Task 1 and Task 2 in brief
You have 60 minutes for two tasks.
- 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 causes and solutions, or weighing advantages and disadvantages.
Task 2 counts for more of your Writing band, so never let Task 1 eat into its time.
IELTS Learning has 104 prompts across both tasks and tracks: bar charts, line graphs, tables, processes and maps for Academic; complaint, request and thank-you letters for General Training; and every common essay type.
The four criteria examiners use
Each task is marked on four equally weighted criteria:
- Task Achievement (Task 1) or Task Response (Task 2): did you answer every part of the question, with a clear position and developed ideas?
- Coherence and Cohesion: are your ideas in a logical order, with clear paragraphs and linking that feels natural?
- Lexical Resource: do you use a range of vocabulary accurately, including less common words used correctly?
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy: do you use a mix of sentence structures, mostly without errors?
Knowing the criteria changes how you revise. If your Coherence band is lowest, more vocabulary will not help much.
Habits we often see in Nepali students' writing
These are not failings, just patterns that come from school English, translation and well-meant advice. Spotting them early saves weeks.
- Memorised openings. Lines such as "In this modern era of science and technology..." or "It is a matter of great debate..." are easy to spot and add nothing. Examiners reward a direct paraphrase of the question.
- Over-long introductions. Some essays spend 80 words before giving an opinion. Two or three sentences are enough: paraphrase, then your position.
- Articles. Nepali has no direct equivalent of "a" and "the", so they are often missed or overused ("the society", "a advice"). This is one of the quickest Grammar gains available.
- Preposition and usage carry-overs. "Discuss about", "cent percent", "pass out" for graduate, or "I am having a doubt". Common in conversation in Kathmandu, but marked as errors in IELTS.
- Long, chained sentences. One sentence joined with "and", "so" and "which" across four lines. Shorter, controlled sentences usually score better.
- Template linking. "Moreover", "Furthermore" and "In addition" at the start of every paragraph feels mechanical. Vary the linking and use it only where it helps.
- Tone in General Training letters. Writing to a friend as if writing to a government office, or the reverse. Match the tone to the reader.
- Task 1 opinions. Adding reasons or views to an Academic chart description. Task 1 asks you to report, not explain.
How AI feedback helps you practise more
Most students do not write enough essays, mainly because waiting days for a correction slows everything down. On IELTS Learning you submit a response and get an AI-estimated band for each of the four criteria, with feedback that points to specific issues.
Use it like this:
- Write under time, with no dictionary.
- Read the feedback and note your lowest criterion.
- Rewrite one paragraph to fix that weakness.
- Write a new prompt of the same type within two days.
The AI estimate is a guide, not an official score. It is most useful for volume and for spotting repeated patterns.
When a teacher session is worth it
Some problems need a human. If your band has stalled at 6.0 or 6.5 for several weeks, book a 1-to-1 teacher session (about 20 minutes, from $5) and bring your two most recent essays. A teacher can explain why an idea is underdeveloped, or why your linking feels forced, in a way that is hard to get from written comments alone.
A Writing routine for life in Kathmandu
Writing needs a desk and quiet, which is not always easy in a busy household or a shared flat close to your college. A realistic routine:
- Two timed Task 2 essays a week, early morning or late evening.
- One Task 1 a week, alternating chart types or letter types.
- Ten minutes a day of English Improvement grammar or vocabulary on your phone during your commute.
- Every fortnight: a full Writing section inside a mock test, to see how you write when tired.
Many students in the valley are writing personal statements for universities in the UK, Australia, Canada or the US at the same time. Keep the two separate: IELTS essays reward a clear, balanced argument, not personal stories.
Start your IELTS Writing practice with the free sample Writing tasks: register free, and read our weekly tips for model structures.