Unofficial practice. We wrote these questions to match the official IELTS question types and timings. They are not real exam questions, and points shown are practice feedback, not a band score. For official sample tests, visit ielts.org.
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More: writing practice 1 · IELTS writing checker · IELTS writing guide
Answers, explanations and transcripts
Finish the test first, then open each section to check your answers. Every answer has an explanation.
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Model answer: Academic Task 1 (20 minutes, at least 150 words)
The chart below shows the number of international students enrolled in six fields of study at Southport University in 2025. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
The bar chart compares the number of international students enrolled in six different fields of study at Southport University in 2025.
Overall, business was by far the most popular field, and the three most technical or professional areas (business, engineering and IT) attracted the large majority of students. By contrast, education and arts had relatively few international enrolments.
Business had the highest number of students, at 4,200. Engineering was in second place with 3,100 students, slightly ahead of IT, which had 2,900. Health was also relatively popular, attracting 2,400 international students.
At the other end of the scale, only 900 international students studied education, and arts had the lowest figure of all, at 700. In other words, business enrolled six times as many international students as arts. Taken together, business, engineering and IT accounted for 10,200 of the 14,200 international students shown, or roughly 72%.
Model answer: General Training Task 1 (20 minutes, at least 150 words)
Your neighbour has recently started playing loud music late at night. Write a letter to your neighbour. In your letter: explain the situation, describe how it is affecting you, and suggest a solution.
Dear Alex,
I hope you're settling in well. I'm Sam from number 12, next door. I wanted to write to you about something that has been bothering me, as I thought a letter might be easier than knocking on your door late at night.
Over the past two weeks, I've noticed loud music coming from your flat most nights, often until about one or two in the morning. The walls between our flats are quite thin, so I can hear it clearly in my bedroom.
Unfortunately, I start work at seven, so I need to be up by half past five. Recently I've been struggling to get to sleep, and I've been feeling very tired at work.
I'm sure you don't realise how much sound travels. Would you mind keeping the volume down after ten o'clock on weeknights? Perhaps you could use headphones late in the evening. I'm happy to have a chat about it if that's easier.
Thanks for understanding.
Best wishes,
Sam
Model answer: Task 2 (40 minutes, at least 250 words)
Some people believe that the best way to improve public health is to increase the number of sports facilities. Others think this would have little effect and other measures are needed. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Governments around the world are looking for ways to improve the health of their populations. While some people believe that building more sports facilities is the most effective solution, others argue that different measures are required. In my view, sports facilities can help, but they are not enough on their own.
Those who support more sports facilities argue that many people do not exercise because they lack convenient places to do so. Free or low-cost swimming pools, sports fields and gyms can make regular exercise easier, especially for families on low incomes. In addition, community sports centres encourage people to join teams and clubs, which can make exercise more enjoyable and sustainable.
On the other hand, critics point out that facilities alone do not change behaviour. Many existing gyms and sports centres are under-used, because people are busy, tired or simply not interested in sport. Moreover, physical inactivity is only one cause of poor health. Diet, smoking and alcohol also play major roles, and these require other approaches, such as health education, taxes on sugary drinks and better access to fresh food.
In my opinion, the most effective strategy combines several measures. Facilities should be built where they are most needed, but governments should also make everyday activity easier, for example through safe cycle lanes and walkable neighbourhoods, and address diet through education and regulation.
In conclusion, although more sports facilities can encourage some people to be active, improving public health requires a broader approach that tackles diet and lifestyle as well as exercise.