400 words ielts essay

Word count for IELTS writing tasks

What is the ideal word count for ielts writing.

Updated July 2022.

This is a common question many IELTS candidates have but there seems to be misinformation out on the internet about word count in the IELTS writing section.

Although the word count penalty has been abolished I would advise writing more than 250 words in an essay and over 150 words in writing task 1 to fully develop your answer. Here are some examples of what I have heard about the word count in IELTS essays and writing task 1.

Common myths about word count.

You do not need to write more than 250 words in writing task 2., you must write over 350 words for a band 8 essay., in writing task 1 write more than 200 words for a high score., you should count every single word in the essay., let’s take each myth one by one..

1. IELTS says that you should write at least 250 words in writing task 2 and 150 words in writing task 1. There is no penalty anymore but I advise writing more than 250 words to fully develop your essay.

2. A very long essay will not give you a higher band score. If you write a long essay, for example around 350 words, then two problems will arise.

You will run out of time and may not finish your essay. If you do not write a conclusion you will lose a band score in task response.
You will be more prone to making grammar and vocabulary mistakes. Also, the essay could go into irrelevant detail and there is a danger of going off-topic.

3. The same goes for writing task 1. If you write a very long report of more than 200 words you will run out of time and may include information that you just don’t need to report on. The task prompt says in writing task 1 academic: ‘ Summarise the information by selecting and reporting on the main features …’

4. As for counting your words, you cannot count every single word because this is not practical. Estimate generally how many words you have on a line then count the lines. Aim for more than 250 words but under 300 words in task 2 writing. In the computer-based exam, the word count is on the screen so that is very useful.

What’s the ideal word count?

My advice is to aim for between 260 to 295 words in writing task 2 and between 160 to 190 words in writing task 1 . This will ensure a concise essay or task 1 report and will be realistic in terms of time management. You have only 40 minutes to write the essay and you need around 10 minutes of planning time, so you will not be able to write a long essay in 30 minutes.

As mentioned before, you will not get a higher band score for a very long essay. It must be concise, clear, and direct to the point. Irrelevant detail will cause problems with your band score.

Are there any cases where the examiner doesn’t count words?

Yes! if you copy the task question word for word without attempting to paraphrase then the examiner will not count those words .

The same is true for writing the conclusion. If you just repeat the introduction word for word or repeat whole sentences the examiner will not count the words . This is why paraphrasing is a crucial part of your writing. Click the links below for lessons on paraphrasing.

How to paraphrase the introduction writing task 2

Paraphrasing without synonyms

Another thing to bear in mind is that if you memorise chunks of model answers and plug them into the essay the examiner will know it is a memorised answer and you will get a penalty.

Note on repetition: You can repeat some words throughout the essay. You do not get a penalty for using the same word 3 or 4 times because in some cases it is difficult to find synonyms for certain words. This is where the confusion arises about repetition.

The problem is when you are repeating whole sentences or repeating the introduction in your conclusion.

Important advice

Your goal is to write in a concise clear manner, your ideas should be relevant to the task and easy for the reader to follow. If you try to use convoluted language or add lots of ideas to impress the examiner it could cause problems with coherence and end up with a high word count. Click here to see a lesson on keeping your writing simple and concise.

Any questions? leave a comment below.

IELTS Writing: How Many Words to Write

150 words essay ielts - image by Magoosh

The IELTS Writing Tasks ask you to write at least a certain number of words on test day—a minimum of 150 words for Task 1 and a minimum of 250 words for Task 2. So what does this mean for your band score, and how do the 250 and 150 word essays for IELTS break down into paragraphs? Read on to find out!

Everything in this article applies to both Academic and General Training IELTS Writing Tasks. And for even more great advice on both these tasks, check out our collection of the best IELTS Writing tips !

Write 150 Words for Task 1

You may already have heard that Task 1 is the “150 words essay on IELTS.” In fact, you’ll see this in the prompt : the task tells you to “Write at least 150 words.” You will be penalized if you write less than this.

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Though the essay topics are different between Academic and General Training, the word requirement is the same. Therefore, for General Training, you’ll write a 150-word letter for Task 1 . For the Academic exam, you’ll write a 150-word graph or chart description for Task 1 .

Write 250 Words for Task 2

You’ll need to write significantly more for Task 2 , on both the General Training and Academic exams. Here, the question type is the same on both tests, as you’ll be asked to write a formal essay. Don’t worry, you’ll have more time: 40 minutes, as opposed to 20 minutes for Task 1.

Recommended Number of Words to Write

Although 150 and 250 are the minimum word counts for Task 1 and Task 2, respectively, you’ll want to write slightly more than this to get a higher band score.

Now, you don’t have to write 200 and 400 words for these tasks! That would be far too much for the time given. However, aim for 30-40 words more than the minimum word count that each task sets.

In the case of IELTS Writing Task 1 , that’s 180-190 words .
In the case of IELTS Writing Task 2 , that’s 280-290 words .

How many paragraphs is 150 words?

So what does 150 words look like in IELTS Writing Task 1? As IELTS expert David describes in his post on paragraph structure , this boils down to about three paragraphs : an introduction, a summary, and a description of a key feature. If you have extra time and/or extra words, four paragraphs are awesome—but don’t feel compelled to write that much.

How many paragraphs is 250 words?

250 words sounds like a lot more than it is! The best way to use 250 words is to divide them into four paragraphs , as I describe in the IELTS Task 2 template : an introduction, two supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion.

A Final Word: IELTS Essay Word Count

It can be challenging at first to get used to writing 150 or 250 words, particularly if you’re doing it longhand. However, the best way to get used to this and understand when you’re writing enough for the IELTS essays is to practice and count your words! The more essays you write at the correct length, the more you’ll build your intuition so that you can recognize the correct length on test day. To learn more about what happens if you don’t meet the minimum word count, check out our post on the IELTS Writing word count penalty .

Eliot Friesen-Meyers is the Senior Curriculum Manager for Magoosh IELTS and TOEFL. He attended Goshen College (B.A.), New York University (M.A.), and Harvard University (M.T.S.), gaining experience and skills in curriculum development, ESOL instruction, online teaching and learning, and IELTS and TOEFL test prep education. Eliot’s teaching career started with Literacy Americorps in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and later, taught ESL programs at Northeastern University, University of California-Irvine, and Harold Washington College. Eliot was also a speaker at the 2019 TESOL International Conference . With over 10 years of experience, he understands the challenges students face and loves helping them overcome those challenges. Come join Eliot on Youtube , Facebook , and Instagram . Recent blog posts Complete Guide to IELTS Writing Task 1 Complete Guide to IELTS Writing Task 2

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How Many Words Should You Write for IELTS?

Posted by David S. Wills | May 3, 2019 | IELTS Tips , Writing | 0

I run an IELTS writing correction service and every day I mark about 10 essays by students from all over the world. Not many of them write an essay with too few words, but about a third of them write far too many. As such, in today’s article I will explain how many words you should write for an IELTS essay.

What are the IELTS rules about word count?

In the IELTS writing exam, you need to write at least 150 words for task 1 and 250 words for task 2. If you write less than that, you will probably lose marks. The required word count will be stated on your exam paper, and therefore if you do not fulfill that requirement, then you will lose points for Task Achievement , which is one of the four criteria on which the IELTS examiners mark your performance.

Task Achievement	5
Coherence and Cohesion	6
Lexical Resource	7
Grammatical Range and Accuracy	6
Total	6

It used to be said that if you wrote too few words, you would lose one full band score, but as of 2018 , that all changed. Now, there is no official policy about deducting marks, but as you can see in the above example, there are other ways that writing too few words can lower your score. Here, the student would have scored band 6 for Task Achievement , but his failure to write enough words cost him and he was marked down to band 5.

However, what about writing too many words? Is there a rule about that?

There is nothing in the IELTS marking rubric about writing too many words. Theoretically, you could write 1,000 words and you would not be penalized. As long as you have written more than 150 words for task 1 or 250 words for task 2, you should be ok.

Is there anything wrong with writing too many words?

Actually, it is not good to write too many words, and there are several reasons for that. In this section of the article, I will explain why you shouldn’t write too many words.

1. It is better to economize your time

First of all, there are better ways to spend your time than just writing. I know that sounds counterintuitive – this is a writing exam, after all! However, there is more to writing than just putting words on paper. You need to make sure that you have time for planning, writing, and correcting, or else your essay will most likely have some major problems.

Here is a good way of dividing your time for IELTS writing task 2:

2 minutes	the question
2 minutes	for your answer
3 minutes	Plan your
30 minutes	Write the essay
3 minutes	Check your answer

Obviously, this process will vary from person to person. Some people need longer to check their answer at the end of the test, while others can scan it quickly and find their mistakes easily. Some people prefer to spend longer analyzing a question but can plan their structure very quickly because they have done so much practice. However, I think that the above idea is pretty useful for the majority of students.

Anyway, the point is that if you write a 400 word essay (and I have seen many students try do to that!) then you will not have time to check your answer at the end. This is a problem because checking your answer will allow you to eliminate a number of mistakes from your essay. Let’s not forget a cardinal rule:

MORE MISTAKES = LOWER SCORE

As such, you should remember to divide your time carefully. A few minutes of proofreading at the end could cause your score for Grammatical Range and Accuracy or Lexical Resource to jump from a 6 to a 7, which might push your overall writing score up.

2. You won’t finish your essay

Closely related to point #1, writing too many words may cause you to not finish your essay. This would be disastrous! If you write too many words for your body paragraphs, you might not have time to write a conclusion. An essay with no conclusion would thus score very poorly in Coherence and Cohesion . If you failed to complete your body paragraphs, you would score very poorly in Task Achievement , too.

Generally speaking, this sort of mistake is caused by poor planning. You might have generated too many ideas while planning your essay, and then in the body paragraphs it takes you too long to finish explaining these ideas. By the time you get to the end of body paragraph two, your time is up. It is a nightmare scenario for an IELTS candidate.

Again, I recommend you follow my time suggestions above, and also my recommended word limit, which I will post below in the conclusion. By doing these things, you will always finish your essay on time.

3. Practice for the real exam

When I am marking my students’ practice essays, they often write 300-400 words, and I tell them not to do this. The reason is that they should be practicing for the real IELTS exam , not just to get my feedback on their spelling or grammar. Yes, it is useful to practice writing longer essays or articles to improve your overall writing skills, but for IELTS you must take time into consideration .

What I mean is that in your real IELTS exam, you only have 40 minutes to write an essay. This essay must be at least 250 words (for task 2). In your practice sessions, you must aim to replicate these factors as closely as possible or else you will face problems in the final exam.

I suggest the following.

In every practice session you do for IELTS writing: – Stick to the real IELTS time – Aim to write at least 150/250 words – Do not use the internet to help you

You will find that after a dozen practice exams, you become quite accustomed to the process. Your mind will automatically start to follow a process of

PLANNING –> WRITING –> EDITING

Eventually, you will be able to easily write an essay in 20 or 40 minutes (depending on the task), and then you can focus on improving your grammar and vocabulary, etc.

If you regularly write 350 word essays and take 50 minutes to do it, then when you sit the real IELTS exam, you will be busy writing, then the end of the exam will be called and you will not have finished. Your vocabulary and grammar might have improved well during your practice sessions, but your Task Achievement and Coherence and Cohesion scores will be very low, and you will get a poor overall result.

Should I count my words?

One final question: Is it worthwhile counting the words you have written?

In practice, yes.

In the real exam, no.

Let me explain: When you are practicing, I recommend sticking to real exam conditions. However, at the end of your practice you should definitely count the number of words you have written. This will let you know what a certain word count looks like. Everyone has different handwriting, and on paper you might see that X lines = 100 words. You can then guess how many words you have written in total. It is also worth checking how many words you have written per line and multiplying that by the number of lines. For example, 11 words per line x 25 lines = 275 words.

BONUS TIP: you can download the actual IELTS exam paper here and that will make your practice exams much more realistic. 🙂

Over time, you will get a feel for how many words you have written. Maybe one piece of paper filled 80% is 260-270 words, for example. You will then know when you do the real exam whether you have written enough words or not.

The same obviously applies if you are typing on a computer and intending to do the computer-based IELTS test. This will be quite different as you will actually see your word count on the screen! That can be very helpful, but perhaps a little intimidating.

Will the examiner count your words?

No, not exactly. They will guess your word count by using the above measures – number of words per line multiplied by number of lines. Of course, after marking hundreds or thousands of essays, an examiner will be able to simply look and know whether you have written enough or not. In the case of a computer exam, they will see the word count listed. If you wrote 249 words for a task 2 essay, you would almost certainly not be penalized, but you should aim to write more than that.

How many words should I aim to write?

I recommend that my students write about 160-180 words for task 1 and 260-280 words for task 2. The reason is simple. If the minimum word count is 150 or 250, then you should aim for slightly more than that; however, there could be problems (as explained above) with writing too much. Therefore, these figures are a safe target. If you aim for these, you give yourself the best possible chance of success.

To summarize, in the IELTS writing exam, you should:

Write at least 150 words for task 1 and 250 words for task 2
DO NOT write too many words
Spend 20 minutes on task 1 and 40 minutes on task 2

In your practice sessions you should aim to replicate real IELTS conditions as closely as possible. If you do this, you will handle the final exam much better. You will face less stress due to the time limit and other requirements.

About The Author

David S. Wills

David S. Wills is the author of Scientologist! William S. Burroughs and the 'Weird Cult' and the founder/editor of Beatdom literary journal. He lives and works in rural Cambodia and loves to travel. He has worked as an IELTS tutor since 2010, has completed both TEFL and CELTA courses, and has a certificate from Cambridge for Teaching Writing. David has worked in many different countries, and for several years designed a writing course for the University of Worcester. In 2018, he wrote the popular IELTS handbook, Grammar for IELTS Writing and he has since written two other books about IELTS. His other IELTS website is called IELTS Teaching.

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10 steps to writing high-scoring IELTS essays

Whether you take the general training or academic IELTS test, the second writing task is writing an essay in response to a problem or argument. Here are 10 easy steps, with lots of tips, to guide you on how to write high-scoring essays.

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How is the ielts essay component marked.

Fairness and accuracy are critically important when marking IELTS writing tasks . Your essay will be marked by at least two experienced IELTS examiners on the following criteria:

Task response - Whether you answered the question fully and supported your answer well.

Coherence and cohesion - How well you linked your ideas together.

Lexical resource - Whether you used a wide range of vocabulary correctly and appropriately.

Grammatical range and accuracy - How many grammatical structures you used accurately and appropriately.

Each of these criteria is worth 25% of your total score for the essay writing task. Both of your writing tasks are used to calculate your overall writing band score.

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How to write high-scoring essays in 10 easy steps, step one: plan your time.

The Writing test (consisting of Writing tasks 1 and 2) takes approximately 60 minutes. Plan to spend around 20 minutes on your first task, and 40 minutes on your essay task. A sample plan for your time might be:

5 to 10 minutes reading the essay question and planning your answer

15 to 20 minutes writing your first draft

10 minutes proofreading and editing your essay

How to write a good introduction

Step two: read the question.

While you may be anxious to jump straight into writing, make sure you take the time to carefully read the essay question. If you misunderstand the question, you risk writing an essay that does not address the issues properly which will lower your score.

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Step three: highlight the issues to address.

There will be multiple issues that you will need to address in your essay. Addressing each issue individually is key to achieving a high essay score. Highlight each individual issue that you will need to address.

The A to Z of IELTS: E is for Essays

Step four: outline your response.

Create an outline of how you will respond to the issues in your essay. This will serve as your ‘blueprint’ when you write your first draft. As a general rule your essay should have:

An introduction stating what you will talk about

Two or three body paragraphs , each addressing one issue or idea

A conclusion summing up what was discussed in the essay

Make sure you note which idea or issue you will address in each paragraph. Check that the issues you highlighted are all accounted for in your outline.

Step five: Expand on your ideas

Write some notes about any key points or ideas you’d like to include in each paragraph. When you’re writing your first draft, these notes will help to make sure you don’t forget any ideas you want to include.

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Step six: plan how you will connect your ideas.

Connecting your ideas clearly and correctly is critical to achieving a high essay score. Try to use a range of linking words to make your essay easy to read. You can use connecting devices and phrases to:

List connected ideas

‘Firstly, secondly, thirdly’

‘Furthermore’

Provide more information

Compare ideas.

‘On the other hand’

‘Alternatively’

Don’t fall into the trap of trying to put a linking word in every sentence. Essays will score higher when the writer uses linking words only where necessary and appropriate.

Step seven: Write your first draft

Now that you’ve planned your essay, it’s time to write your first draft. Follow the outline you’ve created and expand on the notes and ideas you included there.

Avoid informal language unless it is appropriate.

Avoid spelling and grammatical errors where possible.

Use a mix of sentence structures such as simple sentences, complex sentences and compound sentences.

How to boost your IELTS Writing score

Step eight: proofread your essay.

When you have completed the first draft of your essay, it’s important to proofread it. Read your essay from start to finish.

You can read it silently, but it may help to read it out loud if you can do so without disturbing others. Make a mental note or mark your paper anywhere that you may need to fix an issue.

