What the Writing test asks
You have 60 minutes for two tasks.
- Task 1 needs at least 150 words. In Academic, you describe a chart, table, diagram of a process or a map. In General Training, you write a letter, which may be formal, semi-formal or informal.
- Task 2 needs at least 250 words and is an essay responding to a point of view, argument or problem. It counts for more than Task 1, so most people spend about 40 minutes on it.
Both tasks are marked on four criteria of equal weight:
- Task Achievement (Task 1) or Task Response (Task 2): did you do what was asked, fully?
- Coherence and Cohesion: is it logically organised, with clear paragraphs and linking?
- Lexical Resource: range and accuracy of vocabulary.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy: variety of structures and how few errors you make.
Common mistakes, and how to fix them
These are habits we see often in Indian students' writing. None of them means your English is poor; they are simply things examiners notice.
- Memorised openings. Lines like "In this modern era of globalisation" or "This is a burning issue" are recognised instantly. They do not answer the question and add nothing to your score.
- Over-long introductions. Two or three sentences are enough: paraphrase the question and give your position. Save your words for the body paragraphs.
- Indian-English usage. "Revert back" (just "reply"), "discuss about" (just "discuss"), "return back", "cope up with" (should be "cope with"), "do the needful", and using "since" with a length of time ("since five years", which should be "for five years").
- No clear opinion. If the question asks "To what extent do you agree?", say so clearly in the introduction and keep it consistent.
- Task 1 opinions. In Academic Task 1, describe the data; do not explain why it happened.
- Formal letters that are too informal, or the reverse. In GT letters, match the tone to the reader.
- Under-length answers. Writing 230 words in Task 2 is a penalty you have chosen.
IELTS Writing practice in Jalandhar: themes you know
Task 2 topics often touch subjects that are very familiar in Jalandhar: young people moving abroad, the effect of migration on families left behind, family businesses versus corporate jobs, sport and children's health, or traditional industries competing with imports. The city's sports goods makers and hand tool workshops, for example, give you real examples on globalisation and small business.
Use that local knowledge. Examiners want relevant, specific examples, and "In my city, many manufacturers of cricket and hockey equipment export to Europe" is far stronger than a vague statement about "many countries". Just keep the examples general and do not invent statistics.
General Training letters can draw on local life too. A letter to a landlord abroad, a complaint about a delayed parcel sent to relatives in Brampton or Birmingham, or a request to an employer for leave to attend a wedding back home are all situations many Jalandhar families know well, so you can write about them with confidence and natural detail.
How IELTS Learning helps your Writing
IELTS Learning has 104 prompts across Task 1 and Task 2: Academic charts, tables, processes and maps; General Training letters; and every common essay type (opinion, discussion, advantages and disadvantages, problem and solution, two-part questions).
When you submit, you get an AI-estimated band for each of the four criteria with feedback. This shows you which criterion is pulling your score down, so you can work on that rather than guessing. You can rewrite the same essay and compare.
For a human view, Book a Teacher gives you a 1-to-1 online session of about 20 minutes from ₹299. Many students bring one Task 2 essay and ask the teacher to go through structure and language line by line.
A weekly Writing routine
- Monday: read the Study Notes chapter on one essay type.
- Tuesday: plan three Task 2 questions in 5 minutes each, without writing them out.
- Wednesday: write one full Task 2 in 40 minutes; get AI feedback.
- Thursday: rewrite the weakest paragraph using the feedback.
- Saturday: write one Task 1 in 20 minutes.
- Sunday: add new phrases and corrected errors to your flashcards.
Start your IELTS Writing practice from Jalandhar
Register free to try the free sample mock, which includes Writing with AI feedback. Read more Task 2 advice on our blog, and build vocabulary with Daily Vocabulary. Full Access, at ₹999 for 2 months, unlocks all Writing prompts.