IELTS Writing
Learn what is IELTS Writing test and access free writing practice material to boost your overall band score.
Prepare for the IELTS Academic and General Writing test
The IELTS Writing test format and question types are different for the Academic and General tests. The Academic test will contain topics suitable for anyone entering a university or a professional institution. The General test will contain topics based on general interest.
How do I calculate my IELTS Writing band score?
Your IELTS Writing band score is calculated based on four key assessment criteria, each contributing equally to your overall score. These criteria are:
Task Achievement (for Task 1) / Task Response (for Task 2):
Coherence and Cohesion:
Lexical Resource:
Grammatical Range and Accuracy:
Each of these criteria is scored on a scale of 0 to 9. The scores for each criterion are then averaged to calculate your overall Writing band score.
For example, if you score 7 in Task Achievement, 6 in Coherence and Cohesion, 6.5 in Lexical Resource, and 7 in Grammatical Range and Accuracy, your overall Writing score would be:
(7 + 6 + 6.5 + 7) / 4 = 6.625
This score is usually rounded to the nearest half-band or whole band, so in this case, your final Writing score would be 6.5.
IELTS Academic Writing
It is always better to be well prepared before your IELTS Academic Writing test, and it helps if you’ve familiarised yourself with the IELTS format of the test.
| Task | Task Description | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Task 1 | You are presented with a graph, table, chart or diagram and are asked to describe, summarise or explain the information in your own words. You may be asked to describe and explain data, describe the stages of a process, how something works or describe an object or event. | 20 mins |
| Task 2 | You are asked to write an essay in response to a point of view, argument or problem. | 40 mins |
IELTS General Training Writing
It is always better to familiarise yourself with the IELTS format of the test. Here is an overview of the IELTS General Training Writing test.
| Task | Task Description | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Task 1 | You will be presented with a situation and asked to write a letter requesting information or explaining the situation. The letter may be personal, semi-formal or formal in style. | 20 mins |
| Task 2 | You will be asked to write an essay in response to a point of view, argument or problem. The essay can be slightly more personal in style compared to an Academic Writing task. You will support your point of view with relevant examples from your knowledge and experience. | 40 mins |