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Step nine: edit your essay.

Carefully go through the issues you noted while proofreading. Edit or rewrite these until they look and sound correct. Examples of issues and how to edit them may include:

The sentence is too long. A sentence is probably too long if you need to take a breath in the middle of reading it. Try splitting this up into smaller sentences.

A sentence sounds strange when you read it out loud. Try using different words or punctuation until it sounds right. It may need to be connected to another sentence.

The same word appears many times. Think about any other words you could use instead.

There is more than one main idea in each paragraph. Move any unrelated sentences to the correct paragraph. Each paragraph should address one issue only.

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Step ten: proofread your essay again.

After your edits and before submitting your essay , give it one final proofread. Make sure you have:

Included all the points you highlighted in step three

Followed your outline from step four

Used good connecting words from step six

Fixed any errors or issues in step nine

IELTS Writing: 8 steps towards a band 8

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IELTS Sample Essays

Here you will find IELTS Sample Essays for a variety of common topics that appear in the writing exam.

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You can also view sample essays with band scores on this page.

Looking at IELTS essay topics with answers is a great way to help you to prepare for the test.

These IELTS sample essays have been categorised in a way that makes it easy for you to see how certain essay question types require you to provide certain responses to ensure the question is fully answered.

Specifically these are:

Agree / Disagree
Discuss Two Opinions
Problems and Solutions
Advantages and Disadvantages
Other Types

Agree / Disagree Type Questions

In these types of question you are given one opinion and you then have to state the extent to which you agree or disagree with that opinion:

Advertising
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Spending on the Arts
Human Cloning
Social Interaction & the Internet
Airline Tax
Free University Education
Scientific Research
Banning Smoking
Employing Older People
Vegetarianism
Paying Taxes
Examinations or Formal Assessment
Multinational Organisations and Culture
Internet vs Newspapers
Technology Development
Dying of Languages
Animal Extinction
Truth in Relationships
Role of Schools
Return of Historical Artefacts

Discuss Two Opinions Type Questions

In this essay question type you are given two opinions, and you have to discuss both of these and then give your own view:

University Education
Reducing Crime
Animal Rights
Child Development
Diet & Health
Donating Money to Charity
Closing Zoos
Becoming Independent
Formal and Informal Education
Influence of Scientists and Politicians
Sources for Stories
Searching for Extraterrestrial Life

Cause Type Questions

There are a variety of 'cause type' essay questions. In these you first have to give the reasons why something has happened, in other words the causes, but then discuss a different aspect of it, such as the effects, solutions or the extent to whether it is a positive or negative development:

Causes & Effects:

Child Obesity
Skin Whitening Creams
Family Size
Having Children Later in Life
Time Away from Family

Causes and Solutions:

Youth Crime
Global Warming
Paying Attention in Class
International Travel & Prejudice
Museums & Historical Places
Disappearance of Traditions
Communication Between Generations

Causes, Pros & Cons:

Family Closeness
Living Alone
Rural to Urban Migration

Problems & Solutions Type Questions

In these type of questions, instead of discussing the causes of a problem, you need to discuss the problems related to a particular issue in society, and then suggest what can be to solve these problems:

Overpopulation
Competing for Jobs
Professionals Immigrating

Advantage & Disadvantages Type Questions

In these type of questions you are asked to discuss the positive and negative sides of a particular topic. You will usually be asked this in the context of giving an opinion ( e.g. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? Is it a positive or negative development? ):

Traffic Problems
Food Additives
Computer Games
Age Discrimination at Work
Children using Tablets and Computers
Cell Phones, Internet, & Communication
Working from Home
Eating Locally grown Produce
Oil and Gas Essay
Peer Pressure on Young People
Online Fraud
Decreasing House Sizes

'Hybrid' Types of Essay Question

There are sometimes questions that don't fit easily into a particular category as above. I've called these 'hybrid', as they are of mixed character, are composed of different elements from other types of essay, or are perhaps just worded differently.

Protecting Old Buildings
Animal Testing
Fear of Crime
Communication Technology
Influence of Children's Friends

Sample Essays with Band Scores

You can also view some sample essays that have been written by candidates practising for the test and have band scores and comments by an experienced ex-IELTS Examiner based on the IELTS marking criteria.

IELTS Band 8 Essay Samples
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Student Sample Essays

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Home » IELTS Writing: Too many words!

IELTS Writing: Too many words!

For some candidates, it is very tempting to write as much as possible during the Writing test — they want to really showcase their range of vocabulary and their ability to write long sentences. But do long essays really get you a better band score? In this post, we’ll look at what you can do to get the best Writing score.

No bonus points

Let’s get straight to the point: while it’s true that there is no official IELTS answer on the maximum word limit in the writing tasks, you won’t get bonus marks for going over the minimum word count. Remember: the IELTS Writing test is only partly about how brilliant your ideas are. It is mainly about how effectively and precisely you can communicate through writing.

So, don’t write paragraphs about one trend in a graph and forget about the rest – avoid irrelevant elaborations. You need to make every word count . Describe the trends. Compare. Present the data in a clear and concise manner so that the examiner can understand you well enough without needing to look at the chart. It is essential you understand the task types before you take the test. If you look at the marking criteria, you can find exactly what you need to do to get the score you need.

Spend your time wisely

The maths is simple: write more and you will have less time to check and proofread. It is generally recommended that the number of words that you write should be around the same as what is asked for in the task. So, ideally, you should aim for 150-170 words in Task 1 and 250-275 words in Task 2. It is a lot better for you to spend the extra time proofreading, checking and rechecking your work than it is to spend the entire time writing. The Writing test is not about quantity — it is all about quality and accuracy. You have to remember that the more you write, the more chance there is for you to make a grammatical, or spelling error.

If you think it’s in your nature to ramble on and overwrite, then you should learn how to plan your essay . Set a time limit for each point you want to write for. Pick the three most rational points you can come up with and use them to show your grammatical and vocabulary range.

IELTS Writing Tips: How to Write 150 or 250 Words

Without a doubt, Academic Writing is the most challenging section of IELTS.

Faced with a blank page, you have only 60 minutes in which to write 400 words by hand. This includes 150 words describing a diagram or data, plus 250 words giving your opinion on an issue.

It doesn’t help that few people actually write reports or essays by hand nowadays! Therefore, it’s no surprise that writing 150 or 250 words in the time allowed is the biggest concern of many IELTS candidates. And yes, there is a penalty in IELTS if you fail to write enough words. Usually this is a 0.5 reduction in your score.

However, when you examine any piece of academic writing, you’ll find that only a small part consists of original ideas, and most of it is made up of structural language. What does this mean? It means that certain kinds of sentences are found in all academic writing, and you can use them regardless of the topic to ensure that you write at least 150 or 250 words.

The article assumes you are familiar with the IELTS Academic Writing test format. If you aren't, read IELTS Writing: Introduction first.

IELTS Writing Tip 1: Write a detailed thesis statement

You should already have a clear plan for your Task 2 essay when you begin writing your introduction. Try adding a detailed thesis statement that tells the examiner exactly what you are going to write about in each paragraph. A thesis statement typically begins with “This essay will…” or “In this essay, I will…”. Not only is this a great way to add more words to your introduction, it can increase your score in Coherence and Cohesion, which is based on how well you link your ideas. The technique can also be used in Task 1, though you’ll need to replace ‘essay’ with ‘report’.

IELTS Writing Tip 2: Repeat the question topic in each new paragraph

One definition of a paragraph is that it should not depend on other paragraphs in order to be understood. When you begin a new paragraph in Task 1 or Task 2, state the topic again. For example: “Another reason for the decline in academic standards is…” rather than “Another reason is…” Although this may seem like repeating yourself unnecessarily, it helps to create a more academic style of writing. It also helps to move you more quickly towards your goal of writing 150 or 250 words. You’ll get bonus points if you can paraphrase the topic each time you mention it.

IELTS Writing Tip 3: Write transition sentences

A transition sentence connects two stages in your writing. It may refer to what has already been written, or it may explain what will come next. A good transition sentence can do both: “Having look at X, I will now turn to Y.” They are incredibly useful in both Task 1 and Task 2 of IELTS Writing. They help you write more, even when there isn’t a great deal to say. Just like Tip #1, this writing technique also adds to your score in Coherence and Cohesion.

IELTS Writing Tip 4: Summarise your main points

It’s perfectly normal to reach your conclusion and find that you still need to write at least another 50 words! There’s an easy solution to this, of course. Summarising your main points is a great way to get extra mileage out of them, as well as to show off your paraphrasing skills. You should do this only when you need to write those extra words. If your Task 1 answer seems to be at least 150 words already, don’t waste time summarising. Just get straight on to Task 2.

IELTS Writing Tip 5: Predict the future

My final IELTS Writing tip is only for use when you’ve summarised your main points but your answer still looks a little too short. It also works for both tasks. In Task 1, look at the data you’ve been given and predict where it’s likely to go in future. Technically, you aren’t supposed to do this, but it’s a perfectly fine technique to add a little extra information. In Task 2, a conditional sentence is a very useful method of predicting the future. If your advice isn’t followed, what could happen?

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How to Plan & Write IELTS Problem Solution Essays

IELTS problem solution essays are the most challenging essay type for many people. The way they are worded can vary hugely which can make it difficult to understand how you should answer the question.

Generally, you’ll be asked to write about both the problem, or cause, and the solution to a specific issue. Sometimes, however, you will only be required to write about possible solutions.

The 3 essay types:

Problem and solution
Cause and solution
Just the solution

Hence, it’s essential that you analyse the question carefully, which I’ll show you how to do in this lesson. I’m also going to demonstrate step-by-step how to plan and write IELTS problem solution essays.

Here’s what we’ll be covering:

Identifying IELTS problem solution essays
6 Common mistakes
Essay structure
How to plan
How to write an introduction
How to write main body paragraphs
How to write a conclusion

Want to watch and listen to this lesson?

Click on this video.

Click the links to see lessons on each of these Task 2 essay writing topics.

Once you understand the process, practice on past questions. Take your time at first and gradually speed up until you can plan and write an essay of at least 250 words in the 40 minutes allowed in the exam.

The Question

Here are two typical IELTS problem solution essay questions. They consist of a statement followed by the question or instruction.

1. One problem faced by almost every large city is traffic congestion.

What do you think the causes are? What solutions can you suggest?

2. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the number of endangered species has increased significantly and we have witnessed more mass extinctions in this period than in any other period of time.

State some reasons for this and provide possible solutions.

These are some examples of different ways in which questions can be phrased. The first half of the questions relate to the problem or cause, the second half to the solution.

What issues does this cause and how can they be addressed?

What are some resulting social problems and how can we deal with them?

What problems arise from this and how can they be tackled?

Why is this? How might it be remedied?

What are the reasons for this, and how can the situation be improved?

Why is this happening, and what measures can be taken to tackle this problem?

And here are a few questions where you only have to write about the solution.

How can this situation be improved?

What solutions can you suggest to deal with this problem?

How can this problem be solved?

What measures could be taken to prevent this?

It’s important that you are able to recognise the common synonyms, words and phrases used in problem solution questions. Here are the key words and their synonyms used in the questions above.

Problem – issues, resulting, situation
Cause – reasons, why
Solution – deal with, addressed, tackled, remedied, improved, measures taken, solved, prevent

Before we move on to some common mistakes, I want to quickly explain the difference between a problem and a cause. Read the following examples.

Problem – I've missed the last bus home after visiting my friend for the evening.

Cause – I misread the timetable and thought the bus left at 22.45 when it actually left at 22.35.

The ‘cause’ is the reason for the ‘problem’. We’ll be looking at question analysis in more detail in a minute.

6 Common Mistakes

These six errors are common in IELTS problem solution essays.

Confusing problem and causes questions.
Having too many ideas.
Not developing your ideas.
Not developing both sides of the argument equally.
Not linking the problems and solutions.
Not being specific enough.

It is common for an essay to consist of a list of problems and solutions without any of them being expanded on or linked to each other. Sometimes, a student will focus on just the problem or only the solution which leads to an unbalanced essay. Both these issues will result in a low score for task achievement.

You must choose just one or two problems and pick solutions directly linked to them. Explain them and give examples.

Another serious error is to write generally about the topic. You need to be very specific with your ideas. Analysing the question properly is essential to avoiding this mistake. I’ll show you how to do this.

Essay Structure

Now let’s look at a simple structure you can use to write IELTS problem solution essays. It’s not the only possible structure but it’s the one I recommend because it’s easy to learn and will enable you to quickly plan and write a high-level essay.

1) Introduction

Paraphrase the question
State 1 key problem/cause and related solution

2) Main body paragraph 1 – Problem or Cause

Topic sentence – state the problem or cause
Explanation – give detail explaining the problem or cause
Example – give an example

3) Main body paragraph 2 – Solution

Topic sentence – state the solution
Explanation – give detail explaining the solution

4) Conclusion

Summarise the key points

This structure will give us a well-balanced essay with 4 paragraphs.

One Problem/Cause & Solution or Two?

Most questions will state problems, causes and solutions in the plural, that is, more than one. However, it is acceptable to write about just one.

This will give you an essay of just over the minimum 250 words. To write about two problems/causes and solutions will require you to write between 350 and 400 words which are a lot to plan and write in the 40 minutes allowed.

It is better to fully develop one problem/cause and solution than ending up with one idea missing an explanation or an example because you run out of time.

The step-by-step essay structure I’m going to show you includes one problem and solution but you can write about two if you feel able to or more comfortable doing so.

How To Plan IELTS Problem Solution Essays

Here’s the question we’re going to be answering in our model essay followed by the 3 steps of the planning process.

One problem faced by almost every large city is traffic congestion.

What do you think the causes are? What solutions can you sugge st?

Analyse the question
Generate ideas
Identify vocabulary

# 1 Analyse the question

This is an essential step in the planning process and will ensure that you answer the question fully. It’s quick and easy to do. You just need to identify 3 different types of words:

1. Topic words

2. Other keywords

3. Instruction words

Topics words are the ones that identify the general subject of the question and will be found in the statement part of the question.

One problem faced by almost every large city is traffic congestion .

So, this question is about ‘ traffic congestion’ .

Many people will do this first step of the process and then write about the topic in general. This is a serious mistake and leads to low marks for task achievement.

What we need to do now that we know the general topic, is to understand exactly what aspect of traffic congestion we're being asked to write about.

The other keywords in the question tell you the specific topic you must write about.

By highlighting these words, it’s easy to see that you are being asked to write about the problem of traffic congestion in large cities. Your essay must only include ideas relevant to these ideas.

The instruction words are the question itself. These tell you the type of IELTS problem solution essay you must write. This is a ‘causes and solutions’ question.

# 2 Generate ideas

The next task is to generate some ideas to write about.

There are several different ways to think up ideas. I cover them fully on the IELTS Essay Planning page.

We’re going to use the ‘friends technique’. This is the method I prefer as it allows you to take a step back from the stress of the exam situation and think more calmly.

Here’s how it works. Imagine that you are chatting with a friend over a cup of coffee and they ask you this question. What are the first thoughts to come into your head? Plan your essay around these ideas.

Doing this will help you to come up with simple answers in everyday language rather than straining your brain to think of amazing ideas using high-level language, which isn’t necessary.

You might want to try this yourself before reading on for my ideas.

Here are my ideas:

Too many cars on the roads – increasing numbers of people own cars, more convenient than buses & trains
Inadequate public transport – crowded, old & dirty
Poor road layout
Rush hour traffic – most people travel to & from work at the same times each day
Car sharing, park-and-ride scheme, congestion charge
Improve public transport – more frequent and better quality
Improve infrastructure – bus lanes, cycle lanes will make it safer for people to cycle
Flexible working hours

For each cause you think of, immediately write down a possible solution. This you will ensure that the problems and solutions you think of are linked.

You don’t need to spend long on this as you only need one or two ideas.

I’ve got more far more ideas here than I need as I spent more time thinking about it that I would in the real exam. I’m going to pick just one cause to develop in the essay and one or two solutions.

My advice on making your selection is to choose ideas you can quickly think of an example to illustrate.

Here are my choices:

Cause – Too many cars on the roads. Why? – increasing numbers of people own cars, more convenient than buses & trains

Solution – Park-and-ride schemes

We’re almost ready to start writing our IELTS problem solution essay but first, we have one more task to do.

# 3 Vocabulary

During the planning stage, quickly jot down some vocabulary that comes to mind as you decide which cause and solution you are going to write about, especially synonyms of key words. This will save you having to stop and think of the right language while you’re writing. For example:

traffic jam
heavy traffic
private transport
infrastructure

With that done, we can focus on the first paragraph of the essay – the introduction.

How To Write an Introduction

Good introductions to IELTS problem solution essays have a simple 2 part structure:

State 1 key problem/cause and related solution/s (outline sentence)
Have 2-3 sentences
Be 40-60 words long
Take 5 minutes to write

1) Paraphrase the question

Start your introduction by paraphrasing the question.

Question: One problem faced by almost every large city is traffic congestion.

What do you think the causes are? What solutions can you suggest?

Paraphrased question:

O ne of the most serious issues facing the majority of large urban areas is traffic jams.

