Back to guides

IELTS Writing Practice Guide

Two tasks, 60 minutes total. Task 2 carries more weight in your overall Writing band than Task 1, so if you're short on time, protect your Task 2 time first. Both tasks are scored independently using the same four criteria, then combined into a single Writing band score.

Assessment criteria

Each worth 25% of the Writing band. Your AI feedback on this platform scores against these same four criteria. Read the explanation for each one carefully, since it tells you exactly which is holding your band back.

Task Achievement / Task Response

  • Task 1: Have you covered all key features and given an accurate overview?
  • Task 2: Have you fully answered every part of the question with a clear position?

Coherence and Cohesion

  • Is the essay logically organized into paragraphs, each with one central idea?
  • Do you use linking words naturally (however, in addition, as a result) without overusing them mechanically?
  • Does each paragraph flow logically from the last?

Lexical Resource

  • Range and accuracy of vocabulary.
  • Ability to paraphrase (especially in the introduction).
  • Avoiding repetition of the same words from the question.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

  • Mix of simple and complex sentence structures.
  • Accuracy: frequent errors cap your band regardless of how complex your sentences are.
  • A student who writes accurate simple sentences often scores higher than one who writes error-filled complex ones.

The two tasks

Task 1: Describing Visual Information

~20 minutes, 150+ words

Tests your ability to accurately describe data or a process, not your opinion or your creativity. What you're given: one visual (bar chart, line graph, pie chart, table, map showing change, or a process/diagram).

Structure: 1. Introduction (1 sentence): paraphrase the question, don't copy it word for word. 2. Overview (1-2 sentences): state the two or three most significant overall trends or features; this is the single most underused paragraph and it's worth real marks, write it before you get lost in details. 3. Body paragraph 1: describe one group of data/features in detail, with specific numbers. 4. Body paragraph 2: describe the remaining data/features, with specific numbers.

Example overview sentence:

"Overall, sales of both products increased steadily over the period, although Product A consistently outperformed Product B."

Common mistakes: Skipping the overview and jumping straight into numbers; trying to describe every single data point instead of grouping and summarizing; giving opinions or reasons ("this is because..."), since Task 1 is descriptive only; for process diagrams, using present simple passive voice inconsistently (e.g. "the water is heated" not "they heat the water").

Task 2: Essay

~40 minutes, 250+ words

Tests your ability to develop and support an argument in formal academic English. Common question types: opinion (agree/disagree), discussion (discuss both views and give your opinion), problem/solution, advantages/disadvantages, two-part question.

Structure: 1. Introduction: paraphrase the question, then clearly state your position or outline what the essay will cover. 2. Body paragraph 1: one main idea, explained, with an example. 3. Body paragraph 2: a second main idea, explained, with an example. 4. (Optional) Body paragraph 3: for discussion-type questions, this is often where the "other side" goes. 5. Conclusion: summarize your position, no new ideas here.

The most common band-limiting mistake: answering only part of the question. If the question asks you to discuss both views AND give your opinion, you must do both; many students only do one. Idea development matters more than idea count: one well-explained point beats three shallow ones. For each main idea, aim for claim -> explanation -> example.

Common mistakes: Answering only part of the question, or supporting an idea with no explanation or example.

Tips for success

  • Plan before you write. 2-3 minutes of planning saves you from running out of ideas mid-essay or realizing halfway through that you've misunderstood the question.
  • Paraphrase the question in your introduction; copying it directly loses marks.
  • Use a range of sentence structures deliberately, not randomly. Mix simple, compound, and complex sentences.
  • Don't memorize whole essays. Examiners are trained to spot memorized content, and it often doesn't fit the actual question asked.
  • Check your word count roughly rather than counting exactly: going under the minimum costs marks, and going too far over wastes time you need for accuracy.
  • Leave 2 minutes to check for basic errors: subject-verb agreement, articles (a/an/the), tense consistency.
  • Practice under time pressure. Writing well with unlimited time and writing well in 40 minutes are different skills.

Common mistakes, at a glance

  • Not answering the full question (Task 2) or giving opinions (Task 1).
  • Weak or missing overview in Task 1.
  • Overusing memorized "advanced" vocabulary incorrectly: a wrong word choice hurts more than a simple correct one helps.
  • Repetitive linking words ("Moreover... Moreover... Moreover...").
  • Paragraphs with no clear single idea, or one idea spread across multiple paragraphs.
  • Under-length essays, or essays padded with irrelevant content to hit the word count.
  • Inconsistent tense (switching between past and present without reason).