The marks you lose without noticing: Most lost marks in Paper 1 don't come from advanced English you got wrong — they come from a handful of predictable mistakes: the wrong register, an answer that's too short, missing a bullet point, verb-tense slips, ignoring the text type, and listing ideas instead of developing them.
Each one quietly costs a criterion. Learn to spot and fix them and your grade rises without learning a single new word.
- register
- how formal or informal your language is; mixing levels, or using the wrong one for the reader, costs marks
- word count
- the length your answer must reach (a typical SL task asks for a set range); far too short caps your mark
- verb tense
- present, past or future; pick the right one for the task and keep it consistent
- text type
- blog, email, article, speech…; each comes with conventions you must use
- to develop an idea
- to expand a point with a reason and an example, not just name it
- bullet point (prompt point)
- each instruction in the task; you must respond to every one
- subject–verb agreement
- the verb must match its subject (he goes, they go); a classic accuracy slip
Errors map to criteria: Each pitfall hits a specific criterion: register and text type → Criterion C, too short, a missing bullet, undeveloped ideas → Criterion B, verb tenses and agreement → Criterion A.
Knowing which criterion a mistake costs tells you which to check first.
Six pitfalls, six fixes: Here are the most common Paper 1 errors, the criterion each one damages, and the fix. Read across each row: spot the mistake, see which mark it costs, and know exactly what to do instead.
| Common error | Criterion hit | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Wrong or mixed register (too casual for a formal reader) | C | Decide the register from the reader, then keep it from greeting to sign-off |
| Answer too short / below the word range | B | Reach the required length by developing your ideas, not padding |
| Missing one of the bullet points in the prompt | B | Tick off every bullet — a missing one caps your message mark |
| Verb-tense and agreement slips | A | Leave time to scan the verbs (right tense, he goes / they go) |
| Ignoring the text type | C | Use its conventions (title, greeting, sign-off, headline…) |
| Listing ideas without developing them | B | Develop 2–3 ideas with a reason and an example each |
Read the table top to bottom on the day: Register · Length · Bullets · Verbs · Text type · Development. If you run a mental check down this list before you hand in, you'll catch the mistakes that cost most candidates their marks.
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Five checks before you hand in: Leave five minutes at the end for a fixed checking routine. Don't read your answer once for a vague "does it sound right?" — run five specific checks, each catching one of the common pitfalls.
Your final-check routine — 5 steps
1
Check every bullet is answered
Re-read the prompt and tick off each instruction. A missing bullet caps Criterion B, so this comes first.
2
Check the length
Are you in the required word range? Too short means undeveloped ideas (Criterion B); far over wastes time and risks errors.
3
Check the register is right and consistent
Does your register match the reader (formal vs friendly), and is it the same from greeting to sign-off? That protects Criterion C.
4
Check the text-type conventions
Are the features of your text type present — title/headline, greeting, sign-off, paragraphs? Also Criterion C.
5
Check verbs & agreement
Scan for verb tenses (right and consistent) and subject–verb agreement — the classic Criterion A slips.
Bullets → Length → Register → Conventions → Verbs
Check in a fixed order: Always check in the same order — Bullets → Length → Register → Conventions → Verbs. A fixed routine means you never forget a step under pressure, and each pass targets one specific kind of mistake instead of a vague re-read.
Diagnose, then fix: Here's a weak answer snippet with several of the classic pitfalls, diagnosed then fixed. Read the flawed version and spot the problems, then see the corrected one.
Spotting and fixing the classic errors
From a flawed snippet to a fixed one
- Weak answer (a snippet — the task asked for a formal email to the head teacher): "Hi miss, I'm writing to give my opinion. The uniform is bad. I don't like it. It's ugly. Yesterday I don't wear it and nobody say nothing. I want you remove it. Thanks." What's wrong: the register is far too informal for a head teacher ("Hi miss", "Thanks"), the ideas are choppy and undeveloped, there are verb-tense slips ("Yesterday I don't wear"), an agreement/structure slip ("nobody say nothing"), and no greeting or sign-off conventions.
- Corrected answer: "Dear Ms Carter, I am writing to share my opinion about the school uniform. I believe it is impractical because, for example, yesterday it tore during a normal school day and could not be repaired. Moreover, many students find it uncomfortable in warm weather. For these reasons, I would be grateful if you could consider reviewing the policy. Yours sincerely, [name]." Fixes: the register is now consistently formal and polite, the email has a proper greeting and sign-off (Criterion C), the ideas are developed with a reason and a concrete example (Criterion B), and the verbs and connectors are accurate (Criterion A).
Fix the mistakes, keep the ideas: Notice the corrected version uses the same basic ideas (the uniform is impractical and uncomfortable) — it just fixes the register, adds the email's conventions, develops the ideas with a reason and an example, and links them with connectors. The mistakes, not the ideas, were holding the marks down.
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Habits that earn vs habits that cost: The difference between a safe answer and a risky one is a set of habits. Here are the good practices that protect your marks against the classic mistakes that quietly drain them.
Good practice
- Match the register to the reader and keep it consistent.
- Answer every bullet, then develop 2–3 ideas with reasons and examples.
- Use the text-type conventions (title, greeting, sign-off…).
- Save five minutes to check verbs, agreement and word count.
Habits that cost marks
- Use a casual register for a formal reader (or flip mid-text).
- Write far too little, or just list ideas without developing them.
- Skip a bullet point in the prompt.
- Hand in with no final check for verb-tense and agreement slips.
Avoiding mistakes beats showing off: You score more by avoiding the common pitfalls than by reaching for rare, risky vocabulary. A clear, consistent, well-developed answer with correct verbs beats a flashy one full of slips. Play it safe — then add ambition (an idiom, a complex sentence) where you're sure.