How Many Words Should I Write in the IELTS Exam?

The IELTS Writing sections of both General and Academic consist of two tasks: Task 1 and Task 2, and the time allotted to complete the test is 60 minutes. 

The IELTS Writing sections of both General and Academic consist of two tasks: Task 1 and Task 2, and the time allotted to complete the test is 60 minutes. 

Writing Task 1

IELTS Writing task 1 for the General module is letter writing. In this task, you will be given a situation and asked to write over 150-words. It can be formal, semi-formal or informal. In IELTS Academic Writing task 1, you will be given a diagram and based on the information, you will be asked to write over a 150-word report. The diagram can be given in the form of a pie chart, bar graph, line graph, table, process or map. 

Writing Task 2

IELTS Writing task 2 is similar for both General and Academic. But Academic writing task 2 is slightly more challenging. In this task, you will be given a topic and required to compose a 250-word essay where you will justify your opinion with arguments, discuss views, give examples and supporting statements. 

Suggested Word Count

Since the minimum word count for Task 1 and Task 2 are 150 and 250, respectively, you can write marginally more to get a better band score.

However, it is not required to write 200 and 400 words for these tasks. Rather try to write 30 to 40 words more than the required word count. This equates to 170-190 words in IELTS Writing Task 1 and 270-290 words in IELTS Writing Task 2.

What happens if you write less than the recommended word count?

You will forfeit your marks under Task Achievement if you write less than the recommended word count or if you did not answer the question correctly.

Does writing more words make you get better scores?

No, that is an incorrect perception. Firstly, you only get limited time to answer both questions. One of the important skills to master in the IELTS Writing test is time management. If you spend too much time on one specific question, you will lose time to answer the other question. Secondly, if you continue to write over the word limit, you are more likely to make grammatical mistakes, which would lower your overall score.

Lastly, your answers are evaluated on the basis of quality, not quantity. Therefore, instead of focusing on the length of the answers, you should concentrate on checking the accuracy of your answers.

How to make sure you have reached the word limit?

You won’t have time to count all of your sentences, but there are other ways to assess them. The best way to evaluate your performance is by practising writing the answers. It can be difficult to adjust to writing 150 or 250 words at first, particularly if you’re doing it longhand. However, through regular practice, you will become more acquainted with the questions. The more you practise, the easier it would be to remember the correct length for the required word count on the test day.

Is it a good idea to copy the words from the question exactly as they are?

No, you should not copy every single sentence, though you can take one or two words from the question. The examiner may not consider them and deduct marks for word count if you repeat the question. You will be judged on your ability to paraphrase using synonyms, so avoid repeating the question.

Tips on dealing with the word count:

• Don’t add additional words in your answers to make your answer look lengthy. 
• Master time-management skills. Spend no more than 20 minutes on task 1. Since task 2 contains more weightage, spend 40 minutes on task 2. 
• Pay attention to cohesive devices. Make sure not to repeat them. 
• Practise writing answers; the more you do so, the better will you be able to judge the right word count.
• Don’t use the same words or sentences often. Spend time studying synonyms for common phrases and vocabulary. Often students unknowingly repeat certain words. Don’t commit that mistake; rather, practise and proofread your answers, underline all the repeated terms and phrases, and think of better words. 

Also check :

• Tips to write great writing essay
• IELTS Sample essays
• Tips to Improve IELTS Writing Skills
• IELTS Writing recent actual test
• How to prepare for IELTS?
• IELTS Writing Answer sheet