IELTS Writing for PhD applicants: How to Fix Making the same mistakes after getting feedback

After each piece of feedback, rewrite the same essay once, fix the top two issues and record them in an error log. Compare the next essay against the log to see whether the pattern is gone.

At a glance

For: PhD applicants
Problem: Making the same mistakes after getting feedback
Scoring criterion: Coherence and Cohesion
Task affected: Task 1 and Task 2
IELTS test: Academic
Typical effort: two to four weeks
First step: Pick the two highest-impact issues from the feedback and ignore the rest for now.

Why this happens to PhD applicants

Feedback is only useful if it changes the next essay. Candidates read comments, agree, and write the next essay the same way because nothing forces the change.

Why this affects PhD applicants: research writing is cautious and hedged, which can make a Task 2 position look uncommitted.

Long, complex paragraphs lose the single central idea.

A strength to build on: Practice with structured argument and evidence is already strong.

Fix it in four steps

Pick the two highest-impact issues from the feedback and ignore the rest for now.
Rewrite the essay or the weakest paragraph using only those two fixes.
Add the issues to an error log with a one-line example of the correct form.
Check the log before each new essay and again in your final proofread.

Before and after

Before

Same article error in four essays in a row.

After

The error appears once in the next essay, and not at all in the one after.

Ten-minute drill: Rewrite one old paragraph with feedback applied and compare it with the original to see exactly what changed.

Questions and answers

What is the fastest way for PhD applicants to fix making the same mistakes after getting feedback?

After each piece of feedback, rewrite the same essay once, fix the top two issues and record them in an error log. Compare the next essay against the log to see whether the pattern is gone. Long, complex paragraphs lose the single central idea.

How long does it take PhD applicants to fix making the same mistakes after getting feedback?

Most learners need two to four weeks. Research schedules are flexible but easily crowded out, so fix a weekly timed session.

How many issues should I fix at once?

Two. More than that dilutes attention, and the same errors return.

Should I rewrite the whole essay?

Rewrite the weakest paragraph at minimum. A full rewrite is useful once a week.

What does a good practice drill look like for PhD applicants?

Rewrite one old paragraph with feedback applied and compare it with the original to see exactly what changed. Research schedules are flexible but easily crowded out, so fix a weekly timed session.

How can PhD applicants tell they have fixed making the same mistakes after getting feedback?

An issue from the log is absent from your next two essays.

What should PhD applicants know about their IELTS Writing target?

Doctoral programmes and funders set minimum IELTS scores, often with a Writing minimum. Check the departmental and funder rules separately.

Should PhD applicants 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. Practice with structured argument and evidence is already strong.

Can an AI checker help PhD applicants with making the same mistakes after getting feedback?

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 making the same mistakes after getting feedback 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.