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Oftentimes, students who take the IELTS find it difficult to complete the writing section of the test within the allotted time. Therefore, it is crucial to manage your time wisely when taking the test.

Task 1 accounts for one third of the marks while Task 2 counts for the remaining two thirds of the marks. Since you are given one hour on the writing section, you should spend twenty minutes on Task 1 and forty minutes on Task 2. When you receive the questions, make sure you read both carefully. From then, you can choose which task to complete first. In general, you should start off with the task that you are more confident with—the one you have more ideas for. By doing this, you’ll have more time to process the other task while you complete your first piece of writing.

One of the most common mistakes that students do while answering the tasks is that they don’t respond directly to the topic question. Make sure that you answer the question fully and directly. If not, you will most definitely lose marks. A good piece of writing always starts out with a strong thesis statement that illustrates the writer’s position. However, make sure you are not merely reiterating the question!  Constructing a strong introduction paragraph is imperative as it gives the reader a good first impression of your writing.

On the IELTS, you are required to write a minimum number of words for each task (150 for Task 1 and 250 for Task 2). If you don’t meet the minimum requirements, you will be penalized. If you write more than the minimum requirement, you will not be penalized but most writing too much may mean that you do not have enough time to re-read and correct your essays.

Most people find it useful to outline their essay before writing it. This is a very effective technique that aids in the organization of your writing – which will positively influence your writing score. However, be sure that you don’t spend more than a few minutes outlining or else you won’t have time to write your actual essay. Remember, the only material that is scored is your writing on the answer sheet. The graders will not take into account anything that is written elsewhere.

For Task 1 make sure you describe the general information first and then proceed to note specific patterns or trends. Try to look beyond the obvious. Finding unusual/hidden trends will impress the graders as it displays that you have very sharp analytical abilities. For this task, you shouldn’t include any personal opinions; your piece of writing should be purely analytical.

On the other hand, Task 2 asks you to give your opinion on a topic/issue. It is important to make sure that your opinions are well supported and that you make conclusive arguments. Use facts and evidence to aid your argument and make sure you reiterate your position in your conclusion.

Be sure to give yourself time to re-read and proofread your writing. It is always to your advantage to revise your writing and oftentimes, proofreading will save you many marks from being deducted.