Download clean, printable lists of the most common mistakes students make — so you can fix them before they cost marks.
Each sheet is aligned to its exam board and built from recurring student errors highlighted in examiner reports and mark schemes.
What you get
A topic-by-topic mistakes list with a “do this instead” fix and a quick self-check.
How to use it
Review before past papers, then use the quick checks to catch errors under timed conditions.
Why it works
Many marks are lost on predictable slips: rounding, sign errors, units, and misreading commands.
Coverage by topic
Preview (up to 5 per topic)
20 total rows in download
| Topic | Common mistake / misconception | Do this instead | Quick check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | Quoting large chunks of text without comment. | Quote only the key word or phrase, then explain the effect it creates on the reader. Analysis > quotation length. | After every quote: what does this word/phrase make the reader think or feel? |
| Reading | Paraphrasing instead of using evidence when asked to 'support with evidence'. | Use exact words from the text in quotation marks. 'The writer says...' + quote + explanation. | Are your words or the writer's words in your answer? |
| Reading | Inferring beyond what the text supports. | Inferences must be based on evidence in the text. Explain what the text implies — don't invent information not present. | Can you point to the exact line that supports your inference? |
| Reading | Listing points without development when the question asks for explanation. | Each point should be followed by a supporting quote and an explanation. One developed point scores more than five listed points. | Did you: state point → quote → explain effect? |
| Reading | Ignoring the focus word in the question (e.g. answering 'what' when asked 'how'). | 'What' = content. 'How' = writer's technique and effect. 'Why' = purpose. Read the question carefully. | Underline the focus word in the question before answering. |
| Writer's Effects | Identifying a technique without explaining its effect. | Name the technique + quote + explain what effect it creates on the reader. Effect is the most important part. | So what? What does this technique make the reader feel, think or imagine? |
| Writer's Effects | Using vague phrases like 'this makes the reader interested'. | Be specific: 'this creates a sense of urgency', 'suggests the character is isolated', 'evokes sympathy for...'. | Replace 'interested' or 'engaged' with a specific emotion or reaction. |
| Writer's Effects | Saying a simile/metaphor 'compares X to Y' and stopping there. | State the comparison, then explain what qualities of Y are transferred to X and what effect that creates. | What does the comparison add to our understanding? Don't just name it. |
| Writer's Effects | Confusing the narrator's voice with the writer's voice. | In fiction, distinguish between what a character says/thinks and what the writer is doing. 'The writer creates a character who...' | Is it the character speaking or the writer crafting an effect? |
| Summary | Including personal opinion in a summary task. | Summaries are objective — report what the writer says, not what you think. No 'I think' or evaluation. | Have you added any opinion? Remove it. |
| Summary | Copying sentences directly from the text in a summary. | Summarise in your OWN words. Show you understand by paraphrasing. Quotation marks not needed in summary answers. | Did you change the vocabulary and sentence structure from the original? |
| Summary | Going beyond the specified lines/section when summarising. | Only use information from the lines stated. Read the question carefully for the exact section to focus on. | Have you checked which lines or paragraphs you must use? |
| Directed Writing | Not adapting tone and register to the specified audience/purpose. | Identify: who is the audience, what is the purpose, what is the form (letter, speech, article). Adjust vocabulary and formality accordingly. | Formal letter: Dear Sir/Madam, no contractions. Speech: address audience directly. Article: heading, paragraphs. |
| Directed Writing | Ignoring the bullet points or prompts given in the question. | All bullet points must be addressed. Each typically corresponds to a paragraph. Missing one costs marks. | Tick off each bullet point as you address it in your response. |
| Directed Writing | Writing in the wrong format (e.g. essay instead of a letter). | Check the form required: letter (salutation, sign-off), report (heading, sections), speech (direct address to audience). | Does your layout match the form asked for in the question? |
| Writing | Using the same sentence structure throughout — all simple or all complex. | Vary sentence length and structure for effect. Short sentences for impact. Longer sentences for description or explanation. | Count your sentence types. Aim for variety. |
| Writing | Beginning paragraphs without a clear topic sentence. | Start each paragraph with a sentence that states the main point of that paragraph. Reader should know what's coming. | Can someone read your first sentence and know what the paragraph is about? |
| Writing | Overusing the word 'and' to join clauses instead of varying connectives. | Use a range of connectives: however, therefore, although, consequently, meanwhile, despite, as a result. | Find every 'and' in your writing. Can any be replaced with a better connective? |
| Writing | Forgetting to check spelling and punctuation at the end. | Reserve 3-5 minutes to proofread. Check: capital letters, full stops, apostrophes, speech marks, spelling of key words. | Did you proofread? Specifically check apostrophes (its/it's) and capital letters. |
| Writing | Using informal language in formal writing tasks. | Formal tasks: no contractions (don't → do not), no slang, no colloquialisms. Match register to audience. | Would this phrasing appear in a newspaper or professional letter? If not, rephrase. |
A practical list of frequent reading and writing errors that lose marks—paired with a fix and a quick self-check.
Yes. It includes common pitfalls like feature-spotting without effect, quoting without analysis, and summary answers that copy or exceed limits.