englishcoaching.au
Free practice tests

IELTS writing: Task 1 and Task 2

Clear structures for both tasks, a timing plan and the four things examiners mark.

Updated 2026-10-12

What examiners mark

Each task is marked on four criteria, equally weighted:

Criterion What it means
Task achievement (Task 1) / Task response (Task 2) Did you answer every part of the question, with relevant, developed ideas?
Coherence and cohesion Is it logically organised, with clear paragraphs and linking?
Lexical resource Range and accuracy of vocabulary
Grammatical range and accuracy A mix of sentence structures, used correctly

Timing plan (60 minutes)

Minutes Task
0–20 Task 1: 3 minutes planning, 15 writing, 2 checking
20–60 Task 2: 5 minutes planning, 30 writing, 5 checking

Many people do Task 2 first, because it's worth twice as much.

Task 1 Academic: a report

  1. Introduction: paraphrase what the visual shows.
  2. Overview: the two or three most important trends or features, with no numbers. Missing the overview is one of the most common reasons for a low Task 1 score.
  3. Details 1 and 2: group and compare the key figures.

Describing charts is a skill shared with PTE's Describe Image. The practice images and phrases there work for both tests.

Task 1 General Training: a letter

  1. Greeting: Dear Ms Chen, (formal) or Hi Sam, (informal).
  2. Purpose: why you're writing, in one or two sentences.
  3. Three paragraphs: one for each bullet point in the task.
  4. Closing: Yours sincerely, (when you know the name) / Kind regards, / Cheers, (informal).

Match your tone to the person. A letter to a landlord shouldn't sound like a message to a friend.

Task 2: the essay

Identify the question type first. It decides your structure:

Question type Example wording Structure
Opinion To what extent do you agree or disagree? Your view in the introduction; two body paragraphs supporting it
Discussion Discuss both views and give your opinion. One paragraph per view; your opinion in the intro and conclusion
Problem / solution What are the causes? What can be done? One paragraph for causes, one for solutions
Advantages / disadvantages Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? One paragraph each, with a clear judgement

Aim for 270–300 words: an introduction, two body paragraphs of 90–110 words, and a conclusion. Use linking words to guide the reader, without overusing them.

Check your length

Choose an IELTS task in the counter. It warns you if you're under the minimum.

Mistakes that cost bands

  • Copying sentences from the question instead of paraphrasing.
  • Memorised phrases that don't fit ("In this modern era of technology…").
  • One huge paragraph. Use clear paragraphs.
  • Mixing Australian and American spelling. Pick one, and check with our spelling consistency checker.