Note my use of synonyms to replace key words in the question statement. You don’t have to replace every key word but do so where possible whilst ensuring that your language sounds natural.

2) Outline statement

Now we need to add an outline statement where we outline the two main points that we’ll cover in the rest of the essay, that is, the cause and the solution I chose earlier. Here they are again.

Cause – Too many cars on the roads. Why? – increasing numbers of people own cars, more convenient than buses & trains

And, this is one way to develop them into an outline sentence.

Outline statement:

The main reason for this is that there are too many private cars on the roads these days and a viable solution is to introduce more park-and-ride schemes.

So, let’s bring the two elements of our introduction together.

Introduction

This introduction achieves three important functions:

It shows the examiner that you understand the question.
It acts as a guide to the examiner as to what your essay is about.
It also helps to keep you focused and on track as you write.

The two ideas in your introduction will become your two main body paragraphs.

Main body paragraph 1 – Too many cars on the roads

Main body paragraph 2 – Park-and-ride schemes

How To Write Main Body Paragraphs

Main body paragraphs in IELTS problem solution essays should contain 3 things:

Topic sentence – outline the main idea
Explanation – explain it and g ive more detail

Main Body Paragraph 1

The topic sentence summarises the main idea of the paragraph. That’s all it needs to do so it doesn’t have to be complicated.

It plays an important role in ensuring that your ideas flow logically from one to another. It does this by acting as a signpost for what is to come next, that is, what the paragraph will be about.

If you maintain a clear development of ideas throughout your essay, you will get high marks for task achievement and cohesion and coherence.

We’ll now take the idea for our first main body paragraph and create our topic sentence.

Obviously, we’re going to write about the cause of the problem first.

Main body paragraph 1 – Too many cars on the roads

Topic sentence:

The number of people owning cars increases year on year, with most families now having more than one car.

Next, we must write an explanation sentence that develops the idea.

Explanation sentence:

Most people like the convenience of travelling at the time they want to rather than being restricted to public transport timetables, so they prefer to drive themselves around rather than taking the bus or train. This is despite the fact that they frequently have to sit in long traffic queues as they near the city centre.

Finally, we add an example to support our main point. If you can’t think of a real example, it’s fine to make one up, as long as it’s believable. The examiner isn’t going to check your facts. Alternative, you could add another piece of information to support your idea.

Example sentence:

Whenever I have to attend a meeting in the city, I always drive because it means that I can leave home when I want to rather than getting stressed about getting to the station in time to catch the train.

That’s the 3 parts of our first main body paragraph complete. Here’s the finished paragraph.

We now follow the same process for our second main body paragraph.

Main Body Paragraph 2

Main idea 2 – Park-and-ride schemes

First, we write the topic sentence to summarise the main idea.

Topic sentence:

A solution that is proving successful in many areas is park-and-ride schemes.

Now for the explanation sentence where we expand on this idea.

Explanation sentence:

This is where you park your car for free in a large car park on the outskirts of the city and take a bus for the final part of your journey. The fee you have to pay for the bus trip is usually very small and this public transport system is generally very regular, running every ten minutes or so.

Finally, an example to support this point.

A survey carried out in the city of Exeter showed that the rush hour congestion decreased by 10% when the council set up a park-and-ride scheme to the north of the city. There was an additional drop of another 10% in traffic volume when a second scheme began operating to the south.

That’s the 3 parts of our second main body paragraph complete. Here’s the finished paragraph.

Now we need a conclusion and our IELTS problem solution essay is done.

How To Write a Conclusion

The conclusion is a summary of the main points in your essay and can generally be done in a single sentence. It should never introduce new ideas.

If you're below the minimum 250 words after you’ve written your conclusion, you can add a prediction or recommendation statement.

Our essay is already over the minimum word limit so we don’t need this extra sentence but you can learn more about how to write a prediction or recommendation statement for IELTS problem solution essays on the Task 2 Conclusions page.

The conclusion is the easiest sentence in the essay to write but one of the most important.

A good conclusion will:

Neatly end the essay
Link all your ideas together
Sum up your argument or opinion
Answer the question

If you achieve this, you’ll improve your score for both task achievement and cohesion and coherence which together make up 50% of the overall marks. Without a conclusion, you’ll score below band 6 for task achievement.

You can start almost any final paragraph of an IELTS problem solution essay with the words:

In conclusion

To conclude

Now all you need to do is briefly summarise the main ideas into one sentence.

Here’s a top tip . Go back and read the introduction to the essay because this is also a summary of the essay. It outlines what you are going to write about.

To create a good conclusion, you simply have to paraphrase the introduction.

Introduction:

Here is the same information formed into a conclusion. I’ve also added a personal statement at the end to link back to one of my example sentences. You don’t have to do this but in this case, I think that it rounds the essay off better.

That’s it. We’ve completed our essay. Here it is with the 4 paragraphs put together.

Finished IELTS problem solution essay.

Go through this lesson as many times as you need to in order to fully understand it and put in lots of practice writing IELTS problem solution essays from past exam questions. Practice is the only way to improve your skills.

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More help with ielts problem solution essays & other task 2 essays.

IELTS Writing Task 2 – T he format, the 5 question types, the 5 step essay writing strategy & sample questions. All the key information you need to know.

The 5 Types of Task 2 Essay – How to recognise the 5 different types of Task 2 essays. 15 sample questions to study and a simple planning structure for each essay type.

Understanding Task 2 Questions – How to quickly and easily analyse and understand IELTS Writing Task 2 questions.

How To Plan a Task 2 Essay – Discover why essay planning is essential & learn a simple 4 step strategy, the 4 part essay structure & 4 methods of generating ideas.

How To Write a Task 2 Introduction – Find out why a good introduction is essential. Learn how to write one using a simple 3 part strategy & discover 4 common mistakes to avoid.

How To Write Task 2 Main Body Paragraphs – Learn the simple 3 part structure for writing great main body paragraphs and also, 3 common mistakes to avoid.

How To Write Task 2 Conclusions – Learn the easy way to write the perfect conclusion for a Task 2 essay. Also discover 4 common mistakes to avoid.

Task 2 Marking Criteria – Find out how to meet the marking criteria in Task 2. See examples of good and poor answers & learn some common mistakes to avoid.

The 5 Task 2 Essay Types:

Step-by-step instructions on how to plan & write high-level essays. Model answers & common mistakes to avoid.

Opinion Essays

Discussion Essays

Problem Solution Essays

Advantages & Disadvantages Essays

Double Question Essays

Other Related Pages

IELTS Writing Test – Understand the format & marking criteria, know what skills are assessed & learn the difference between the Academic & General writing tests.

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IELTS Writing Penalty for Being Under Words

“Under the word count” penalty update for IELTS Writing Task 2

As you see on the page below, previously you would have a fixed penalty of band score 5 for Task Response in IELTS writing task 2 if you wrote under the word count which is 250 words. This rule has now been removed.

Does this mean you can now write under the word count?

The answer to this is yes and no. Let me explain. It is possible to write under the word count and you will get no fixed penalty. But will it impact your score?

Writing a short essay which is under 250 words will definitely impact your score and not in a good way. The requirements of good band score are that you develop your ideas sufficiently. This means you must have enough words to develop your main points. A short essay doesn’t do this. Take a look below at the requirements of Task Response regarding this:

Band 5 = ideas are limited and not sufficiently developed
Band 6 = ideas might be inadequately developed
Band 7 = extends main ideas
Band 8 = presents well-developed response with extended ideas
Band 9 = fully extended ideas

As you see, developing and extending your main points is crucial to increase your score. You cannot develop your ideas properly if your body paragraphs are too short. Certainly, a long paragraph is no guarantee of a well-developed idea, but a short paragraph will ensure it is not developed enough. So, you need two things: 1) body paragraphs that are long enough to be considered developed. 2) body paragraphs containing sentences that are focused and relevant. Basically, the right length and focused.

What word limits do you recommend for paragraphs?

Your introduction is a functional paragraph of just two statements usually about 40-50 words.
Each body paragraph MUST be sufficiently developed for a high score. If you have two body paragraphs, it’ll be about 95 words per paragraph and about 65 words for three body paragraphs. Having less might put you at risk of not having sufficiently developed main points.
The conclusion is also a functional paragraph of about 30-40 words.

In total, your essay should be around 270 – 290 words in length . If you write less, your ideas might not be developed enough for a high score. If you write more, your ideas might lack focus and sentences might lack relevancy. See my model essays on this page: IELTS Writing Task 2 Lessons & Tips

Word count Rules Previously Used by IELTS Before

There used to be a fixed penalty in IELTS writing if you wrote under the word count which is 150 words for writing task 1 and 250 words for writing task 2 . You would automatically get only band 5 in Task Response which counts for 25% of your marks.

Other things affecting your score

Your handwriting – if the examiner has problems reading your handwriting, your band score can be seriously affected.
Memorised answer – if your essay answer is memorised, it will not be accepted and could result in a 0 band score.
Limited answer – if you fail to answer the whole question and only answer half of it, you will not get above band score 5 in task response.

Is there a penalty for writing too much?

No, there is no upper limit. However, writing too many words does not mean you will get a better mark. In fact, it might cause problems. It might include sentences that are less relevant and less focused. People often like to add “padding” to their essays but this only lowers your score. See this page: How Many Words is Recommended for Writing Task 2

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Hi Liz! I took my preparation following your youtube channel. I’ve a question about the writing section. In task-1, there was a line graph and I couldn’t write anything about one of the four lines beacuse I ran out of time. However, I mentioned the key features which include all four lines in the overview section. I’m not sure if I wrote a total of 150 words, but there’s a high chance that I did so. Now I’m very concerned if I can score at least 6.5 in the writing section. Please share your comment on this, I’m actually quite shocked that this happened to me.

This will lower your score for Task Achievement in Task 1, which counts for 25% of your task 1 marks. But the other criteria in task 1 will not be affected at all. Also, your task 2 scores, which count for 66% of your final writing score, will not be affected. Your final score for task 1 will depend on how strong your other marking criteria were and your final score overall will depend on task 2 as well. Therefore, it is not possible to predict your final score. Try not to worry. Good luck with your results!

hi liz., i took my ielts a couple weeks ago.,.i wrote below 150 words and below 250 words in writing.,.what is my possible score?

You will be marked down for not develop ideas in task 2 and probably for missing key features in task 1. You final score will depend on how well you did in other marking criteria.

Hello Liz! Hope you are well. I had my IELTS exam today. I’m quite unsure about the writing section as I didn’t get enough time to revise it. I’m worried about the word count. I wrote 159 words in task 1 and 260 words in task 2. Will that have a bad impact on my score? Another thing is I couldn’t give more than two examples in task 2. Is it possible to get a band 7?

There is no longer a penalty for being under words in IELT writing. In writing task 1, some reports are not very long and some are slightly longer. So, it might be possible for a task 1 to be 159 and still fulfil the criteria of the higher band scores. For task 2, your main points need to be well developed. This isn’t easy with under 270 words. However, it really depends on the quality of your writing overall. There is no rule about giving examples in IELTS writing. It makes no difference if you give one or three or even just some basic illustrative points instead.

Hi Liz, Jus now I have finished my IELTS exam and suddenly I got a doubt regarding my writing task 1 overview. So I just want know if any case my writing task 1 overview incorrect would it be effect for my whole task 1 marks?

Task Achievement is 25% of your marks for task 1. This criterion is about completing the task, as well as presenting and selecting information. So, the content of your overview would affect only this marking criterion, not the other three criteria.

Hi! If I couldn’t just conclude my essay in task 2 does it mean I will fail the whole IELTS exam?

Task Response, which includes writing a conclusion and completing your task, only counts for 25% of your final writing task 2 marks. So, failing to write a conclusion will only impact that score.

hello mam, i want to ask i gave IELTS exam 2nd time. in my first attempt I got 7 overall and 6.5 in reading. so in this test i attempted the IELTS writing module with almost same effort and same word count for both tasks as i did in last one. please tell me would i be able to get 6.5 in writing this time as well? i actually attempted again because i scored 5.5 in reading last time but this time my reading was perfect. just worried about writing module. if i couldn’t score 6.5 in writing i won’t be able to get scholarship. please share your views.

Each essay you write is different. You use different words, present different ideas, having different supporting points etc etc etc. So, there is no guarantee of the same score at all. If your level of English is on the border between 6 and 7, it means that with some essays you might end up with band 6, in others you might get 6.5 and in some band 7. All because your English and because of Task Response as well as Coherence and Cohesion. Here is a link to all my free lessons, tips and model essays for writing task 2 and task 1: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-1-lessons-and-tips/ https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/ Don’t ignore task 1, 33% of your marks can be the difference between band 6 or 6.5 or 7. I also have paid advanced lessons and e-books in my store: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Hello Liz, What is a memorized answer?

It is an answer where you have memorised all the words so that you can repeat those words in the test. Of course, we learn language to use, but that isn’t the same as memorising a whole sentence or a whole paragraph. Each sentence should be uniquely created by yourself in the test.

Hello ma’am, I wrote my exam on the 3rd of June. My question was “The values we learn from our parents and family have greater influence on our future success than knowledge and skills we learn at school. To what extent do you agree or disagree. I agreed on the two ideas but I didn’t use the word ‘I totally agree’ and I didn’t extend my ideas properly. My idea was that knowledge and skills will help us secure good jobs while the values will instill morals in us so we behave in an appropriate manner in the society. The time was flying and I couldn’t even proofread what I have written to correct any mistake. Will I be able to get a band 6.5 ma?

It’s a good thing you didn’t write “I totally agree” because the ideas you’ve presented are not in total agreement with the statement. In fact, you are not in agreement with the statement. You have written what I call a specific view point. You’ve taken the concept of “future success” and divided it into “career success” which does require education, and then our morals, which often come from family values. The key questions are – were your points introduced sufficiently? Did you explain why “morals” are important for success (because this essay is all about future success”? Did you divide ideas into relevant paragraphs? Did you use linking words? Not being able to proofread is a problem because mistakes do lower your score. It isn’t possible to predict scores without seeing a full essay. You will have to wait to see what results you get. As you only need 6.5, hopefully it will be ok. But remember that task 1 is also part of your final score for writing. Anyway, I wish you lots of luck!!

In the 5th paragraph on the website https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-penalty-for-writing-under-word-count/ please correct the typo. The word ‘too’ has been used, instead of ‘two’.

Well spotted. Thanks

Hi mam, Today I wrote my ielts exam.In writing task 2 I performed well, but coming to task 1 I have no time and I wrote introduction, overview and body paragraph of maps with 100 words. Do I have Chace of getting 6 mam?

As there is no longer a penalty for being under words, you will have a chance. But it will depend on the level of your writing in both tasks. Good luck!

Hi, I heard that IELTS abolished the under word count penalty rule and that it’s ok to go under 250 words for an essay etc… could you clarify this?

Many thanks

The reason I’ve left this page is because while IELTS do not have a fixed penalty for being under words, you will lose points because you fail to sufficiently develop your ideas. If your aim is around band 5 or 6, it isn’t such a big problem. But if you are aiming for band 7, you ought to be aiming for 270-290words in task 2. Previously, you would get an instant band 5 for Task Response (25% of your marks for task 2) if you wrote under the word count. But now if you don’t develop your ideas enough by writing enough, you will simply not meet the requirements of a band 7 in this criterion. So, you see, it isn’t about fixed punishment anymore. It’s about whether you fulfill the band score requirements for task response. Basically, word count is still important. Hope you understand.

Hi, First of all I want to thank you for your precious advices. I just took the IELTS and in the writing task 2 I didn’t manage my time well and and ended up writing 248 words only. I would like to know if that will have an impact on my band score. Thanks in advance for your answer.

It’s fine to write only that number of words for task 2. There won’t be any penalty. However, the problem comes if you didn’t expand your main ideas enough. To illustrate: Band 6 for TR = main ideas are not sufficiently developed Band 7 for TR = main ideas are extended But remember, that’s only the score for TR, not for the whole task 2 score. Good luck with your results 🙂

Thanks for the quick response and hopefully I will get the band score I need.

Hi Liz. I have a question, do you have vip courses? Or any paid course?

Yes, you can find some advanced lessons and e-books here: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Hi Liz, thank you very much for all the information. by mistake I started writing task 2 from the back page of answer sheet am really upset from yesterday kindly tell me will I lose band and marks by this mistake?

That’s an interesting question. There are no rules about this. The examiner should notice that you’ve started on the wrong side in which case it won’t affect your score at all. However, you ought to speak to your test centre directly about it. Get in touch with them. Good luck with your results!!

Hello! I had just taken my IELTS exam and the writing section went pretty well for the most part. Almost every marking requirement was met in terms of grammar, structure, and usage of vast vocabulary. I have also met and surpassed the word limit. Unfortunately, as I was wrapping up Task 2, I decided to add one last sentence to tie it all together and time was up just before I could finish the sentence with approximately 3 keywords remaining in the conclusion section. I was wondering how badly this could affect my score? Thank you so much for your time in advance.

