Task 1 and Task 2 at a glance
You have 60 minutes for two tasks. Task 2 counts for more, so plan to spend about 40 minutes on it.
- Academic Task 1 (at least 150 words): describe a chart, graph, table, process or map. You report and compare; you do not give opinions or reasons.
- General Training Task 1 (at least 150 words): write a letter, which may be formal, semi-formal or informal, covering three bullet points.
- Task 2 (at least 250 words, both versions): an essay responding to an opinion, a discussion, a problem and solution, an advantages and disadvantages question, or a two-part question.
Our 104 prompts cover every one of these, including Academic processes and maps, which many students avoid until it is too late.
The four criteria, in plain words
Every Writing answer is marked on four equally weighted criteria:
- Task Achievement (Task 1) / Task Response (Task 2): did you answer the actual question, fully, with a clear position and developed ideas?
- Coherence and Cohesion: is the writing logically organised, with clear paragraphs and linking that helps rather than decorates?
- Lexical Resource: is your vocabulary precise, varied and correctly used?
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy: do you use a mix of sentence structures, with few errors?
Knowing which one is lowest tells you what to practise next.
Common mistakes among Indian students, and how to fix them
Anyone doing IELTS Writing practice in Kochi will recognise these. They come up again and again in essays from students in Kerala and across India. None of them is a sign of weak English; they are habits.
Memorised phrases
Openings such as "In this modern era of science and technology" or "It is a matter of great debate" are recognised instantly. Examiners do not count memorised language as evidence of your vocabulary. Write a plain, direct opening that paraphrases the question.
Over-long introductions
Two sentences are enough: paraphrase the question, then state your position or outline. Students who write six-sentence introductions often run short of time for the body paragraphs, which is where Task Response marks come from.
Indian-English usage
Some expressions are natural in Indian English but count as errors in IELTS:
- "revert back" (use "reply" or "get back to you")
- "discuss about" (use "discuss" with no preposition)
- "do the needful" (say exactly what you want done)
- "prepone" (use "bring forward")
- "cousin brother" or "cousin sister" (use "cousin")
- "on account of this reason" (use "for this reason")
These matter especially in General Training letters, where Kochi students writing to an employer or landlord abroad tend to fall back on office phrases.
Overusing linking words
"Furthermore", "moreover" and "in addition" at the start of every sentence lower your Coherence and Cohesion score rather than raising it. Use linking words when the logic needs them.
Task 1 opinions
In Academic Task 1, avoid explaining why something happened. "Sales rose because people preferred online shopping" is a guess; report what the data shows.
Writing practice that fits a Kochi day
You do not need a free afternoon. Try this rhythm:
- Weekday evenings: plan one Task 2 essay in 5 minutes (position and two main ideas), without writing it. Do this three times a week.
- Two evenings a week: write one full task under time on the laptop, since the computer-delivered test needs typing.
- Weekend: rewrite one essay using its feedback.
If your evenings already include a long commute from Infopark, the planning drill is something you can do on your phone during the ride home.
How AI feedback and teacher sessions help
Each response you submit for IELTS Writing practice in Kochi gets an AI-estimated band for each of the four criteria, with feedback explaining what is holding the score back. Because it arrives in moments, you can write, revise and resubmit the same evening rather than waiting a week.
AI feedback is a strong guide, but it is an estimate. When your scores plateau, Book a Teacher for a 1-to-1 online session of about 20 minutes, from ₹299. Bring two or three essays and ask specific questions: "Why is my Task Response stuck at 6?" gets a far more useful answer than "Please check my essay."
The Study Notes chapters on Writing explain each essay type and Task 1 format, and English Improvement helps with articles, prepositions and tense, which are common accuracy issues for Malayalam speakers.
Start writing today
Try a prompt from the free sample mock test to see where your Writing stands. Students anywhere in Cochin can practise online. When you want every prompt and full feedback, Full Access is ₹999 for 2 months.