IELTS Writing Task 1: the most common mistake

The most common mistake in IELTS writing task 1 is not a grammar mistake.
Find the 2 big mistakes in the sentences below:

The unemployment rate in the UK rose by 2% between 2008 and 2009, whereas Canada decreased by about 1%. The USA was the highest, at just over 4%.

Comments

[Ting]

1 whereas in Canada it decreased by about 1%
2. the figure for the USA was the highest

[sophie]

whereas in Canada that decreased by about 1%

The rate in the USA has increased by over 4%,which was the highest

[BIks]

The unemployment rate in the UK rose to 2% between 2008 and 2009, whereas, in Canada decreased by 1%. The USA was the highest at just over 4%.

[Tuannm]

The unemployment rate in the UK rose to 2% between 2008 and 2009, whereas, that of in Canada decreased by 1%. The figure for the USA was highest at just over 4%.

[viet]

The unemployment rate in the UK rose to 2% between 2008 and 2009, whereas the number in Canada decreased by 1%. The USA's figure was the highest, at just over 4%.

[RANIA]

it was decreased in canada by about 1%.it was highest in USA ,just above 4%.

[alex]

MY ANSWER IS

Wrong subject use.

[dany]

1/Canada decreased
2/ The USA was the highest

[Anastasia]

The unemployment rate in the UK rose by 2% between 2008 and 2009, whereas in Canada it decreased by about 1%. The rate in USA was the highest, just over 4%.

[Dar Dar]

The unemployment rate in the UK rose by 2% between 2008 and 2009, whereas it fell by about 1% in Canda. The most significant change was seen in the USA, at just over 4%.

[esaa]

The first mistake i think related to punctuation for wherease
seconly,u said the highest .after this u should mention something such as rate or quantity

[Loan Do]

The unemployment rate in UK rose to 2% between 2008 and 2009, wherease Canada decreased by about 1%. It in USA was highest level, at just over 4%.

[Aria]

The unemployment rate in the US has increased by 4% between 2008 and 2009. Over the same period the figure for the UK has risen by 2%, whereas Canada saw a drop of about 1%.

[Atia]

1) Canada decreased
2) The USA was the highest

Subject problem...........it should be "The unemployment rate in Canada/USA"

N.B. Sometimes I do those types of mistakes

[Sandy]

This is my correct version.
The unemployment rate in the UK rose to 2% between 2008 and 2009, whereas in Canada it decreased by 1%. However, The USA recorded the highest rate of over 4%.

[Ryan]

The unemployment rate in the UK rose by 2% between 2008 and 2009, whereas that in Canada decreased by about 1%. The USA's was the highest, at just over 4%.

[Bindu]

The unemployment rate in the UK rose by 2% between 2008 and 2009, whereas that in Canada decreased by about 1%. In USA over the same period, the figure for unemployment was the highest.

[Thuan]

you may be confused from "The USA was the highest...". What highest? highest increase or highest decrease?

[Jenny Đậu]

The unemployment rate in the UK rose by 2% between 2008 and 2009, whereas Canada saw a decline in rate (by 1%). The figure for the USA was the highest, at just over 4%.

[herry]

The unemployment rate in the UK rose by 2% between 2008 and 2009, whereas Canada saw a decrease by about 1%. The figure for the USA was the highest, at just over 4%

[good]

The unemployment rate in the USA reaches the highest point at 4%, whereas, in the UK rose by 2%, the figure for the Canada decreased about 1% between 2008 and 2009.

[DLS]

Canada decreased by about 1% =
it is not Canada that decreased, but the unemployment in that country which declined.

The USA was the highest, at just over 4% =
same as the above, it is the rate of unemployment in the US that was the highest.

[niuxiufeng]

①、the object is not clear
-> Canada decreased、The USA was highest
it is not Canada or USA, it is the unemployment rate

②、the result description is not clear
-> The USA was the highest, at just over 4%
USA`s unemployment rate is rose highest or is reduced highest

[Duc]

Hi,
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Thanks!

[Thy]

The unemployment rate in the UK rose by 2% between 2008 and 2009, whereas Canada saw a decrease by about 1%. The USA had the highest proportion of unployment, at just over 4%.

[Bill Hoang]

The unemployment rate in the UK rose by 2% between 2008 and 2009, whereas in the Canada that decreased by about 1%. And in the USA it was the highest, at over 4%.

[Tin Do]

The unemployment rate in the UK rose by 2% between 2008 and 2009, whereas the figure in Canady decreased by about 1%. The U.S showed the highest percentage of joblessness, at just over 4 %

[Tuan]

Mistake 1: whereas Canada decreased about...
--> Correction: whereas that of Canada decreased..

Mistake 2: The USA was the highest...
--> Correction: The figure for the USA was the highest..

[Seoyoung]

1. ,..whereas the figure for Canada decreased by...
2. The USA saw the highest figure, ...

[Hong]

The unemployment rate in the UK rose by 2% between 2008 and 2009, whereas the unemployment rate in Canada decreased by about 1%. The figure for unemployment in the USA was the highest, at just over 4%.

*Previous lesson: http://ielts-simon.com/ielts-help-and-english-pr/2011/12/ielts-grammar-number-amount-proportion-figure.html

[Km]

Dear Simon,

what are the usual questions will be raised in speaking part 1 and 3? and how should we answer for that?.

Please reply. It is going to be very useful for many of us.

[Km]

I have asked for Academic speaking:)

[Simon]

FROM SIMON:

Here's the big mistake:

You can't write "Canada decreased" or "the USA was the highest".

These phrases don't make sense. Canada, the country, didn't decrease! We need to describe the thing that decreased properly - in this case it's the "unemployment rate".

So, instead of saying that countries decreased or were highest, describe the topic properly. For example:

- Unemployment in Canada decreased.
- The USA had the highest rate of unemployment.

Remember: saying that a country increases or decreases is very strange!

[Tony]

The correct sentences :The Percentage of the unemployment rate in the UK rose by 2% between 2008 and 2009, whereas that the figure for Canada decreased by about 1%. The USA's was the highest, at just over 4%.

[Ahmed Abouzaid]

the unemployment rate suffers more to keep in steadiness , as it is shown at latest update in formal announced ratio morever Canada still keeps the lower ratio than USA by 1 - 4 percentage

[Aria]

@Tony
you need to mention "percentage" or "rate", not both of them.

[prakash]

whereas in canada it decreased by 1% and the ratio was the highest in usa

[Ayub]

The unemployment rate in UK rose by 2% & in USA it was just over 4%, which was its highest unemployment rate. By contrast, Canda was able to decreased the rate about 2%.

[kelly]

I must say SIMON that this is spot on!!! It's an eye opener for me as I normally used this sentence. Thanks a lot!

[hafsa]

the unemployment rate in the UK rose by 2% between 2008 and 2009, whereas in canada it decreased by
1%. the USA had the highest unemployment rate at 4%