The most important thing is that you have a conclusion. Even though you didn’t finish it, there is a conclusion. If you had missed the conclusion completely, you would have scored 5 in Task Response which is 25% of your marks. But this isn’t the case. Sure, not finishing a sentence will affect your score, but not with a serious impact. Your score will depend on many factors and can’t be predicted. Lots of luck with your results !!

Hi Liz, I find difficult not to write less than 150 words in diagram mocks. As these diagrams practically speak for themselves, for instance, showing clearly how electricity is produced or how rain water is collected, I can’t reach the required length for my description. I do not know if I should invent something, like, for example, how many minutes each process involves –considering that it is not given–, or describe processes that are not explained in the diagram –for example, the way in which water is turned into steam–, or if I should try to expand expressions, like using “in order to” instead of “to”, just to gain words. I feel really frustrated, because I think that these people are trying to make things more complicated, forcing me to explain in too many words a process that is clearly detailed in just a few sentences. I like the other task 1 exercises, but if I had to design a test I would eliminate the diagram type of exercises. Not that anyone cares lol.

Never invent anything for the diagram. You can’t add your opinion, your ideas, your predictions, your knowledge – nothing extra. Take each stage at a time, describe it in full and then link it to the next. Step by step through all the diagrams. For the overview, summarise all key stages in one statement. If you do this properly, you’ll reach the word count. Even if you only reach about 140, it’s still ok. Diagrams are tricky that way. But with practice at going slowly through the stages for the body paragraphs, you will get there 🙂

hey liz i’m inspired by your videos. I had a query about writing task. I repeat atleast one word like 6-7 times and always i see it after completing the entire task. Can you tell me how will it affect my score? and how can i improve this? also is it ok not to paraphrase the terms given in the process diagram, like can i copy the exact words from the process diagram?

It is normal to repeat words. Not all words can be paraphrased. If a word can be successfully paraphrased you should show your paraphrasing skills. The terms given in a diagram should be used – the key is using them correctly.

Dear Liz, Do we have to leave a line space after every paragraph? I think i got low marks for writing because of that. Please advise.

The empty line is to help the examiner see the paragraph more easily – it is not a requirement. If your paragraphs are indented and easy to see, it’s fine. That is unlikely to be the cause of your low score. Review your understand of the marking criteria and check your technique.

Hi Liz, will I be penalized if I write more than 200words in task 1

Band 5 Task Achievement – may give too much detail. You need to avoid that. Don’t get lost in detail – your aim is to focus on key features in a concise report.

Hey Eliza, I have a question that… in the words count do the preposition like a, an, the… and the numeric data and values …which are mostly used in any writing counts or not?

All words are counted – the length of the word does not matter.

Hi Liz . Do you think you should write a book for writing task 1 🤐 Your books that have already realised are so crucial for IELTS candidates .

I plan to create Advanced Video Lessons for Writing Task 1 when my health is better. Unfortunately, I’ve been sick for a long time which has limited the work I can do. Keep your fingers crossed for me – the sooner I get better, the sooner I can make the video lessons.

Hi Liza, thank you for useful infomation. I ask a question about the writing test. If I foget the source of cited articles in my essey, can I tell a lie such as writing “according to the United Nations”, not writing honestly “according to a reputable source” in order to make my argument stronger? Thanks,

You should not be stating any source of information or data in an IELTS essay. This is not a university essay. It is a language test. The examiner has no interest at all where your examples or information come from. You do not get a higher score because your argument is more convincing. You get a higher score for relevancy and well explained ideas. Make sure you pay attention to the things that really matter in IELTS and don’t waste your time with thinks that don’t improve your score.

I took my CBT ielts academic today and I think I have done horrible in Reading and writing by

1. Leaving two questions unanswered in reading 2. Writing only around 200 words in task 2

Listening and speaking , I am confident of scoring more than 8

Can you please let me know how point no 1 & 2 will affect my score ?

1. Each answer is worth one point. That means you do not gain two points. See the band score information on this site if you need the point system. 2. In task 2, one of the marking criterion called Task Response is about developing your ideas. You will get a lower score for that. Nothing else is affected.

Thanks a ton for your reply

I will keep that in mind if rewriting ! Will keep you posted about score once I have it to benefit the many test takers who might incur this doubt

Hi! Same situation. What did you score?

I would like to know what did you score in writing as I had a test today and I think I wrote around 200words in task 2

Hi Liz! I just sat for the IELTS exam and had severely mismanaged my time. This resulted in me writing less than I had expected (151 for Task 1 and 258 for Task 2). How badly would this affect my band score, and if it does, what are the odds of me scoring at least a 7.5 with this omission?

Thanks, love your youtube videos, it’s a shame I discovered them too late!

It will have an impact on your score for Task Response which is 25% of your writing task 2 marks. For task 1 is has less impact as not all reports need to be extended. However, for task 2 essays, you are being marked on developing ideas sufficiently and 258 words is not much. It is absolutely not possible to predict your score. There are many other variables to consider. Good luck with your results 🙂

Hi dear Liz I hope you are great. I have a question about copying 80-90% of sentences of a sample letter (in writing task1 of GT) and writing them for a roughly same question in real exam ,but with a slight change in some words or sentences in order to suit the question. How examiner recognize that this is a copy? As maybe I have copied them from a sample which is not seen or read by examiner before.

The examiner will recognise it is a copy because the memorised parts will be band 9 and the parts you put in will be band 6 or 7. Do not memorise sentences. It is a test and you can’t cheat.

Hi, Liz. I am planning to take an academic IELTS test. Regarding the word count, will IELTS count word tokens or word types? Thanks

Each word is counted. All words are counted – there are no exceptions. “A man walked into a house” = 6 words.

Hello there! Dear Liz, Could you please tell me if mistakenly we tend to write off the topic, Are the words included in our Essay that are off the topic are counted or not?

ALL words are counted. There is no exception. If your ideas go off topic, it will only affect your score for Task Achievement/ Task Response.

Mam I, m very frustrated towards IELTS And It’s preparation I , m preparing it from one year (from may 2018 to 2019) I gave exam in Jan 12th but I got 5.5 in writing as well in speaking. I join many schools but they real not know how to teach please help me. Mam if you have a skype or Facebook account can I contact you, I also use cambly if you are on family let me know and other than this what I do to improve my writing and speaking from 5.5 to 6.5 and more please answer this. I, m waiting your answer in a hurry. Thanks regards gurkirat

Sorry, I don’t offer private lessons. There are over 300 pages of free lessons and tips on this site for you to use. However, I suspect you will need to improve your level of English first.

Hello liz.. i think i had misused one word in my essay writing test. How would it affect my score in task 2? One word only 😭😭😭 and i cannot sleep thinking about it. I doubted the word but i still used it 😓, when I checked the meaning at home, it was completely different, it wasn’t the meaning i’d expected. 😭😭😭

Vocabulary is only 25% of your marks and the score is based on more than just one incorrect word. It is about paraphrasing, using of collocations, spelling, range, accuracy etc. Time to stop worrying and relax – it’s all over now. Wait for your results.

Ohhh.. what a relief ☺️ Thanks so much liz.. may God bless you always..

Hi Liz, I finished my IELTS exam today and I’m so worried too. I forgot to separate the paragraphs and it was too late when I realized as I panicked and spent too much time in task 1. So it may seem that I only did one paragraph for task 2 although my ideas were organized in order. How will that affect my score Liz? I cannot get over it. I’m crying awhile ago. 😭😭😭

Try to relax. Were your paragraphs impossible to see? You do not have to leave an empty line – it is a recommendation. If the examiner can see the paragraphs, it’s fine. If the paragraphs are not clear at all and it really looks like one single paragraph, you will be given band 5 in Coherence & Cohesion – but that is only 25% of your writing task 2 marks. So, it see how it impacts your score, you must wait for your results. Try to forget about it for now – get some rest 🙂

Thank you Liz. I just feel like I could have done better. Coherence and cohesion is the organisation of your thoughts and ideas isn’t it? So if it’s organized, although the paragraphs isn’t clear, does the IELTS checker still mark it 5? Thanks for making me feel relieved. To be honest I practiced alot in writing, however, it’s indeed true, in althe actual exam, the time pressure will really make one abit uneasy. Praying for my results. Godbless you Liz.

hi Myreen. I am interested in your result. What is your score?

Hi Liz, I recently took my IELTS exam. I’m worried about my Writing because I have only written 152 words for task 1, because I consumed most of the time writing for task 2 which is around 320 words. Will I get a bad score because of my task 1?

IT is still possible to do well with only 152 words in task 1. However, it will depend on the task given and the information presented.

Hi Liz. I’m gonna have a test in 3 days. Is it possible to just cross out the mistaken words in writing? And not to erase them?

Of course, it’s fine. You can correct your writing as you want. As long as the writing is easy to read and understand, it’s fine. See this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Hi Liz, I took my IELTS test a week ago. I didn’t get enough time for the writing test so I couldn’t conclude my task 1 and couldn’t count the number of words, so I’m worried if I’m under word count. But I have described the given table well (except the conclusion) and done a satisfactory job on task 2, grammar, paraphrasing and all. Will my score be too low because of this?

It is a shame that you didn’t learn from my free lessons and videos. There is no conclusion in task 1. There is an overview in task 1 and it is the most important paragraph. Without an overview in task 1 your score for TA (25% of your task 1 marks) will be stuck at band 5. For this reason, I teach people to write their overview after the introduction so that it is the paragraph to focus on.

hi Liz, do you think i can get band 6 if i didn’t finish and didn’t write a conclusion in task 2?

There are four marking criteria for task 2. On one criterion (Task Response) you will automatically get band 5 because you missed the conclusion. This is why I made a free video about the importance of writing the conclusion. However, your score for the other marking criteria will not be affected. It isn’t possible to estimate your score – your score will depend on the other three criteria and on task 1.

Hello Ma’am! My name is Abdur Rehman, and I have just given my IELTS exam. My question from you is that I have written Full word instead of One option (A, B, C) in IELTS listening, so can I get marks for that?

If you are asked to write a letter, then it is wrong to write a word.

Hi Liz, It’s so useful your page . Thank you so much . Could you please advise me for improving my listening . Getting around 20-22 scores only . Getting nervous. I am afraid of this task. Other 3 tasks I don’t have tension .Please help me .

Click on the RED BAR at the top of the website for the IELTS Listening free lessons.

Hey Liz, just came back from my ielts. I have a very important question. I took computer-delivered test and in the writing task 1 section forgot to remove the plan of the essay( I had my draft on top of the text box, so I can follow it) the plan was written in abbreviation and spelling mistakes. Then after the plan I wrote the actual essay, and I didn’t have a chance to correct one mistake, that affected other words and meaning of the last sentence, also i might have written less that 150 words. All of this happened because I didnt organize my time properly. What will be the score in this case. Please advise. Thank you

You should have highlighted this to the invigilator at the end of your test. I can’t advise you about this. If you are still worried, call your test centre and talk to them.

Thanks a lot for your great advanced lessons. I have purchased them and been trying to follow up your rules.

However, I am facing with a big problem that I can not overcome. Despite writing in required time, the word counts of my essay are always more than 350 words. The writing off-topic is not the case here, but the lengths of my sentences which is at least 20-25 words in every single of them.

Take both body paragraphs have 6 sentences in each (2 thesis statements+4 supportive points). Then the essay will be formed with about 15-16 sentences which means 350-400 words overall for my writing.

Would this kind of writing impact my score adversely so I should make my sentences more concise, or it would be enough to get 7 or 7,5 in case I meet the requirements of this band score.

Thanks a lot for your advice in advance.

The body paragraph as I taught has the first sentence which contains the main point. You do NOT have two thesis statement in a body paragraph. After one sentence with the main point, there will be 2 or 3 sentences which explain in more detail. You plan which points to put in. You do not put in all points you think of – you select and choose. This means you control which ideas you use and which ideas you don’t use. Try writing again following guidelines.

Thanks a lot for your valuable answer. While writing two thesis statement in a paragraph I meant two ideas, such as “Firstly….+2 supporting sentences and Secondly…+2 supporting sentences” in the advantages paragraph, for example, and the same structure for the disadvantages paragraph.

Is it acceptable to write very long sentences in IELTS essay (around 20-30 words)? While I try to rewrite it, I can only eliminate one supportive sentence, but not the shortening of the sentences’ length.

Thanks a lot

Lets continue this by email: [email protected] . Send me an email and we’ll talk.

Hi liz..you seemed to be very helpful to me through all my ielts learning…i appreciate you.. i just appeared my ielts exam yesterday…but while writing essay in writing section i found that i had written only 254 while counting each words one by one ..but it can be seen only 242 while counting according to line wise..i need your suggestion on its impact in my score band..it would be a great help for me..

The examiner will count each individual word.

Thank you so much miss liz…😍😍

Hello Liz. Yesterday I Took The IELTS Exam For Academic And I Wrote About 145-147 Words For Task 1 And Around 247 Words For Task 2. Will I be penalized for this?

IELTS usually allow you about 10 words under the limit before the penalty kicks in. You should be fine.

Hope you are doing good. I am disappointed with my first attempt with General Training – Task 1 IELTS exam which ended with 140 – 145 words due to improper time management by myself.

My questions to you, please : 1. Will there be a huge penalty, if there are 145 words for Task 1 (Letter). 2. Is the penalty counted per word. I mean a letter with 145 words will suffer a higher penalty than a letter with 140 words .

Thanks in advance, Priyanka

IELTS allow for about 10 words under the limit before the penalty kicks in. However, being under by 10 words means you haven’t extended your ideas very much which will have an impact.

Dear Liz, I hope you are doing good. How is your health now? I wanted to know does word count for letter writing include salutation (Dear….,) ,signing off ( Your sincerely) and the name or only the body of the letter is counted. I have taken IELTS once with a score of L:8, R:7 ,W:6,S:8. In the feedback for general writing its mentioned that : conclusion(s) of letter are unclear, some details are wrong and irrelevant. I wanted to know how to determine whether the detail which is being given is a relevant one or not. I was wondering whats conclusion(S) in a letter is and what’s the parameter to know its clarity.

I would also like thank you for your wonderful subscription videos ! I wish there something for like that for general writing too.

Yes, the word count includes each and every word you write on the lines of the answer sheet. I have no idea what you mean about your feedback for your writing task 1 and “conclusion(s) in a letter”. There is no such thing as a conclusion in a letter and that is part of no IELTS band descriptors. Who gave you this feedback? My Advanced writing task 2 lessons are for both GT and Academic essays. I hope to put together an e-book for GT letter writing but it won’t be until next year.

Hello Liz, Is it necessary to write the “word count” at the end of essay in writing task 2?

No. The examiner will count.

hi Liz I find your material really helpful, however i am having an issue with describing complex diagrams, any help on that?

Check the model answers on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-1-lessons-and-tips/

I missed writing the last word of my writing task2…I finished my writing task1 well and almost finished my task2. How much will I be penalized for it?

It won’t have any impact on Task Response which is 25% of your marks. In fact, it will have little impact on your score overall. As long as your conclusion was started and was almost complete, it’s fine.

Hi Liz, I took my IELTS academic test yesterday. I’ve been following your tips and I have also watched almost every video that you’ve posted. For me the writing was the most difficult part because I didn’t have enough time. Despite that, I finished both tasks but I feel like I could’ve done that part so much better. The rest was fine. I hope I get the results I want to get. Wish me luck!

Fingers crossed 🙂

I recently completed my writing test and am very apprehensive about a mistake done. I think I did reach the word count limit for the second essay, but didnt finish the final line in conclusion part. There was about 4 words left to complete that sentence but the time had completed by then. Will this be penalized? Please let me know what you think.

There is only one essay in IELTS writing. So, I presume you are talking about task 2 because task 1 is a report, not an essay. As long as you have a conclusion, it’s fine. Just 4 missing words will only affect your score for task response in a minimal way.

Thank you so very much for the response. Yes I was talking about task 2. Now is the hardest part of this whole endeavor. The wait for results.

In my Writing Test. I wrote extra time 1 second, 2 words after completion of time.The examiner forced me to sign a “Ielts Warning Letter”, which was a folded paper and I was able to see only My Name,Candidate Id, Signature boxes in that page.I don’t know what was inside that letter. Is this effect my score? What will be in that letter?

You should contact your local test center and ask them about this. IELTS is an international test with strict policies and very strict time control. Phone them and ask them about the letter and the consequences for you.

hoping your result will be withheld . please update it you got any response.

I have a problem i forgot to put the introduction and conclussion on an essay, how many points do u lose?

It does not work on a points system. It will serious affect your score. You need to think carefully about why you failed to do the most basic aspect of an essay, which is to prepare paragraphs and plan your organisation.

Hey Liz, I just came back from exam. I am little worried that,

In the task 2 , I’ve been asked essay of to what extent do you agree/disagree?

In the intro, after paraphrasing I ve said that “I agree to a large extent….”and wrote 2 bodies that gives reason for my agreement and wrote conclusion..so is it good?

Bcoz I’ve seen that I’ve to write 3 body ..in which 2 for agree and 1 for disagree…bcoz I answered I agree to a large extent.

So will it be okay or not? And if not then how much it will effect on my score?? Will I be able to get at least 5.5 or 6!!

