IELTS Writing: Task 1 and Task 2

Academic and General Training Writing side by side

Academic Writing Task 1: describing a chart or diagram

You see one or more graphs, charts or tables, or a diagram of an object, a device, a process or an event. Your job is to report what it shows. Depending on the task, that means organising and comparing data, describing the stages of a process, describing an object or event, or explaining how something works.

Write in full sentences. Notes and bullet points lose marks.

General Training Writing Task 1: the letter

You’re given an everyday situation and three bullet points to cover. The letter might ask for or give information, say what you need or want, or make a complaint. Who it’s to decides the tone: personal, semi-formal or formal.

You don’t need to write any addresses at the top. The three bullet points have to be in your letter, written as normal sentences, not a list.

Writing Task 2: the essay

Task 2 is the same idea in both versions: you get a view, an argument or a problem and you respond to it. The question might ask you to give your opinion, discuss two sides, or outline a problem and suggest a solution.

Answer the exact question, not the wider topic. An essay about education in general won’t score well if the task asks about one part of it. Back up your points with examples, and they can come from your own life.

How IELTS Writing is marked

Examiners use four criteria, and each counts equally: task achievement (Task 1) or task response (Task 2), coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy.

Writing more than the minimum isn’t penalised. Writing less can mean you don’t show enough to reach the higher bands. But a long Task 1 eats into time for Task 2, which is worth twice as much. Off-topic writing, notes and copied text are all penalised.

On computer, you type your answers. In some countries you can choose Writing on Paper and handwrite them. The note-taking tool is fine for planning, but the examiner never sees it.

Official example answers

IELTS publishes real candidate answers to Academic Writing Task 1 and Task 2, with the band each one got and the examiner’s comments. They’re the best way to see what a 6 or a 7 actually looks like. The official sample questions also include General Training letter and essay tasks.