Many aspirants preparing for PFRDA Grade A Mains 2026 devote considerable time to reading model essays, collecting important topics and practising descriptive writing.
Yet their answers may continue to suffer from weak arguments, grammatical inaccuracies, repetition and poor organisation.
Why does this happen?
Because writing more essays does not automatically mean writing better essays.
Improvement depends on identifying mistakes, understanding why they occur and correcting them through focused practice.
The PFRDA Grade A Phase II English Descriptive Paper carries 100 marks and has a duration of 60 minutes. Essay Writing is one of the important components of descriptive preparation.
Although the exact essay evaluation rubric is not publicly established here, weaknesses in relevance, clarity, structure and language can reduce the overall quality of an answer and potentially affect marks.
In this article, we will discuss 10 common essay writing mistakes, their consequences and practical ways to avoid them.
Mistake 1: Writing Without Understanding the Exact Topic
This is one of the most serious mistakes in descriptive writing.
Candidates often recognise a familiar keyword and immediately begin writing everything they know about it.
Consider the topic:
Financial Literacy Is Essential for Retirement Security in India
A candidate may write several paragraphs about banking services, digital payments and financial inclusion without adequately explaining the relationship between financial literacy and retirement security.
Such an essay may contain useful information but fail to address the central question.
How to Correct It
Before writing, ask:
- What exactly does the topic require?
- Which arguments directly support the central idea?
- What information would be irrelevant?
For the above topic, relevant arguments include early retirement planning, disciplined savings, pension awareness and informed financial decisions.
Mentor’s Tip: Spend a short period analysing the topic before preparing your outline. Relevance should guide every paragraph.
Mistake 2: Beginning the Essay Without an Outline
Some aspirants start writing immediately because they fear losing time.
However, this approach often leads to disconnected paragraphs and repeated arguments.
Weak Approach
A candidate begins with financial literacy, moves to unemployment, discusses digital payments and then suddenly introduces pension schemes.
The essay lacks a clear progression.
Improved Approach
Prepare a simple outline:
Introduction: Importance of retirement security.
Body Paragraph 1: Role of financial literacy in savings decisions.
Body Paragraph 2: Awareness of pension products.
Body Paragraph 3: Challenges faced by financially vulnerable groups.
Body Paragraph 4: Measures to improve retirement awareness.
Conclusion: Importance of financial education and accessible retirement-saving arrangements.
This outline provides direction before writing begins.
Mentor’s Tip: Even two or three minutes of structured planning can make an essay more coherent.
Mistake 3: Writing a Long but Weak Introduction
Many candidates believe that an impressive essay must begin with a lengthy introduction.
They use broad statements that contribute little to the actual discussion.
Weak Introduction
Since ancient times, human beings have been involved in various economic activities. Money has always played an important role in society, and financial systems have developed considerably over the years.
This introduction is unnecessarily broad.
Improved Introduction
Retirement security is becoming increasingly important as individuals face longer post-retirement lives and growing financial responsibilities. Financial literacy can help people make informed savings and pension-related decisions.
The improved version establishes the context and directly addresses the topic.
How to Correct It
Keep the introduction concise.
Introduce the central issue, explain its relevance and establish the direction of the essay.
Avoid spending too many words on historical or general statements.
Mistake 4: Repeating the Same Argument in Different Words
Repetition is a common problem among candidates who struggle with idea generation.
Consider these statements:
Financial literacy helps people save money.
Financial education encourages individuals to develop saving habits.
People who understand finance can save for their future.
Although the sentences use different words, they communicate essentially the same argument.
How to Correct It
Develop distinct dimensions of the topic.
For financial literacy and retirement security, separate arguments could include:
- Early retirement planning.
- Understanding pension products.
- Managing long-term financial risks.
- Challenges in informal employment.
- Improving access to financial education.
Each paragraph should contribute something new.
Mentor’s Tip: Before writing a paragraph, ask whether it introduces a genuinely different argument.
Mistake 5: Using Complicated Vocabulary Unnecessarily
Some aspirants believe difficult vocabulary automatically improves descriptive writing.
However, inappropriate word choices can make sentences confusing.
