How many words for IELTS writing? Rules & Advice

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How long should your IELTS writing task 1 &  task 2 be? Learn how the examiner counts your words and the recommended length of your IELTS essay. This page contains information about:

  • IELTS Writing Word Count Rules
  • Recommended Essay Length
  • Word Count Warning
  • Will you get a higher score for a longer essay?

IELTS Writing: Word Count Rules

  1. IELTS have set a task of writing OVER 150 words for IELTS writing task 1 and OVER 250 for writing task 2.
  2. However, there is no upper word limit. But that doesn’t mean a long essay is a good idea.
  3. While the under word count penalty has been removed, writing an essay that is too short will lower your score. Click here: penalty removal and short essays

Recommended Length of an IELTS Essay

  1. The instructions given by IELTS state write at least 150 words (task 1) / at least 250 words (task 2).
  2. The words “at least” mean you should not go below 150 words for task 1 and not write under 250 words for task 2.
  3. Always write over the least recommended word count.
  4. For writing task 1, aim for between 170 words and 190 words. Try not to go over 200 words (max 210 for complicated charts).
  5. For writing task 2, aim for between 270 words and 290 words. Try not to go over 300 words. IELTS essays are designed to be written in 40 mins and to be highly focused with each sentence crucial to the essay.
  6. Writing under 150 words for task 1 and under 250 words for task 2 will not allow you to develop your points enough for a high score.
  7. Aim for quality rather than quantity. This means focus on writing excellent English and organising your information rather than writing a long essay in task 2. The also applies to your report in task 1 academic or your letter in task 1 GT.

How Long Should Your Essay Be? 

Note: This video was made years ago but is still 100% relevant today. Scroll down below the video to keep reading about word count in IELTS writing.

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Will you get a higher score for a longer essay in IELTS?

The answer is very simple = no. IELTS is look for a highly relevant, focused essay. If you try to add information that is not 100% relevant to your task, you will get a lower score.

IELTS writing task 2 essays are designed to be written within 40 mins and to be highly focused. This means each sentence is 100% relevant and critical to the essay. There is no sentence which contains padding (extra, unnecessary information). For writing task 1, if your report gets too long, you will be marked down for getting lost in detail and not focusing on key features.

You do not get a higher score for a longer essay.

Warning for IELTS Writing Word Count

  1. If you copy the information given by IELTS for your introduction, the examiner will not count those words. This means you might be under the word count. So, always paraphrase your introductions. This lesson shows you how to write an introduction for IELTS writing task 2 by paraphrasing.
  2. How to check how many words you have written – you don’t have time to count each word you have written, so you should count the lines instead. Knowing the length of your handwriting on the official writing answer sheet will help. Watch this video lesson to learn about practicing with the official writing answer sheet.
  3. All words are counted. This means each individual word, just the same as word count in a Word Document. For example, “The most important part of a test is understanding the marking system and the requirements” = 15 words.

More IELTS Writing Tips & Lessons

10 Sentences to Avoid in IELTS Writing Task 2

How many Paragraphs for an IELTS Essay

How to use the Official Answer Sheet for IELTS Writing

All IELTS Writing Task 2 Lessons, Model Answers, Tips & Free Videos

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IELTS Essay Ideas: Female Staff in Senior Positions

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Here is an IELTS writing task 2 essay about management positions and gender with ideas given below.

Most high level positions in companies are filled by men even though the workforce in many developed countries is more than 50 per cent female. Companies should be required to allocate a certain percentage of these positions to women.
To what extent do you agree?

Why companies should give a percentage of senior positions to women

  • equal rights and opportunities for men and women
  • it avoids discrimination
  • it creates a pleasant work environment to have a better balance of the genders in management and senior levels
  • it creates a supportive work environment for other female employees to know that a certain percentage of management is also female
  • women have valuable skills of communication and diplomacy for high level positions

Why companies should not give a percentage of senior positions to women

  • it is unrealistic to stipulate a certain percentage of one gender
  • companies cannot be sure that they will receive suitable female applicants to fill a certain percentage of senior positions
  • this forces companies to fulfill percentages even though it may be to their detriment
  • senior positions should be allocated based on experience, skills and qualifications not gender

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Collection of Essay Ideas

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Listening Practice for Numbers

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This lesson focuses on listening for numbers. There are three sections of listening and each section has 10 questions. Make sure you have a pencil and paper ready.

