IELTS Writing: Topics, Question Types, Score, Books, and Practice Papers

IELTS Writing assesses candidates' proficiency in English grammar and vocabulary through the composition of a short essay or letter. Many candidates find this section to be quite challenging due to its strict structure. The IELTS Writing module varies depending on whether the applicant is taking the Academic test (for university admission) or General Training test (for work/migration). Each test consists of two tasks:

• In the IELTS Academic test, test-takers must describe a graph or diagram (Task 1) and write an essay (Task 2).
• In the IELTS General Training test, test-takers must write a letter (Task 1) and an essay (Task 2).

Candidates should allocate 40 minutes for the IELTS Writing and 20 minutes for the graph or letter since the essay carries more weightage than Task 1 in the IELTS academic writing test. This is because of the difference in the number of words required for each task, with a minimum of 150 words for IELTS Writing task 1 and 250 words for IELTS Writing task 2. Candidates can refer to the IELTS exam pattern for a breakdown of the exam's various sections.

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IELTS Writing Practice Papers 

The following IELTS writing practice papers can be useful for candidates appearing for the IELTS exam:

IELTS Writing Task 1 Practice Papers

IELTS Writing Task 2 Practice Papers

IELTS Writing Tips

Reading various books, journala and magazines can enhance vocabulary for IELTS Writing. Mentioned below are a few IELTS writing tips. Candidates can implement these tips for IELTS Writing to structure their answers for IELTS Academic and general writing.

• The examiners will grade you on how you expressed yourself as you write your responses. There are no right or wrong responses.
• Make sure you thoroughly examine the questions and address every aspect of them.
• The word limit must be kept in mind. You will receive fewer points if your IELTS Writing Task 1 is less than 150 words and Task 2 is less than 250 words.
• Always type your own language in the responses. You will not receive credit if you utilise the exact words from the question.
• Never use bullets in your answers; instead, write them out completely. Divide your main points into distinct paragraphs. The examiner can see how well you can structure your points by doing this.
• Avoid focusing on creating elaborate and lengthy responses. Write clearly, coherently, and with good thinking organisation. Make sure your grammar is flawless.
• You must choose and compare pertinent information from data presented in a graph, table, or diagram when performing IELTS Writing academic task 1. Never use the text from the question in the introduction. Use just your own words.
• An essay is Task 2 of the Academic Writing exam. Always have a plan for your essay's organisation. Include a decent introduction, some arguments in support of those views, and instances from actual life.
• For IELTS Writing task 2, you have 40 minutes to finish your essay. Always allow yourself five minutes to plan your response before you begin writing, and five minutes at the conclusion to check for errors.
• Keep the final paragraph of your essay for a conclusive statement that addresses all the points you addressed throughout your response.
• Avoid mixing up singular and plural nouns. Always check your work twice for this frequent error.
• Spelling is crucial. IELTS accepts spellings that adhere to British, American, and Australian standards.

IELTS Writing Score 

The IELTS Writing Band score ranges from 0 to 9. Band scores are awarded based on below mentioned evaluation:

As it is mentioned that the writing task 2 weighs twice that writing task 1. So, if someone receives 8 in task 2 and 6.5 in task 1, the total IELTS Writing score will be 8.0*(2/3)+(6.5)*1/3=7.5.

IELTS Writing Marking Criteria 

IELTS writing is assessed based on four specific criteria and each task is judged independently analysing if the responses of the candidates meet those criteria. For both part 1 IELTS Writing and part 2 IELTS Writing in IELTS Academic and IELTS General Writing, candidates need to fulfil the marking criteria. Table below highlights the criteria both the tasks are assessed on:

IELTS Writing Samples 

Mentioned below are the samples for IELTS writing task 1 and IELTS Writing task 2 for both IELTS Academic and IELTS general training test. Each sample has three model answers:

IELTS Academic Writing Samples

Following are the samples for IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 and IELTS Writing Academic task 2: 

IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 Samples

• Price Changes for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables IELTS Writing Task 1
• Plan A & B shows a Health Centre in 2005 and in Present Day IELTS Writing Task 1
• Results Of Surveys In 2000, 2005 And 2010 About One University IELTS Writing Task 1
• Pie Charts giving Information about the Household Expenditure of an Average US Family IELTS Writing task 1
• Line Graph Showing Percentage of Car Ownership in Great Britain IELTS Writing Task 1
• A Table Showing Social and Economic Indicators for Four countries in 1994 IELTS Writing Task 1
• Internet Use in Six Categories by Age Group IELTS Writing Task 1
• Life Cycle of the Salmon IELTS Writing Task 1
• Population Aged 65 and Over of Three Countries IELTS Writing Task 1
• Production of the World’s Oil in OPEC and Non-OPEC Countries IELTS Writing Task 1

