How to Avoid IELTS Writing Task 2 Band 6 – Common Errors and Fixes

Your IELTS Writing Task 2 band score stays at Band 6 or 6.5 even though you’ve worked hard and practiced a lot. This can be annoying, especially if you need Band 7+ to get into college, immigrate, or meet job standards.

The good news? You can get past the Band 6 barrier if you know what your weaknesses are and work on them one by one.

What you’ll learn in this piece is:

• Why so many people use Band 6
• What IELTS test takers look for in a Band 7+ score
• The mistakes people make most often that lead to Band 6
• Examples of writing in Band 6 and Band 7+
• Step-by-step plans to fix every issue

What Does IELTS Writing Band 6 Mean?

Let us look at what Band 6 usually means in terms of the four factors for marking:

Criteria for Band 6: A Summary

• Task Response: Somewhat answers the question, but the thoughts may not be clear or well-developed
• Cohesion and Coherence: Organisation is clear, but not perfect; cohesion can be mechanical or repetitive
• Lexical Resource: Not a lot of words; spelling or word choice mistakes
• Range and Accuracy of Grammar: Uses simple frameworks; lots of grammar mistakes make it less clear

To get to Band 7, you need to regularly get better at all four things.

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10 Mistakes Most People Make That Keep Them in Band 6 and How to Fix Them

 

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1. Writing about something else or not getting the question
Band 6 Error: Some students only pay attention to one part of a two-part question or write in a general way without answering the question.

Fix: Carefully read the question to figure out what kind of writing is being asked for and what it means.

Plan: Use the STOP method:

• S = Subject
• T = Type of question
• O = Opinion (if needed)
• P = Plan what to write before starting

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2. Thesis Statement Not Clear or Weak
Band 6 Error: I will talk about the good and bad things about the internet.

Fix: You need to make it clear what you believe in the beginning of your paper, especially if it’s an opinion piece.

Better: The internet has pros and cons, but I think the pros are more important than the cons.

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3. One Sentence with Too Many Ideas
Band 6: Education is good for jobs, personal growth, building a country, and equality.

Fix: Each paragraph should only have one major idea that is clearly stated and backed up with an example.

Follow the PEEL method:

• Point
• Explain
• Example
• Link

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4. Not Enough Paragraphs or Bad Organisation
Band 6 Error: One long block of writing with no clear topic sentences.

Fix: Use four to five paragraphs:

• The Beginning
• Body Sentence 1
• Body Sentence 2
• Body 3 (optional)
• In Conclusion

Each paragraph should begin with a clear topic sentence that tells the reader what the main idea is.

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5. Using Too Many Simple Words and Phrases
Band 6 Error: Good, bad, a lot of, things, very, big

Fix: Write in academic and subject-specific language:

• “Good” → useful or helpful
• “Thing” → problem, cause
• “A lot” → a large number, many people

Tip: To improve your vocabulary, use the Academic Word List.

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6. Sentence Structures That Repeat
Band 6 Writing Style: Everyone likes technology. Technology makes life better. People use tech all the time.

Fix: Use a range of sentence types, from simple to complex.

Better: Many people depend on technology every day, but too much of it can make people less active and less likely to talk to others in person.

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7. Grammar and Tense Mistakes
Band 6 Examples:

• People are scared
• The government doesn’t care
• Every year, pollution gets worse

Fix: Learn and review:

• Agreement of subject and verb
• Consistency of tense
• Plural and singular forms
• How to use articles and prepositions

Tool Tip: Try Grammarly or LanguageTool to improve. Don’t just fix mistakes—learn the rules too.

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8. No or Few Words That Connect Sentences
Band 6 Essay: People want to learn. Getting educated is important. The government gives cash.

Fix: Use logical connectors:

• Addition: Also, additionally
• Contrast: On the other hand, however
• Cause and Effect: Because of this
• Clarification: That is to say, in other words

Don’t overuse any one connector (e.g., using “Moreover” in every line sounds unnatural).

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9. No Conclusion or Repeating Ideas
Band 6 Mistake: Nothing to say or the conclusion just repeats the introduction.

Fix: End with:

• Restate your opinion
• Summarise your two main points
• Do not introduce new ideas

Better Ending: In conclusion, even though I have the opposite view, I strongly think that my opinion is better because it offers more benefits and is more effective.

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10. Band 6 Risks: Too Short or Too Long

• Less than 250 words = automatic penalty
• More than 350 words = more mistakes likely

Fix: Aim for between 260 and 290 words. This allows you to express your ideas clearly without rushing.

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Band 6 vs. Band 7+ Comparison

Band 6 Opening:
Education is important these days. I’m going to talk about why school is good in this paper.

Band 7+ Opening:
A lot of people think that education is important for both personal and national development. Some say it should focus on preparing people for jobs, while others argue it plays a broader role.

Band 6 Body:
Getting educated can help people get jobs. They get paid. They can also become good people. It’s good to learn.

Band 7+ Body:
One of the main reasons to support education is that it improves employment opportunities. Generally, people with higher education earn more than those with only basic schooling. For example, university graduates often earn more than high school graduates.

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How to Get Out of Band 6 and Into Band 7+

Area of Problem	What to Do
Making Plans	Take five minutes to brainstorm and outline your ideas
Writing Paragraphs	Use clear topic sentences and the PEEL method
Words	Build vocabulary lists by topic
Sentence Variety	Practice writing complex sentence structures
Coherence	Use appropriate linking words in moderation
Feedback	Use Grammarly, consult a tutor, or study Band 9 examples

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Step-by-Step Plan to Break Band 6 – Daily Task

Day	Task
Monday	Use PEEL to write one body paragraph (focus on consistency)
Tuesday	Change a Band 6 sample to sound like Band 7
Wednesday	Learn 10 academic words by topic
Thursday	Practice grammar: verbs, articles, and subject-verb agreement
Friday	Write a full essay in 40 minutes
Saturday	Edit an old essay and improve coherence
Sunday	Read a Band 9 sample and summarise it

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Tools We Recommend

Tool	Purpose
Grammarly	Spot issues in grammar and clarity
IELTS Liz	Learn structure and grammar tips
Cambridge IELTS Books	Review Band 9 samples and tasks
Quizlet	Practice topic vocabulary
Write & Improve (Cambridge)	Get free writing feedback

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Thoughts for Now
You’re not the only one stuck at Band 6 on IELTS Writing Task 2. You can improve.

Fix what’s broken:

• Weak structure
• Unclear ideas
• Repetitive words
• Spelling and grammar mistakes

To do well on the IELTS writing test, you don’t need a huge vocabulary or long essays. What you do need is clarity, consistency, and control.

If you practice regularly and seek feedback, you’ll reach Band 7 or even Band 8.

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Call to Action
Have you been stuck at Band 6 in Writing? Leave your last score and biggest challenge in the comments, and I’ll give you specific tips to help you break through!