IELTS Writing practice: Task 1 and Task 2
Practise with original IELTS Writing questions below, using a timer and word counter. On Stride you can take the full Writing test and get an estimated band with feedback on each of the four marking criteria.
IELTS Writing Task 2 practice question
Task 2 is an essay. Spend about 40 minutes on it and write at least 250 words. It carries twice the weight of Task 1.
In many cities, more and more people are choosing to live alone rather than with family or housemates.
Do the advantages of this trend outweigh the disadvantages?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Task 2: write at least 250 words in about 40 minutes.
0 words · 250 more to reach the minimum. Your text stays in this browser tab; it is not saved or sent.
A clear plan before you write is worth five minutes: your position, two main ideas, and one example or explanation for each.
IELTS Writing Task 1 practice questions
Task 1 takes about 20 minutes and needs at least 150 words. The task depends on your test.
Academic Task 1: describe the data
The table below shows the percentage of households with a high-speed internet connection in four regions in 2010, 2015 and 2020.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
| Region | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern | 42% | 61% | 88% |
| Coastal | 55% | 70% | 91% |
| Central | 23% | 48% | 79% |
| Highland | 9% | 21% | 54% |
Start with an overview: connection rates rose in every region, the Coastal region stayed highest, and the Highland region stayed lowest but grew fastest in proportion. Then support it with selected figures. Do not give your opinion or explain why.
General Training Task 1: write a letter
You recently bought a piece of furniture online, but it arrived damaged.
Write a letter to the company. In your letter:
- describe what you bought and when
- explain what is wrong with it
- say what you would like the company to do
Task 1: write at least 150 words in about 20 minutes.
0 words · 150 more to reach the minimum. Your text stays in this browser tab; it is not saved or sent.
How IELTS Writing is marked
Examiners score each task on four criteria, each worth a quarter of the mark for that task.
| Criterion | What the examiner looks for |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement (Task 1) / Task Response (Task 2) | You cover every part of the question, state a clear position in Task 2, and develop your ideas. Writing under the word count loses marks here. |
| Coherence and Cohesion | Ideas are organised into clear paragraphs and linked logically, without overusing linking words. |
| Lexical Resource | A range of vocabulary used accurately and naturally, with correct spelling. |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | A mix of simple and complex sentences with few errors, and correct punctuation. |
Your Writing band combines both tasks, with Task 2 counting double. Use the band score calculator to see how Writing affects your overall band.
Get feedback on your IELTS Writing with Stride
Stride's Writing test gives you both tasks under exam timing, for Academic or General Training. When you submit:
- You see your word count, paragraphing, linking words and sentence variety for each task.
- An AI model estimates your band on each of the four criteria and explains what would raise it.
- Your own sentences are rewritten at a higher band, with a note on what changed.
Your first full test is free and includes this feedback. After that, AI-estimated bands for Writing are part of the Pro plan; see pricing. The bands are estimates from an AI model, not marks from an IELTS examiner.
IELTS Writing questions and answers
- How long is the IELTS Writing test?
- 60 minutes for both tasks. IELTS recommends about 20 minutes on Task 1 and 40 minutes on Task 2, but you manage the time yourself.
- How many words should I write?
- At least 150 words for Task 1 and at least 250 for Task 2. There is no upper limit, but a longer answer is not automatically better and leaves less time for checking.
- What is the difference between Academic and General Training Writing?
- Task 2 is an essay in both. In Task 1, Academic candidates describe a chart, table, map or process, while General Training candidates write a letter.
- Is Task 2 worth more than Task 1?
- Yes. Task 2 contributes twice as much as Task 1 to your Writing band, which is why it deserves about two thirds of your time.
- Can an AI essay checker give my real IELTS score?
- No. It can estimate a band and show where you are losing marks, which is useful for practice, but only a trained IELTS examiner gives an official score.