Weak Sentence
The multidimensional proliferation of financial cognisance facilitates the optimisation of pecuniary sustainability.
Improved Sentence
Financial awareness helps individuals make better decisions and improve their long-term financial security.
The second sentence is clearer and more natural.
How to Correct It
Use words whose meanings and grammatical usage you understand.
Prefer precision over complexity.
A formal essay should sound professional, not artificially complicated.
Remember: Clear expression is more valuable than decorative vocabulary.
Mistake 6: Making Frequent Grammatical Errors
Grammar affects the clarity and professionalism of an essay.
Common errors include subject–verb disagreement, incorrect articles, unsuitable prepositions and inconsistent verb tenses.
Example 1: Subject–Verb Agreement
Incorrect: Financial literacy help people to make better decisions.
Correct: Financial literacy helps people make better decisions.
Example 2: Articles
Incorrect: Pension system plays important role in retirement planning.
Correct: A pension system plays an important role in retirement planning.
Example 3: Sentence Construction
Incorrect: Due to lack of awareness people are not able to understand about pension schemes properly.
Improved: Due to limited awareness, many people do not fully understand pension schemes.
How to Correct It
Maintain a personal grammar-error notebook.
After every essay, identify recurring mistakes and rewrite the incorrect sentences.
If subject–verb agreement is your main weakness, practise that skill separately before attempting another full essay.
Corrective exercises should target the mistakes you actually make.
Mistake 7: Presenting Unsupported Facts and Statistics
Candidates sometimes believe that every essay must contain several statistics.
They may include figures they cannot verify or remember accurately.
Weak Approach
Almost 90% of Indian citizens have no retirement savings.
A numerical claim like this should not be used without reliable evidence.
Improved Approach
Many workers, particularly those in informal employment, face challenges in building adequate retirement savings.
This statement allows the candidate to discuss the issue without inventing a precise figure.
How to Correct It
Use reliable facts and examples where relevant.
If you cannot recall an accurate statistic, explain the underlying argument clearly instead.
Avoid fabricated percentages, quotations and policy claims.
An accurate general argument is preferable to an impressive-looking but unreliable statistic.
Mistake 8: Writing Unbalanced or One-Sided Arguments
Some essay topics require candidates to examine both opportunities and challenges.
Consider:
Artificial Intelligence in Financial Services: Opportunities and Risks
A weak essay might discuss only the benefits of artificial intelligence.
It may explain efficiency, automation and faster customer service while completely ignoring privacy, bias and accountability.
Improved Approach
Discuss both sides.
Opportunities:
- Greater operational efficiency.
- Improved fraud detection.
- Faster data analysis.
- Better service delivery.
Challenges:
- Data privacy concerns.
- Algorithmic bias.
- Cybersecurity risks.
- Need for human oversight.
A balanced conclusion can explain how responsible regulation and institutional safeguards may help maximise benefits while managing risks.
How to Correct It
Identify the type of question before writing.
An analytical topic may require contrasting perspectives, while a more narrowly framed topic may require a focused argument.
Balance does not mean mechanically giving equal space to every viewpoint.
It means addressing the relevant dimensions fairly and logically.
Mistake 9: Writing an Ineffective Conclusion
Some candidates finish an essay abruptly because they have exhausted their ideas or available time.
Others simply repeat the introduction.
Weak Conclusion
Therefore, financial literacy is very important. Everyone should know about financial literacy because it is important for the country.
This conclusion adds little value.
Improved Conclusion
Financial literacy can strengthen retirement preparedness by encouraging informed savings decisions and greater awareness of pension options. Sustained financial education, combined with accessible retirement-saving arrangements, can help improve long-term financial security.
The improved conclusion brings the discussion together and offers a practical closing perspective.
How to Correct It
A useful conclusion should:
- Reinforce the central argument.
- Reflect the main discussion.
- Offer a balanced final observation.
- Avoid introducing an unrelated new point.
Reserve time for the conclusion during essay planning.
Mistake 10: Attempting More Essays Without Evaluating Previous Answers
This mistake can undermine an otherwise disciplined preparation routine.
Suppose a candidate writes fifteen essays in fifteen days.
