IELTS Writing Task 2 Video Lesson: Only 5 mins left – Help!

Learn what to do with the last 5 minutes if you haven’t finished your essay.

The last 5 minutes are essential to use well. It could be the difference between a band score 5 and a band score 6 or 7.  Watch this lesson to learn how to use your last 5 minutes effectively.

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Transcript

hello what should you do

if you only have a few minutes left

in your IELTS writing test but

you haven’t finished writing your essay
well

there is a very clear answer for that and I will
explain

now the time management is yours

you decide how long to spend writing

each part of your essay and you should continue
to check the clock

to make sure you don’t run out of time
but

if you only have a few minutes left and
you haven’t

finished then please go and write your
conclusion

now the examiner is going to test you

on 4 different criteria

of the IELTS writing and that is your
answers

that’s task response this one here

your organization and linkers vocabulary
and grammar

each of those is quarter of your marks

25% now for task response

for your ideas the examiner is looking

for a conclusion and if

your essay has no conclusion you

will get band score 5 for

this criteria of your writing so 25%
of your marks

will only be band score 5 so

your conclusion is essential the
examiner

is looking for it you must give it if
you want to get

band score 6 or 7 or

above so in the last few minutes

quickly start a new paragraph and write

in conclusion at the beginning and then

right 1 or 2 sentences that contain

the main points of your essay and

that is enough to have a conclusion

and get more than band score 5

for task response now if you want some
more

IELTS tips I post them regularly on my
facebook

so please come and find me on Facebook
I’ll think you

and another IELTS lesson

Comments

  1. Just got my score today – overall band 8.0. I cannot thank you enough! You’re a gem!!! I had messed up my timing for the writing part, taking too much time for Task 1. I only had like 10-12 minutes for Task 2, and I quickly wrote the intro and one body paragraph; couldn’t manage a second paragraph. But then I remembered your tip about writing a conclusion no matter what and did just that. You’re a real lifesaver!

  2. Hi Liz,
    I just want to thank you for the amazing lesson contents you put out here. I used your blog to prepare for my General IELTS writing task and I had a band 8. Even though this was in 2020 and I’m back here again because that IELTS is expired and I need to take another, I’m filled with gratitude that I have access to such quality materials with which to prepare. Thank you Liz!

  3. Hi Liz,
    I wanna express my gratitude for posting your wonderful lessons online here!
    I have been using your materials to study for the past month and I gave my GT.
    R-9/L-8.5/S-8/W-7 with Overall-8.
    I am laconic in nature and I interact minimally with people around me. For the test, I took your advice and became chatty. Your approach to speaking really helped me. I am so glad I followed your advice.
    Especially your tips actually saved me in writing. I got flustered with my Part 2 essay and did not realise the timer running out. Your “Using last 5 minutes” short video helped me out of that jam.
    I quickly wrote my conclusion and tidied up my paragraph structures. I used your linkers and clauses to spice up my essay. Checked for spelling errors and wrapped it up. Even though my word count was low (235), I managed to secure Band 7.
    My Part 1 Letter was splendid, Thanks to you and your writing tips. As this was my first-time taking GT, my experience was amazing; If I had not found your blog probably, I would have ended up with a surprise on my test eventually retaking it.
    Your prep materials were an eye opener. Please keep up your good work and I’ll recommend your blog to people who are in need of prep materials.
    Once again, Thank you so much! Best wishes.

    • Fantastic!! You’ve done so well !! It isn’t easy taking on a chatty persona for the speaking test when it isn’t your natural character. I’m really glad my tips and lessons helped you. Thanks for sharing your great results and inspiring others 🙂

  4. Sravan says

    Hello Liz.I gave my test recently.In writing task 2, I wrote almost 300 words for 250 word count.But what intimidating me is that …I wrote conclusion in one sentence.I am about to give an explanation for it.But it timed out.So does this bring my grade to 5?

    • Sounds like you are slightly unclear about your aims in Writing Task 2. Your aim should always be to go above 250 words and reaching just under 300 words is desirable. As for the conclusion, one line is usually enough.

      • Sravan says

        Thanq for quick reply.I ended my conclusion sentence with my reason and connecting word ‘since’ …and time was out.Which band can i expect?

        • I can’t predict your score. I would need to see the whole essay word for word to do that. Just be patient and wait for your results. Good luck!!

  5. IS WRIST WATCH ALLOWED?

    • No. There will be a clock in the test room. Please contact your test centre and ask them about all procedures so that you are completely familiar with them before the test day.

  6. Luciana Marini says

    Dear Liz, you are my shining star! After I sat for my first IELTS exam last January, when I scored overall 7.0 (the minimum required for me was 7.5), I was partially proud of myself, but also scared because I thought that I had reached my apex, that I couldn’t get any better. After reading most of your tips, after extensive days watching carefully to all your videos and jotting down my notes, somehow you also taught me that I can improve, and no matter how good is your English, you can always learn more, and even more importantly: you can fit your knowledge and abilities into an organized manner, which will become clearer to the examiner, and therefore, easier to attain my so desired score. Furthermore, I would like to add that your patience and the way you sweetly and accurately you pass on the necessary information, your unique way of teaching, was the main reason I kept following your lessons incessantly. Your particular way of teaching is amazing, and hopefully you will read this and get to know how important your work was for me, I can’t find words to describe how helpful it was. Have a blessed life!

