Are you making this deadly mistake?

One of the most common mistakes that limits the Task Achievement mark is a contradiction between the thesis statement (the answer in the introduction), the body paragraphs, and/or the conclusion.

The main reason for this mistake is lack of planning. When a candidate starts writing without a plan, it's so easy for them to go off topic and lose focus of the position that was presented in the introduction.

Another reasons is that some candidates think of an interesting idea midway, and want to put it in the essay. Doing this will only bring down the mark for TA if it contradicts the thesis statement. Essays are not given higher marks for how interesting they are. Language is being tested, and not knowledge or IQ.

Last but not least, sometimes a candidate thinks of a new idea towards the end of the essay, and they decide to put it in the conclusion. This might not just contradict the thesis, but will turn the conclusion into a body paragraph. Conclusions are not the place for new supporting ideas. They should just summarise the position and main points.

To avoid these mistakes, don't write anything until you have a simple plan. Write your thesis statement, topic sentences, and make a quick sketch as to how you will structure your essay.

It's easy to analyse a plan and adjust it before starting, but when you are midway, there is no way out if you can't generate ideas, and the only way out for most is to go off topic. Don't be that guy  😉

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