IELTS Writing for Candidates with 30 days before the exam: How to Fix Unclear pronouns and reference words
Make sure each 'this', 'it' or 'they' points to one clear noun. If the reader has to guess, repeat the noun or use 'this' plus a noun such as 'this approach'.
At a glance
- For
- Candidates with 30 days before the exam
- Problem
- Unclear pronouns and reference words
- Scoring criterion
- Coherence and Cohesion
- Task affected
- Task 1 and Task 2
- IELTS test
- Academic or General Training (check your requirement)
- Typical effort
- a few days
- First step
- Underline every 'this', 'that', 'it' and 'they' in your essay.
Why this happens to candidates with 30 days before the exam
Unclear reference breaks the chain between sentences. Writers know what 'it' means, but the reader may see two possible nouns, and cohesion suffers when referencing is faulty or ambiguous.
Why this affects candidates with 30 days before the exam: candidates write many essays without checking whether the same weakness repeats.
Use week two to fix paragraph logic if it is the weakest criterion.
A strength to build on: Enough time exists for three or four feedback and rewrite cycles.
Fix it in four steps
- Underline every 'this', 'that', 'it' and 'they' in your essay.
- Draw an arrow to the noun each one refers to. If you cannot find one, rewrite the sentence.
- Replace a bare 'this' with 'this' plus a noun when two things were mentioned before.
- Vary reference with synonyms only when the meaning is exact.
Before and after
Before
Governments and companies invest in research and this can improve it.
After
Governments and companies invest in research, and this investment can improve public health.
Ten-minute drill: Mark all reference words in two past essays and fix any that point to more than one noun.
Questions and answers
How can candidates with 30 days before the exam fix unclear pronouns and reference words?
Make sure each 'this', 'it' or 'they' points to one clear noun. If the reader has to guess, repeat the noun or use 'this' plus a noun such as 'this approach'. Use week two to fix paragraph logic if it is the weakest criterion.
How long does it take candidates with 30 days before the exam to fix unclear pronouns and reference words?
Most learners need a few days. Diagnose, target, rewrite, then rehearse under test conditions.
Is it safe to repeat the same noun?
A little repetition is better than ambiguity. Use pronouns for clear references and repeat or substitute a noun when a pronoun could mean two things.
What is the most common referencing error?
A bare 'this' that follows a sentence with several ideas. Adding a noun after it usually fixes the problem.
What does a good practice drill look like for candidates with 30 days before the exam?
Mark all reference words in two past essays and fix any that point to more than one noun. Diagnose, target, rewrite, then rehearse under test conditions.
How can candidates with 30 days before the exam tell they have fixed unclear pronouns and reference words?
A reader can follow every reference word to a single noun without re-reading.
What should candidates with 30 days before the exam know about their IELTS Writing target?
A month allows a criterion-based plan: diagnose in week one, fix the lowest criterion in weeks two and three, and rehearse timing in week four.
Should candidates with 30 days before the exam practise this on Task 1, Task 2 or both?
It shows up in both tasks. Fix it in Task 2 first, because Task 2 carries about twice the weight of Task 1, then check Task 1 with the same checklist. Enough time exists for three or four feedback and rewrite cycles.
Can an AI checker help candidates with 30 days before the exam with unclear pronouns and reference words?
An AI checker can show where this pattern appears in your own essay and which criterion it affects, which makes the fix concrete. It gives a practice estimate, not an official IELTS score, so use it to choose the next revision, rewrite, and check again. The first check on this site is free.
Check your own essay
See where unclear pronouns and reference words appears in your own writing and which criterion it affects, then rewrite the weakest paragraph.
Feedback is a practice estimate, not an official IELTS score. Last reviewed 2026-11-11. Score requirements change, so confirm them with the organisation that will read your result.
Related guides
- IELTS Writing for candidates with 30 days before the exam: overview
- Candidates with 30 days before the exam: Writing scores that go up and down between attempts
- Candidates with 30 days before the exam: the gap between Band 6 and Band 7 in Writing
- Candidates with 30 days before the exam: making the same mistakes after getting feedback
- Candidates with 30 days before the exam: ideas that are listed but not developed
- Candidates with 30 days before the exam: running out of time in the Writing paper
- Candidates with 30 days before the exam: overused linking words such as 'however' and 'moreover'
- First-time IELTS test takers: unclear pronouns and reference words
- Candidates aiming for Band 7: unclear pronouns and reference words
- Arabic speakers: unclear pronouns and reference words
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- Teachers: unclear pronouns and reference words
- Master's applicants: unclear pronouns and reference words