Format at a glance
The Writing test lasts 60 minutes and has two tasks. You must complete both.
| Item | Academic | General Training |
|---|---|---|
| Task 1 | Summarise visual information: a graph, table, chart or diagram | Write a letter in response to a situation |
| Task 1 length | At least 150 words, about 20 minutes | At least 150 words, about 20 minutes |
| Task 2 | An essay in an academic or semi-formal style | An essay on a topic of more general interest, in a semi-formal or neutral style |
| Task 2 length | At least 250 words, about 40 minutes | At least 250 words, about 40 minutes |
| Weight | Task 2 counts twice as much as Task 1 | Task 2 counts twice as much as Task 1 |
The 20 and 40 minutes are advice printed on the question paper. Nothing stops you at 20 minutes. The only limit is the hour, so dividing it is your job. On computer you type into a plain text box with a live word count and no spell-checker, and you can switch between the two tasks at any time.
Exam rule: write in full, connected text
The IELTS partners state that you will be penalised for answers written as notes or bullet points, for writing that does not relate to the topic, and severely penalised for copied text. Both tasks need full sentences organised in paragraphs.
Task 1 Academic: summarising visual information
You are shown a graph, table, chart or diagram and asked to summarise it by selecting and reporting the main features, and making comparisons where relevant. IDP’s teaching material lists the visuals you are likely to meet: line graphs, bar charts, pie charts, tables, a combination of these, process diagrams and maps.
This is an information-transfer task. You report what the visual shows. You do not explain why it happened or give your opinion, because reasons that are not in the data are outside the task.
What a strong answer contains:
- An introduction that says what the visual shows, in your own words. Words copied from the question earn no credit.
- An overview of the big picture in one or two sentences: the main trend, the largest and smallest, the most striking change. It needs no numbers.
- Two body paragraphs that group related details and support them with accurate figures. For a process, the key features are the stages in order. For a map, they are the locations and the major changes.
Common trap: no overview
The overview is the clearest dividing line in Task 1. In the public band descriptors, a band 5 answer tends to recount details mechanically without the bigger picture, a band 6 answer attempts an overview, and a band 7 answer presents a clear one with the data sensibly grouped. If you list every number and never step back, you limit your Task Achievement score however good your English is.
Task 1 General Training: the letter
The question describes a situation and gives three bullet points that your letter must cover. You do not need to write any addresses. The letter may be personal, semi-formal or formal, and the question tells you how to begin. “Dear Sir or Madam” signals a formal letter to someone you do not know. “Dear” followed by a name signals a letter to someone you know, such as a friend, a neighbour, a landlord or a manager.
Examiners look for four things in the letter:
- a purpose that is clear from the opening lines
- all three bullet points covered, and each one developed with some detail
- a tone that suits the reader and stays the same from the greeting to the sign-off
- the format of a letter
| Band | Bullet points |
|---|---|
| Band 4 | Not all three are presented. |
| Band 5 | All are presented, but at least one is not covered adequately. |
| Band 6 | All are covered and adequately highlighted. The purpose is generally clear, with perhaps small slips in tone. |
| Band 7 | All are covered and clearly highlighted, though they could be developed more fully. |
| Band 8 | All are clearly presented and appropriately developed. |
Give each bullet point its own paragraph
Write two or three sentences for each bullet point, with an invented but realistic detail: a date, a name, what exactly went wrong. It makes coverage obvious to the examiner and carries you past 150 words without padding.
Task 2: the essay
Task 2 is the same kind of task in both versions of the test: an essay of at least 250 words on a given topic. The question ends by asking you to give reasons and include relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Task 2 is worth two thirds of your Writing band.
IELTS does not publish an official list of essay types. IDP’s teaching material groups the common questions into seven families:
| Family | Typical wording | What a complete answer needs |
|---|---|---|
| Opinion | To what extent do you agree or disagree? | A clear position, held from the introduction to the conclusion |
| Discussion | Discuss both views and give your own opinion. | Both views explained fairly, and your own view stated |
| Multi-part | Why is this happening? What can be done about it? | A developed answer to every question asked |
| Multi-part with opinion | What are the reasons? Is this a positive or negative trend? | Answers to the direct questions and an explicit judgement |
| Advantages and disadvantages | Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? | Both sides and, if asked, a decision about which is stronger |
| Positive or negative | Is this a positive or negative development? | A judgement supported by reasons |
| Cause and solution | What are the causes? What solutions can you suggest? | Causes and solutions that clearly connect |
A reliable structure for any of these:
- Introduction (two or three sentences): restate the topic in your own words and answer the question directly.
- Two or three body paragraphs: each has one central idea, stated in the first sentence, then explained, then supported by a specific example.
- Conclusion: answer the question again in different words. Add no new ideas.
Common trap: answering half of the question
If the question asks you to discuss both views and give your opinion, there are three things to do. An essay that does two of them has only partly addressed the task, which the descriptors associate with band 5 for Task Response. Before you write, number the parts of the question. Before you finish, check that each number has a paragraph.
