Want to get a high score on IELTS? Avoid these common mistakes!

You think this is a common mistake made by someone else, not you, because you always read the exam questions very carefully? Don't be so confident, “better safe than sorry”, especially when taking important exams like the IELTS, being absolutely careful is never redundant.

For example, just a few seconds of carelessness, you might have missed the phrase “no more than three words” and then wrote more than the allowed number of words, committing one of the unnecessary mistakes that cost you points “unfairly”. Therefore, make sure you have read every centimeter of the exam questions carefully when taking the IELTS!

In case of uncertainty about the answer, never leave the answer blank. Because you will not be penalized for a wrong answer, but who knows, you might unexpectedly score because it is the correct answer? Especially with a relatively difficult exam like IELTS, accumulating points in different questions can give you a perfect overall result!

Some students when entering IELTS essay find that the topic overlaps, similar to the ones they have read before. Then, with their excellent memory, they “copy” the entire essay they have memorized into the current test, and then wonder why they wrote so much but the result is not high?

Remember that the Examiners of the IELTS exam have a lot of experience in grading. They will easily recognize similar essays and therefore, instead of mechanically rewriting someone else's essay, you can learn some good ideas and start creating your own new essay.

If you think that writing longer will get you higher scores, change that mindset right now! An overly long essay can not only lead you off track, straying far from the original topic, but also exceed the word limit, causing you to lose points! Therefore, present your essay concisely, not too long or too short, to convey your ideas adequately and avoid losing points unnecessarily!

Many people still think that when taking the IELTS Speaking test , the more you practice to get an accent like a native speaker, the easier it is to get a high score. In reality, this is not the case. IELTS examiners fully understand that you come from a non-English speaking country, and the important thing to assess your English proficiency does not only come from accent , but also in pronunciation, stress on words, etc.

Therefore, even if your voice has a “thick” Vietnamese accent, if you stay calm and confident, focusing on pronunciation and stressing words well, you can completely achieve the highest score.

Parroting answers is a common mistake among candidates during the IELTS Speaking test. You need to understand that the examiner is not there to listen to answers repeated exactly like a parrot. They need more natural, genuine, and lively responses.

For example, if asked “Do you like watching movies?” Instead of answering “Yes, I like watching movies”, which means you are “copying” the exact words from the examiner's question, try to answer in a more different and natural way: “Yes, I am fond of watching movies and have watched lots of them in my free time”. Your answer will connect with the examiner much more easily and genuinely.

In some cases, when encountering a topic they don't understand well, some candidates often “create” a way to steer their essay towards a different topic and still confidently believe that they are just offering a different perspective based on the original topic.

However, no matter how excellent and impressive your essay is, going off-topic is still a fairly serious mistake, and in that case, you may not be scored. Before starting your essay, always remember to outline from the given topic, then stick to it to ensure you are not making the mistake of “creating your own path”, okay?

Learn more:

IELTS scoring method

How to skim and scan keywords in IELTS

How to improve your vocabulary and spelling

If you still have questions and difficulties in practicing IELTS skills, you can attend free IELTS skills classes completely free of charge taught by IELTS examiners, held monthly at IDP.

Taking IELTS at IDP currently has 2 formats: computer-based IELTS or paper-based IELTS for you to easily choose the suitable format!