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IELTS Writing

IELTS Writing:
Task 1 & Task 2 Strategies

Writing is the skill most students underestimate — and the one that costs them the most marks. Here is what actually works, from someone who has read thousands of IELTS essays.

Academic & General Training
Task 1 and Task 2 covered
Band 6 → 8 strategies

Two tasks. Two completely different skills.

IELTS Writing has two tasks in the same exam — but they test very different abilities. Task 1 is about describing and summarising information accurately. Task 2 is about constructing a clear, well-reasoned argument. Choose a task below to go deep on strategies, structure, and what examiners actually look for.

Task 1 · 20 minutes · 150 words
Task 1
Academic: describe a visual  ·  General Training: write a letter
Academic candidates describe a graph, chart, table, map, or process diagram. GT candidates write a formal, semi-formal, or informal letter. Same time, same word count — completely different tasks.
7 visual types for Academic
3 letter types for General Training
Overview, introduction, and body paragraph strategy
Worth one third of your Writing score
Go to Task 1 →
Task 2 · 40 minutes · 250 words
Task 2
Academic & General Training · Opinion, Discussion, Problem-Solution
Write an essay responding to a question or statement. The format is the same for Academic and GT — but Academic topics tend to be more complex and abstract. Task 2 carries twice the weight of Task 1.
5 question types explained
A reliable 4-paragraph structure
What Band 7+ writing actually looks like
Worth two thirds of your Writing score
Go to Task 2 →

Both tasks are marked on the same four criteria

Task Achievement / Response
Did you actually answer the question? Did you cover all parts of the task fully and accurately?
25% of score · Often the first thing lost
Coherence & Cohesion
Is your writing logically organised? Can the reader follow your ideas from sentence to sentence and paragraph to paragraph?
25% of score · Structure and linking
Lexical Resource
Do you use a range of vocabulary accurately and appropriately? Do you paraphrase well or repeat the same words?
25% of score · Quality over quantity
Grammatical Range & Accuracy
Do you use a range of sentence structures correctly? Frequent errors with basic grammar will cap your score.
25% of score · Range and accuracy both matter
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