IELTS Academic Writing, two tasks
Two tasks, 60 minutes
- Writing is 60 minutes.
- Task 1: at least 150 words, about 20 minutes.
- Task 2: at least 250 words, about 40 minutes.
- Task 2 is two thirds of the Writing score.
Practice
How many minutes is the Writing test?
60 minutes for two tasks.
Task 1
- You describe visual information in your own words: a graph, table, chart or diagram.
- Select the main features and compare. Do not list every number.
- Do not give opinions. The chart is the content.
Practice
Complete: Task 1 needs at least ___ words.
Task 1 is at least 150 words, about 20 minutes.
Task 2
- You write an essay in response to a point of view, argument or problem.
- Answer every part of the question. A well-written essay on the wrong task still loses.
- Plan for two or three minutes. Forty minutes of unplanned prose usually repeats itself.
Practice
Which task is worth more of the Writing score?
Task 2 is two thirds of the Writing mark. Give it 40 minutes.
How to practise
- The Library sample prompts are for format, not for memorising a model answer.
- Time Task 1 at 20 minutes even when you are at home. The common failure is Task 1 eating Task 2.
- Count words once after you finish, not as you write.
Practice
In Task 1 you should copy the numbers from the chart into a list.
You summarise the main features and make comparisons. A list of every number is not a summary.
Official samples
- We do not host paid Cambridge IELTS coursebooks. What is here is what the partners publish free for candidates.
- Sources, checked on 19 September 2026: IELTS Academic Writing, sample test questions.
Practice
Match each task to its job.
If Task 1 eats 35 minutes, Task 2 cannot reach 250 words.