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Running out of time in IELTS Writing? How to share the 60 minutes
You spend too long on Task 1, rush Task 2, and the essay ends mid-sentence. Because Task 2 counts double, that is the most expensive mistake in the Writing test.
You get 60 minutes for both tasks and you choose how to share them. The suggested split is 20 minutes for Task 1 and 40 for Task 2. Task 2 counts for twice as much as Task 1, and an essay under 250 words, or without a conclusion, loses marks in Task Response.
Where the minutes go
Look at this
Academic Task 1 on a bar chart with 12 bars.
Describing all 12 bars one by one, then rewriting the introduction twice.It feels careful, but it eats 30 minutes and adds nothing to your score. More words do not earn more marks.
An introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs that group the bars. Done in 20 minutes at about 170 words.Group and compare. Select the key features. Then move on.
Take a look
Task 2, with 15 minutes left.
Starting to write straight away with no plan, and changing your opinion halfway through.The essay wanders, the position is unclear, and there is no time for a conclusion.
Two minutes to decide your position and one main idea for each body paragraph, then write.A short plan saves time, because you never stop to wonder what comes next.
A timing plan to practise
- Start with Task 2 if you want. Many people do, because it is worth more.
- Task 2: 5 minutes to plan, 30 to write, 5 to check.
- Task 1: 20 minutes, about 170 words, then stop.
- Practise with a timer every time, both tasks together, so the hour feels normal.
- Write the conclusion even if you are short of time. Two sentences are enough.
Sources
Exam rules change. Always check with the exam provider and the organisation you are applying to.
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