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Writing Task 1
All seven Academic chart and diagram types, with a free six-step method.
Explore Task 1 →IELTS TEST GUIDE · UPDATED NOVEMBER 2026
Know the test.
Then train for it.
Everything you need to understand IELTS before you start preparing: the four sections, timing, scoring, the marking criteria and what has changed in 2026.
THE TEST AT A GLANCE
Four sections. About 2 hours 45 minutes.
Listening, Reading and Writing are taken on the same day, one after another, with no breaks. Speaking is a live conversation with an examiner and may be on the same day or up to seven days before or after.
| Section | Time | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Listening | About 30 minutes | 4 recordings (two conversations and two monologues) and 40 questions. Same for Academic and General Training. |
| Reading | 60 minutes | 40 questions. Academic: 3 long passages from academic sources. General Training: shorter everyday and workplace texts. |
| Writing | 60 minutes | 2 tasks. Academic: a report on visual data (Task 1) and an essay (Task 2). General Training: a letter (Task 1) and an essay (Task 2). |
| Speaking | 11–14 minutes | 3 parts: an interview on familiar topics, a 1–2 minute talk from a cue card, and a discussion of wider ideas. |
ACADEMIC OR GENERAL TRAINING?
Choose the version your goal requires.
Listening and Speaking are identical in both versions. Reading and Writing are different, so check which one your university, employer or visa application asks for before you book.
A
IELTS Academic
Usually required for university study and some professional registration. Writing Task 1 asks you to describe a chart, table, map or process.
GT
IELTS General Training
Often used for work, training and migration. Writing Task 1 is a letter, and the reading texts come from everyday and workplace sources.
✓
Not sure?
Ask the organisation you are applying to. They will tell you the version and the minimum band scores they need for each section.
HOW SCORING WORKS
Bands from 0 to 9, in half steps.
You receive a band for each section and an overall band. The overall band is the average of the four section bands, rounded to the nearest half or whole band.
01
Listening & Reading
Each has 40 questions worth one mark each. Your raw score out of 40 is converted to a band.
02
Writing & Speaking
Trained examiners mark your performance against four published criteria for each skill (see below).
03
Overall band
Add the four bands and divide by four. An average ending in .25 rounds up to the next half band, and .75 rounds up to the next whole band.
| Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking | Average | Overall band |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.5 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 7.0 | 6.375 | 6.5 |
| 7.0 | 7.0 | 6.5 | 7.5 | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| 6.0 | 7.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.25 | 6.5 |
WHAT EXAMINERS ASSESS
The marking criteria for Writing and Speaking.
Each criterion counts equally within its task. In Writing, Task 2 carries more weight than Task 1, so it deserves more of your time.
| Writing | Speaking | In practice, this means… |
|---|---|---|
| Task Achievement (Task 1) / Task Response (Task 2) | Fluency and Coherence | Answering exactly what was asked and developing your ideas; in Speaking, keeping going smoothly and logically. |
| Coherence and Cohesion | — | Clear paragraphs, logical order and natural linking, not a long list of connectors. |
| Lexical Resource | Lexical Resource | Precise, natural vocabulary and collocations, used accurately. |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | Grammatical Range and Accuracy | A mix of simple and complex sentences with few errors. |
| — | Pronunciation | Being easy to understand, with clear sounds, stress and intonation. A particular accent is not required. |
WHAT'S NEW IN 2026
IELTS is moving fully to computer.
In March 2026, IELTS announced that from mid-2026 the test will no longer be offered on paper, with timelines varying by country. Here is what that means for you.
01
Computer delivery
Listening, Reading and Writing are taken on a computer. Answers are typed during the test, so there is no extra time at the end of Listening or Reading to transfer answers.
02
Writing on Paper
Some countries offer an option to handwrite the Writing section. Check with your local test centre if typing is a concern.
03
One Skill Retake
Where available, eligible test takers can resit a single section instead of the whole test. Check eligibility, deadlines and fees with your test centre.
Test rules, fees and availability change and differ by country. Always confirm details with an official IELTS test centre or ielts.org before booking. Most organisations accept results for up to two years.
YOUR NEXT STEP
Start with the section you need most.
FREE
Writing Task 2
The eight essay types, how to recognise each one and how to plan it.
Explore Task 2 →FREE
Speaking
All three parts explained, with a timed cue card and sample answer structure.
Explore Speaking →FREE
Reading
The eleven question types and a skim, scan and verify routine.
Explore Reading →FREE
Listening
The four parts, the main question types and how to avoid distractors.
Explore Listening →FREE
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