Free tool
IELTS Writing Word Counter
Paste or type your answer, pick the task, and see the word count against the official minimum as you go, with the paragraph count beside it. The text stays in your browser.
Counts update as you type. Nothing you write leaves your browser; only the counts are recorded.
Words, Task 2
0
of 250 minimum
Paste or type your Task 2 answer above. The minimum for Task 2 is 250 words.
- Paragraphs
- 0
- Minimum for Task 2
- 250
- Words still needed
- 250
The minimums, and where they come from
IELTS Writing has two tasks and each has a minimum length: at least 150 words for Task 1 and at least 250 words for Task 2. The figures come from the Writing key assessment criteria that IELTS publishes on ielts.org (updated May 2023, last checked September 2026), which describe Task Achievement and Task Response as assessed using those minimums. The band descriptors add a floor at the other end: a response of 20 words or fewer is rated at Band 1.
The same document warns that scripts may be penalised if they are not written as full, connected text, so bullet points and note form do not earn the words they contain. The counter counts them; an examiner may not.
How the counter counts
A word is anything separated by spaces that contains at least one letter or digit. So hyphenated words and contractions count once, numbers count, and a stray dash or a row of dots counts for nothing. Paragraphs are the lines you separate with Enter. IELTS does not publish how its examiners count, so the figure here is a close guide rather than an exact match. If you are within a handful of words of the minimum, write a few more.
Nothing you paste is sent anywhere. The counting happens in your browser, and the only thing recorded is the counts themselves, so the site can see which task people check most.
Length is the easy part
Clearing the minimum removes one way to lose marks and adds none. The score itself comes from the four criteria, weighted equally: how fully you answer the task, how the answer is organised, the range and accuracy of vocabulary, and the range and accuracy of grammar. The guide to how Writing is marked explains each one, and the Task Response guide covers the criterion the minimum belongs to.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if my essay is under 250 words?
The key assessment criteria say Task Response is assessed using a minimum of 250 words, so a short answer is judged as not fully meeting the task. There is no separate fixed deduction that IELTS publishes; the shortfall shows up in the Task Response score.
Is there a maximum word count?
The criteria set a minimum and say nothing about a maximum. What limits length is the clock: 60 minutes for both tasks, with Task 2 worth more. Extra words only help if they add a point, an example or a clearer link; they never help if they add errors.
Do numbers, dates and hyphenated words count?
This counter treats a number like 2019 or 45% as one word, a hyphenated word like well-known as one word, and a contraction like don't as one word. IELTS does not publish its exact counting method, so treat the count as a close guide rather than a figure an examiner will match to the word.
Does the title or the question count towards my words?
No. Only your own answer counts, and copying the question into your answer is discounted: the band descriptors say any copied rubric must be discounted. Paste only what you wrote.
Find out what the words are worth
A word count tells you the answer is long enough. A marked practice test tells you what band it would get, criterion by criterion.