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IELTS Writing Sample – Task 2 (English Post)

IELTS Life Skills A1 – Sample Paper #1 (PDF, 4561 kb)

Make sure you practice listening to English or Australian accents before the test. Even though this is an international test, it was made by the British Council and you might be tested by someone that has a British or Australian acent.

Read the title of tables.

Check where the questions are. The questions might be on the back of the paper.

If you miss a question during the listening test, move on.

Technical or academic words are not usually paraphrased.

IELTS Tips – Test Day

Using the bathroom: The listening, reading and writing test takes about 2 hours and 40 minutes but there is no break so make sure your go to the bathroom before the test begins.

You can’t take watches or phones into the test room.

All answers must be written in pencil.

IELTS Listening Exam Tips

30 Minutes

Write answers on the question paper while you listen. When the test ends you get 10 minutes to copy answers onto the answer paper. Use a pencil for this.

Check if the headphones are working if the test center has headphones.

Write the words you hear in the test so it is easier to answer questions. The question will have different wording.

Watch out for word limit. If you are asked to complete a sentence using two words and the answer is ‘study English’, then ‘learning how to speak English’ would be the wrong answer.

Server 1: Download a Listening Test Answer Sheet

Server 2: Download a Listening Test Answer Sheet

IELTS Listening Scores – 40 Questions in Total

39 to 40 Correct: Band 9 – CEFR C2
37 to 38 Correct: Band 8.5 – CEFR C2
35 to 36 Correct: Band 8 – CEFR C1
32 to 34 Correct: Band 7.5 – CEFR C1
30 to 31 Correct: Band 7 – CEFR C1
26 to 29 Correct: Band 6.5 – CEFR B2
23 to 25 Correct: Band 6 – CEFR B2
18 to 22 Correct: Band 5.5 – CEFR B2
16 to 17 Correct: Band 5 – CEFR B1
13 to 15 Correct: Band 4.5 – CEFR B1
11 to 12 Correct: Band 4 – CEFR B1
0 Correct: Band 0

A Guide to the IELTS Band Scores:
Understanding Your English Proficiency

The IELTS Band score indicates your proficiency level in English, with results broken down into full and half points. Below is an updated explanation of each band score and the corresponding skill level:

Band Score | Proficiency Level

9 | Expert user
8 | Very good user
7 | Good user
6 | Competent user
5 | Modest user
4 | Limited user
3 | Extremely limited user
2 | Intermittent user
1 | Non-user
0 | Did not attempt the test

This scale provides a clear measure of your English abilities across listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills.

The Writing Section

The Writing section is evaluated by qualified examiners based on specific assessment criteria, such as:

• Task Response/Task Achievement
• Coherence and Cohesion
• Vocabulary Range (Lexical Resource)
• Grammatical Accuracy and Range

Each criterion is graded on a scale of 0 to 9. These scores are then combined using a set formula to calculate the overall band score for the writing component.

The Speaking Section

Similarly, the Speaking section is judged by certified examiners using detailed assessment criteria, which include:

• Pronunciation
• Fluency and Coherence
• Vocabulary Use (Lexical Resource)
• Grammatical Accuracy and Range

As with the Writing section, each element is scored between 0 and 9, and the scores are averaged to give the final band score for speaking.

IELTS Reading Exam Tips

60 Minutes

You can’t take your watch into the test room.

All relevant answers can be found within the text. 

Try not to make any spelling mistakes.

If questions ask you to complete a phrase like ‘in the ______’ and the correct answer is ‘morning’, just write ‘morning’. Writing ‘in the morning’ would be a mistake.

Download a Reading Test Answer Sheet

IELTS Speaking Exam Tips Video

IELTS Writing Exam Tips

60 Minutes

You can write on the question paper, but you don’t get marks for writing things on it.

One idea per paragraph.

Don’t copy full sentences from the question. There are no points awarded for that.

Task 2 is worth 2 times as much as Task 1.

Check roughly how long 150 words and 250 words look like in your own handwriting. During the test, you won’t have time to count the number of words you have written.

Task 1 needs a minimum of 150 words and Task 2 needs a minimum of 250 words. You lose marks if you don’t write enough.

Try to use formal English if possible.

You will lose marks for spelling mistakes, bad grammar or puncuation.

You can lose points for bullet points or short notes. Write answers in full or you will lose marks.

If an examiner notices you have memorized a model answer, you test may be deemed invalid.

IELTS Speaking Exam Tips

11 to 14 Minutes

Don’t talk more than the examiner.

You can ask the examiner to clarify questions if you don’t understand.

If the examiner realizes you have memorized your answer they may change the question.

At the End of the Test

Remain seated until you have the invigilator’s permission to leave the test room.

If you make a complaint about your test day, you must fill out a complaint form and submit it within one week of the test date.

Speaking Test Examples – Videos

Band 8 – Gender Equality

IELTS Model Speaking Interview 7.5

Model Speaking Interview

Utilize Practice Tests and Study Materials

Make use of the wide variety of practice tests and resources available to help you get comfortable with the exam structure and track your improvement.

Authentic practice tests are available on the official IDP website.

Get Expert Feedback and Guidance

Receiving feedback from qualified English instructors can help you identify areas for improvement and make focused progress. Enrolling in an IELTS preparation course can provide expert advice and personalized support.