A Practical IELTS Writing Self-Review Checklist

Review the task before the language

Read the prompt again and underline the instruction words. Have you answered every part? Is your position clear? Does every body paragraph support that position?

A polished sentence cannot rescue an essay that answers a different question. Start with relevance, then move to organisation and accuracy.

Use a five-minute sequence

First, count words and check the minimum. Second, label the function of each paragraph in the margin. Third, circle repeated content words and replace only where a more precise alternative is available.

Finally, read every sentence aloud or slowly. This often reveals missing verbs, agreement errors and sentences that are too long to control.

• Task: direct answer and relevant support.
• Paragraphs: one main idea in each body paragraph.
• Cohesion: links show genuine relationships.
• Vocabulary: accurate and appropriate, not artificially difficult.
• Grammar: a mix of controlled simple and complex forms.

Know what automation cannot judge

A digital checker can count words, flag repetition and identify some structural signals. It cannot reliably judge whether evidence is persuasive, whether a paraphrase changes meaning or whether a grammar choice is natural in context.

Use the Writing Checker as the first review pass, then seek feedback from a qualified teacher or experienced reviewer for higher-stakes preparation.