The Writing test at a glance
You have 60 minutes for two tasks.
- Task 1 (at least 150 words, about 20 minutes). Academic: describe a graph, table, chart, process or map. General Training: write a letter, which may be formal, semi-formal or informal.
- Task 2 (at least 250 words, about 40 minutes). An essay responding to an opinion, discussion, problem–solution, advantages–disadvantages or two-part question.
Task 2 counts for more than Task 1, so never let Task 1 eat into your essay time.
The four criteria
Both tasks are marked on four equally weighted criteria:
- Task Achievement (Task 1) / Task Response (Task 2): did you answer every part of the question and, in Task 2, give a clear position?
- Coherence and Cohesion: logical paragraphs, one central idea each, and linking that sounds natural rather than mechanical.
- Lexical Resource: precise, varied vocabulary used correctly, including collocations.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy: a mix of sentence structures with few errors.
Our AI feedback gives you an estimated band for each criterion, so you know which one is holding you back.
Habits that cost Indian candidates marks
These are not faults of intelligence. They come from exam systems that reward length and memorised answers. Examiners simply mark them differently.
Memorised phrases
Openers such as "In this modern era of globalisation" or "Every coin has two sides" are spotted instantly. They add words but no meaning, and they can signal memorised language, which does not help your Lexical Resource score.
Over-long introductions
Many students write five or six sentences before stating an opinion. Two sentences are enough: paraphrase the question, then give your position.
Indian-English usage
Some expressions common in Indian offices and classrooms are not standard in IELTS:
- "revert back" (just "reply")
- "discuss about" (just "discuss")
- "do the needful", "prepone", "kindly do the same"
- "cope up with" (should be "cope with")
- "the same" used as a pronoun ("I have received the same")
This matters especially in GT letters, where office-style phrasing is tempting.
Task 1 opinions
In Academic Task 1 you describe; you do not explain why. Do not add reasons such as "this is because people prefer..." unless the visual shows it. And always include an overview of the main trends; without one, Task Achievement is usually capped.
Rushed conclusions
Running out of time and writing a one-line ending, or none, hurts Task Response. Plan for five minutes at the start and three to check at the end.
Writing from a Bhubaneswar desk
IELTS Writing practice in Bhubaneswar often starts from a particular background. if you spent your school years in Odia-medium or CBSE board exams and then four years writing lab reports at an engineering college, you are used to two styles: long descriptive answers and short technical notes. IELTS Task 2 sits between them. It wants an argued opinion, developed with examples, in around 280–300 words.
Use examples you know well. Topics such as tourism in Puri and Konark, coastal cyclone preparedness, the growth of IT jobs in Infocity or migration from rural Odisha to cities give you concrete, original support in a way that memorised examples never will.
Typing practice matters too. Most candidates now take the computer-delivered test, and our Writing screen gives you a word count and timer, just like the real one.
How AI feedback and teacher sessions fit together
Regular Writing practice works best as a cycle, not a pile of essays. IELTS Learning has 104 prompts: Academic charts, tables, processes and maps; General Training letters; and every essay type.
- Write under timed conditions.
- Read the AI-estimated band and feedback for each criterion.
- Rewrite the weakest paragraph using the feedback.
- Every few essays, Book a Teacher (about 20 minutes, from ₹299) to go through one essay line by line. A teacher can explain why a paragraph feels off in a way that AI sometimes cannot.
Keep a list of your repeated errors in your study plan and check it before each new essay.
A quick self-check before you submit
- Does the introduction state your position in two sentences?
- Does every body paragraph have one main idea, explained and supported with an example?
- Have you answered every part of the question, including both views in a discussion essay?
- Have you avoided memorised openers and Indian-English forms?
- Is your conclusion consistent with your introduction?
Start writing
Sign up free to try the platform, then use Full Access (₹999 for 2 months) for all prompts and feedback. Our blog has weekly tips on Task 1 overviews and Task 2 structure.