Two tasks, one hour
IELTS Writing lasts 60 minutes and has two tasks:
- Task 1, at least 150 words. On the Academic track you describe a graph, table, chart, process or map. On General Training you write a letter, which may be formal, semi-formal or informal.
- Task 2, at least 250 words, an essay giving your view, discussing two sides, analysing problems and solutions, or answering a two-part question.
Task 2 counts for more of the Writing band, so a common plan is about 20 minutes for Task 1 and 40 for Task 2. Many students do Task 2 first so the bigger task never gets squeezed.
How examiners mark you
Both tasks are marked on four criteria, each equal in weight:
- 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: is it logically organised, with paragraphs and linking that help rather than decorate?
- Lexical Resource: range and precision of vocabulary, and correct word forms and spelling.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy: a mix of sentence structures, with errors that do not get in the way.
Knowing which criterion is pulling your band down is the first step to fixing it.
Habits that hold Indian candidates back
These come up again and again in scripts from students across India, including many strong students from Andhra Pradesh. They are easy to fix once you notice them.
- Memorised openers. Phrases like "In this contemporary era" or "This is a burning issue nowadays" appear in thousands of scripts. Examiners recognise them, and they do not raise Lexical Resource.
- Over-long introductions. Two sentences are enough: paraphrase the question and state your position. Spend the words on body paragraphs.
- Indian-English usage. "Discuss about", "revert back", "return back", "cope up with", "do the needful" and "prepone" are understood at home but count as errors in IELTS. Write "discuss", "reply", "return", "cope with".
- Article errors. Missing or extra "a", "an" and "the" are common for speakers of Telugu, which does not use articles the same way. Read your work once just for articles.
- Listing everything in Task 1. Academic Task 1 wants an overview of the main trends and key comparisons, not every number in the chart.
- Very long sentences. Engineering report style, with clause after clause, often reduces clarity. Mix long and short sentences.
Writing with your destination in mind
Most Vijayawada students writing for IELTS are heading towards a postgraduate course. That is useful: the reasoning you build for Task 2, stating a position, supporting it, considering the other side, is the same reasoning you will need for statements of purpose and assignments abroad. Read opinion pieces in English newspapers, note how writers structure arguments, and borrow structure rather than phrases.
If you are a nurse or professional taking General Training, focus on letter tone: a complaint to a landlord sounds different from a note to a friend. Practise all three letter types, and make sure you cover every bullet point in the task, because missing one is a common reason for a lower Task Achievement score.
How AI feedback and teacher sessions help
On IELTS Learning there are 104 Writing prompts covering Academic charts, tables, processes and maps, GT letters, and every essay type. When you submit a response, you get:
- an AI-estimated band for each of the four criteria;
- feedback pointing to specific issues, such as an unclear position, repeated vocabulary or grammar errors.
AI feedback is fast, so you can write, revise and resubmit the same week. It is an estimate, not an official score. For a human view, Book a Teacher offers about 20 minutes one-to-one online from ₹299. A teacher can go through a Task 2 essay with you, explain why a paragraph is not working, and suggest how to restructure it.
A practical weekly routine
- Monday: read the Writing Study Notes on one essay type.
- Tuesday: plan three Task 2 questions in ten minutes each, no full essays.
- Wednesday: write one Task 2 under time, submit for feedback.
- Thursday: one Task 1, timed.
- Saturday: rewrite Wednesday's essay using the feedback. Compare the two versions.
- Every two weeks: a teacher session, if you want a human check.
Steady practice of IELTS Writing Task 2, with honest feedback, does more than reading model essays. Create a free account to start, or read the weekly tips on the blog.