Write down the numbers you hear. Each listening has 10 or 9 numbers.

Numbers 1 to 100

Listen to the recording and write down the numbers you hear between 1 and 100.

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For answers, click below:

Answers
  1. 8
  2. 13
  3. 50
  4. 24
  5. 47
  6. 86
  7. 19
  8. 97
  9. 17
  10. 29

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Numbers from 100 to 1,000

Listen to the recording and write down the numbers you hear between 100 and 1,000.

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For answers, click below:

Answers
  1. 116
  2. 196
  3. 332
  4. 480
  5. 390
  6. 830
  7. 901
  8. 642
  9. 589
  10. 772

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Numbers from 1,000 to 1,000,000

Listen to the recording and write down the numbers you hear between 1,000 and 1,000,000.

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For answers, click below: 

Answers
  1. 2,350
  2. 6,719
  3. 10,300
  4. 80,500 (this one is missing from the audio)
  5. 65,000
  6. 12,450
  7. 15,000
  8. 28,560
  9. 990,999

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World Environmental Problems: Vocabulary Exercise

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The top ten world environmental issues with vocabulary, listening practice and pronunciation. Learn useful vocabulary and the pronunciation to be able to talk and write about these issues.

List of Top Environmental Problems in the Modern World

  •  acid rain = rain which is polluted by chemicals
  • deforestation =  rain forests and wooded areas being cut down
  • loss of biodiversity = species becoming extinct
  • ozone layer depletion = the ozone layer is being destroyed and becoming thinner
  • land degradation = soil and land pollution as well as desertification
  • resource depletion = lack of natural resources worldwide
  • climate change = negative changes to the world weather patterns
  • air pollution = air that contains pollutants
  • marine pollution = the pollution of our oceans and seas
  • over population = the increasing population of the world

Listen to Audio

Learn More About Current World Issues

Learn more about the top 10 environmental world issues facing us today. Listen to the recording and fill in the gaps. You may use no more than 3 words and/or numbers to complete the sentences. This exercise is to help you improve your vocabulary, your pronunciation and also your awareness of these issues for your IELTS test.

Acid rain

  • Rain that contains large amounts of (1)………………. This can cause serious health problems as particles of pollution can enter people’s (2)…………………..
  • Acid rain can (3)……………. into the ground causing soil pollution.
  • As rain falls into lakes and river this can cause water pollution.
  • Acid rain can also be responsible for damaging (4)……………

Answers
  1. chemicals
  2. lungs
  3. seep
  4. buildings

 

Deforestation

  • Deforestation is the destruction of forests and the cutting down of trees on a large scale.
  • As forests are cut down, it affects the atmosphere and (1)………………… as trees play a large part in the water cycle.
  • Another problem is the loss of (2)……………………. Some species of plants and animals have already been lost while others remain endangered. This is due to the loss of their (3)………..
  • This process affects climate change. Trees (4)……………… CO2 and give off oxygen. By destroying forests more CO2 remains in the atmosphere affecting the climate.
  • In the area where the trees have been removed, (5)……………….. occurs as the earth is exposed to the sun’s heat. This evaporates much needed nutrients contained in the soil and is very difficult to reverse.

Answers
  1. ecosystem
  2. biodiversity
  3. habitat
  4. absorb
  5. soil erosion

 

Loss of Biodiversity

  • Each species, no matter how small, has a role to play in the (1) …………………
  • A larger number of plant species means a greater variety of (2)………………..
  • Greater species diversity ensures (3) …………………. for all life forms; and healthy ecosystems can better withstand and recover from a variety of disasters.
  • The loss of biodiversity can affect our (4)………………, access to clean water and also the range of raw materials.

