Skill hub
IELTS Writing
Two tasks, one hour, one band. The examiner marks you against four public criteria, and every Writing guide on this site starts from what those criteria actually say.
Same test on Academic and General Training, except Task 1: a report on a chart or diagram on Academic, a letter on General Training.
- 60 min
- Two tasks, no break between them
- 150 / 250
- Word minimums for Task 1 and Task 2
- 2×
- Task 2 is worth twice Task 1 in the Writing band
What the test asks for
Task 1 is a short piece of at least 150 words, with about 20 minutes to write it. Task 2 is an essay of at least 250 words, and it takes the other 40 minutes. It responds to a point of view, an argument or a problem.
Both tasks are compulsory and marked separately. Task 2 counts twice as much as Task 1 in the Writing band. Answers are typed, unless you have chosen the Writing on Paper option where it is offered.
| Aspect | Academic | General Training |
|---|---|---|
| Task 1 | Describe visual information: a graph, table, chart, diagram or process, in your own words | Write a letter in response to a situation, covering three bullet points, in a personal, semi-formal or formal style |
Read the Task 2 question types guide
How it is scored
There are four criteria with equal weight. They are Task Achievement for Task 1 or Task Response for Task 2, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy. Each gets a band. The four are averaged for the task, and the two task bands combine into your Writing score.
The public band descriptors say what each band looks like in each column. That is why the guides below quote them rather than paraphrase them.
Start with how Writing is marked
Where marks go missing
- Coming in under the word minimum. There is no penalty table, but a short answer cannot fully address the task.
- Answering the topic instead of the question. Task Response is about the specific instruction, not the subject.
- Treating linking words as cohesion. Band 7 asks for logical progression, and over-use of connectives is named in the descriptor.
- Reaching for rare vocabulary. Precise words and natural word pairs earn marks. A wrong rare word costs more than a right plain one.
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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
Writing guides
All 15 in the guides indexWriting
IELTS Writing Task 2: Question Types and How to Approach Each
Task 2 gives you a point of view, an argument or a problem. This guide shows seven question types and what each one asks your essay to do.
Published
Writing
IELTS Linking Words That Help, and Ones That Hurt
Linking words help when each one shows how two ideas connect. They hurt when they are added by habit. This guide helps you pick a word by its job and compares what Writing and Speaking reward.
Published
Writing
IELTS Paraphrasing and Synonyms
Paraphrasing means saying the same thing in other words. Speaking names it, and Writing rewards synonyms that avoid repetition. This guide shows how to rewrite the Task 1 opening without changing a fact.
Published
Writing
Does Handwriting Matter in IELTS Writing?
Handwriting matters only if you write by hand. IELTS publishes no handwriting rule in its Writing descriptors, but the examiner must read your answer. Capital letters are allowed if your sentences stay clear.
Published
Writing
IELTS Writing Task 1: What It Asks and How to Answer It
Task 1 asks for at least 150 words in about 20 minutes. On Academic you describe a graph, chart, table, map or diagram. On General Training you write a letter.
Published
WritingAcademic
How to Describe a Map in IELTS Writing Task 1
Compare the two maps before you write. Your overview names the biggest changes, and the body groups the changes by area or by type, with the position of each place.
Published
Improvement planWriting
How to Improve Your IELTS Writing Score
Find the criterion that holds your Writing band down. Then read what the next band adds for it. Start with Task 2, because it counts twice as much as Task 1.
Published
WritingAcademic
How to Describe a Process Diagram in IELTS Writing Task 1
Describe a process stage by stage, in the order the diagram shows. Your overview gives the number of stages and where the process starts and ends. Sequencing words then carry the reader from each stage to the next.
Published
WritingGeneral Training
How to Write the IELTS General Training Letter
Decide who the letter is to, then match your style to that reader. Cover all three bullet points and state your purpose at the start. Keep one tone from the greeting to the sign-off.
Published
Writing
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Range Without Errors
Grammatical range and accuracy asks how varied your sentences are, and how accurate they are. This guide shows the bands, and what changes from band 6 to band 7.
Published
Writing
Task Response: What Examiners Are Actually Looking For
Task response checks whether you answered the question you were given. Your position must be clear and your ideas developed. This guide shows the bands, and what changes from band 6 to band 7.
Published
Writing
Coherence and Cohesion: The Criterion Most Candidates Misread
Coherence and cohesion measures how well your writing is organised and how clearly your ideas connect. More linking words is not the fix. This guide shows what band 7 asks for instead.
Published
Writing
Lexical Resource: Why a Bigger Vocabulary Is Not the Answer
Lexical resource measures how well you use the words you know. Precise, natural word choice matters more than rare words. This guide shows the bands, and what changes from band 6 to band 7.
Published
Writing
How IELTS Writing Is Marked: The Four Criteria and How They Combine
Four criteria decide your Writing band, and Task 2 counts twice as much as Task 1. This guide explains each criterion and how the task scores combine.
Published
Writing
How to Structure IELTS Writing Task 2 for a Band 7+
Four paragraphs work for every Task 2 question. This guide shows what goes in each one, with the plan applied to a real prompt. It also covers the rules on length.
Published
Format facts checked against ielts.org's Writing format pages for Academic and General Training on 26 September 2026. Band-level claims come from the public Writing band descriptors and the key assessment criteria document.
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