There are NO rules about how many paragraphs to have. It is fine to have only two. The most important thing is that your opinion is VERY clear and that your body paragraphs FULLY explain your opinion.

Thanks for prompt reply.

Yes, I’ve stated reason with detailed explanation and example.

So will it be okay if I wrote ‘ I agree to a large extent’ instead of ‘i strongly agree’ in intro?? With the 2 paragraph showing reason behind my agreement.

Of course it’s fine. I don’t understand why you doubt this. It is a clear opinion. Your opinion shows that you do not fully agree and that there are reasons for this. Your body paragraphs will explain why you agree, but also why you do not 100% agree (you will explain your reservation).

No, you might misunderstood me. I have said that, i wrote ” I agree to a large extent” it means my opinion is not full agree… But i wrote 2 body paragraph only and both are of the reasons why i agree.. and i have not write any para that states about disagree. That is why i was asking that, will it effect on my score and if yes then how much!!

This is a problem. you have shown that you DO NOT fully agree. “I agree to a large extent” means that you agree about 80%, 90% or 95%, but NOT 100%. This is the meaning of your words. So, in your essay, you need to explain why you mostly agree, and you also need to explain why you do not fully agree. If you fail to explain why you do not fully agree, you will lose marks. It will affect your score for Task Response.

Yes i know. But i was having less amount of time in last and so had wrote conclusion directly. 🙁 What do you think how much band will be reduced because of this overall on writing?

Task Response is based on more than just your main points. You will have to wait for your results to see how it has affected them.

Oh okay thanks. Hope to get atleast more than 6 so it won’t effect my admission. Wish me luck. 🙈

Good luck!!

Hi Ma’am I got my IELTS result today I got overall score of 6.5 ( listening 7.5, reading 6.5, writing 5.5) I wrote task 1 following your instructions but only of 90 words and task 2 of around 230 words, although I used complex sentences with some high vocabulary words and also wrote overview and conclusion ( in task 2) . Is my band low because of word count penalty ? Please advice me , should I go for a recheck ?

Your score will have been lowered due to your lack of words. It is essential that you write OVER the word count.

I’m grateful for your help. You have a gift for teaching. I just want to post my experience from today’s test. With regards to the writing part there is really NOT ENOUGH time. I came across a subject about to what extend should the national governments interfere with ones preference towards a study subject during the university period. I felt I had so much to say in the essay but I ended up not even writing half of what I could. I constantly went back and forth. So disappointing. Good luck to all of you guys!

Once again thank you Liz,

Dear Mrs. Liz, I’m Vinay kartheek, today I gave my listening, reading and listening test. However, in writing task 2 I shared my views regarding the topic but I forgot to give relevant examples which they asked for. I’m worried about the score now. Could you please talk regarding this. Thank you for your time

It is not required to give examples. You give examples if you want to – only when relevant.

Hello Mrs. Liz Firstly thankyou for your response. Secondly, in task 2 they particularly asked to mention some relevant examples or experiences. Awaiting for your response Thanks again

Relevant examples – that means if you find them relevant. If you don’t find them relevant, you don’t give them. There are many ways to illustrate ideas. Don’t worry about it.

Thank you Mr.Liz

Mrs. Liz not Mr. Liz !

Neither actually. I am not a man and I am not married 🙂

Hello, I wonder what would be the penalty if I wrote everything correctly, and follolowed the instructions, but I couldn’t write 250 words for Task 2. Instead I’ve written only 160. I also wrote everything for Task 1(170 words). Thank you!

For writing task 2, you will be given a score for TR/ CC / GR & VOC. Then the score will be reduced due to lack of words.

Ellie may I know what was your score ?

Sorry if a miss this but you didnt answer how underwriting the task would affect the final score. Is it an essencial part of the test? like if you do not complete you always score band 5 or may the penalty reduced your score 10 percent? or how does this work?

You will get a lower score if you write under the word count. That is the meaning of being “penalised”.

hallo liza haw can i count words in order to write like 150 words

Count lines instead.

Is it compulsory to state total words below essay??????

No, you do not write the word count. The examiner always counts for himself.

Hi Liz, I got this question in writing part 2 : Some people support the developement of agriculture like factory farming and scientific creation , While other oppose. Discuss both views;- What I Wrote:- 1 body paragraph:- development of farming for business purpose and greenhouse farming 2nd body :- ehnacement of technology rather than farming is a better development.

I know, i am off topic in second body. How much will it effect?? Can you please analayis

I answered this question for another student called Jay on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/recent-ielts-questions-and-topics/

Hi Liz, I had viewed most of your videos on youtube as my only aid for IELTS preparation. I was able to complete only 50% of writing task 1, I din’t have enough time to explain a few details on one category. I have written introduction, overview and the major difference, my word count is going to be definitely below 150. Could you give a ballpark figure of my score for this task?

Your score is not calculated in that way. You will need to wait for your results.

Thank you so much for replying..

Some people think that there are important things in life and they can’t be bought. This is essay topic but i wrote about natural resources. I think i wrote irrelevant. Can i score low in the writing essay task. Please guide me.

Natural resources count as important things in life.

For my exam, I have used variety of sentence structure… But I have a habit of writing long essays which would be at least 400 words. Is that a big issue?

Yes, it’s a big issue. It means your essay is not focused and highly relevant. No essay should be longer than 300 words. See my advanced lessons for training: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Hello Liz.I just had my Ielts exam today and on the writing test I only managed to write Task 2. I started task 1 but I didnt even finish the first sentence in the introduction and the time was up!The essay question was a bit confusing so I struggled making a decision what type of essay it is . The topic went like this: Some people think that a country can benefit by hosting major international sport events. Other people think there are more disadvantages from hosting that event. Discuss both sides and give your opinion and supporting arguments and examples. So Im honestly confused if it was a Discussion essay or Does advantages outweigh disadvantages. Of course it is made to confuse us .what confused me was the words advantages disadvantages and my opinion.So I made a decision to go with the outweight adv.disadv.essay and in both body paragraphs I gave examples but suported the advantages with a few arguments and explanations for each.Whats the biggest score I can get if only one of the essays is written (if I chose the right typeof essay ) hope you can give me some aproximate answer .

I think the instructions were very clear. Discuss both sides. This means you discuss both sides = a discussion essay. And give your opinion = with an opinion. So, you discuss both sides and give your opinion. It is a basic, standard discussion essay for IELTS. Writing task 1 is worth 33% and writing task 2 is worth 66% (more or less).

Hi Liz, Thank you so much for your valuable suggestions. I have a small doubt. Can I write IELTS GT essay/letter in alternate lines? ( to avoid erasing nearby words for correction when written in pencil )

Don’t do that. It makes paragraphs difficult to see. Write each line and then leave one empty between paragraphs. If you plan your letter or essay enough, you will have less errors to correct.

Thank you, I could perceive the wisdom in your answer!

Hi Liz Ma’am I m really worried about my test could you please clear my mind… I did well in ielts writing task 1 but my task 2 wasn’t so good … Let me tell you what I have did … They asked that nowadays companies are using sports events to promote their product.some people think that it has wrong effect on sports. I wrote mostly about their company advertisements through sports events and I said a little about its wrong effects on sports… Could you please tell me to which extent it can effect my score???

See this page about scoring: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2-band-scores-5-to-8/

You are the best thanks for your help…

I gave my ielts exam yesterday. Listening and reading were fantastic. I think I might score 7.5-8 in these sections. In writing, task 1 was good. I’ve written more words than the word limit but however in the second task I was able to write around 180 words only. What do you think how much score will I get in writing for not completing the word limit?

For task 2, you will get a lower score if you write under 250 words. Your score can’t be predicted because it depends on the other marking criteria scores.

Okay. Thank you so much Liz!

HI how much u got for writing

Hi ,i gave my ielts test on 14th oct. i had write 210 words in task1 and 300 word in task 2 will my score reduce? For over limit

There is no upper limit. But you will be marked down for lack of focus for task 2 and adding too much detail in task 1.

Hi Liz, I gave my Ielts exam today, my task 2 was good. I completed it with more than 250 words. But I didn’t get sufficient time to complete my task 1. I might have written just 100 words. How much score should I expect?

Your score will be reduced for task 1 due to lack of words. However, the total score cannot be predicted.

Hi , Same thing happened with me. I wrote around 100 words in task 1. Awaiting for results. How much did you score in writing then?

Same.. Task 2 was really good but I didnt have enough time to write task 1 so I could write only 85 words.. What was your score?

Did you guys receive your results? How affected it was by the lack of words?

Hi Liz, I have been following your blog and it is very helpful! Thank you. I am fairly new to the IELTS test. I am planning to take IELTS General Training by mid of October 2017. The responses to IELTS questions have to be given on a paper is it? I was under the impression that our responses will be typed on a computer. Thanks for your response.

See this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-help-faq/

Mam i have written 385 word in task 2 but this is only written on only one sheet, can my score get effected due to this over writing

If you have written a long essay, it usually means it is less focused and includes unnecessary information which will lower your score. Your aim in task 2 is between 270 and 290 words.

DEAR LIZ, The question for ielts writing task 2 was “IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SCHOOL TO TAKE PART IN CHARACTER FORMATION OF CHILDREN APART FROM TEACHING FORMAL SUBJECTS.” TO WHAT EXTEND DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE TO THIS.

MADAM my answer were mainly 2 point in 2 different body paras my opininon- agree with this with parental collaboration para 1- topic sentence- school is responsible because a teacher can highly influence her students character para 2- topic sentence- parental collaboration is equally important because children try to copy parents. my doubt is whether para 2 about parental influence is relevant. is it relevant to question

This essay question is not about parents at all. It is only about the role of schools.

Is it 100% necessary that we should use examples in our body paragraphs? I messed up with time and I totally forgotten about writing examples.. can it effect band?

It is not necessary to have examples. As long as you explained your points clearly, that’s enough.

Thanks so much because i was very tensed following the exam. I have explained my points clearly but the question read that give examples from own experience. So then also they won’t penalise me right ?

Hey Lokesh,

Same was the case with me. What band did you managed to get?

Hi In my mock tests I write more than 300 words in task 2 and still manage to save some time. I think my answer is good but I get 5.5/6 only. Is it because of exceeding word count??

There is no upper word limit. But writing 30 0 words isn’t recommended. Your aim should be to produce a focused, highly relevant essay with no unnecessary information and an essay which is accurate in language. Writing 300 words means you will have made more mistakes. You should aim for between 260 and 280 more or less. See my advanced lessons if you need training: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

hello , in task 2 wrote 200 word only ! task one was really nice , however task 2 was 70% good but I ended up with 50 words less 🙁 please tell me what do you think about it?

You will get a reduced score for being under words. However, it is not possible to predict your final writing score.

hi Abed, I did the same mistake . I wrote only 200 words . what was your score in ielts?

what is your score on writing?

so how much did u get finally on writing 2? i wrote also less than 250. Waiting for my results

Hi Liz! I’m Felicita, from Paraguay, South America. I have a query related to the format of the writing skill. I took the test last week and while I was reviewing my task 1 I realized that I had made a mistake. Therefore, I corrected it, but I left some extra spaces between words. For example: “The most common vehicle in UK was the railway” The reason why I mistakenly used extra spaces was because I had to erase some words and write others instead, but I had not time to use all the space of the line before the start of next sentence. Would this affect my marks?

When my comment was posted the “extra spaces” of my examples didn’t appear. The error was to write extra spaces between words in one sentence. I am worried that this will affect my marks.

As I said, if the examiner can read it clearly, it’s fine.

It depends if the examiner understands the full sentence. There are no set rules. If the examiner can see the problem, it’ll be fine.

Thank you for your response, Liz! Your website is excellent and extremely useful!

Hello mam, My test was on 6 may. In writing task 1, I mentioned only percentage but did not mention percentage of GDP. I forgot to use word GDP, will it affect my score.

It might affect your score for Task Achievement which is about presenting the right information. But there are still plenty of other things being assessed which you can still do well on in task 1.

I want to get my writing task 1 & 2 marked. What is the procedure?

See this page to find a teacher: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-essay-correction/

Hi Liz, I just gave my ielts test. In task 2 of the writing section I only had three paragraphs. An introduction, body and conclusion. Will I get lower marks for not adding another paragraph to the body?

Yes, your marks for coherence and cohesion will be lower as you didn’t dived your main ideas into body paragraphs. Hopefully you did well in the other marking criteria. Don’t think about it for now.

Hi liz, My husband took his ielts yesterday. He did both his task 1 and 2 really well. However, he dint have enough time and the examiner snached his paper away. So he had just written 1 sentence in his conclusion and his paper was taken away before he could finish the next sentence. How badly will this affect his band score.?

This is for task 2 btw

Luckily, you only need one sentence for a conclusion in writing task 2. Hopefully, it was a good sentence with the key points 🙂

I write out of the topic in ielts academic writing task 2. So how many band around i get? If there are any chances to get very low band around 3 to 4?

See this page to learn how your writing task 2 is marked: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2-band-scores-5-to-8/

Hello liz, Is all helping verbs such as is am are was were are counted as word in Ielts writing.

ALL words are counted – big and small. All words.

hello liz, Today I gave my ielts exam. But I had some spelling mistake in writting task 2 I wrote “vehical” instead of ”vehicle” I used this word 3 times. will my band score decrease due to this?

Spelling mistakes do count as a vocabulary mistake. But band scores are not calculated just by counting errors. You will need to wait for your results.

Hi Liz! Thanks for the resourceful website you have to guide the IELTS examination takers. I wrote my IELTS (academic) module a couple of days ago. Task 2 in writing was about whether criminals released from jail are safe to be in society or not and suitable solution for the problem. Due to lack of time, I managed to squeeze out only one sentence in conclusion. However, I wrote the sentence in a way, it summarized what I wrote in two body paragraphs of the essay and meaning complete. So writing such one sentence summary affect my scores?

A lot of teachers recommend having just one sentence for your conclusion. I personally recommend either one or two sentences. It’s completely up to you and won’t affect your score. As long as you have a conclusion and there are main points or a position summarised. Good luck with your results 🙂

What happened if count the word and write at bottom, it is good or bad ? Please tell me

It is a waste of time. It is better for you to edit grammar mistakes.

will the punctuation and numbers get count as words ?

“,” is not a word. So, no, punctuation isn’t counted as a word. Numbers are counted.

Thanks for this terrific site and it is really helpful for all the IELTS aspirants like me.

Is there anyway, I can validate my writing skills with a band score (ofcourse, for FREE)? In that way, I can learn my mistakes and improve my band.

Your earliest response would be highly appreciated !!

Sorry, but I don’t offer free marking.

No worries .. Cheers !! Plz continue your good work !!

Thanks a lot Liz .In my standpoing You are one of the best teachers throughout the world.I want to ask a question.I got 6 from writing a month ago.Can you give me suggestion to improve my writing skill.Thanks in advance.

See this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/ . Check the band score page which gives requirements for band scores and tips for improving.

Thanks for your very helpful website. My question is: could you be more precise about the penalty for an under word count writing task?

Thanks in advance.

Your words are counted by the examiner. If you are under the word count you will lose a band score. How much you are penalised, depends on how many words you are under the word count. So, if your score was 7 but you were under the word count, your score will drop from that point, depending on how much you failed to achieve the word count. The most important thing to remember is to aim for between 160 and 180 words to be sure of avoiding this.

Thank you for existing 🙂 And, also I do appreciate your work.

Renctly I finish my IELTS exam, and in the Writing skill, I didn’t achive the word number for task 1.

Can you please tell me, in the best situation, If hipotheticaly, I did well for every thing else, what band score may I have?

Thank you in advance,

Your writing score is calculated with both task 1 and task 2. Your score for each is determined by 4 criteria. If you were under the word count in task 1, your score will be lowered slightly but no one can predict the final outcome. Task 1 is worth only around 33% of your total writing marks.

Ok, but what score i best possibly I can get?

No one can predict scores.

Hi liz! thank you for your terrific website, it’s really helpful. I would to ask you one question: in writing task, abbreviations like It’s, there’s, I’m and so on are counted as 1 word or 2? thanks in advance for your response! Wish you the best

There is only one time when you can use contractions and that is GT writing task 1 informal letters to a person you know well. NEVER use contractions in writing task 2 (GT and Academic) and never use contractions in GT Writing task 1 formal letter and NEVER use contractions in all Academic writing task 1. See this page: https://ieltsliz.com/do-you-understand-how-words-are-counted-in-ielts/ and also see : https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-tips-how-words-are-counted/

Hi I had written over 300 words in writing task 2 in ielts in British council. How much penalty for these?

There is no upper word limit. However, if you add unnecessary information you will get a lower mark. Also a longer essay means you might have made more grammar or vocab mistakes which will also lower your score.

The topic for task 1 is the problem I faced when I use local public transport . I forgot the word local . I written all about the bad services I hv received when I travelling a flight from mel to Malaysia . Izit there is going to be a serious problem ? Thx u

It might affect your score for Task Achievement which is 25% of your marks but the other three marking criteria should be fine.

I have repeated a word of household many times in Task 1..how many many marks im gonna lose because of that.

Points are not counted in that way. Your score for vocabulary will also depend on spelling, collocations, range etc.