Answers
  1. ecosystem
  2. crops
  3. natural sustainability
  4. food security

 

Ozone Layer Depletion

  • The ozone provides essential protection from the (1)……….. ultraviolet radiation.
  • Certain industrial compounds (2)…………. the ozone layer.
  • This reduces the ability of the ozone to protect (3)……………… from UV radiation.
  • This is a global issue as the compounds affecting the ozone come from other parts of the world to where the problem lies.

Answers
  1. sun’s
  2. break down
  3. surface life

 

Land Degradation

  • This relates to changes in the land which reduces its (1)………………………………
  • Factors that have contributed to land degradation include soil erosion, (2)……………………, desertification and loss of vegetation cover.
  • Many of these factors are (3)………………… by human activities.
  • With a growing world population, land degradation can have serious effects on our ability to feed everyone due to reduced (4)…………….. in major food crops.

Answers
  1. productive potential
  2. loss of fertility
  3. exacerbated
  4. yields

 

Resource Depletion

  • Humans are using (1)……….. more resources than the Earth can replenish each year.
  • This leads to pollution, land degradation, soil erosion and (2)………………
  • This problem is worsening as populations and consumption keep growing.
  • (3)………………….. are unable to keep up with the rate of resource depletion.
  • Some scientists believe that by 2030 we will need two planets to provide our wants.
  • The US and China account for more than (4)…………… of the planet’s ecological footprint, with 21% each.

Answers
  1. 30%
  2. deforestation
  3. Science and technology
  4. two-fifths

 

Climate Change

  • The build up of (1)……………… into the atmosphere have led to changes in the world’s climates.
  • The cause of this can be found in carbon emissions and the combustion of (2)………………..
  • Climate change can be felt in the rise in temperatures and the changes of (3)……………….. on a global scale.
  • As a result droughts, floods, wildfires and storms are becoming more frequent.
  • With the increase in temperatures comes the rise in sea levels which threaten (4)…………………. lands.
  • The future consequences are potentially devastating.

Answers
  1. greenhouse gases
  2. fossil fuels
  3. weather patterns
  4. low lying

 

Air Pollution

  • Combustion, mining, factories, (1)………………., farming, fires and automobiles all pose threats as potential air pollutants.
  • This endangers our health and ecosystem.
  • Smog, mainly from factory smoke, is (2)……………… and can produce chronic problems such as lung disease, asthma and heart disease, resulting in an estimated 200,000 (3)………… deaths per year.

Answers
  1. power plants
  2. hazardous
  3. premature

 

Marine Pollution

  • The main contributor of ocean pollution begins on land, namely non-point pollution from septic tanks, sewage sludge, car oil leaks, boats and (1) …………………., which make their way to the sea.
  • Other reasons for the pollution is that some boats and even countries (2)………….. their waste directly into the ocean.
  • Water covers approximately (3)…………… of our globe, it would seem that it is an (4)…………… resource but it is not.
  • Humans are destroying the homes of millions of (5)………………………, some of which we know little to nothing about.
  • Ocean pollution is not only devastating for the sea creatures, it can also be devastating for (6)……………….. as well.

Answers
  1. farm chemicals
  2. deposit
  3. 70%
  4. abundant
  5. aquatic creatures
  6. humans

 

World Population

  • The world population is currently 7 billion and is estimated to be (1)………………. by 2024.
  • This is due to improved living standards and medicine which results in a (2)………………… and lower infant mortality.
  • Over population will result in (3)……………………… and an increase in carbon emissions worsening climate change.
  • In urban areas it may result in lower standards of living and increasing (4)……………………
  • Feeding such a large population will also create challenges.
  • Safe, environmentally friendly (5)………………. will also become a problem as the world population grows which can result in growing pollution.

