The 12 IELTS Writing Mistakes Indian Students Make Most Often
Reading time: 12 minutes
India sends more IELTS test-takers than almost any other country. Yet many Indian candidates struggle to reach their target scores, often getting stuck at Band 5 or 5.5 despite strong English education.
The problem isn't that Indian students lack English ability. The problem is that specific features of Indian English—influenced by Hindi and other regional languages—create systematic errors that IELTS examiners mark against.
Understanding these patterns is the first step to fixing them. Here are the most common mistakes Indian test-takers make, and exactly how to address each one.
1. Article Errors (The/A/An)
This is the single biggest issue for Hindi speakers in IELTS Writing.
Hindi doesn't have articles. There's no equivalent to "the," "a," or "an." So when Hindi speakers learn English, they have to consciously learn a system that doesn't exist in their native language.
Common errors:
"Education is important for the development of country."
Should be: "Education is important for the development of a country" or "the country"
"I went to university last year."
Should be: "I went to the university last year" (specific university)
"He is honest man."
Should be: "He is an honest man."
"The technology has changed our lives."
Should be: "Technology has changed our lives." (general concept, no article)
Why this matters: Article errors occur multiple times in every essay. Even 5-6 article mistakes can significantly impact your Grammatical Range and Accuracy score.
The fix: Learn article rules systematically, then consciously check every noun in your writing. Ask yourself: Is this specific or general? Countable or uncountable? Does the reader know which one I mean?
2. Subject-Verb Agreement
Hindi verb conjugation works differently from English, leading to frequent subject-verb mismatches.
Common errors:
"The government need to take action."
Should be: "The government needs to take action."
"Many people thinks that..."
Should be: "Many people think that..."
"Technology have changed everything."
Should be: "Technology has changed everything."
"The number of students are increasing."
Should be: "The number of students is increasing." (Note: "number" is the subject, not "students")
The fix: Always identify your subject clearly. If it's singular, the verb needs 's' (for present tense). Words like "government," "technology," "education," and "number" are singular even though they might refer to many things.
3. Tense Inconsistency
Many Indian students mix tenses within the same paragraph, often using present tense when discussing past events or vice versa.
Common errors:
"Last year, the company announced that it is closing its branches."
Should be: "Last year, the company announced that it was closing its branches."
"In the modern world, technology changed how we communicate."
Should be: "In the modern world, technology has changed how we communicate."
The fix: Before writing, decide which tense framework your essay uses. Present tense for current discussions, past tense for historical examples. Be consistent.
4. Word Choice Influenced by Hindi Phrases
Direct translation from Hindi creates phrases that sound unnatural in English.
Common errors:
"I have a lot of tension about my exams."
Should be: "I am very worried/stressed about my exams."
"What is your good name?"
Should be: "What is your name?"
"I am doing graduation."
Should be: "I am completing/studying for my degree" or "I am an undergraduate."
"I passed out from Delhi University."
Should be: "I graduated from Delhi University."
"He is my cousin brother."
Should be: "He is my cousin."
The fix: Be aware of phrases that are common in Indian English but not used internationally. When in doubt, check whether native British or American speakers use the phrase.
5. Preposition Errors
Hindi prepositions don't map directly onto English prepositions, causing frequent mistakes.
Common errors:
"She is married with a businessman."
Should be: "She is married to a businessman."
"I am different than him."
Should be: "I am different from him."
"I have been living here since three years."
Should be: "I have been living here for three years."
"The impact of technology on society is discussed in the essay."
This is correct! "Impact on" is the proper collocation.
The fix: Learn preposition collocations—which prepositions go with which words. These are often arbitrary and must be memorized.
6. Overuse of "Very" and "Too"
Indian students often overuse intensifiers, particularly "very" and "too."
Common errors:
"It is very very important to study."
Should be: "It is extremely/highly important to study."
"Technology is too useful in daily life."
Should be: "Technology is very/highly useful in daily life." ("Too" implies excess/negative)
"The weather was too beautiful."
Should be: "The weather was very beautiful." ("Too" doesn't work with positive qualities)
The fix: Replace "very + adjective" with stronger single words:
- Very important = crucial, essential, vital
- Very big = enormous, vast, substantial
- Very good = excellent, outstanding, exceptional
7. Informal Writing Style
Indian candidates often write too informally for the academic style IELTS expects.
Common errors:
"Lots of people think that..."
Should be: "Many people believe that..."
