Welcome to the Active IELTS writing page.
This page has some general ideas about the writing test. You can also go to General Task 1, Academic Task 1,
and Task 2.
Some general advice
Although the writing exam is very different for the General Training and the Academic IELTS, there are some
important things to remember for both versions:
Practising
- Practise writing by hand. You might not have done it for a while.
- As you practise, make sure your handwriting is clear. If the examiner cannot read it, you will lose marks
- Practise writing following the time limits (20 minutes for task 1 and 40 for task 2), and without a time limit, so
you can focus on language.
- Make sure your paragraphs are very clear - this is important. If necessary, leave a line between each paragraph
you write.
- Find someone to read your work, even if they can't correct it. Ask them if it is clear.
In the exam
- Plan your time. You shouldn't use more than 20 minutes for task 1 and 40 for task 2.
- Make sure you finish. A writing answer missing some detail is better than an answer which is not finished
- You have time in both tasks to plan - 5 minutes in task 1 and 5-10 in task 2. Use this time well. A planned answer
is always better.
- If you need to correct your work, either erase it or put one clean line through it (this can save time). Keep your
work tidy to create a good impression.
- If you have time, check spelling and punctuation.
- remember the number of words is very important.
Ready to practise? Here are some example questions
This page has some general ideas about the writing test. You can also go to General Task 1, Academic Task 1,
and Task 2.
Some general advice
Although the writing exam is very different for the General Training and the Academic IELTS, there are some
important things to remember for both versions:
Practising
- Practise writing by hand. You might not have done it for a while.
- As you practise, make sure your handwriting is clear. If the examiner cannot read it, you will lose marks
- Practise writing following the time limits (20 minutes for task 1 and 40 for task 2), and without a time limit, so
you can focus on language.
- Make sure your paragraphs are very clear - this is important. If necessary, leave a line between each paragraph
you write.
- Find someone to read your work, even if they can't correct it. Ask them if it is clear.
In the exam
- Plan your time. You shouldn't use more than 20 minutes for task 1 and 40 for task 2.
- Make sure you finish. A writing answer missing some detail is better than an answer which is not finished
- You have time in both tasks to plan - 5 minutes in task 1 and 5-10 in task 2. Use this time well. A planned answer
is always better.
- If you need to correct your work, either erase it or put one clean line through it (this can save time). Keep your
work tidy to create a good impression.
- If you have time, check spelling and punctuation.
- remember the number of words is very important.
Ready to practise? Here are some example questions
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Other useful pages
How is the IELTS writing test marked?
Links and tips to help you
What does my score mean?
What if I am not happy with my score?
On the day of the exam
How is the IELTS writing test marked?
Links and tips to help you
What does my score mean?
What if I am not happy with my score?
On the day of the exam