IELTS Writing: The Complete Guide to Task 1 and Task 2

Writing is the section that most often pulls the Overall band score down. Many test takers score 7.5–8.0 in Listening and Reading, while Writing stays at 6.0–6.5. The good news: Writing follows clear rules, and progress starts when you understand what examiners reward.

Format

You have 60 minutes in total with no separate timer. Start with Task 2.

Four band descriptors

Both tasks are assessed against four criteria with equal weight:

1. Task Achievement / Task Response: have you fully answered all parts of the task.
2. Coherence and Cohesion: is your structure logical and is the linking natural.
3. Lexical Resource: is your vocabulary accurate and varied.
4. Grammatical Range and Accuracy: do you use a range of structures with a high proportion of error-free sentences.

For a detailed breakdown with the differences between band 6, 7 and 8, see “IELTS Writing Band Descriptors”.

Task 1 in one minute

Structure: introduction (paraphrase the prompt) → overview (main trends without figures) → two detail paragraphs with figures and comparisons. No opinions or explanations of reasons. For more detail, see Writing Task 1 and Task 1 samples with analysis.

Task 2 in one minute

Identify the question type, answer every part of it and take a clear position. Use a four-paragraph structure: introduction with a clear position → two body paragraphs (one idea + explanation + example) → conclusion. For more detail, see Writing Task 2 and IELTS essay samples.

Timing

Five quick ways to raise your band score

1. Answer the question, not just the topic. Underline every part of the prompt.
2. An overview in Task 1 is compulsory. Without it you cannot score above band 5 for Task Achievement.
3. Develop one idea in depth instead of listing three superficial points.
4. Remove memorised phrases (In this day and age) and overused linkers (Moreover in every sentence).
5. Check your typical errors: articles, informations, subject-verb agreement, tenses.

How to practise

Writing improves through the cycle “write → get feedback against the band descriptors → rewrite”. Two essays per week with rewriting will help you progress faster than seven essays without feedback. For the full method, sample answers at band 8–9 with analysis and a four-week plan, see the Writing guide. You can check your writing under exam conditions in a mock test.