"Kids these days are always on their phones."
Should be: "Young people/Children today frequently use mobile phones."
"This is really bad for health."
Should be: "This is detrimental to health."
"Okay, so the main point is..."
Should be: "The main argument is that..."
The fix: Avoid contractions (don't, can't, won't), slang, and casual phrases in Task 2. Write as if you're submitting a university essay.
8. Run-on Sentences and Comma Splices
Indian students often join sentences with commas alone, creating grammatically incorrect structures.
Common error:
"Education is important, it helps people get jobs, they can then support their families."
Should be:
"Education is important because it helps people get jobs. As a result, they can support their families."
Or: "Education is important; it helps people get jobs, and they can then support their families."
The fix: Every complete thought (independent clause) needs either a period, a semicolon, or a conjunction. Commas alone can't join complete sentences.
9. Overusing Transition Words
While linking words are important for coherence, Indian students often overuse them, creating awkward flow.
Common error:
"Firstly, education is important. Secondly, technology is changing. Thirdly, health matters. Moreover, environment is a concern. Furthermore, employment is an issue."
The problem: This reads like a list, not a coherent essay. Examiners specifically penalize mechanical overuse of linking words.
The fix: Use linking words when they add meaning, not as decoration. Let ideas flow naturally. Sometimes the connection between sentences is obvious and doesn't need a transition word.
10. Not Addressing All Parts of the Question
Indian students sometimes answer the question they wanted to get, not the question they actually got.
Example question: "Some people believe that universities should provide students with practical skills for employment. Others think the main purpose of education is to develop intellectual abilities. Discuss both views and give your own opinion."
Common mistake: Writing only about the importance of education generally, without specifically comparing practical skills vs. intellectual development, or forgetting to give your own opinion.
The fix: Underline key parts of the question. Make sure your essay directly addresses each one. The question gives you your essay structure.
11. Repetitive Vocabulary
Indian students often reuse the same words throughout an essay, signaling limited vocabulary range.
Common pattern:
"Education is important. Education helps people. Education should be free. Education is the key to success."
Better approach:
"Education is important. Formal learning helps people develop essential skills. Academic opportunities should be accessible to all. The acquisition of knowledge is fundamental to success."
The fix: For common essay topics (education, technology, environment, health), prepare 10-15 synonyms and related terms. Use them to avoid repetition.
12. Spelling Influenced by Indian Pronunciation
Because English spelling doesn't match English pronunciation, and because Indian English pronunciation differs from British/American, spelling errors are common.
Common errors:
"Definately" should be "Definitely" (the word contains "finite")
"Goverment" should be "Government"
"Enviroment" should be "Environment"
"Resturant" should be "Restaurant"
"Pronounciation" should be "Pronunciation"
The fix: Keep a list of words you commonly misspell. Check them every time. For words with silent letters or unusual patterns, create memory tricks.
Why This Matters for Your Score
These aren't minor issues. Each category affects specific IELTS marking criteria:
- Article errors, tense errors, subject-verb agreement = Grammatical Range and Accuracy
- Limited vocabulary, word choice issues = Lexical Resource
- Run-on sentences, overused linking words = Coherence and Cohesion
- Not addressing the question, informal style = Task Response
Fixing these patterns can improve your score by 0.5-1.0 bands—often the difference between missing your target and achieving it.
How to Address These Issues Systematically
Identify your personal patterns: Not every Indian student makes all these mistakes. Which ones affect YOUR writing?
Focus on one category at a time: Trying to fix everything at once is overwhelming. Spend one week on articles, the next on subject-verb agreement, etc.
Get specific feedback: General advice isn't enough. You need someone to identify exactly which errors appear in your specific writing.
Practice deliberately: When you write practice essays, consciously focus on your problem areas. Check every article, every verb agreement, every preposition.
Review before submitting: Build a personal checklist of your common errors. Use the last 5 minutes of the test to check for these specific issues.
The Good News
These are all learnable skills. Indian students who understand their specific error patterns and work on them systematically improve significantly. Your English foundation is strong—you just need to refine it for the international academic standard IELTS assesses.
For more detailed strategies on structuring your essays effectively, check out our IELTS Writing Task 2 tips. If you want to understand how your native language specifically influences your writing patterns, our guide on Hindi language interference in IELTS provides deeper insights.
Want to identify exactly which Hindi-influenced errors appear in your writing? Our AI analyzes your essays and creates a personalized correction plan based on your specific patterns.