Free tool
IELTS Writing Word Counter
Paste or type your answer and pick the task. You 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. Bullet points and note form therefore do not earn the words they contain. The counter counts them, but 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 comes from four criteria with equal weight. One is how fully you answer the task. The others are how the answer is organised, the range and accuracy of your vocabulary, and the range and accuracy of your 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. IELTS publishes no fixed penalty. The missing words lower your Task Response score instead.
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. It does the same for a hyphenated word like well-known and a contraction like don't. IELTS does not publish its exact counting method. Treat the count as a close guide. An examiner's count may differ by a word or two.
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.