IELTS Writing for Hindi-speaking candidates from India: 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: Hindi-speaking candidates from India
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 Hindi-speaking candidates from India

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 Hindi-speaking candidates from India: Indian English has its own idioms and prepositions, and some of these are marked as non-standard in IELTS.

Formal or old-fashioned linkers can sound unnatural.

A strength to build on: High exposure to English means fluency and vocabulary are often strong.

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 Hindi-speaking candidates from India 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'. Formal or old-fashioned linkers can sound unnatural.

How long does it take Hindi-speaking candidates from India to fix unclear pronouns and reference words?

Most learners need a few days. Focus on structure, register and proofreading rather than adding more vocabulary.

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 Hindi-speaking candidates from India?

Mark all reference words in two past essays and fix any that point to more than one noun. Focus on structure, register and proofreading rather than adding more vocabulary.

How can Hindi-speaking candidates from India 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 Hindi-speaking candidates from India know about their IELTS Writing target?

Candidates from India often write fluent English and need targeted work on exam-specific structure, register and precision.

Should Hindi-speaking candidates from India 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. High exposure to English means fluency and vocabulary are often strong.

Can an AI checker help Hindi-speaking candidates from India 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.

Run a free first check

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.