Please reply

hi, I wrote the answer for task 1 on task 2 answer sheet and answer of task 2 on task one answer sheet. Will it effect my band score?

I can’t tell you for sure but hopefully the examiner will understand what has happened and not penalise you.

hey Liz, i just finished my exam and made a mistake in task 1. i thought the letter was for Manager while it supposed to be for employee. could you plz tell me that i will be marked zero for task 1 or still can get marks for my good use of vocabulary, cohesion and lexical resource. thanks

You will get a lower mark for Task Achievement which is only 25% of your task 1 marks. You can still pick up good marks for the other three criteria as well as task 2.

Your website has been very helpful to me and to other IELTS test takers as well.

Could you advise me on how to improve my writing skills? I believe it is my weakness compared to the other parts of the exam. Are there any books that you can recommend for me?

Thank you very much and keep up the good work!

Firstly, see my free tips and exercises: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/ . Then think about getting my advanced lessons which explain in great depth the techniques needed for a high score: http://subscriptions.viddler.com/IELTSLizStore

Hi, Liz! Is it okay to write more than 200 words in academic task 1 of writing ? My lecturer from an IELTS review center in our country gave me a penalty for it.

There is no penalty given by IELTS for writing over the word count. However, it is not advisable to write over 200 words. You are being marked on your ability to select information, not to give it all. You must also focus on key features – don’t give too many small details. So, aim for between 160 and 180 words and keep your report focused and well selected.

Mind sharing your scores here

I just finished my exam earlier but I failed to finish my writing task 1. I only wrote the introduction (paraphrased) then in the 2nd paragraph is my overview (which i think is strong) then the 3rd paragraph was the problem because i only wrote until the first sentence. Do you think until what band score will it only be in task 1? Thank you!

You will be marked down on task 1 if you wrote under 150 words. However, task 1 is only around 33% of your writing marks, so hopefully you can still do ok.

Hey Liz! Today I’ve given IELTS test. I wrote 65 words less in writing “Task-2”. My hand-writing is understandable, and the answer also matches with what the question has asked. Could you please tell me how much marks could be reduced (minimum)?

I can’t say what your score will be but you will receive a penalty for being under the word count. 65 words are a lot of words to miss out. But you can still do well in task 1.

Would you mind sharing your writing scores? I am really tensed , I think even I wrote an underlength essay. But I did write well. . I spent a lot of time on task 1 and just couldn’t write more than 200 words in task 2

Hello there, can you please update what was your band in writing after writing underlength essay?

Hi liz, today i given writting test. major issue is that i didnt wrote writing -1 because of lack of time and also unable to complete my writing task 2. So can u tell me how much score i will get.. Please tell m very worried about it

Writing task 1 is worth 30% of your marks so you will lose that if you didn’t write task 1 at all. What your final score will be, I can’t predict.

10 words under? Really? In the Cambridge exams you lose marks if you are more than 6 words under, but I was told by an examiner that in IELTS you lose marks if you are even a single word under! So much conflicting information on the Internet 🙁 I wish IELTS would release their REAL marking criteria, instead of the paired down public one, it is really no use at all.

Thank you very much for your lessons. You are a blessing.

I am an English teacher and your lessons helped me and my friend. He achieved his goal of getting at least 6.5. I am also planning to take IELTS by the end of this year.

Well done to your friend. I’m sure you can learn a lot from him 🙂

Dear liz, I was out of time in writing exam and missed writing word count at the end of task 1 and may be a line short in the ending paragraph how mich marks can be deducted

If you are under the word count, you will get a penalty. It will affect your score for task 1. However, how it will affect your overall writing score, I can’t say.

Dear Liz, thank you for your lessons. They are really useful!!! I have two question about the writing test, I need a score of 6.5.

I think to be a good writer, but in my last test I got 5.5 because I didn’t write enough word in task 1. Is it possible that the penalty takes off 0.5/1.0 point?

The second question is: can I write my writing answers in capital letters? My hand writing it is not so clear…

You will definitely get a lower mark for being under the word count. Yes, you can write your essay in all capital letters if you want – but it is often slower to do so.

hy i wrote my little bit personal view in conclusion of task 1 would i be having less bands for thatg nd also i stopped in th last 10 sec of the speaking module but i spoked a bit thb examiner said it its fyn how much should i expect the score mam

There is no conclusion in task 1 and you don’t offer opinions in task 1. Your speaking is score is marked based on your overall performance, so I can’t predict your score. Fingers crossed!

Hlo liz, Yesterday was my exam, i done one mistake I wrote ‘the rendered tabular provides’ instead of ‘the rendered tabular chart provides’ Will it effect my band score? Is it wrong to write only ‘tabular’ ?

A table is a table – it is not “a tabular chart”. This counts as using inappropriate vocabulary.

Hey Liz ! I took my exam today and am concerned with writing module. I am confident that my writing skills are efficient enough to score 8 band. But the question I want to address is, is it possible to score 9 bands even if I have a spelling mistake? There is only 1 spelling mistake in the both the tasks. (to my mind) I wrote : “The tabular chart JUXTAPOSTS the variation………” instead of “The tabular chart JUXTAPOSES the variation………”

The problem is not just spelling but also use of language. I would never recommend using the language you have mentioned. A table is a table – don’t complicate your language. The more you try to impress, the more mistakes are made with word choice. Lets see how your results are.

I will inform you about my result. One more question please. Is it possible to achieve 9 bands with 39/40 in Listening and Reading or do we need a perfect score of 40/40 ? My module is Academic.

https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-band-scores/

Hii liz How many time we can use a same word in writing .

There are no rules. You paraphrase when suitable and repeat when necessary.

Hello Liz!! I want to ask you that, is there a sample or an example of a WT1 and WT2 that you can provide? I want to know how the ideas are centered in each paragraphs, so with that I can get to know how to write a good WT1 and WT2. Thank you!!

See these pages for model answers: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-1-lessons-and-tips/ and https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Hi Liz, As you have said that under-length essay gets penalized. Can you please tell me by how much does it affect the band score? For example if I have written an essay deserving band score 8.0. But I have written only 220 words instead of 250, how many band score points would be deducted? Is there a percentage ?

You will receive a lower score for task 2 due to the lack of words. IELTS have not released information regarding how much the score will be reduced by but 30 words is quite a lot to miss. Hopefully your task 1 will help boost your score.

Do you mind sharing your writing score here with us?

What do I have to do if I am not aware of a word in question in writing task?

You must still try your best and hope your essay is on topic.

thank you very much for your contribution to IELTS success. may i ask you to publish in your webpage easy IELTS essay templates. I think it will ease writing

It’s best to see my advanced lessons to get a clear understanding of IELTS writing task 2 techniques: http://subscriptions.viddler.com/IELTSLizStore

hii liz…i wanna ask is yesterday was my exam..nd in task 1 i write it in present tense becoz i overlook the intriduction nd forget to see that the year they gave was 2000..so it would b in past tense bt by mistake i wrote it in present…so how much bands will be cut for this??

It counts as one grammar mistake and grammar is 25% of your marks. I can’t predict your score.

Hey Liz, My IELTS test was held on 18 Feb,2016. I got 6.5 in writing.Here, I’d like to admit that I am not very good at punctuation and also make spelling mistakes sometimes. And at the end of the test, I did not have any time left to revise my writing. I spent over half an hour on W T1 and had only 25 minutes to write on task 2. How can I increase my band score from a 6.5 to a 7 in writing? I hope that you respond to me at your earliest and give me some valuable advise on how I can improve my writing. with regards, Lovepreet Singh

See my band score tips for writing task 1 and how to improve your score: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-1-band-scores/ . For writing task 2, see my advanced lessons to learn high score techniques: http://subscriptions.viddler.com/IELTSLizStore . It is essential that you practice writing under timed conditions many times before your test but learn the right techniques first. All the best Liz

Hey Lizz, hi recently i was appeared for an Ielts test and unfortunately i got overall 5.5 bands. i made some blunders in writing task . I wrote almost 370 words in Part-2 and i was expecting that i might get 7 bands . Regards Bilal

Writing over 300 words mean that your essay might contain irrelevant or unnecessary information and also it provides more chance of mistakes in vocabulary and grammar which can lower your score. You should be aiming for around 270 words in task 2.

Hi Liz, Just recently I did my IELTS Exam,I wrote 267 words in task 1 and in task 2 I ran out of time I wrote about 230 words so what you would think that can I get 6 bands in writing task.

Best Regards, Walid Raza.

https://ieltsliz.com/liz-notice-2015-2016/

Hi Liz, I’ll like to say thank you. These free lessons actually helped me achieved my dream score in IELTS. Of all the online lessons I surfed through, yours was the best. Continue the good work. L-8.5, R-8.5, S-7.0, W-7.0 P.S- I was really worried about the writing score after the exams. So glad, I got a 7

It’s a good score. Well done 🙂

Hello liz, If you don’t mind clarify for me if one doesn’t write a conclusion in task 2,will this effect the score? I’ll appreciate your reply Kind regards Sara

Hi Liz, If you don’t mind clarify for me if one doesn’t write a conclusion,will this lower the score? I’ll appreciat your reply Kind Regards Sara

Hi Liz! Just finished my written exams.I’m so worried aboit my writing because I did not finish the task 1 because I ran out of time,had only 10 mins left for the task. There were two graphs.The intodruction i wrote is i think acceptable because i was really in hurry.I think i described all the main parts in graph 1,however i did not have time for the graph 2 and i just ended my conclusion with a summary of only graph 2.I was really panicking. Whatdo u think will be my score in taskm1?I finished my task two and I think It was okay. I am also concer mn about my speaking test because it just lasted for almost 11 minutes only.Does it mean my english is bad?

— thanks Liz

Sorry I can’t predict scores for writing that I haven’t seen. You will need to wait for your writing results to see the impact. For speaking, the test lasts between 11 and 14 minutes – this is for all students. It is not longer or shorter. The actual length does not reflect the final score. All the best Liz

Dear Liz, There are two questions in the writing part I wanted you to ask you if you please: The first question is: Do you know what the penalty for writing task 1 on a writing 2 sheet is when you properly notify the examiner about it during the test? I wrote my task 1 on a task 2 paper and was able to notify the examiner, so she stapled my task one with a blank task 1 sheet and signed on it. My second question is what the maximum band score for overall writing you can possibly obtain if you completely miss your task 1? I think there is a chance my task 1 sheet was misplaced and therefore has not been graded towards my final writing score. Thank you in advance for you response Evgeny

I just found out about your site and let me tell you – it’s a treasure of great information! I want to ask if there is a penalty for writing more than 150 words in Task 1 (and 250 for t.2 I guess). I don’t ask this in order to brag, it’s a legitimate concern of mine. I start analysing all the points in the bars, charts, tables etc in fear of omitting anything that is considered important. I know that I have to practise pointing out the features that stand out the most and give less details on the other information, but, let’s say that I do emphasize the proper features and that I am on time, but my words exceed the limit, would that have any negative impact on the grade?

can we write more than 200 words in task 1 if we are given a complicated task?

On 20 jan a i done my speaking and 23 jan I done my listening, reading,writing so when a my result will declare on which day in February

Does your first language affects the ielts grading?

Dear Liz, first I really enjoy your blog and appreciate your help to all of us, thank you. I recently participated the January 09th academic test in China and checked my results literally hour ago, I’v been shocked by the results, well, 8/8/5.5/8, as you may guess, 5.5 for the writing. Honestly, writing has always been my short slab, but 5.5 is no way near my anticipation, shamelessly speaking, after the test, I thought writing should archive 7 as minimal. What would be the possible reasons contribute to such a huge gap between my expectation and reality, would you kindly share some of your experiences and insights to this, sincerely thank you.

There is a big difference between your writing and other skills. You clearly have a very good level of English. However, IELTS writing is only based on 50% English and the rest is writing technique. You need to understand more about what the examiner is looking for to get a high score. See my advanced lessons for very detailed lessons: http://subscriptions.viddler.com/IELTSLizStore Good luck! Liz

Hi liz! I did my written tests today and im really anxious about my writing. I finished my task 2 well but i messed up with my task 1. I was out of time and i mislooked some of the informations by writing “the number of Asian people ages 18-25” when it was written “ages 18-25 in the Universities in four countries in Asia”. Do you think i have a chance to get an overall writing score of 7. Thank you.

Hi. I had a similar experience. What did you eventually score in Writing?

hi dear can you count the number of words in below sentence ? A good idea for passing exam would be practicing more .

hi..this is harshdeep. i wrote just 122 words in my task 1 .task 2 was totally fine…. nd task 1 was such that one cannot elaborate it too much..so there is a problem in that task.exam was on december 19 . can i score still 6 .any idea??? Mam/Sir

on 19th dec exam.i wrote roughly 254 words.do i have to face any penalty for dat.plz tell me mam bcoz i m so tensed about that and my essay was about taxation.

If you wrote over 250 words, you will be fine. Liz

Hey, Help me Please! Is It possible to get more than 6 for the writing task 2 as I wrote less than 250 words!?

Hello Liz, thank you very much for all the information, I just wanted to ask you if it’s possible to get more than 5 in the writing test if you write less than 250 words. I’ve taken the test yesterday, I think it went quite well in terms of grammar, structure etc but I’m quite sure I’ve written about 230-240 words, even if I didn’t manage to count them.

You will get a reduced score if you write under 250 words (although they usually start this penalty at about 240 words). Your final score will depend on how you scored in each of the main marking criteria so it is impossible to predict your score. All the best Liz

Hello Liz, I’m applying Master degree and English Academic course in one of the Australian University. They asked me any of English test result. They will process, how many weeks i must study in EAC, based on this result.So i planning to take IELTS on this saturday. And I want to know if i get 4, how much weeks i must study? Just want to know how long i will be in australia. Thank you, Best regards!

Thanks for answering! I’m just a bit disappointed with myself because I skipped writing a simple conclusion.I was so engross into writing a good body, but I hope to get atleast an over all band of 5.5 for writing test.

By the way, I’ve watch your youtube videos and they were very informative.

Same happened to me yesterday

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Top 100 Phrases for IELTS Writing Test

If you are taking the IELTS Writing Test, it is beneficial to have some key phrases in handy to assist you in getting a high band score.

Expanding your IELTS Writing vocabulary is a good idea, but it is even more crucial to write naturally and articulately to get the best results.

Phrases like ‘It can extend a person’s horizon,’ ‘The essence of the debate is, and ‘very debatable’ is now regarded as ‘ scripted phrases,’ and using them in your IELTS Writing Test will only result in you losing marks.

To ace the IELTS Writing Test, you will need to use essential words and phrases to convey the points you want to make in an articulate, intelligent, and compelling manner.

While we do not encourage you to memorize phrases, having a better comprehension of the terms that should be used in an academic writing test will help you build the vocabulary that will quickly improve your marks in the IELTS Writing Test.

Continue reading and learn the most effective and common phrases in IELTS Writing to give you the band score that will be your ultimate ticket to achieving your dreams of studying, working, or living abroad.

What is the IELTS Writing Task?

Linking structures and cohesive devices, connecting words for both ielts tasks, vocabulary to use in writing task 1, general training test: vocabulary to write letters, vocabulary to use in ielts writing task 2 (both academic and general training), ielts writing sample responses, ielts academic writing test : word lists, commonly confused words in the english language, tricks to learn and remember english vocabulary, additional faqs on ielts writing test.

The IELTS Writing Test is one of the four sections in the IELTS Test , the other three being Speaking , Listening , and Reading Tests.

It is different for the IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training modules, but both tests have two tasks to be completed. It lasts about 60 minutes, and you are advised to spend only 20 minutes on the first task because the second task has more weight.

The first task in the IELTS Academic Writing Test requires you to describe and explain the information given in either a graph, chart, map, table, or diagram.

On the other hand, Task 1 of the IELTS General Training Writing Test asks you to compose a letter responding to a situation and requesting information and explanation. You should write at least 150 words in IELTS Writing Task 1 .

Moreover, the second task in the IELTS Academic Writing and IELTS General Training Writing is the same. You need to respond to a point of view, problem, or argument by writing an essay. You need at least 250 words in IELTS Writing Task 2 .

The IELTS Writing Task will be marked on the following criteria: grammar and sentence structure, vocabulary utilization, task response, and coherence and cohesion.

Each contributes 25% to the overall score. Over the years, examiners have been impressed by candidates’ vocabulary and mastery of syntax but frustrated by how incoherently one sentence flows into the next.

Learn how to use linking structures and cohesive devices below:

How to Use Linking Words for IELTS Writing Task 1?

Academic test:.

You can use the different linking words in the IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 for:

transitioning from a description of one visual to the next
comparing and contrasting the key features of the visuals
pointing out and emphasizing details of the visuals

General Training Test:

You can use the different linking words in the IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 for:

describing the problem or situation
transitioning from one viewpoint to the next
explaining your requests

How to Use Linking Words for IELTS Writing Task 2?

Academic and general training:.

