IELTS Writing
How long is the Writing paper?
The Writing paper lasts one hour. Within that time, you must complete two writing tasks. Writing Task 2 carries more marks than Writing Task 1.
What will I need to write about?
There are two separate writing tests, one for Academic candidates and one for General Training candidates. Before enrolling, you need to decide which test is best for you. See the website www.ielts.org for advice on this. You will be given two specific writing tasks as follows.
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Describe visual information (e.g. a diagram, chart, graph or table). |
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Write an essay. |
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You may be asked to:
- provide a solution
- evaluate a problem
- compare and contrast different ideas or opinions
- challenge an argument or idea.
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Respond to a given situation (e.g. by writing a letter). |
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You may be asked to request information or explain a situation. |
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Write an essay in response to a point of view, argument or problem. |
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How is the Writing paper assessed?
A trained assessor will read your answers and award a mark based on the following criteria.
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What do these criteria mean? |
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Did you answer the question fully and write 150 words? |
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- Did your answer address all of the points in the question?
- Did you provide a balanced argument and support your ideas with evidence and examples?
- Were all of your ideas relevant to the question?
- Did you write 250 words?
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- Is your writing easy to understand?
- Are your ideas well organised and clearly linked?
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Did you use a wide range of vocabulary accurately and effectively? |
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Grammatical Range and Accuracy |
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Did you use a wide range of grammatical structures accurately and effectively? |
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Writing Task 2 is worth more marks than Writing Task 1. The assessor will combine your two scores to obtain one final score.
How can I improve my Writing paper score?
You can improve your score by making sure you answer each question fully and remembering the test tips in this unit. This unit will also tell you the writing skills you need to practise in order to achieve your best score. Before the test, practise writing quickly and neatly and make sure you do not use bullet points, notes or abbreviations or prepared answers. Studying all aspects of English, including vocabulary and grammar, will also help improve your score.
