The format at a glance

The computer-delivered IELTS Writing test has the same tasks, timing and marking as the paper test. You have 60 minutes in total for two tasks, and you decide how to split the time between them.

• Task 1 — at least 150 words, about 20 minutes. Academic: describe a chart, table, process or map. General Training: write a letter.
• Task 2 — at least 250 words, about 40 minutes. An essay responding to a point of view, argument or problem. The format is the same for Academic and General Training.
• Task 2 counts for twice as much as Task 1 in your Writing band, so protect your 40 minutes for it.
• Writing fewer than the minimum words is not an automatic zero, but it lowers your Task Achievement / Task Response score.

What the exam screen looks like

The question is on the left and a single answer box is on the right, with a divider you can drag to resize the two panels. A grey instruction bar above the question tells you how long to spend and the minimum word count.

A live word counter ("Words: N") sits under the answer box. Tabs at the bottom switch between Part 1 and Part 2, and a review button lists which parts you have attempted. Your answer is saved automatically as you type.

Editing tools: what you get and what you don't

Knowing this in advance stops you relying on habits from a normal word processor.

• Available: typing, deleting, copy and paste to move text around, and an on-screen word count.
• Not available: spell check, grammar check and autocorrect. Every spelling mistake you make is one the examiner sees.
• Accessibility options let you change the contrast and text size.

How to practise for the computer-delivered test

Practise on a screen that behaves like the real one. Writing in a word processor hides your spelling errors and gives you a feel for timing that doesn't match exam day.

• Type every practice essay with spell check off, so you learn which words you actually misspell.
• Use the word counter instead of estimating — aim for roughly 170–190 words for Task 1 and 270–300 for Task 2.
• Do full 60-minute sessions regularly, not just single tasks, so you learn to switch between Task 1 and Task 2 under one clock.
• Review each essay against the four marking criteria (see the band descriptors guide) and keep a list of repeated mistakes.

More guides

• IELTS Writing Band Descriptors Explained: The Four Criteria and How Your Band Is Calculated