You can use the different linking words in the IELTS Writing Task 2 for:

presenting your opinion
transitioning from one paragraph to the next
providing reasons
giving examples
explaining conditions and consequences of different scenarios

To get higher marks in the IELTS Writing Test, more linking words are required. To achieve coherence and cohesion, you must employ a variety of phrases to connect one thought to the next, allowing the reader to follow your reasoning.

Here are the most effective and common phrases in the IELTS Writing Test:

Transitional Words

In addition…
Furthermore…
Additionally…
On top of that…

Cause and effect

As a result…
Accordingly…
Consequently…
On that account…
For that reason…

Comparison/Contrast

In contrast…
Alternatively…
Nevertheless…
On the other hand…
In the end…
To sum up…
To conclude…
To summarize…
In conclusion…
As long as…
Provided that…
Supposing that…
On the condition that…
Especially…
In particular…
Particularly…
Importantly…
Without a doubt…
To illustrate…
For instance…
For example…
The best example is…
A very good example is…
I concur that…
I agree that….
I think/feel/believe that…
Personally, I feel that…
As far as I am concerned…
From my point of view…
In spite of…
Admittedly…
Even though…
First of all…
To start with…
Thirdly/fourthly/etc…

Academic Test: Vocabulary to Describe Graphs

Introducing the graph

The graph/table/pie chart/bar chart/diagram…

illustrates …
explains why …
describes …
gives information about/on …
provides information about/on …

Changes in the graph

a growth of…
a surge of…
a decrease in…
a decline in…
a fluctuation in…
a variation in…
dramatically
significantly
considerably
significant
considerable
substantial

1. Introduction of the Letter

I am writing to inform you that …
I am writing to ask/inquire …
I am writing with regard to …
I am writing in connection with …
I am writing with reference to …
It’s been a long time. I am writing to…
I’m simply writing to inform you that…
I haven’t seen you in a long time.
Please accept my apologies for not writing in such a long time. I’ve been quite busy…

2. Body of the Letter

Asking for information.

I’d like for you to…
Could let me know if…
I’d appreciate it if you could…
I’m hoping you could inform me…
I’d like to seek your opinion on…

Complaining

This letter is to express my dissatisfaction…
I’m writing to express my displeasure with…
I’m writing to voice my disappointment with…
I’m writing to tell you that I am disappointed…

Expressing Gratitude

I am thankful for…
I’m very grateful for…
I very much appreciated…
I’d like to thank you very much for…

Apologizing

I really regret that/about…
Please accept my apologies for…
I’d like to express my regret for…
Please accept my sincere apologies for…

Giving Advice

You should…
You ought to…
Why don’t you…
If I were you, I’d…

Giving Suggestion

If you like, I can…
Do you want me to…
What do you think about…
I believe it would be fantastic if you…

3. Closing of the Letter

I eagerly await your response.
Thank you so much for your assistance.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this.
I’m hoping for a quick resolution to the matter.
Please do not hesitate to call me if you need any additional information.
Please stay in contact!
I look forward to hearing from you as soon as possible.
Thanks a lot for your assistance, send me a message soon.
Anyway, I have to leave now. If you need additional details, please write again.

Vocabulary to Write Essays

Expressing Opinions

I’d argue that…
In my opinion…
Personally, I believe…
It appears to me that…
I have to admit that…
As far as I can tell…
As for me, I believe…
That is something I cannot deny…
I’d like to emphasize that…
In my personal experience…

Proving Arguments

This is testified by…
This is evidenced by…
This establishes that…
This is attested/proven by…

Expressing General Point of View

It is commonly stated that…
According to popular belief…
It is commonly assumed that…
It is generally assumed that…
It is largely agreed upon that…
It’s a widely held assumption that…

Outlining Facts

It is evident that …
The truth is that …
It is obvious that …
This shows that …
There is no doubt that …

Giving Examples

As an example…
Take for instance…
We can see this in…
A good illustration of this is…
Evidence for this is manifested in…
To summarize…
In conclusion…
In general…
On balance…
Taking everything into account…

Additional Reading: IELTS Grammar

Top 100 IELTS Phrasal Verbs
Grammar for IELTS Exam: Complete Guide
50 Useful Phrases for the IELTS Speaking Test

The IELTS Writing Test is by no means easy. Most candidates would agree that this part of the test made them anxious.

To impress the examiners and get a high band score , it is advised that you read and study different sample and model responses and learn the different writing techniques to help you achieve your desired band score.

Here are some of them. Take note of the transition words and vocabulary used.

Food and Drink	Housing	Clothing	Entertainment
25%	30%	7%	13%
22%	33%	15%	19%
27%	37%	11%	11%
36%	20%	12%	10%
31%	18%	8%	15%

You were supposed to start a new job next week, but you won’t be able to because of certain issues. Send a letter to your new boss. In your letter,

give an explanation of your circumstances
state your issues
inform him/her when you think you’ll be able to begin.

How much do you agree or disagree with the claim that e-books and modern technology will completely replace conventional newspapers and magazines?

Example 4:

Some argue that children should be educated to compete, while others argue that they should be taught to cooperate. What are your thoughts on the matter?

The IELTS Writing Test requires an extensive vocabulary. Having a diverse vocabulary is one of the secrets to writing an effective essay. However, it is not enough to memorize the words; you also need to know how to use them in your writing.

We have listed a set of word lists to help you with your IELTS Writing Test.

Do not be worried if you will not memorize all the word lists: quality trumps quantity! It is far preferable to learn 1 word-lists well rather than 5 word-lists poorly.

Word List 1

Words 1 to 10	Words 11 to 20	Words 21 to 30	Words 31 to 40	Words 41 to 50

Words 51 to 60	Words 61 to 70	Words 71 to 80	Words 81 to 90	Words 91 to 100

Word List 2

Words 1 to 10	Words 11 to 20	Words 21 to 30	Words 31 to 40	Words 41 to 50

Words 51 to 60	Words 61 to 70	Words 71 to 80	Words 81 to 90	Words 91 to 100

Word List 3

Words 1 to 10	Words 11 to 20	Words 21 to 30	Words 31 to 40	Words 41 to 50

Words 51 to 60	Words 61 to 70	Words 71 to 80	Words 81 to 90	Words 91 to 100

Word List 4

Words 1 to 10	Words 11 to 20	Words 21 to 30	Words 31 to 40	Words 41 to 50

English is a complicated language. Some words look the same, and some sound the same.

Recognizing the difference between these similar words could be tricky.

We want to help you succeed on your IELTS journey, so we are providing you with some of the most commonly confused words in the English language. Pay close attention to these words and avoid the past mistakes most candidates have committed.

Affect vs. Effect

Meaning: To have an influence or effect on something/someone

Example Sentence:

Meaning: To cause something to happen

Loose vs. Lose

Meaning : Not fitting tightly or closely

Meaning : (1) To fail to win or

(2) to misplace something

Lay vs. Lie

Meaning : To put down gently or carefully

Meaning : To assume a horizontal position on a resting surface

Accept vs. Except

Meaning : To consent to receive

Meaning : Not included

Complement vs. Compliment

Meaning : Something that fills up, completes, or makes better

Meaning : A polite expression of praise

Farther vs. Further

Meaning : Over a large expanse of physical distance

Meaning : Over a large expanse figurative distance

Passed vs. Past

Meaning : Simple past tense of ‘pass’

Meaning : Gone by in time and no longer existing

Elicit vs. Illicit

Meaning : Draw out a response from someone

Meaning : Forbidden by law

Any way vs. Anyway

Meaning: A phrase that means in any manner or method

Meaning : Used to confirm an idea just mentioned

Than vs. Then

Meaning : Used before the second element in a comparison

Meaning : An adverb indicating time or sequence.

Its vs. It’s

Meaning : Belonging to or associated with a thing previously mentioned

Meaning : Contraction of ‘it is’

Their vs. There vs. They’re

Meaning : Belonging to or associated with people or things previously mentioned

Meaning : An adverb of place (in, at, to)

Meaning : Contraction of ‘they are’

Your vs. You’re

Meaning : Belonging to or associated with the person or people the speaker is talking to

Meaning : Contraction of ‘you are’

Who vs. Whom

Meaning : A pronoun used as a subject refers to a person or people

Meaning : A pronoun used as an object referring to a person or people

That vs. Which

Meaning : Used when the phrase after it is essential in the sentence

Meaning : Used when the phrase after it is not essential in the sentence

Meaning : A preposition that indicates the direction

Meaning : An adverb that means in addition or also

You will not get very far with your language skills, no matter how brilliant your grammar is if you do not know any words to use it with. Vocabulary brings up new worlds while also making studying enjoyable and rewarding.

However, extending your vocabulary is like going on a diet. You need to exert effort, and there is no magic trick, no secret, and no one-size-fits-all method for doing so. You must identify what works best for you. Nevertheless, being patient, setting reasonable objectives, and rewarding yourself when you achieve them are sound strategies that can be supplemented with the following suggestions.

Make Use of Memory Tricks : Mnemonics are mental shortcuts that will help you remember more complicated concepts or words. It is a popular approach to memorizing a language. You can make associations between words. For example, when you need to buy Spaghetti, Tomatoes, Olives, Rice , and Eggs from the STORE . Furthermore, the more you think about acronyms or associations, the better you will remember the phrases that go with them.
Create an Environment Conducive to Learning : When you study abroad, you will hear and read the language everywhere, allowing you to acquire the language far more quickly through immersion. Luckily, you do not need to travel overseas to enhance your vocabulary gradually. You may create an inspirational and study-friendly environment wherever you are. Purchase publications or books in the new language, watch movies and prepare (or simply eat) local cuisine.
Make Use of a Notebook : Writing new words in a tangible notebook has a romantic quality to it. Just add a new word to a running vocabulary list when you come across a new word that you do not recognize. Then, a few times a week, go over the list, obliterating the English definitions and attempting to recall what each term meant. The more you read through the notebook, the easier it will be to recall the words. You can eventually cross off the words you know, so you do not have to go over them again.
Put the Words in Their Proper Context : Putting words in context is a fantastic way to learn more vocabulary faster. Consider putting them together in phrases rather than composing lists of random words. That way, you will understand how the word is utilized in everyday situations. It will also be easier to remember if you come up with entertaining sentences. You can also generate drawings or discover visuals that will complement the sentences and place the words in their natural home, depending on how you learn.
Take it a Step Further : Allow adequate space for mind maps with connected words, synonyms, and antonyms if you want to take your learning a step higher. If you’re going to make the most of your learning, try explaining and describing the word in English rather than translating it into your original tongue.
Put in The Effort : The most crucial thing you will need to recall English words is the appropriate attitude and the willingness to put in the effort. However, there is no such thing as a magical system. None of the approaches listed above are “correct” or “incorrect.” Find something that works for you and utilize it regularly. Experiment with a few to find which produces the greatest results.

Additional Reading: How to Improve Your English Speaking Skills

How to Speak English Without an Accent
30+ Tips to Speak English Without Grammar Mistakes

Is it Okay to Write 400 Words in IELTS Writing?

Candidates should write words that are slightly above the word limit. That is 170 – 190 words in the IELTS Writing Task 1 and 270 – 290 words in the IELTS Writing Task 2.

However, note that there is no word limit, and you will not lose marks for exceeding the word limit.

Keep in mind that the examiners will mark your IELTS Writing not based on the number of words you write but on the quality of your work.

Is a 7 in IELTS Writing Good?

Yes, a band score of 7 in the IELTS Writing Test is good. It means that you are a ‘good user’ and that you have impressed the examiner enough to give you a 7.

Most candidates have not been able to achieve this as the IELTS Writing Test is arguably the most challenging.

So if you get a 7 (or higher) band score, be proud.

How is the IELTS Writing Marked?

The examiner will focus on four primary areas:

(1) how you were able to answer the question well; (2) how well you connect an idea to the text; (3) your vocabulary range and accuracy; and (4) your grammatical forms range and accuracy. Each criterion contributes 25 percent of your overall marks in the IELTS Writing Test.

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Essay Task 2

Guide to Advantage Disadvantage IELTS Essay Type

Essay Types
Double Question
Advantage Disadvantage
Problem Solution
Essay Length

IELTS advantage/disadvantage essays ask you to write about the benefits and drawbacks of a topic as well as (sometimes) asking for your opinion. This guide covers everything you need to know to complete an Academic IELTS advantage/ disadvantage essay. Let’s start preparing with Benchmark IELTS!

1.1 understanding the question, 1.2 example advantage/disadvantage questions, 2.1 essay structure 1, 2.2 essay structure 2.

3.1 Identify key words and phrases

3.2 Organise your ideas

3.3 identify vocabulary, 4.1 introduction, 4.2 main body paragraphs, 4.3 conclusion, 5.1 complete the sample advantage/disadvantage essay, 5.2 advantage/disadvantage sample essay, 1. advantage/ disadvantage essay overview.

This section of the guide will show you how to identify an IELTS advantage/disadvantage question.

Remember, there are five main types of writing task 2 questions:

Advantage/disadvantage
Double question
Problem/solution

It is very important to understand what type of question you are given in the exam so you can respond in an appropriate way: different question types will require different responses.

Advantage/disadvantage essay questions can be presented in several different ways.

Here are some examples of the way an advantage/disadvantage question may be worded:

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages and give your opinion.
Describe the advantages and disadvantages of _____ and give your opinion.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of _____?

You may also see questions using synonyms for advantage and disadvantage, for example:

What are the benefits and drawbacks of…?

Be careful, the question itself might not always use words or phrases relating to advantage/disadvantage and they could be hidden in the statement, as seen here:

Some people believe that using a bicycle as your main form of transport has a lot of advantages , whereas others believe that it has many disadvantages . Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Here is another example of a question where you are asked to give your opinion:

Do the advantages of … outweigh the disadvantages

After you have identified the essay type , you need to understand what you are being asked to do. To do well in the Task achievement marking component, you need to ‘ address all parts of the task’ .

This type of essay question will always be split into two parts:

The IELTS statement
The question

You must always write about both the advantages and disadvantages of the given topic. As we can see in example questions 1-6, sometimes you are asked to give your opinion on the question, and sometimes you are not. Let’s compare the following questions:

You are not being asked to give your opinion

Here are some example advantage/disadvantage essay questions:

In the past, when students did a university degree, they tended to study in their own country. Nowadays, they have more of an opportunity to study abroad.

Do the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?

Today children spend a lot of their free time watching TV.

Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages of this practice?

Also, read the following IELTS Essay Writing Guides

IELTS Discussion Type Questions
Double Question IELTS Essay Topics
Opinion-based Task 2 IELTS Guide
Problem Solution IELTS Writing Task Statement

The threat of nuclear weapons maintains world peace. Nuclear power provides cheap and clean energy.

The benefits of nuclear technology far outweigh the disadvantages.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

In the past, when students did a university degree, they tended to study in their own country. Nowadays, they have the opportunity to study abroad.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of this development?

More and more people prefer to read news online rather than on paper.

Do you think the advantages of this trend outweigh the disadvantages? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience.

2. Essay Structures for Advantage/Disadvantage Essays

There is more than one way to structure your advantage/disadvantage essay. You could take a thesis-led (opinion in the introduction) or an evidence-led (opinion in your conclusion).

You could also choose to focus on one or more than one advantage/disadvantage in each of your main body paragraphs.

The next two sections will give you two possible ways that you could structure your essay using four clearly organized paragraphs.

Thesis-led approach

Evidence-led approach

3. Planning your Advantage/Disadvantage Essay

Before you start writing your essay, you should give yourself 5 minutes to analyze the question and organize your ideas . Follow the tips below to create a well-planned essay!

3.1 Identify keywords and phrases

It sounds simple, but it is very important that you read the question carefully and understand what you are being asked to write about. To analyze the question, first, identify any keywords and phrases .

You should first identify the topic of the essay. If you do not write about the correct topic, you will score poorly in Task achievement . The general topic can always be found in the IELTS statement.

Let’s take a look at one of the previous examples:

The threat of nuclear weapons maintains world peace . Nuclear power provides cheap and clean energy .

The topic words are underlined and show the general topic of this essay question in nuclear weapons/power/technology .

After you have identified the general topic, you need to locate other keywords that give you more detail about the topic. In this question, the words world peace and cheap and clean energy in bold give you more information about the general topic. Therefore, your essay should only relate to these aspects of nuclear weapons/power/technology .

Now take a look at the question for our model answer at the end of this guide. Can you identify the general topic?

This is an important step that is often skipped by test-takers. By quickly writing down your key ideas, you will avoid repeating or missing any points and improve your score in both Task achievement and Coherence and cohesion .

You could use bullet points , columns , or another preferred method of writing down ideas . Here is an example for our sample essay:

Take a look at our Master Guide for a more in-depth look at idea generation and organizing your ideas.

Taking a moment to write down more uncommon vocabulary related to the essay topic will not only make you feel more relaxed in the exam but will also help you to improve your score in Lexical resources .

This doesn’t have to be a long list, just a few ideas that come into your mind. Here are some examples of the topic of studying abroad:

Culture shock
Language barrier
Broaden one’s horizons

4. Writing your Advantages/Disadvantages Essay

Your introduction should be the shortest paragraph in your essay (about 40-60 words is perfect).

You need to rephrase the IELTS statement in your own words. This is known as paraphrasing (a key skill to develop for the IELTS exam).

