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I am honestly tired of getting DMs like: "Teacher, can I use ‘ameliorate’ here?” Then I open the essay and it says: “Governments should ameliorate the happiness index by implementing stringent punishments.” 🙄🙄🙄🙄 My students already know the difference between a Band 6 Sambao-style essay and a real Band 7 or 8 essay with clear logic, precise vocabulary, and correct structure. So here are 8 IELTS Writing Myths that I keep seeing from YouTube videos, Telegram groups, and Facebook teachers that students need to UNLEARN immediately: (And yes, I’ll be posting breakdown videos soon where I read out essays that follow these myths and transform them into something actually functional. Stay tuned.) 1. “You must use complex vocabulary in every sentence.” What students believe: If I use more difficult words like “ameliorate,” “eradicate,” or “paradigm,” I’ll get a higher score in Lexical Resource. Why it’s wrong: • IELTS does not reward rare vocabulary unless it’s used naturally and precisely. • Most students misuse these words by forcing them into the wrong contexts. • Words like “ameliorate” do not collocate with common IELTS phrases (e.g., “ameliorate the happiness index” sounds unnatural). " 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝘅.” Problem: “Happiness index” is an actual economic measure, not just a way to say “make people happy.” Ameliorate” means to make a bad situation less bad to relieve suffering or reduce a negative condition. But “happiness index” is not a bad situation. It’s a measurement of how happy people are not something that needs to be “fixed.” 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲: “𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹-𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴.” 2. “Just memorize a template.” What students believe: If I memorize a high-band essay and change the keywords, I’ll get a high score too. Why it’s wrong: • Examiners recognize memorized phrases like “This essay will elaborate the aforementioned statement…” • Templates often produce generic or irrelevant sentences that don’t match the specific task. • Memorized structures prevent students from showing their ability to express ideas naturally. “𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗴𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗿𝗮𝘄 𝗮 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻" Problem: This sentence does not respond to the actual prompt. It’s just a filler. Instead, directly address the question: “𝗔𝗹𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗜 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀.” 3. “Opinion essays must be balanced.” What students believe: Even if I agree or disagree, I have to show both sides. Why it’s wrong: • If the prompt is “To what extent do you agree or disagree?”, you can choose one clear side. • Giving both sides when not required often results in an unclear opinion, which hurts your score. You’re trying to sound neutral, but IELTS wants a clear personal opinion in this task. Unclear stance = Task Response 6. 4. “Idioms help you impress the examiner.” What students believe: Using phrases like “a blessing in disguise” or “burning the candle at both ends” will boost their vocabulary score. Why it’s wrong: • Idioms are informal, and IELTS writing is formal academic style. • They don’t suit the tone of the essay and can make your writing seem careless or childish. 𝗪𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: “ 𝗜𝗳 𝘄𝗲 𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲, 𝘄𝗲’𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗰 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿.” 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿: “𝗜𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱, 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲.” 5. “Passive voice is more academic.” Some students believe: Passive voice always sounds more professional. • Overusing passive makes writing vague, weak, and unclear. • Active voice is often clearer and shows who is responsible for the action. 𝗪𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 (𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲): “𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘄 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱.” 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 (𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲): “𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘄.” In the passive sentence, we don’t know who believes this. → “It is believed…” By whom? Students? Citizens? Researchers? Aliens? It’s vague. That lack of clarity makes your writing weak and empty. • In the active sentence, you say exactly who believes it: → “Many experts believe…” That shows you understand who is involved, and you’re making your idea clearer and stronger. • The passive version also hides who should take action. → “The law should be changed.” But by whom? The government? The courts? The public? • In the active version, you make the actor clear: → “The government should revise the law.” Moreover, In IELTS writing, the most important information should be front and center, not buried at the end of the sentence or hidden behind vague phrases. 6. “I should change every word to avoid repetition.” What students believe: Synonyms will make me sound advanced. Why it’s wrong: • IELTS wants you to use accurate and consistent vocabulary. • Overusing synonyms can cause confusion or slight meaning changes. For example, stydents often write something like.. “Adolescents today face more pressure. These young people, kids, youths, and teenagers…” However,these aren’t all perfect synonyms. “Kids” is informal. “Adolescents” and “youngsters” don’t always match. 7. “Rhetorical questions add style.” What students believe: Rhetorical questions make the essay engaging. Why it’s wrong: • IELTS writing is not storytelling. It’s formal argument. • Rhetorical questions are too casual and vague. • They don’t express clear arguments or opinions. 𝗪𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: “𝗦𝗼, 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝗱𝗼 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻?” 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿: “𝗧𝗼 𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗴𝗲.” 8. “Every conclusion needs a recommendation.” What students believe: Even in opinion essays, I should suggest a solution at the end. Why it’s wrong: • Only problem-solution tasks require a recommendation. • In opinion and discussion tasks, the conclusion should summarize your opinion not add new ideas.