IELTS Writing time management: 60 minutes, two tasks

IELTS Writing gives you 60 minutes for two tasks, and nobody tells you when to move on. Running out of time is one of the most common ways to lose marks, because an unfinished Task 2 can lose Task Response marks however good the rest is.

The basic split

• Task 1: about 20 minutes, at least 150 words.
• Task 2: about 40 minutes, at least 250 words.

Task 2 counts twice as much toward your Writing band, so protect its time.

Should you do Task 2 first?

You can do the tasks in either order. Many candidates start with Task 2 because it is worth more and because an unfinished Task 1 costs less than an unfinished Task 2. If you choose this, set a hard stop: when 40 minutes have passed, move to Task 1 whatever happens.

Task 2, minute by minute

• 0–5: read the question, identify the type, decide your position, plan two reasons and two examples. The five-minute planning guide shows how.
• 5–8: introduction.
• 8–30: two body paragraphs, about ten minutes each.
• 30–34: conclusion.
• 34–40: check: every part of the question answered, word count over 250, then your most common grammar mistake.

If you reach minute 30 with only one body paragraph, write a shorter second one and a one-sentence conclusion. A complete, slightly shorter essay beats a long unfinished one.

Write faster without rushing

• Plan fully first. Most slow writing is really thinking time that happens mid-sentence.
• Use structures you know. The complex sentences guide gives six safe openers that come out automatically with practice.
• Do not count words as you go. Check once at the end; about 10–12 words a line in handwriting, or the on-screen counter on the computer test.

Practise under the clock

Use the 40-minute timer in the essay checker, or the timer in the word counter, and practise until finishing on time feels normal.