The four marking criteria, at bands 5 to 8
Each task is marked separately on four criteria, which carry equal weight. The band descriptors state that a piece of writing must fully fit the positive features of a band to receive it, and that certain negative features limit the rating. In practice this means one serious weakness, such as a missing overview or an unclear position, holds a criterion down whatever else is good.
The tables below describe bands 5 to 8 in our own words. The official descriptors are published by IELTS and are the authoritative version.
Task Achievement (Task 1) and Task Response (Task 2)
This criterion asks: did you do what the question asked, fully and relevantly? It is about content, not language.
| Band | What it typically looks like |
|---|---|
| Band 5 | Addresses the task only in a general way. Key features or bullet points are not properly covered. Details are listed mechanically, sometimes without any data. In a letter, the purpose or tone may be unclear at times. |
| Band 6 | Covers what the task requires. An overview is attempted. Key features or bullet points are adequately covered, though some detail may be irrelevant or inaccurate. |
| Band 7 | A clear overview, with data grouped sensibly and main trends or differences identified. In a letter, a clear purpose, a consistent tone and all bullet points clearly highlighted. Some points could be developed further. |
| Band 8 | Everything the task requires is covered appropriately and in enough depth. Key features are well chosen, and bullet points are well developed. Lapses are rare. |
| Band | What it typically looks like |
|---|---|
| Band 5 | Answers only part of the question. There is a position, but it is not clearly developed. Ideas are limited, and some are irrelevant or repeated. |
| Band 6 | Addresses all the main parts, though some more fully than others. The position is relevant, but conclusions can be unclear or repetitive. Some ideas are not developed enough. |
| Band 7 | Addresses all the main parts appropriately. A clear position is developed throughout. Main ideas are extended and supported, though they can be over-general or lose focus. |
| Band 8 | Addresses the question in sufficient depth, with a well-developed position. Ideas are relevant, well extended and well supported. |
To move up: plan before you write. In Task 1, decide your overview first. In Task 2, decide your position first, and make sure every paragraph serves it. Develop fewer ideas in more depth: a reason, an explanation and an example is worth more than three undeveloped reasons.
Coherence and Cohesion
Coherence is whether your ideas are in a logical order that a reader can follow. Cohesion is how sentences and paragraphs are connected: linking words, pronouns and other reference words. Paragraphing is assessed at every band in Task 2. In Task 1 the public descriptors mention it only at the top bands.
| Band | What it typically looks like |
|---|---|
| Band 5 | Some organisation, but not always logical, and ideas do not clearly move forward. Linking words are limited, overused or wrong. Weak use of pronouns leads to repetition. In Task 2, paragraphing is inadequate or missing. |
| Band 6 | Generally coherent with a clear overall progression. Linking words work to some extent but can be faulty or mechanical. Reference is not always clear. In Task 2, paragraphs are used but not always logically. |
| Band 7 | Logically organised with clear progression throughout. A range of linking devices is used flexibly, with some overuse or underuse. In Task 2, paragraphing is generally effective and each paragraph has a clear central topic. |
| Band 8 | Easy to follow. Ideas are logically sequenced and cohesion is well managed. Paragraphing is sufficient and appropriate. |
To move up: the difference between 6 and 7 is mostly mechanical linking versus flexible linking. Starting every sentence with Firstly, Moreover or In addition is mechanical. Use reference words instead (this approach, such measures, these figures), place linkers inside sentences as well as at the start, and let a clear topic sentence do the work of organising each paragraph.
Lexical Resource
This covers the range of your vocabulary, how precisely you use it, and your spelling and word formation.
| Band | What it typically looks like |
|---|---|
| Band 5 | A limited range, just enough for the task. Simple words are repeated. Word choice is often inappropriate. Errors in spelling or word formation are noticeable and can cause the reader some difficulty. |
| Band 6 | A range that is generally adequate for the task. Meaning is clear despite some imprecision. Attempts at less common words bring more errors, but errors do not get in the way of communication. |
| Band 7 | Enough range for some flexibility and precision. Some less common and idiomatic vocabulary, with awareness of style and collocation. Occasional slips, and only a few errors in spelling or word formation. |
| Band 8 | A wide range used fluently and precisely. Uncommon vocabulary is used skilfully, with occasional slips in word choice or collocation. |
To move up: precision beats rarity. Learn words with their partners (raise awareness, a sharp decline, heavily dependent) and build vocabulary by topic. Memorised phrases and clichés work against you: IDP lists inappropriate memorised language among the mistakes that keep candidates below band 7. On computer, typing errors count as spelling errors, so leave time to proofread.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Examiners look at two things together: the variety of sentence structures you use, and how many of your sentences are free of errors.
| Band | What it typically looks like |
|---|---|
| Band 5 | A limited and repetitive range of structures. Complex sentences are attempted but are usually faulty. Frequent grammatical errors cause the reader some difficulty, and punctuation may be faulty. |
| Band 6 | A mix of simple and complex sentences, with limited flexibility. Complex structures are less accurate than simple ones. Errors occur but rarely reduce communication. |
| Band 7 | A variety of complex structures used with some flexibility. Generally good control, and error-free sentences are frequent. A few errors remain. |
| Band 8 | A wide range of structures used flexibly and accurately. Most sentences are error-free. Errors are occasional and not systematic. |
To move up: find your own repeated errors, because most writers have three or four. Articles, subject–verb agreement, verb tense and run-on sentences are the usual ones. Keep a checklist and proofread for those specifically. For range, make sure you can confidently write conditionals, relative clauses, passives and sentences that express concession. A complex sentence that goes wrong helps less than a simpler one that is accurate.
