IELTS Writing Tips to Manage the Time and Word Limit in Exam

The IELTS Writing exam has two compulsory tasks; IELTS Writing Task 1 and IELTS Writing Task 2. For an IELTS Academic student in task 1 needs to summarise information from a given question.

On the other hand, IELTS Writing Task 2 is all about writing an essay on a given topic that is mentioned in the question.

Comparing both the tasks, you will get to know that both the tasks are different in their way. Moreover, the time and word limit for both the tasks are also different.

In task 1, the minimum word limit is 150 words, and you have to do this task within 20 minutes. For writing task 2, the minimum word limit is 250 words, and you will get 40 minutes to finish it.

It has also been observed that the candidates exceed the word limit by an extensive margin and create an unnecessary problem for themselves. It is always advised to write 150 – 180 words for writing task 1 and 250 – 280 words for writing task 2.

If you exceed the limit, you may lose scores. With continuous practice, make a habit of counting words per line. This is how you will get to know how many lines you need for 150/250 words.

However, writing beyond what is necessary, you should focus on writing an excellent productive essay. Task 1 tests your ability to analyse data and information by writing in your own words, whereas task 2 requires your thoughts and ideas for a general topic.

It is not a test of your knowledge on a particular topic. The examiner is more interested to know your proficiency in the English language.

One more important advice for students is to spare some time to check what they have written. Spend initial 5-6 minutes to analyse the question and last 4-5 minutes checking for any grammar or sentence mistake.

Many times it is also seen that students get confused whether they should attempt the task 1 first or task 2. It depends on your comfort, whether you should attempt task 1 or task 2. Generally, people attempt the task 1 because it takes lesser time and also gives you a sense of accomplishment when you finished it.

Note: You will get a combined score from 1 to 9 for both the task 1 and task 2.

For practice with the sample questions, you can also download the IELTS Writing App. It offers a variety of questions that will help you to focus on maintaining the required word limit and even help you to finish your tasks on time.

Apart from questions, you can benefit yourself with their model answers to check the format of the answers. With the IELTS Writing app, know how well you need to perform to get the desired score in the IELTS exam.

IELTS General Training aspirants can also download the IELTS Writing App. It is a free and self-preparation guide for everyone who wants to score high in the IELTS Writing exam. Download the app to continue preparation.