Answers
  1. 8 billion
  2. longer life span
  3. draining world resources
  4. crime rates
  5. waste disposal

 

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Information for this lesson was collected from various sources including hubpages.com, globalissues.org, and greenliving.

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Practice Speaking Test: Video 2

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This is the second practice speaking test video. Listen and answer the questions from each part of the speaking test. This helps you get used to the length of the test and the types of questions asked.

  1. Read through the instructions below before you listen to the test video.
  2. Listen to the questions, pause the video and answer the questions.
  3. After you finish your test, read through the transcript to check that you understood all the questions correctly (transcript given below video).
Instructions

Materials Needed:

  • pen and paper: for making notes for speaking part 2
  • phone or recording device: for recording your answers so you can play it back and check your speaking
  • a timer: for controlling the time in each part and making sure you don’t take more than 14 minutes for the whole test

Method:

  1. Have your materials ready (phone, pen, paper, timer)
  2. Press record on your phone, start your timer and press play on the video below (do this at the same time). Keep your recording device and timer going throughout the whole test. The test will take between 11 and 14 minutes.
  3. Part 1
    1. there will be 12 questions – you must answer each question immediately
    2. after each question, pause the video and record your answer
    3. don’t take less than 4 minutes or more than 5 minutes to answer all part 1 questions
    4. if you finish in under 4 mins, you answers are too short
    5. if you didn’t finish all 12 questions in 5 minutes, your answers are too long or you hesitated too much before answering
  4. Part 2
    1. in part 2, you have 1 min to prepare a talk and your talk must last from 1 to 2 minutes
    2. have your pen and paper ready
    3. the cue card (topic card with prompts) will be shown on the screen
    4. in the video, you will be given one min to make notes – use your pen and paper to prepare your talk
    5. in the video, you will be given two full minutes to talk (a skip button will appear after 1 minute so you can move to part 3 if you finish early but try and speak for the full 2 minutes)
  5. Part 3
    1. there are 5 questions in this part – you must answer each question immediately
    2. you should give long, detailed answers with examples if possible
    3. after each question, pause the video and record your answer into your phone
    4. don’t take less than 4 mins or more than 5 minutes to answer all part 3 questions
  6. After your  test has finished
    1. listen back to your recording and check your answers – see how you could improve your answers
    2. read through the transcript and check you have understood all the questions correctly
    3. listen to the speaking test model answers and see how you can improve your answers

Practice Speaking Test: Video 2

Transcript

Speaking Part 1

Hometown

Where is your hometown?

Do you like your hometown?

Are there any old buildings in your hometown?

How could you hometown be improved?

Food

What’s your favourite food?

Was there any food you disliked as a child?

Where do you usually buy your food from?

What do you consider is a healthy diet?

Sport

Do you like sport?

Did you play much sport as a child?

What is the most popular sport in your country?

Do you think men and women like similar sports?

 Speaking Part 2

A book you recently read

What type of book it is

Where you got the book from

What it is about

And explain why you enjoyed it.

Speaking part 3

What’s the difference between fiction and non-fiction books?

Do you think people read more books today than they did in the past?

How could parents encourage their children to read more?

Why do some adults read books for children?

Why do some people prefer ebooks?

Do you think paper books will one day disappear?

Recommended

Practice Speaking Test Video 1 with Model Answers

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Common Mistake in Speaking Part 3

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Below is a sample answer for a speaking part 3 question. Can you spot the mistake? This isn’t a mistake with grammar or vocabulary, it’s a mistake with technique.

Q. Do you think people do as much exercise today as they did in the past?

A. No, I don’t think so. My grandmother used to do exercise every single day when she was younger. Every morning she used to wake up early and go to the park to exercise with the other people before work. Unlike her, I only do exercise once a week because I have to start work really early and don’t get back home until after dark so I don’t have any time for exercise except on my day off which is just once a week.