IELTS Academic Writing Task 2 Samples

• Plagiarism IELTS Writing Task 2
• Copying Famous Personalities IELTS Writing Task 2
• Ambition IELTS Writing Task 2
• Walking Is a Good Exercise For Health IELTS Writing Task 2
• Environment IELTS Writing Task 2
• Schools Should Reward Students Who Show Progress IELTS Writing Task 2
• Income Inequality IELTS Writing Task 2
• Internet Replaced Books IELTS Writing Task 2
• Activities For Leisure Time IELTS Writing Task 2
• News Media IELTS Writing Task 2

IELTS General Writing Samples 

Following are the samples for IELTS General Writing Task 1 and Task 2:

IELTS General Writing Task 1 

• Job Application Cover Letter IELTS General Writing Task 1
• A Reporter Complained about a New TV Program that you Like IELTS General Writing Task 1
• Write a letter to HR Manager about your Job Interview IELTS General Writing Task 1
• Write A Letter To Your Manager Asking Permission To Attend The Conference IELTS General Writing Task 1
• Letter to a Bookstore Manager Living in Another City IELTS General Writing Task 1
• Letter to School for Joining the Children’s Trip to Another Country IELTS Writing Task 1
• Write a Letter to the Restaurant about its Service IELTS General Writing Task 1
• Letter to your Manager for Being Absent on an Important Day IELTS General Writing Task 1
• Important Documents IELTS General Writing Task 1
• Write a Letter to Your Friend about a Job Opportunity IELTS General Writing Task 1

IELTS General Writing Task 2 

• Leaders and Directors in an Organisation are Normally Older People. Some People Think having a Younger Leader would be better. Do you agree or disagree? – IELTS Writing Task 2
• Best Way To Reduce Crime Is To Have Longer Prison Sentences - IELTS Writing Task 2
• In Some Countries More and More People Becoming Interested in Finding Out About the History of the House IELTS Writing Task 2
• High Sales of Popular Consumer Goods Reflect the Power of Advertising - IELTS Writing Task 2
• International Sporting Events Can Contribute To World Peace - IELTS Writing Task 2
• Governments Should Not Spend Money On International Aids - IELTS Writing Task 2
• The Speeding of Life in Many Areas Such as Travel and Communication - IELTS Writing Task 2
• People Today do not Feel Safe either at Home or when they are Out - IELTS Writing Task 2

IELTS Writing Question types

For both IELTS Academic writing and IELTS General Writing, there are different question types. The question types are based on IELTS writing task 1 and IELTS writing task 2.

IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 

The question in IELTS academic writing task 1 is based on infographics. Candidates need to analyse the given diagram or picture and write a short essay in 150 words. The following example on the topic can be of help. Based on this task, candidates’ analytical and reasoning skills would be assessed.

Topic: The graph below shows the total births and the total deaths in a European country from 1950 to 2050. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and give comparisons wherever necessary. Candidates need to write the answer in no less than 150 words.

IELTS Academic Writing Task 2 

IELTS Writing Task 2 is an essay based task. Candidates need to write a 250 word essay based on a given topic. Candidates have to either agree or disagree, make discussion or give their opinion.

IELTS General Writing Task 1 

IELTS Writing general task 1 comprises letter-writing questions. Candidates are required to write either of the formal, informal or semi-formal letters as stated in the questions. They need to write their response based on the situation given. The following is an example question of task 1:

IELTS General Writing Task 2 

IELTS General writing task 2 is an essay based task. Candidates need to write a 250 word essay. The questions are based on daily-life general topics. Candidates need to state their opinion with supporting argumentative statements, provide general information or evaluate a given idea.

IELTS Writing Topics

Prior to exploring the IELTS writing topics, candidates must be aware of the types of essay they might be asked to write. Both topics for IELTS Writing task 2 and task 1 are equally important to secure good scores. Below mentioned is a table that highlights essay types in IELTS writing task:

Several IELTS writing topics are there for both Task 1 and Task 2. These topics have been provided below and candidates can consider IELTS preparation accordingly.

Below mentioned are some of the IELTS task 1 topics that can be practised by candidates:

Below mentioned are some of the IELTS task 2 topics that can be practised by candidates: