IELTS Writing practice test collection
IELTS Writing
ExamBand · 11 full tests · 22 tasks · Academic
After any test: your band from AI feedback for $4
11 IELTS Writing practice tests
- Practice Test 1In many countries, a growing number of people now work from home for some or all of the week instead of travelling to an office. Some people believe this change benefits both employees and employers.1 · Line graph2 · Opinion60:00Start free
- 2 Practice Test 2Some people think that children should start learning a foreign language at primary school, while others believe it is better to wait until they are teenagers.1 · Maps2 · Discussion60:00Start free
- 3 Practice Test 3In many cities around the world, rents are rising faster than incomes, and a growing number of young adults cannot afford to leave their parents' home and live independently.1 · Process2 · Problems60:00Start free
- 4 Practice Test 4In a number of countries, governments have introduced a tax on sugary drinks and other unhealthy food in order to improve people's health.1 · Bar chart2 · Pros and cons60:00Start free
- 5 Practice Test 5In many countries, news programmes and newspapers focus mainly on negative stories, such as crime, disasters and conflict.1 · Pie charts2 · Two questions60:00Start free
- 6 Practice Test 6Some people think that the best way to reduce crime is to give offenders longer prison sentences.1 · Table2 · Opinion60:00Start free
- 7 Practice Test 7Some people believe that private cars should be banned from city centres, while others think that this would cause more problems than it solves.1 · Diagram2 · Discussion60:00Start free
- 8 Practice Test 8In some countries, it is becoming increasingly common for young people to take a year off between finishing school and starting university, in order to work or travel.1 · Mixed charts2 · Pros and cons60:00Start free
- 9 Practice Test 9In some countries, large numbers of highly skilled workers, such as doctors, nurses and engineers, are leaving to live and work abroad.1 · Process2 · Problems60:00Start free
- 10 Practice Test 10Many young people today say that their dream job would be to become famous on social media, rather than to follow a more traditional career.1 · Line graph2 · Two questions60:00Start free
- 11 Practice Test 11Some people believe that it is wrong to keep wild animals in zoos and that all zoos should be closed.1 · Maps2 · Opinion60:00Start free
AI Writing feedback
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- Your estimated band for Task 1, Task 2 and overall
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The guide
About the IELTS Writing practice test
What is in the IELTS Academic Writing test
You have 60 minutes for both tasks and choose how to split the time. Task 2 counts for twice as much as Task 1, so most teachers advise about 20 minutes for Task 1 and 40 for Task 2. Every IELTS Writing practice test here gives you both tasks in one timed hour.
Describe a graph, table, chart, map, process or diagram: report the main features and compare them.
At least 150 words.
Write an essay in answer to a point of view, an argument or a problem.
At least 250 words.
The task types you will meet
Our tests rotate every Task 1 picture and every Task 2 question type, so you are ready for whichever comes up.
Task 1: charts and tables
Line graphs, bar charts, pie charts, tables and mixed charts, with two or three years or several groups to compare.
Task 1: maps and plans
How a place changed, or a plan before and after, described with location language.
Task 1: processes and diagrams
The stages of a natural or manufactured process, or how something works.
Task 2: opinion
“To what extent do you agree or disagree?”
Task 2: discussion
“Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.”
Task 2: advantages, problems and causes
Advantages and disadvantages, problems and solutions, or causes and effects.
Task 2: two-part questions
Two direct questions to answer in one essay.
How IELTS Writing is marked
Each task is marked on four criteria, each worth a quarter of that task's band. Task 2 counts twice as much as Task 1 in your Writing band.
- Writing under 150 or 250 words lowers your Task Achievement or Task Response score.
- Words copied from the question are not marked, so write your own introduction.
- Our AI feedback is an estimated band based on these four criteria, not an official IELTS score.
Source: ielts.org: how IELTS Writing is marked
Work out your overall band with the IELTS band score calculatorTask Achievement (Task 1) / Task Response (Task 2)
Did you answer every part of the task? A clear overview in Task 1, a clear position in Task 2.
Coherence and Cohesion
Clear paragraphs, a logical order and linking that helps the reader.
Lexical Resource
A range of vocabulary, used accurately and naturally.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A mix of sentence structures with few errors.
From 10 years of teaching IELTS
Tips for IELTS Writing
- 1
Give Task 1 a clear overview
A sentence or two on the main trends or the biggest differences is what lifts Task 1 to band 7. Without one, it rarely gets past 5.
- 2
Don't describe every number
Choose the key features, support them with figures and compare them. A list of every number is not a description.
- 3
Answer every part of Task 2
If the question asks two things, answer both. Missing half the question limits your Task Response band.
- 4
Plan for five minutes
Decide your position, then give each body paragraph one main idea with an explanation and an example.
- 5
Use words you can control
Accurate everyday vocabulary scores better than rare words used wrongly.
- 6
Keep three minutes to check
Look for articles, plurals, verb tenses and subject–verb agreement: the errors students make most under time pressure.
Questions about the IELTS Writing practice test
Is the AI band the same as a real IELTS band?
No. It is an estimate based on the published band descriptors, to show your strengths and what to fix. Only IELTS gives an official score.
Are these Academic or General Training Writing tests?
Academic. Task 1 describes a chart, map or process. In General Training, Task 1 is a letter: we have separate General Training Writing tests for that.
How long should I spend on each task?
About 20 minutes on Task 1 and 40 on Task 2, because Task 2 counts for twice as much.
What happens if I write fewer words than required?
You lose marks for Task Achievement or Task Response. Aim for about 170 words in Task 1 and 270 in Task 2.
Is this IELTS Writing practice test free?
Yes. Every Writing practice test is free to take. AI feedback is $4 for one test, or comes with the Exam Pass.