1. Writing Comprehension Answers in Their Own Words
In comprehension questions, your answer must be drawn directly from the passage. Do not bring in outside knowledge or personal opinions. Markers want to see that you understood the text — not that you know about the topic in general.
2. Ignoring the Word Limit in Summary Questions
When a summary question specifies "in not more than 80 words," that limit is strict. Students who exceed the limit get marks deducted. Count your words. Cut ruthlessly.
3. Telling a Story Instead of Writing an Essay
Narrative writing and expository or argumentative essays are completely different. Many students default to storytelling mode regardless of the essay type. Read the instruction carefully — if it says "write an article," use article format. If it says "write a letter to the editor," use letter format with appropriate salutations.
4. Poor Introduction and Conclusion
Many students write a weak one-sentence introduction and no conclusion at all. A strong essay introduction presents the topic and your stance. A strong conclusion does not just summarise — it reinforces your argument and leaves an impression.
5. Confusing Register in Letter Writing
Formal letters use different language from informal letters. Using slang, contractions (don't, can't, I'll), or casual phrasing in a formal letter to a principal or government official is a serious error that costs marks.
6. Not Reading Oral English Past Questions
Many students completely neglect the oral English section. Yet it accounts for 30 marks. Practise vowel sounds, consonants, rhyme questions, and emphatic stress regularly — they are very learnable and consistent across years.
7. Careless Grammar in Writing
Subject-verb agreement errors, tense inconsistencies, and wrong pronoun use are extremely common. Write a draft, then re-read specifically looking for these three types of errors before submitting.
8. Skipping the Lexis and Structure Section
The lexis and structure section (antonyms, synonyms, sentence completion, cloze passages) is predictable and very learnable. Students who practise this section consistently with past questions score well every time.
9. Spending Too Long on the Essay
Allocate your time before you start writing. A common guide: 45 minutes for the essay, 30 minutes for comprehension, 20 minutes for summary, 15 minutes for lexis and structure. Stick to it — leaving comprehension incomplete is very costly.
10. Not Revising Punctuation Rules
Missing commas after subordinate clauses, incorrect use of apostrophes, and run-on sentences are common errors that signal weak writing to markers. Spend one full study session on punctuation rules — it is a very quick win.