    • It’s lovely to hear that someone felt motivated and better prepared after completing my lessons and reading my tips – thank you for your message 🙂 You didn’t mention if you are taking the test again? If you are, I wish you lots of luck 🙂

  7. Fabio Krieger says

    Many, Many thanks for helping … it´s really useful for my IELTS next week. I believe have found the “golden ark”. Sweet and competent teacher. Thanks again for a lot.
    Best Regards,

    Fakrieger
    Brazil

  8. Rabbail says

    Hey liz do u have advanced lessons for GT writing task 1?

  9. Vinay Salunkhe says

    I went through your band score calculation blog but I didn’t got that for how many mistakes 1 band is reduced that is from 8 to 7. So I wanted to ask you that how much band score gets reduced for 2 or 4 minor spelling mistakes in task 1 & Task 2 individually?

    • The scores are NOT calculated in that way at all. There is no list of how many mistakes for each score in writing. This means because the band score for grammar is based on the density (not number) or errors in conjunction with the range – both must be taking into consideration for a score. The same for vocabulary – spelling is considered in conjunction with word choice and collocations and range. There is no set number of errors for each score. For this reason examiners are well trained to mark papers and decide scoring for writing and speaking.

  10. Hey Liz, you are such a nice person ,you are doing well by helping others.. Please tell me how i should start the first body paragraph for task 2 .tell me any pet Line or sentence please.

  11. Hi Liz,
    I would like to ask you about how much time should i spend on planning the structure and main ideas about my essay?

  12. Hi Liz,
    Thank for your useful link, Could you please tell me how to download your model answer in pdf file. Thank before hand.

  13. Thank you very much for your informative IELTS Blog…

  14. Hi Liz,

    I have been studying to pass the test and was struggling with the writing because I am not very good with time management and snappy sentences, but thanks to your lessons and useful tips I finally managed to write a good task2 essay within 40 minutes, which I am very proud of!!

    Again great thanks for your dedication and guidance!
    To every student: guys I strongly recommend you buy the advanced lessons (writing T2) because they are very thorough and of great value to improving your performance!

    Good Luck

    G.

  15. Hi Liz,

    First off I would like to thank you for your blogs and for the free IELTS lessons online. They have been very helpful so far in my reviews.

    Just to clarify, in Writing Task 1 – Academic, a conclusion is not needed and is actually a bad idea, correct? But it is integral for Writing Task 2 (Essay), am I correct?

    Thank you.

    Best Regards,
    Tyr

    • That’s right. You have an overview in task 1 and a conclusion in task 2.

      • Gotcha.
        You’re a blessing to us all. Sharing is caring. I’ll remember that.
        Cheers!!!

      • Thank for clarification

        And
        Thank very very much to teacher liz

        I did the exam with all your advices
        Writing was about
        Accomaodaion that peolp like to stay on their holiday

        Task2
        Was about people throw the old tihngs and in the bast people repare it

        ..

        You are realy kind
        And i realy apprciate your work

        I hope to get good band score
        Inshaallah

        🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

  16. B chaitanya says

    Hi Liz in your website you have given 100 ielts model essay questions.. Where can I get answers for that question s…please help

  17. Elizabeth says

    Please do you have any essay sample for task 2? What should a conclusion contain? Thanks for your support.

  18. Sharifah says

    Hi Liz
    I want to be clear with the opinion essay. The essay which has the tittle “to what extent you agree or disagree”. I was taught that there are partial and full for agree or disagree.
    I would like to stress more on the full part. This are the ways

    Intro:
    At the thesis statement stating i fully agree/disagree.
    Bp1:
    Agree/disagree and explanations
    Bp2:
    Agree/disagree and explanations
    Bp3:
    Counter evaluate the Bp2.
    Concl:
    Stating my opinion.

    I appreciate if you can give me a clear view on this matter. Thank you for your kind assistance.

  19. abdurrahman says

    hi i am from Turkey and i admire to your lessons
    i have been watching your lessons for two month and i learned better than the university’s preparing school. And i wanna ask you a question about the conclusion . can i write (taking all things into consideration ) instead of To conclusion ?

  20. In the IELTS academic writing task 2,how can I describe? I mean, I want to know the writing pattern if the question is : To what extent do you agree or disagree ?
    Way 1 :
    Introduction :
    Body paragraph 1 : Support your opinion with argument and example.
    Body paragraph 2 : Support your opinion further with argument and example.
    Conclusion :
    Way 2 :
    Introduction :
    Body paragraph 1 : Discuss advantages or one side of the argument.
    Body paragraph 2 : Discuss disadvantages or other side of the argument.
    Conclusion :
    Please, could you tell me what is the right way?

  21. Wasanthi says

    Hi Liz,

    I found your website most recently .I would like to say that your website is very very useful to me . I have done IELTS exams for 3 times and could not score required band score as each 7 in all components of exam.

    I would like to suggest you to post a video lesson on how to write good conclusion in Writing task 2.

    Good luck

    Wasanthi

  22. Hi Liz

    This is Jatin, I am preparing for IELTS and I want to work more for speaking module can you suggest something on that please.

  23. Chinh says

    I’ve just known your website, and I’m trying to download your interesting lectures for my students. Thank YOU so much for useful lesson , but I ‘d like something more; such as the videos how to do the kinds of reading, ( paragraph filling, word filling … ) . I’m looking forwards to your incoming lessons.

    • I’m really glad my lessons are useful for your students. I hope to make more reading videos but my main focus is on speaking, writing and vocabulary at present.
      All the best
      Liz

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