Word count, off-topic answers and memorised text
| Situation | What the public descriptors and guidance say |
|---|---|
| Fewer than 150 or 250 words | The public descriptors contain no fixed deduction for a short answer. IELTS explains that a short answer may not give enough evidence of the language needed for higher bands. In practice it limits how far you can develop ideas and show range. |
| 20 words or fewer | Rated band 1 on every criterion. |
| Words copied from the question | Given no credit. Rephrase the question in your own words. |
| Off-topic writing | Penalised. Content wholly unrelated to the task sits at the very bottom of the scale for the first criterion, and a partly relevant, tangential essay is limited to around band 4. |
| Notes or bullet points | Penalised. Write in full sentences and paragraphs. |
| Memorised or copied text | Plagiarism is severely penalised. Band 0 is reserved for cases such as no attempt, or proof that an answer was wholly memorised. Memorised phrases are treated as a weakness in vocabulary and grammar. |
On the official computer-delivered practice test, the word counter treats anything separated by spaces as one word. A hyphenated word, a number, a percentage or a contraction each counts as one.
How long should you write?
Aim a little above the minimum: roughly 160–190 words for Task 1 and 260–300 for Task 2. That is our advice, not an IELTS rule. A much longer answer is not rewarded for its length. It costs time and usually adds errors.
Why scores get stuck at 6.0–6.5
These are the band 6 weaknesses named in the descriptors, plus the mistakes IDP lists as keeping candidates below band 7 in Task 2.
- Task 1 has no clear overview, or lists details without grouping them.
- Task 2 covers the parts of the question unevenly, or the position is unclear or changes during the essay.
- Ideas are stated but not developed with an explanation and a specific example.
- Linking is mechanical: a linking word opens every sentence, and reference words are rare.
- Too few paragraphs, or paragraphs without one clear central topic.
- The wrong format: bullet points, subheadings or numbered lists in an essay.
- Ambitious words used imprecisely, and memorised openings or clichés.
- Complex sentences that are often inaccurate, so too few sentences are error-free.
- Spelling errors and typos left in because there was no time to check.
- Survey results and research offered as evidence. IDP points out that examiners cannot check whether such examples are real, and advises using examples from your own experience.
- In letters, a tone that slips, or one bullet point covered in a single sentence.
- Bad timing that leaves Task 2, which is worth double, short or unfinished.
Time management: one clock, two tasks
There is a single 60-minute clock. Decide your split before the test and keep to it.
| Minutes | Task 1 (20 minutes) | Task 2 (40 minutes) |
|---|---|---|
| Plan | 2–3: choose the overview and how to group the details | 5: number the parts of the question, choose your position and one idea for each paragraph |
| Write | About 15 | About 30 |
| Check | 2: figures, tenses, spelling | 5: your repeated errors, spelling, that every part of the question is answered |
Protect Task 2
Task 2 contributes twice as much as Task 1. If Task 1 is not finished when your 20 minutes are up, write a quick closing sentence and move on. An unfinished Task 2 costs you far more than an unpolished Task 1.
How the Writing band is calculated
What IELTS publishes:
- Each task is assessed independently on the four criteria.
- The criteria are weighted equally, and the score for a task is their average.
- Task 2 contributes twice as much as Task 1.
- The Writing band is reported as a whole or half band.
What IELTS does not publish is how those averages are rounded. Official sample answers show task scores only in whole and half bands, so some rounding happens for each task, but neither the direction nor the order is stated anywhere official. Former examiners report that each criterion receives a whole band, and that averages are rounded down to the nearest half band. Bandwise follows that convention because it is the more cautious one. Remember that it is a convention, not a published rule.
| Step | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Task 1 | Criteria 6, 6, 6, 7: average 6.25 | 6.0 (rounded down) |
| Task 2 | Criteria 7, 7, 7, 6: average 6.75 | 6.5 (rounded down) |
| Writing band | (6.0 + 2 × 6.5) ÷ 3 = 6.33 | 6.0 (rounded down) |
Try your own scores in the Writing band calculator. In the real test your writing is marked by trained examiners; IDP states that between two and four examiners mark each Writing test. The Writing band Bandwise gives you is an automated estimate against the same four criteria. It is useful for finding weaknesses and tracking progress, and less precise than an examiner’s rating.