60 minutes total. Task 1 (20 minutes, 150 words): Academic candidates describe a graph, chart, table, map, or process diagram; General Training candidates write a letter (formal, semi-formal, or informal). Task 2 (40 minutes, 250 words): an essay in response to an opinion, problem-solution, discussion, or two-part question. Task 2 weighs 2× Task 1 in the section band.
Task Achievement/Response (TR), Coherence and Cohesion (CC), Lexical Resource (LR), Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GRA) — equal weight. Band 7 requires fully addressing all parts, clear progression, less common vocabulary with occasional errors, and a variety of complex structures. The Writing Strategies hub dissects each criterion.
Line graph, bar chart, pie chart, table, map, process diagram, and mixed charts. Each has a fixed structural recipe: introduction (paraphrase question), overview (2 main trends), details (2 body paragraphs). Never include opinions or causation. See the Writing Templates hub.
Formal (to manager/landlord/company), semi-formal (to teacher/colleague), informal (to friend/family). Match opening and closing to tone. Cover all 3 bullet points equally.
Introduction (paraphrase + thesis), Body 1 (main idea + 2 supporting details + example), Body 2 (same), Conclusion (summary + restated position). Don't memorise full essays — examiners detect them. The Writing Question Types hub covers each of 5 Task 2 essay types.
Band 7+ uses cohesion through reference, substitution, and ellipsis — not just "Firstly", "Secondly", "In conclusion". Overusing basic linkers caps you at Band 6. The Writing Mistakes hub documents the top 15 cohesion pitfalls.
Use 6–10 less common topic-specific words per essay (e.g. "exacerbate", "mitigate", "infrastructure", "discrepancy"). Avoid memorised collocations like "double-edged sword" — overused. The Academic Vocabulary Guide covers the 570-word AWL.
Conditionals (mixed), passive voice, relative clauses, modal hedging ("would tend to", "may well"), and noun phrases. Aim for 3 sentence types per paragraph minimum.
Start with Task 2. Spend 5 min planning, 30 min writing, 5 min checking. Then 5 min planning Task 1, 12 writing, 3 checking. The Writing Time Management hub details the timing breakdown.
Every IELTS score is derived from four section bands (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking) averaged and rounded to the nearest whole or half band. Listening and Reading use a 40-question raw-score conversion published by Cambridge: 30/40 in Academic Reading equals Band 7, 35/40 equals Band 8. Writing and Speaking are scored against four criteria each — Task Achievement / Response, Coherence & Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range & Accuracy (Speaking replaces Coherence with Fluency and adds Pronunciation). Examiners must award the band that "best fits" the descriptor; they do not average within a section. This is why a single weak descriptor — typically Lexical Resource or Grammatical Range at Band 6.5 — caps your overall score even when the other three are at Band 7.
Listening practice improves Speaking pronunciation and Writing collocations because you internalise natural English rhythm. Reading practice expands the lexical reservoir that powers both Writing tasks and Part 3 Speaking responses. Writing practice forces grammar control that transfers directly to extended Speaking turns. This is why the highest-leverage study plans rotate all four skills weekly rather than blocking single-skill weeks — and why Mock Test Guide matters more than any single-skill drill once you reach Band 6.5+.
Take one full timed mock every 14 days from week 4 of preparation onwards. Use authentic Cambridge IELTS 14–19 papers under exam conditions: no pauses, no dictionary, answer-sheet transfer included. After each mock, spend 90 minutes on error analysis — categorise every wrong answer by question type and root cause (vocabulary gap, misreading, time pressure, careless transfer). Patterns emerge after 3 mocks; address the top recurring category for 7 days before the next mock. Without this loop, additional study hours produce diminishing returns.
"Longer essays score higher" — false; under-developed 350-word essays score lower than tightly-argued 270-word essays. "Big words impress examiners" — false; misused or unnatural vocabulary is penalised under Lexical Resource. "Memorised templates are safe" — false; examiners are trained to detect and discount rote text. "British accent is required for Band 8 Speaking" — false; clear, intelligible pronunciation matters, accent does not. "You must agree with the essay prompt" — false; balanced or counter-positions score equally when argued well.
From Band 5.5 to Band 6.5: 8–12 weeks at 8 study hours per week. From Band 6.5 to Band 7.0: 8–14 weeks at 10 hours per week. From Band 7.0 to Band 7.5+: 12–20 weeks plus structured feedback. Test fee runs USD 215–260 depending on country and module; results arrive within 3–5 days for computer-delivered IELTS, 13 days for paper. Plan for one re-sit if your target is Band 7.5+; the average candidate sits IELTS 1.6 times to reach top scores.
Continue with Guide, Study Plan Guide, and Writing Strategies. For productive-skill feedback, see Writing Practice and Speaking Practice. For test logistics, see Registration Guide and Exam Day Guide.
Power IELTS — power-ielts.com