Did you spot the mistake? Answer

This is a part 3 question about other people, so it is important to show the examiner that you can talk about people in general rather than your family or yourself as you did in part 1 and probably part 2. Below is a model answer with improved technique:

No, I don’t think so. Decades ago, people in my country used to do exercise every single day. They would get up early before work and go to the park to exercise. While some just did general exercises, like stretching and flexing, others would play sport or dance. Nowadays, on the other hand, people don’t really have the time. The majority of people have to commute to work early in the morning and don’t get home  until after dark which leaves very little time to do any form of exercise.

Recommended:

Error Correction for Speaking Part 1

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IELTS Speaking: Musical Instruments Questions and Answers

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It is possible to be asked about musical instruments in all parts of the IELTS speaking test. Below are some questions which mostly appear in part 1 but questions 4 to 5 can appear in part 1 and part 3. Two model answers are given below as well. This is topic currently being used in 2017.

You can vocabulary for types of musical instruments here: Musical Instruments Word List

Questions: IELTS Speaking Musical Instruments Topics

Check some possible questions for this topic:

  1. Did you ever learn a musical instrument as a child?
  2. If you could learn a musical instrument, what would you choose?
  3. If you had a child, what musical instrument would you encourage him/her to play?
  4. What traditional instruments are there in your country?
  5. Do you think traditional musical instruments have a place in modern society?
  6. How do you think traditional music could be made more popular?

Sample Answers for Part 1

Q. Did you ever learn a musical instrument as a child?

A. No, I didn’t but I always wish I had. If I had had the chance, I would have learned the guitar. The problem was that my parents thought it was more important to focus on school work than learn to play an instrument.

Q. If you could learn to play any musical instrument, what would you choose?

A. I think I’d probably go for the violin. It’s such a beautiful stringed instrument and I think the music that can be played on it, can be really haunting and moving. Yes, I’d definitely choose that one.

Sample Answer for Part 3

Do you think traditional instruments have a place in modern society?

Absolutely yes. Traditional instruments are part of our heritage and our identity. I believe that all school children should have the opportunity to learn to play one of them a part of their music lessons. For example, the tabla, which is like a pair of wooden hand drums, is a traditional instrument in our country and is part of most traditional songs. So, learning it would enable children to appreciate their country’s musical history more.

Recommended for IELTS Speaking:

Common Topics for Speaking Part 1

Free Video: Common Question Types in Speaking Part 1

Part 3 Common Mistakes

Current Topics in Speaking 2017

All Speaking Tips & Model Answers

Musical Instruments Vocabulary

All Vocabulary for IELTS

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Punctuation Practice for Writing

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Below is an example of a complex sentence which does not have any punctuation. Not only does it lack commas but it also lacks full stops – it’s too long. This is a mistake that many students make. They think that the longer the sentence, the higher the band score – unfortunately this is not true. Check the three questions to help you decide how to punctuate it.

  • How many sentences do you think it should be?
  • Where would you put the full stops?
  • Where would you put the commas?

Write this sentence again using correct punctuation.

Firstly while it is thought that over population can be solved by limiting the number of children people can have it would be better to limit the number of people moving from rural to urban areas which is where the biggest problem lies because many people are moving to cities in search of employment so if the government tried to create more jobs in the countryside the problem would be solved almost instantly.

Answer

Firstly, while it is thought that over population can be solved by limiting the number of children people can have, it would be better to limit the number of people moving from rural to urban areas. This is where the biggest problem lies. Many people are moving to cities in search of employment so if the government tried to create more jobs in the countryside, the problem would be solved almost instantly.

Comments:

  1. After a linker such as “firstly” at the beginning of a sentence we usually use a comma.
  2. When you use the linker “while” or “although” at the start of a sentence, you will need a comma before the clause.
  3. The sentence using “while” is long so it is logical and necessary to have a full stop after it.
  4. The word “this” is used in order to divide the sentences and start a new one. This sentence is not long but it is still considered complex because it uses a “where” clause.
  5. The last sentence has two sentences joined with the linking word “so”. The first part is quite simple, while the second part is a second conditional which requires a comma between clauses.

 

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