Take a look at our example:


In the past, when students did a university degree, they tended to study in their own country. Nowadays, they have the opportunity to study abroad. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this development?

You can also briefly state what your essay will be about in one clear sentence. For instance:

This essay will discuss both points of view and then I will give my opinion.

If you are taking a thesis-led approach, you can use one of the following sentence starters to briefly give your opinion:

I believe that…
It is my belief that…
In my opinion,…

A note on the use of the first person ‘I’: Unlike writing task 1, it is appropriate to use the first person in your writing task 2 essay. In fact, it is unavoidable when giving your opinion. But , you should not overuse ‘I’ in your essay and we recommend you limit your use to your introduction and conclusion.

Topic sentences Usually, the first sentence of your main body paragraph will be a topic sentence . The purpose of your topic sentence is to introduce the main idea of your paragraph .

You should include one topic sentence for each advantage/disadvantage . This means that, if your main body paragraphs focus on two advantages/disadvantages , then you should have two topic sentences per paragraph.

Here’s an example: One advantage of studying abroad is that students can improve their language skills.

Here are some other sentence starters you can use for your essays (you can replace the underlined words with vocabulary linked to your topic):

One advantage of studying abroad is that ….
Another benefit of studying abroad is that…
One downside of studying abroad is that…
Another downside of studying abroad is that…

Supporting sentences You should then expand on your topic sentence with a supporting sentence/sentences . Your sentence(s) could either describe a result of the advantage/disadvantage, go into more detail , or explain the reason(s) why these benefits/drawbacks occur.

Our example supporting sentence describes a result of the advantage given in the topic sentence.

Topic sentence – One advantage of studying abroad is that students can improve their language skills.

Supporting sentence – This means that when the students return to their home countries, they will have more employment opportunities.

Here are some sentences starters you can use to begin your supporting sentences:

This is because…
The result/consequence/reason is that…
This means that…
As a result/consequence,…
In other words,…

Giving examples For all writing task 2 essay types , you must support your response with examples. Do not personalize your examples and link them to your life instead, Keep your examples more general . Also, do not refer to made-up statistics .

Here are some instances of suitable and non-suitable examples:

Suitable For example, many young people who study in an English-speaking country for a few years develop strong communication skills and have the confidence to work in an international company when they return home.

Not suitable My cousin spent three years in an English-speaking country and they got an excellent job with an international country when they came back to Spain. ( this example is too personal as it refers to the writer’s family ) ❌

According to statistics, international students are 30% more likely to get a job in an international company when they study overseas. ( this example contains a made-up statistic )

You must include a conclusion to achieve a good score in Task achievement . Your conclusion does not have to be very long, but it needs to be clear and do two main things:

Paraphrase yourself : summarise the key points in your body paragraphs
Give your opinion : It depends if you have taken an evidence-led or thesis-led approach, you will either be re-stating the opinion given in your introduction or giving your opinion for the first time.

Make your conclusion easy to identify for the examiner by starting with linking phrases such as:

To sum up,…
To summarise,…
In conclusion,…

When you are paraphrasing the main points of your essay, you need to state that you have examined both sides of the argument (as that is what the question has asked you to do). To do this, consider using a phrase like:

In conclusion, having looked at this topic in detail, it is clear that there are both advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad .

You would need to replace the underlined section with your essay topic.

To give your opinion, you need to use a range of cohesive devices to introduce each example such as:

From my perspective,…
In my view,…

You then need to clearly state which side of the argument you agree with (advantage or disadvantage). Remember, your actual opinion does not matter, it is how you present your opinion using English that is important.

Here are some example sentences to do this effectively:

In my opinion, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
From my perspective, the drawbacks outweigh the benefits .

5. Example Advantage/Disadvantage Essay and Exercise

Now you’ve taken a look at how to write an advantage/disadvantage essay, let’s look at a model answer.

We have removed some of the words so you can put your knowledge to the test.

Select the correct missing words and complete the model answer.

years, it has become much more common for to complete their degree overseas instead of their country. Many believe that there are significant of doing this, while others argue that there are also connected to studying abroad. This essay will discuss both points of and then I will give my opinion.

One advantage of abroad is that students can improve their skills. This means that when the students return to their home countries, they will have more employment opportunities. , many young people study in an English-speaking country for a few years develop strong communication skills and have the confidence to work in an international company when they return home. benefit of studying abroad is that you can develop a better understanding of other cultures, for , learning about a country's customs, traditions and cuisines. The consequence of this is that people become more open-minded.

, there are some disadvantages of studying abroad. One is that students may miss their friends and family and feel . They may also find it difficult to connect with other students and make friends due to a . Another disadvantage is that students can experience a real culture shock when moving to another country. This is because the culture and language may be different which could lead to frustration for the student and with their study experience.

To , it is clear that there are both advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad. In my , the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Although it is true that the experience may be challenging at first, on , if you study abroad you will have an enriching experience that will broaden your horizons and increase your future prospects.

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In recent years, it has become much more common for students to complete their degree overseas instead of their house country. Many persons believe that there are significant benefits of doing this, while others argue that there are also drawbacks connected to studying abroad. This essay will discuss both points of mind and then I will give my opinion.

One advantage of study abroad is that students can improve their employee skills. This means that when the students return to their home countries, they will have more employment opportunities. An example, many young people who study in an English-speaking country for a few years develop strong communication skills and have the confidence to work in an international company when they return home. On the other hand benefit of studying abroad is that you can develop a better understanding of other cultures, Example , learning about a country’s customs, traditions and cuisines. The consequence of this is that people become more open-minded.

In the other hand, there are some disadvantages of studying abroad. One backdraw is that students may miss their friends and family and feel homesad. They may also find it difficult to connect with other students and make friends due to a language barrier . Another disadvantage is that students can experience a real culture shock when moving to another country. This is because the culture and language may be different which could lead to frustration for the student and dissatisfaction with their study experience.

To overall , it is clear that there are both advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad. In my thought, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Although it is true that the experience may be challenging at first, on balance , if you study abroad you will have an enriching experience that will broaden your horizons and increase your future prospects.

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Improve your IELTS Band Score by learning 400 words for IELTS: definitions, sentences, collocations, word forms. With worksheets and activities. Improve your understanding of the reading and listening tests, and improve your speaking and writing. Created by ex-IELTS Examiner, Charlie

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Charlie is a qualified teacher and former IELTS Examiner with 25 years' teaching experience all over the world. He has worked for some of the major English language schools including International House, IDP and The British Council .

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Charlie is the author of two bestselling books and runs "IELTS Charlie" , one of the most highly rated IELTS websites in the world. His courses, for both English language learners and teachers, have been taken by over 100,000 students in over 160 countries around the world.

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IELTS General Training format: Writing

Every detail you need for the writing part of your ielts general training test, what’s in the ielts general training writing paper.

There are two Writing tasks and BOTH must be completed.

In Task 1, you have to respond to a situation by writing a letter, for example, asking for information or explaining a situation. You need to write at least 150 words in about 20 minutes.

In Task 2, you are given a point of view, argument or problem which you need to discuss . You need to write at least 250 words in about 40 minutes.

You must write your answers using full sentences. You must not write your answers as notes or bullet points. You must write your answers on the answer sheet. You are allowed to write notes on the question paper but these will not be seen by the examiner.

Certificated IELTS examiners assess your performance on each Writing task. There are four assessment criteria (things which the examiner thinks about when deciding what score to give you):

Task achievement/response
Coherence and cohesion
Lexical resource
Grammatical range and accuracy.

Task achievement (in Task 1) and Task response (in Task 2) assess how accurately, appropriately and relevantly your response covers the task requirements, using the minimum of 150 words for Task 1 and 250 words for Task 2.

In Task 1, Task achievement refers to how well your letter achieves its purpose.

In Task 2, Task response includes how well you develop your argument in response to the task, giving evidence and examples which may be from your own experience.

Coherence and cohesion assesses how clear and fluent your writing is, and how you organise ideas and information. It includes giving your ideas in a logical order, and using a range of cohesive devices (for example, linking words, pronouns and conjunctions, etc.) appropriately.

Lexical resource assesses the range of vocabulary you use, and how accurately and appropriately you use it.

Grammatical range and accuracy assesses the range of grammar you use and how accurately and appropriately you use it.

Time allowed : 60 minutes

Number of tasks : 2

Marking : Task 2 contributes twice as much as Task 1 to the Writing score.

Writing tasks 1 and 2

What's involved.

In General Training Writing Task 1, you are given a situation and you need to write a response of at least 150 words in the form of a letter. Depending on the task, the letter may be personal, semi-formal or formal in style. The question paper tells you what information to include in the form of three bullet points.

You might need to ask for or give information and/or explain a situation. The situations you need to write about are common, everyday situations such as:

writing to a college accommodation officer about problems with your accommodation
writing to a new employer about problems you are having with managing your time
writing to a local newspaper about a plan to develop a local airport
writing to a renting agency to sort out problems with the heating system in your house.

The style of writing that you use depends on who you are asked to write to and how well you are supposed to know them. You need to choose a style that is appropriate for your audience and will help you achieve your purpose for writing, e.g. writing to a friend (personal) or writing to a manager (semi-formal or formal).

You should spend no more than 20 minutes on this task. You need to write at least 150 words and will be penalised if your answer is too short. While test takers will not be penalised for writing more than 150 words, you should remember that a longer Task 1 answer may mean that you have less time to spend on Task 2, which contributes twice as much to your Writing band score.

You should remember that you will be penalised if what you write is not related to the topic. You will also be penalised if your answer is not written as a whole piece of connected text (i.e. you must not use notes or bullet points). You will be severely penalised if your writing is plagiarised (i.e. copied from another source).

You do not need to write any addresses at the top of your letter.

You must write your answer on the answer sheet.

What skills are tested?

This task tests if you are able to write a letter which is well organised and appropriate in its register and style.

Depending on the task type, you will be assessed on your ability to:

ask for and/or provide general factual information
express needs, wants, likes and dislikes
express opinions (views, complaints, etc.).

How much do I have to write?

A minimum of 150 words.

In General Training Writing Task 2, you need to write a semi-formal/neutral discursive essay of a minimum of 250 words.

The instructions for Task 2 give information about an opinion, argument or problem. The instructions then tell you what you should discuss in your essay.

You will need to write about a topic of general interest, such as:

whether children’s leisure activities should be educational
how environmental problems can be solved
whether smoking should be banned in public places.

You should make sure that you write your answer carefully so that you give a complete response that is also relevant. To do this you will need to organise your ideas clearly and make sure you use relevant examples (which can be from your own experience, if relevant) or evidence. For this task, you need to be able to discuss more abstract and complex ideas and use a variety of vocabulary and grammatical structures.

You should spend no more than 40 minutes on this task. You must write at least 250 words and will be penalised if your answer is too short. While you will not be penalised for writing more than 250 words, if you write a very long answer you may not have time for checking and correcting at the end, and some ideas may not be directly relevant to the question. You may also produce handwriting which is unclear.

This task tests if you can write a clear, relevant, well-organised argument, giving evidence or examples to support your ideas, and use language accurately. Depending on the task type, you will be assessed on your ability to:

provide general factual information
outline a problem and present a solution
present and possibly justify an opinion
evaluate and discuss ideas, evidence or an argument.

A minimum of 250 words.

Learn about the other sections of the test

Time allowed: Approximately 30 minutes (plus 10 minutes to transfer your answers to an answer sheet)

Time allowed: 60 minutes (including transfer time)

Time allowed: 11–14 minutes

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COMMENTS

How many words for IELTS writing? Rules & Advice
How long should your IELTS writing task 1 & task 2 be? Learn how the examiner counts your words and the recommended length of your IELTS essay. This page contains information about:
IELTS Writing Word Limits
Learn more about the IELTS writing word limits for essays and graphs. For the Task 2 you should write at least 250 words, while for the Task 1 you should have a minimum of 150 words.
Is there any penalty for an essay length of over 400 words in the IELTS
Writing over 400 words in IELTS writing will not cost any score but candidates are advised to write a maximum of 290 words in IELTS writing task 2. In IELTS writing task 1 a maximum of 190 words can be written.
Word count in IELTS writing, IELTS essays and task 1 reports
Although the word count penalty has been abolished I would advise writing more than 250 words in an essay and over 150 words in writing task 1 to fully develop your answer. Here are some examples of what I have heard about the word count in IELTS essays and writing task 1.
IELTS Writing: How Many Words to Write
The IELTS Writing Tasks ask you to write at least a certain number of words on test day—a minimum of 150 words for Task 1 and a minimum of 250 words for Task 2. So what does this mean for your band score, and how do the 250 and 150 word essays for IELTS break down into paragraphs? Read on to find out!
Types of essays to expect in your IELTS Writing Task 2
Preparing for IELTS Writing? Read this article on the different types of essays you are likely to encounter in the test.
How Many Words Should You Write for IELTS?
I run an IELTS writing correction service and every day I mark about 10 essays by students from all over the world. Not many of them write an essay with too few words, but about a third of them write far too many. As such, in today's article I will explain how many words you should write for an IELTS essay.
10 steps to writing high-scoring IELTS essays
Whether you take the general training or academic IELTS test, the second writing task is writing an essay in response to a problem or argument. Here are 10 easy steps, with lots of tips, to guide you on how to write high-scoring essays.
IELTS Writing Task 2 Video: Essay Length
There is a lower limit of 250 words but there is no upper word limit. Watch this video to learn how long your IELTS essay should be and if the number of words you write is important to get a good band score. Transcript. To learn more about the recommended length for your writing task 1 and task 2 essays, check the sample writing below.
IELTS Sample Essays
Looking at IELTS sample essays is an excellent way to learn how to improve your score. Here you can view a variety of IELTS essay topics with answers to help you prepare for the Test.
IELTS Writing: Too many words!
It is easy to write too many words in the IELTS Writing test. Find out the official and recommended word limits, and how to make the most of your time.
IELTS Writing Tips: How to Write 150 or 250 Words
Without a doubt, Academic Writing is the most challenging section of IELTS. Faced with a blank page, you have only 60 minutes in which to write 400 words by hand. This includes 150 words describing a diagram or data, plus 250 words giving your opinion on an issue. It doesn't help that few people actually write reports or essays by hand nowadays!
IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essays
Learn how to write IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essays. Step-by-step instructions to plan & write high-level essays. Two model answers.
IELTS Problem Solution Essays
Learn how to write IELTS Problem Solution Essays. Step-by-step instructions to plan & write a high-level essay. Model answer & 6 common mistakes to avoid.
IELTS Writing Penalty for Being Under Words
Word count Rules Previously Used by IELTS Before. There used to be a fixed penalty in IELTS writing if you wrote under the word count which is 150 words for writing task 1 and 250 words for writing task 2 . You would automatically get only band 5 in Task Response which counts for 25% of your marks. Other things affecting your score.
Top 100 Phrases for IELTS Writing Test
Moreover, the second task in the IELTS Academic Writing and IELTS General Training Writing is the same. You need to respond to a point of view, problem, or argument by writing an essay. You need at least 250 words in IELTS Writing Task 2 .
IELTS Essay Structure
Learn IELTS writing task 2 structure with Benchmark IELTS and know how to write advantages & disadvantages essay. Get a complete guide now!
How much should you REALLY write for task 2? : r/IELTS
An IELTS instructor of mine has a rule, that is you should never exceed 20% of the 250 word limit for task 2. This means all essays should be under 300 words and if you go overboard, you're making 2 mistakes: You're being overly verbose. You're not spending your time as effectively as possible. Despite being aware of this, I always find myself ...
IELTS Vocabulary: Learn 400 Essential Words for IELTS
Improve your IELTS Band Score by learning 400 words for IELTS: definitions, sentences, collocations, word forms. With worksheets and activities. Improve your understanding of the reading and listening tests, and improve your speaking and writing.
r/IELTS on Reddit: I keep on hitting 400+ words in my task 2 under 40
I keep on hitting 400+ words in my task 2 under 40 minutes easily Band descriptors say i have to support my idea and give example and all that how can i keep it around 250 words and still be able to support my ideas in an efficient way? Does writing a long essay give a bad impression?
IELTS
What's involved? In General Training Writing Task 2, you need to write a semi-formal/neutral discursive essay of a minimum of 250 words. The instructions for Task 2 give information about an opinion, argument or problem.
Useful Words and Phrases to use in IELTS Essay
Developing your language skill and enriching your vocabulary takes time. But when you are in control and can use the right language, you can produce compelling and outstanding essays. In this article, we will present to you some really useful words and phrases with examples which will help you write essays that score well.
Writing task LENGTH : r/IELTS
If i write way more than 180 words for example approx 250 to 300 words does it affect negatively on band score? And same ques for task 2. If i go well above 280 words lets say 350 to 400 words but stay relevant to the topic, will that hamper the score?
IELTS 400 Essential Words
IELTS 400 Essential Words. Vocabulary plays an important role in everyone's life and with this PDF we would like to help you enhance your vocabulary to improve speaking and writing skills. Vocabulary is equally important for reading and writing. By knowing a lot of prevalent words you will understand the reading texts better.