COMMON MISTAKES IN TASK 2

Some students-including me-often write task 2 with common mistakes. These common mistakes may reduce band, even examiner will not accept it. Please pay attention carefully on some points bellow:

1. Agreement between subject and verb, or subject pronoun with its verb

   For example:

Nowadays, television take an important role to set up people mindset

"television" is singular, it should be followed by verb+s "takes"

They has  opportunities to study abroad

"they" is plural noun, so verb should be "have"

2. Using "I agree", "I disagree"

Maybe some teachers or examiner can accept this. However, you must know that some examiner cannot accept this because they consider your writing is academic writing, so you should not use pronoun "I". Even though you would like to deliver your own opinion as stand statement. Please just write thesis statement, because it is considered as stand statement and reflects your opinion.

3. Using of abbreviations

In academic writing, once again, please do not use abbreviations such as "don't", "doesn't", "haven't", "won't". Please write "do not", "does not", "have not", "will not."

4. Modal + verb structure

Students have to know (right)

Students must know (right)

Students must have to know (wrong)

Students must to know (wrong)

5. Different between "Its" and "It's"

The word "its" is a possesion pronoun from it, and the word "it's" is actually "it is".

6. Effect and Affect, Two/too/to, then and than

Please distinguish between effect and affect.

effect is noun, while affect is verb.

So, distiguish and be carefull with word "two, too, and to", "then, and than", and so "of and off"

7. Numbers

Number from 1-10, you should spell it. For example, this is because two reasons.

Except of percentage. For example: 9% of people immigrate to America with definite job reason.

Number from 11 and above, you should write the number. For example: Students should bring 20 papers in examination day.

Any questions, please comment :)