Lesson 1 of 22
The test and your writing process
IELTS Academic Writing lasts 60 minutes. You complete two tasks: a report of at least 150 words about visual information, and an essay of at least 250 words responding to an argument, viewpoint, or problem. Task 2 carries twice the weight of Task 1. Answers must be connected prose, rather than notes or bullet points. The usual allocation is about 20 minutes for Task 1 and 40 for Task 2. Official Academic Writing format.
| Feature | Academic Task 1 | Task 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Main job | Report the important visual information | Answer the question through a reasoned argument |
| Information source | The supplied visual and labels | The prompt and your relevant reasoning or experience |
| Main writing decisions | What to select, compare, and group | What position to take and how to support it |
| Ending | A clear overview, placed earlier or at the end | A conclusion answering the question |
A practical time plan
The following is a practice routine, not an additional exam rule. Adjust the small divisions after timed practice.
| Stage | Task 1 | Task 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Read and plan | 3 minutes | 5 minutes |
| Write | 14 minutes | 30 minutes |
| Check | 3 minutes | 5 minutes |
For Task 1, write a brief plan with two overview points and the contents of each detail paragraph. For Task 2, write your direct answer and the main idea of each body paragraph.
A useful practice target is approximately 170–200 words for Task 1 and 270–310 for Task 2. These ranges provide some room above the minimum; they are teaching targets, not official maximums. A longer answer does not earn credit simply because it is longer. Finish the task, develop what matters, and leave time to check.
Some learners prefer Task 2 first. Others work better in the printed order. Test both approaches in complete 60-minute practice sessions and choose the one that reliably leaves enough time for both tasks.