6 Common Mistakes Students Make in WAEC English Essay Writing

These are the 6 mistakes that cost WAEC English essay students the most marks — and exactly how to fix each one before exam day.

Essay writing carries a significant portion of the WAEC English marks, yet many students lose points not because they lack ideas, but because of structural and language habits that are easy to correct once you know what to look for.

1. Not Planning Before Writing

Many students start writing immediately without outlining their points, leading to essays that wander, repeat themselves, or run out of things to say halfway through.

Why it happens: Time pressure makes planning feel like a waste of precious minutes.

How to fix it: Spend 3-5 minutes jotting down your main points and a rough structure before writing. This actually saves time overall because you won't stall mid-essay trying to figure out what to say next.

2. Weak or Missing Introduction and Conclusion

Some essays dive straight into the body without a proper introduction, or end abruptly without a conclusion that ties the argument together.

Why it happens: Students often treat the introduction and conclusion as less important than the "main content."

How to fix it: Your introduction should clearly state your position or the topic's context in 2-3 sentences. Your conclusion should summarize your key points and restate your position — never introduce a brand new idea in your conclusion.

3. Repeating the Same Points in Different Words

Essays sometimes make the same argument two or three times using different phrasing, which examiners notice immediately and mark down as lacking depth.

Why it happens: Students run out of distinct ideas but still need to fill space, so they circle back to earlier points.

How to fix it: During planning, list your points first and check that each one is genuinely different before you start writing. If you're short on ideas, add supporting examples or evidence for existing points instead of restating them.

4. Poor Paragraphing

Some essays are written as one long, unbroken block of text, or paragraphs contain multiple unrelated ideas crammed together.

Why it happens: Under time pressure, students don't pause to check where one idea ends and another begins.

How to fix it: Each paragraph should cover one main idea. As a rule of thumb, if you're introducing a new point, start a new paragraph.

5. Overusing Informal Language or Slang

WAEC essays require formal, standard English. Slang, text-speak abbreviations, or overly casual phrasing cost marks even if the ideas themselves are strong.

Why it happens: Informal language is how students naturally write and speak day to day, and it can slip in unconsciously under exam pressure.

How to fix it: Practice writing essays in formal English regularly before the exam, not just on exam day — formal writing is a habit that needs building over time, not something you can switch on instantly.

6. Ignoring the Specific Essay Type Requirements

WAEC tests different essay types — narrative, descriptive, argumentative, expository — and each has a different expected structure. Students sometimes write an argumentative essay in a narrative style, or vice versa, losing marks for not meeting the format.

Why it happens: Students often default to whichever essay style they're most comfortable with, regardless of what the question actually asks for.

How to fix it: Before writing, identify exactly which essay type is required and recall its expected structure (e.g., an argumentative essay needs a clear stance, supporting arguments, and consideration of the opposing view).

Quick Checklist Before Your Exam

• Plan your points for 3-5 minutes before writing
• Write a clear introduction and a conclusion that ties everything together
• Check each paragraph covers one distinct idea
• Avoid slang and informal phrasing throughout
• Confirm you're using the correct structure for the required essay type
• Reread your essay once at the end to catch repeated points

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Ready to practice properly? Explore literary devices for WAEC Literature-in-English or head back to the full WAEC English guide for topic-by-topic breakdowns.