The candidate may feel productive, but if the same grammatical and structural mistakes appear repeatedly, actual improvement may remain limited.
Now consider another candidate who writes fewer essays but carefully reviews each attempt.
After identifying weak introductions, the candidate practises introductory paragraphs.
After discovering repetitive arguments, the candidate improves essay outlines.
After recognising grammatical errors, the candidate completes targeted correction exercises.
The second approach is likely to produce more focused learning.
How to Correct It
Follow this improvement cycle:
Write → Evaluate → Identify Weaknesses → Correct → Reattempt
Do not treat evaluation as an optional activity.
It should be an integral part of your preparation.
Quick Revision: 10 Essay Writing Mistakes and Their Solutions
| Common Mistake | Practical Solution |
|---|---|
| Misunderstanding the topic | Identify the central question |
| Writing without an outline | Plan the paragraph sequence |
| Weak introduction | Begin directly and relevantly |
| Repeating arguments | Develop distinct ideas |
| Unnecessary difficult vocabulary | Use clear, accurate language |
| Grammatical mistakes | Practise targeted corrections |
| Unsupported statistics | Use reliable facts |
| One-sided arguments | Address relevant perspectives |
| Ineffective conclusion | Summarise the central argument |
| Writing without evaluation | Review, correct and reattempt |
How to Identify Your Personal Essay Writing Mistakes
Not every candidate makes the same mistakes.
Some aspirants struggle primarily with grammar.
Others have good language skills but cannot generate sufficient content.
Some write relevant arguments but fail to organise them effectively.
Therefore, the first step towards improvement is identifying your individual weaknesses.
After attempting an essay, review it using the following questions:
- Have I answered the exact topic?
- Does my essay follow a logical structure?
- Does every paragraph contribute a distinct idea?
- Are my sentences grammatically correct?
- Have I used clear and appropriate vocabulary?
- Are my arguments adequately developed?
- Have I avoided unsupported claims?
- Is my conclusion relevant?
- Have I followed the prescribed word limit and instructions?
- What are the three most important mistakes I should correct before my next attempt?
This exercise can make your practice more purposeful.
Why Diagnostic Essay Evaluation Matters
Many candidates are unable to identify the most important weakness in their own writing.
For example, a candidate may believe that a low-quality essay is caused by insufficient vocabulary.
However, the actual problem may be poor paragraph organisation or irrelevant arguments.
Similarly, a candidate may focus on learning more facts when the main difficulty is sentence construction.
This is why diagnostic assessment and individual feedback can be useful.
At Bank Whizz, the PFRDA Grade A Descriptive English mentorship approach begins by understanding a candidate’s existing writing ability.
The objective is to identify recurring mistakes and guide the candidate towards suitable corrective practice.
Rather than encouraging candidates to attempt mocks mechanically, the emphasis is on improving the quality of their answers through structured evaluation.
Start with a Free PFRDA Grade A Diagnostic Essay
If you are preparing for PFRDA Grade A Mains 2026, begin by attempting a diagnostic essay independently.
Do not use model answers, AI-generated writing or grammar-correction tools during the assessment.
Your first attempt should reflect your genuine writing ability.
Afterwards, identify your mistakes and decide which skills need improvement.
You can begin with the Bank Whizz PFRDA Grade A 2026 Descriptive English Free Diagnostic Test Series.
Attempt the Free PFRDA Grade A Descriptive English Diagnostic Test
Candidates who require structured writing practice and corrective guidance can also explore the Bank Whizz PFRDA Grade A Descriptive English Mentorship Programme.
Final Advice for PFRDA Grade A Mains Aspirants
Avoiding common mistakes is just as important as learning new writing techniques.
An effective essay should be relevant, logically organised, grammatically accurate and easy to understand.
Do not concentrate only on completing more topics.
Instead, pay attention to the quality of each answer.
Identify your recurring weaknesses and correct them systematically.
The difference between ordinary essay practice and effective essay preparation lies in what you learn from your mistakes.
For PFRDA Grade A Mains 2026, make every essay attempt an opportunity to improve your writing.
Bank Whizz – Descriptive English Preparation and Mentorship for Banking and Regulatory Examinations.