Two tasks, 60 minutes
IELTS Writing has two tasks and lasts 60 minutes in total.
- Task 1 (at least 150 words, about 20 minutes). In Academic, you describe a graph, table, chart, process or map. In General Training, you write a letter: formal, semi-formal or informal.
- Task 2 (at least 250 words, about 40 minutes). An essay giving your opinion, discussing two views, explaining problems and solutions, or a mix.
Task 2 counts for more of your Writing score than Task 1, so never let Task 1 eat into its time.
The four criteria, in plain words
Both tasks are marked on four equally weighted criteria:
- Task Achievement (Task 1) / Task Response (Task 2): Did you answer every part of the question, with a clear position and relevant ideas?
- Coherence and Cohesion: Is the writing well organised, with clear paragraphs and natural linking?
- Lexical Resource: Do you use a range of accurate vocabulary, with good spelling?
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Do you use a variety of sentence structures, mostly without errors?
Knowing your lowest criterion is far more useful than knowing your overall band.
Mistakes we often see from Jeddah writers
Jeddah's IELTS candidates come from many language backgrounds, so here are the patterns teachers commonly notice. They are habits, not weaknesses, and all of them can be fixed.
Arabic-speaking students
- Very long sentences joined with "and". Arabic writing often links ideas in long chains, which can become run-on sentences in English. Shorter sentences with clear linking words usually score better.
- Articles and capital letters. "The" before general nouns ("the education is important") and missing capitals are common.
- Spelling of vowels. Since short vowels are not always written in Arabic, words like "environment" or "government" may lose a letter.
- Over-long introductions. Some students learned to begin with broad statements about "this modern era". Examiners want a short paraphrase of the question and your position.
Expatriate writers (South Asian, Filipino and others)
- Memorised phrases. Lines such as "In this contemporary world" or "Every coin has two sides" are easy for examiners to spot and do not add marks.
- Local English usages. Phrases such as "discuss about", "do the needful", "revert back" or "cope up with" are natural in some communities but are not standard in IELTS.
- Letters that are too formal or too casual. In General Training Task 1, the tone must fit the reader, whether a landlord, a manager or a friend.
Academic Task 1: describe, do not explain
For Academic Task 1, the most common problem is listing every number. Examiners want an overview: the main trends or the biggest differences, stated clearly in one or two sentences. Then support it with selected data. Do not give reasons or opinions; if a chart shows container traffic rising at a port, describe the rise, not why it happened.
How to practise IELTS Writing Task 2 effectively
A strong routine for Writing practice in Jeddah looks like this:
- Plan for five minutes. Position, two main ideas, an example for each.
- Write under time. 40 minutes for Task 2, by hand if you are taking the paper test, typed if you are taking the computer test.
- Get feedback. Look at your lowest criterion.
- Rewrite one paragraph. Fix the problems, rather than moving straight to a new essay.
- Repeat with a different essay type each week.
IELTS Learning has 104 Writing prompts covering Academic charts, tables, processes and maps, General Training letters and all Task 2 essay types. When you submit a response, you get an AI-estimated band for each of the four criteria, with comments on what to improve. It is quick enough to use after every essay, which helps you see whether the same problem keeps appearing.
When to book a teacher
AI feedback is good at spotting patterns in grammar, vocabulary and organisation. A human teacher can go deeper: whether your argument is convincing, whether your examples are relevant, and why your essay stays at 6 even when the grammar improves. With Book a Teacher, you can have a 1-to-1 online session of about 20 minutes, from $5, to go through an essay you have already written.
Many students book a session after every three or four essays, so the teacher sees real progress and recurring problems.
Start writing today
Register for free to try the free sample mock, which includes Writing. Full Access unlocks every prompt and AI feedback for $12 for 2 months. For more advice on structure and essay types, see the weekly IELTS tips blog.