Task 1 and Task 2 at a glance
You have 60 minutes for two tasks.
- Task 1 (at least 150 words, about 20 minutes). Academic: describe a graph, table, chart, process or map, reporting the main trends and comparisons. General Training: write a letter, formal, semi-formal or informal, covering three bullet points.
- Task 2 (at least 250 words, about 40 minutes). An essay giving your opinion, discussing two views, explaining problems and solutions, or weighing advantages and disadvantages.
Task 2 counts for more than Task 1, so never let Task 1 eat into its time.
The four criteria examiners use
- Task Achievement (Task 1) / Task Response (Task 2): Did you answer every part of the question, with a clear position and relevant, developed ideas? In Academic Task 1, did you give an overview?
- Coherence and Cohesion: Logical paragraphs, a clear progression, and linking that helps rather than decorates.
- Lexical Resource: Precise, natural vocabulary and correct collocations, with accurate spelling.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy: A mix of sentence structures, with most sentences free of errors.
Each criterion carries equal weight, which is why a strong vocabulary cannot rescue an essay that does not answer the question.
Common mistakes Indian students make, and the fixes
These are not about intelligence or effort; they are habits picked up from school essays and everyday Indian English.
- Memorised openings. Lines such as "In this modern era of globalisation" or "This is a burning issue in today's world" are recognised instantly and add nothing. Paraphrase the question in one sentence and state your view.
- Over-long introductions. Some students spend 80 words before reaching their position. Two sentences are enough; save the words for developed body paragraphs.
- Indian-English usage. Phrases that sound normal in an Ahmedabad office can count as errors: "revert back" (just "reply"), "discuss about" ("discuss"), "return back", "prepone", "do the needful", "pass out from college" ("graduate"), and "I am having a car" for possession.
- Formal letters that are too formal. In GT letters, "Respected Sir" and "Kindly do the needful" sound dated. Use "Dear" with the person's surname, or "Dear Sir or Madam", and make your request clearly.
- Listing instead of explaining. Three ideas with one sentence each score lower than two ideas each explained with a reason and an example.
- No overview in Academic Task 1. Without a sentence summarising the main trend, Task Achievement is usually capped.
Writing about places you know
Task 2 topics often touch on cities, transport, heritage, work and education, and Ahmedabad gives you real examples to think with. The city's BRTS and metro are useful when discussing public transport; its old walled city, with its pols and India's first UNESCO World Heritage City status, fits questions on preserving historic buildings; and the growth of industrial areas around Sanand and the finance hub at GIFT City fit questions about jobs and development.
You do not need to name your city in the exam, but thinking from concrete examples helps you develop ideas instead of writing general statements. For GT letters, imagine realistic situations: writing to a landlord in Toronto about a repair, or to a manager in Melbourne asking for leave.
How AI feedback and teacher sessions help
IELTS Learning has 104 Writing prompts for Task 1 and Task 2, covering Academic charts, tables, processes and maps, GT letters, and every essay type. When you submit, you get an AI-estimated band for each of the four criteria, with feedback that points to specific sentences.
Use it like this:
- Write under time, with no dictionary.
- Read the feedback for your lowest criterion first.
- Rewrite one paragraph applying that feedback, then compare.
- Keep a list of your repeated errors in Study Notes.
AI feedback is fast and useful for regular practice, but it is an estimate. When you want a human view, especially before your test, Book a Teacher for a 1-to-1 online session of about 20 minutes, from ₹299, and go through one essay line by line.
A simple weekly routine
- Two Task 2 essays a week, one timed fully at 40 minutes.
- One Task 1 report or letter.
- One rewrite based on feedback.
- Ten minutes, once a week, reading a well-written English opinion article and noting how the writer moves from one idea to the next.
If you work full time, write your Task 2 on Saturday morning, when you are fresh, rather than late on a weekday after a long day and a slow drive home. Quality of practice matters more than quantity.
Consistent IELTS Writing practice with honest feedback is what moves a 6 to a 7. Sign up free and try a prompt today, or read our weekly tips on the blog.