context, and Part 4 is one person speaking on an academic subject.

• Not reading the instructions for each question set. Fix: as with Reading, check what each completion task asks for before the recording reaches those questions.
• Being surprised by the shift in context. Fix: practise all four parts, not just the everyday conversations, so academic talks in Part 4 feel familiar.

Speaking mistakes

Speaking takes 11–14 minutes. Part 1 lasts 4–5 minutes; Part 2 lasts 3–4 minutes, with one minute to prepare and up to 2 minutes of speaking; Part 3 lasts 4–5 minutes. It is assessed on Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, and Pronunciation.

• Reciting memorised answers. A prepared script rarely fits the exact question you are asked, and it does not build the flexibility the four criteria describe. Fix: prepare vocabulary and ideas for common topics, then practise answering new questions in your own words.
• Wasting the Part 2 preparation minute. Fix: use it to jot down a few key words for each point on the card, not full sentences.
• Stopping well short in Part 2. You can speak for up to 2 minutes. Fix: practise with a timer, extending your answer with reasons, examples and details.
• Forgetting pronunciation. It is one of the four criteria. Fix: record yourself and listen back for unclear words and flat intonation.

Scoring misunderstandings

Each section is reported on a 1–9 band scale in whole or half bands. The overall band is the average of the four, rounded to the nearest half band: an average ending in .25 rounds up to the next half band (6.25 becomes 6.5) and one ending in .75 rounds up to the next whole band (6.75 becomes 7). Knowing this helps you see where an extra half band in one section could lift your overall result. Stride's free band score calculator at /ielts-band-score-calculator uses this official rounding.

Worked example

The prompt below was written by Stride as a study model; it is not an official IELTS question. It shows how to avoid the most common Task 2 mistake: answering only part of the prompt.

Step 1: break the prompt into its parts. This question asks for three things, and a response that covers only one or two will not address 'the main parts of the prompt'.

Step 2: check your development. Compare these two illustrative sentences. Less developed: 'Public transport is good for the environment.' More developed: 'A single bus can replace many private cars on a busy route, which reduces both congestion and exhaust fumes in city centres.' The second explains how and why, which is what 'extended and supported' ideas look like in practice.

Step 3: check the length and time. Aim to finish planning within a few minutes, write at least 250 words, and leave a little time to reread for errors.

Common mistakes

How to practise this

• Pick one mistake at a time from the table and focus on it for a week of practice.
• Always practise Reading and Writing under the real time limits, so time-management mistakes show up before test day.
• After each Reading set, review every wrong answer and note whether it was a misread instruction, a TFNG/YNNG confusion or a vocabulary gap.
• For Writing, check each draft against the four criteria: Task Achievement or Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy.
• For Speaking, record answers to unfamiliar questions and listen back for fluency, clarity and range.
• Stride's timed Reading tests mark instantly with explained answers, and its Writing and Speaking practice give an AI-estimated band on the criteria with feedback. These are estimates, not official scores. Listening practice is not yet available on Stride.

Frequently asked questions

Which Writing task matters more?

Task 2. It counts twice as much as Task 1, which is why the suggested split is about 20 minutes for Task 1 and 40 minutes for Task 2.

What are the minimum word counts in IELTS Writing?

At least 150 words for Task 1 and at least 250 words for Task 2, in both Academic and General Training.

Are Listening and Speaking different for Academic and General Training?

No. Listening and Speaking are the same in both; only Reading and Writing differ.

Is the same Reading score worth the same band in Academic and General Training?

No. General Training needs more correct answers for the same band. For example, 30 correct answers converts to band 7 in Academic Reading and band 6 in General Training.

How is my overall band worked out?

It is the average of your four section bands, rounded to the nearest half band. An average of 6.25 becomes 6.5, and 6.75 becomes 7.

Is a Stride band score the same as an official IELTS score?

No. Stride is not affiliated with the IELTS partners, and its Writing and Speaking bands are AI estimates to guide your practice.

Related guides

• How to prepare for IELTS: a step-by-step guide
• How to improve your IELTS score
• IELTS study plan: 30-day and 8-week timetables
• IELTS tips that actually help on test day