https://www.mysunenglish.com<br /><br />Be sure to add MySunEnglish on Skype or Google+ for a free trial lesson!<br /><br />In this lesson, Justin will focus on 5 common mistakes students frequently make while writing their TOEFL/IELTS essays. These mistakes can be very costly so pay close attention and focus on listening so you'll be sure to understand, learn and improve with this new English lesson.<br /><br />TOEFL & IELTS Writing - 5 Common Mistakes in Written English<br />Hello everyone! Justin is back for a new lesson on TOEFL writing. This video will cover 5 common mistakes that you absolutely MUST avoid when doing your TOEFL/IELTS essay.<br />Without further ado, let's start:<br />1. Don't use slang/emoticons/abbreviations:<br />In English, there is a very big difference between casual English, like on internet chat/SMS, and formal written English. Think of it this way: formal written English can only use what is found in the dictionary. And TOEFL/IELTS is formal English.<br />2. Never memorize a text<br />Some students believe that by memorizing a text, it will help them to write their English essay. That is a costly assumption. If the subject is even a slightly different than the text you memorized, you will lose a lot of marks. Topics are also made to always be a little different.<br />3. Avoid contractions<br />While they are technically correct English, they are best kept for spoken English. Avoid the "they're" and "I'm" and write the full words for your essay.<br />4. Don't start your sentences with a conjunction<br />Conjunction should always be used in the middle of a sentence. Don't use them at the beginning (but, and, or, etc.)<br />5. Always complete your sentence/paragraph<br />Leaving a sentence/paragraph unfinished means you probably left an idea unfinished as well and this can prove extremely costly!
