7 Common Writing Mistakes 11+ Students Make (and How to Fix Them)

Why These Mistakes Matter

Every 11+ examiner will tell you the same thing: the mistakes that cost marks are rarely mysterious. They're the same seven errors, appearing paper after paper, year after year. The pupils who score highly aren't the ones who never make mistakes. They're the ones who've learned to spot and fix the common ones.

This guide shows you each mistake with a real-looking example, explains why it hurts your mark, and gives you a corrected version. Think of it as a troubleshooting guide for your writing.

Mistake 1: Tense Inconsistency

Example

"I walked down the corridor and the lights flickered. I stop. Something is moving behind the door."

This starts in past tense ("walked," "flickered") then slips into present tense ("stop," "is"). It's jarring for the reader and tells the examiner you've lost control of the narrative.

Fixed version

"I walked down the corridor and the lights flickered. I stopped. Something was moving behind the door."

Why it matters: Tense inconsistency affects the whole piece. Even one slip pulls the reader out of the story. For a full guide to avoiding this, see our article on mastering past tense narrative.

Mistake 2: Comma Splices

Example

"The door opened slowly, I held my breath."

These are two complete sentences joined by just a comma. That's a comma splice, and it's one of the most common punctuation errors in 11+ papers.

Three ways to fix it

• Full stop: "The door opened slowly. I held my breath."
• Conjunction: "The door opened slowly, and I held my breath."
• Semicolon: "The door opened slowly; I held my breath."

Why it matters: Comma splices make writing look rushed and uncontrolled. They're easy to fix once you know what to look for.

Mistake 3: Repetitive Sentence Openers

Example

"I looked around. I could see the trees. I walked forward. I felt scared. I didn't know what to do."

Five sentences in a row starting with "I." This makes the writing feel flat and monotonous, even if the content is interesting.

Fixed version

"The trees stood in rows on either side, their bare branches tangled overhead. I walked forward, one step at a time. Fear tightened in my chest. What was I supposed to do now?"

Why it matters: Varied sentence structure is one of the first things examiners notice. If every sentence opens the same way, the writing lacks rhythm.

Mistake 4: Telling Instead of Showing

Example

"She was really nervous about the test."

Fixed version

"She chewed the end of her pencil until the paint flaked off. Her eyes kept drifting to the clock."

Why it matters: Telling an emotion is quick but forgettable. Showing it through actions and details is what makes writing vivid and earns the higher marks.

Mistake 5: No Paragraphs

Example

An entire story written as one long block of text with no breaks.

Fixed version

Start a new paragraph when:

• Time changes ("The next morning...")
• Place changes ("Back at the house...")
• A new character speaks
• A new idea or event begins

Why it matters: A wall of text is exhausting to read and suggests a lack of planning. Paragraphs show the examiner that you can organise your ideas. Even in a short piece, four or five paragraphs make a huge difference to readability.

Mistake 6: Weak Endings

Example

"And then I woke up and it was all a dream."

Or worse: the story simply stops mid-action because time ran out.

Fixed version

Plan your ending before you start writing. A circular, reflective, or quiet ending can be written in two or three sentences and gives the piece a sense of completeness.

Why it matters: The ending is the last thing the examiner reads. It colours their impression of the whole piece. A strong ending can rescue an average story. A weak ending can undermine a good one.

Mistake 7: Exclamation Mark Overload

Example

"I couldn't believe it! The door was open! Someone had been there! I ran inside!"

Four exclamation marks in four sentences. Each one weakens the impact of the others.

Fixed version

"I couldn't believe it. The door was open. Someone had been there. I ran inside."

Why it matters: Exclamation marks are like shouting. If you shout all the time, nothing sounds urgent. Save them for one genuinely shocking moment. One exclamation mark in an entire piece is usually plenty.

Fix One Thing at a Time

Don't try to fix all seven mistakes at once. That's overwhelming and doesn't work.

Instead:

1. Read through this list and identify which two mistakes you make most often.
2. For your next three practice pieces, focus on catching just those two.
3. Once they're under control, move on to the next one.

Building one good habit at a time is how real improvement happens. For a full system you can use at the end of every piece, see our self-editing checklist.