This document provides a checklist to help avoid common mistakes when writing for exams or other assessments. It lists 7 key things to bear in mind: [1] Read carefully, [2] Be careful with grammar like tense agreement and sentence structure, [3] Be careful with spelling paying attention to capitalization and irregular forms, [4] Be careful choosing accurate vocabulary and avoiding repetitions, [5] Be careful with punctuation as it affects readability, [6] Be careful with coherence and cohesion by organizing and linking ideas, [7] Be aware of personal common mistakes by reviewing past work. Following this checklist can help remember important details to improve writing quality and avoid mistakes.

1. Avoiding
mistakes
in writing tasks
Checklist
Final exam and PAU preparation.
2nd BACH
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2. Have yo ever thought
why you sometimes
make certain mistakes?
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3. The following checklist
will help you remember
very important
THINGS TO BEAR IN MIND
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4. 1. READ CAREFULLY
Whether it is a text, a
comprehension question
(reading or listening), an
exercise in a test, a
composition topic…
FIRST
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5. 2. BE CAREFUL WITH
GRAMMAR
Pay special attention to:
Sentence structure
AFFIRM.: SUBJECT + VERB + COMPLEMENTS
INTERROGATIVE: MODAL/AUXILIARY + SUBJECT + VERB…
NEG.: SUBJECT + AUX/MODAL+ NOT/N’T+ VERB
NO VERB WITHOUT SUBJECT
Be careful with subordinate clauses. DON’T
MAKE THEM TOO LONG AND COMPLEX
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6. Verbal tenses
Make sure you have a good command
of both their form and use.
TRY TO…
o Make a list from time to time to
see if you remember them.
o Write sentences using all different
tenses.
o Compare them with their Spanish
equivalent:
Present Simple Presente
indicativo
Past Perfecto Pretérito
pluscuam.
When answering questions, DON’T FORGET TO USE
THE SAME VERBAL TENSE IN YOUR ANSWER!
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7. Agreement
SUBJECT – VERB People ARE
NOUN – POSSESSIVE Henry drove
HIS car
NOUN – PRONOUN Susan arrived
yesterday. SHE
brought some
presents
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8. Subject / Object pronouns
Possessives (adjs. & prons.)
ppossessives
ppossessives
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9. Other grammar
REMEMBER
Adjectives don’t take plural
REVIEW
Typical grammar topics:
Verbs taking infinitive or gerund
Infinitive of purpose
Relative clauses
Passive voice
Reported speech
Conditional sentences
Connectors and subordinate clauses
Special structures, such as V+OBJ+INF
(TELL/ASK/ORDER… SOMEONE TO DO
SOMETHING) … Page 9

10. 3. BE CAREFUL WITH
SPELLING
Pay special attention to:
CAPITAL LETTERS: At the beginning of
sentences, proper names, months, days of
the week, nationalities, names of subjects,
subject pronoun ‘I’
ADJECTIVES ENDING IN –FUL: Only one
L
IRREGULAR PAST FORMS ENDING IN –
OUGHT /AUGHT
Words like writing / written, which, with
Double and simple consonants:
ocassion, business, beginning
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11. 4. BE CAREFUL WITH
VOCABULARY
Use specific vocabulary related to the topic
Avoid repetitions by using synonyms
Choose the right grammatical category in
each case (noun, adjective, pronoun,
adverb…)
TRY TO…
o Write sentences with new
vocabulary you learn.
o Make your own lists of words
related to different topics
(physical description, crimes,
holidays,…)
DON’T INVENT WORDS. Look them up
in a dictionary or find synonyms or
ways of expressing the same idea with
different words Page 11

12. 5. BE CAREFUL WITH
PUNCTUATION
If you don’t punctuate your texts properly,
reading and understanding will be seriously
affected.
6. BE CAREFUL WITH
COHERENCE AND
COHESION
Organise and link your ideas. Use a variety of
connectors
7. BE AWARE OF YOUR
MOST COMMON
MISTAKES
Check the writings you’ve done throughout
the year and make a list.
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