Task 2 Overview: What the Examiner Expects
IELTS Academic Writing Task 2 is the most heavily weighted part of the Writing test. Understanding exactly what is required — and how your response is assessed — is the essential first step towards achieving Band 7 or above.
The Basics
In Task 2, you are given a statement, question, or prompt on a general academic topic. You must write an essay of at least 250 words in response. You have approximately 40 minutes to plan, write, and review your essay.
Important: Task 2 contributes twice as much to your Writing score as Task 1. If you are running short on time, it is better to write a strong Task 2 and a shorter Task 1 than the reverse.
What You Are Given
- A short prompt (usually 2-3 sentences) presenting a topic or issue
- An instruction telling you what to do (e.g. "Discuss both views and give your own opinion")
- A reminder to support your ideas with reasons and examples
What You Must Produce
- A formal, academic essay of at least 250 words
- A clear position or response to the question
- Well-developed ideas supported by evidence, examples, or explanation
- Organised paragraphs with logical progression
The Four Assessment Criteria
Every IELTS Writing response is scored on four criteria, each contributing equally to your band score:
1. Task Response (TR)
This criterion assesses whether you have fully addressed all parts of the question. The examiner checks:
- Have you responded to the specific question asked (not a related but different question)?
- Is your position clear throughout the essay?
- Have you developed your main ideas with relevant supporting points?
- Have you avoided over-generalisation?
What strong Task 2 responses do well
- They cover every part of the prompt — not a related question the writer wishes had been asked.
- They hold a clear, consistent position from the introduction through to the conclusion.
- They develop two or three main ideas with substantive support: examples, reasoning, and brief illustration.
- They avoid blanket generalisation ("everyone agrees", "in every country") and qualify claims appropriately.
Common reasons responses lose marks on Task Response
- Answering only part of a multi-part prompt (a frequent issue with two-part questions and discussion essays).
- Drifting in position — agreeing in the introduction, hedging in the body, contradicting in the conclusion.
- Underdeveloped ideas: a topic sentence followed by one thin example, then onto the next paragraph.
- Padding with general statements about the topic instead of engaging with the specific question.
Refer to the official Cambridge IELTS public band descriptors for the authoritative criteria — the framing above is our pedagogical summary of what to practise, not a substitute for those descriptors.
Band 7+ tip: Read the question three times before you start planning. Underline every part of the question. Many candidates lose marks simply because they answer only part of the question.
2. Coherence and Cohesion (CC)
This criterion evaluates how well your ideas are organised and linked together:
- Is there a clear overall progression of ideas?
- Is each paragraph centred on one main idea?
- Are cohesive devices (linking words) used effectively — not mechanically?
- Is referencing (pronouns, demonstratives) clear?
A common mistake is to overuse linking words ("Furthermore", "Moreover", "In addition") without genuine logical connection between ideas. Examiners penalise this.
3. Lexical Resource (LR)
This assesses your vocabulary range and accuracy:
- Do you use a wide enough range of vocabulary?
- Can you use less common vocabulary naturally?
- Do you make errors in word choice, spelling, or word formation?
- Can you paraphrase effectively?
Band 7+ tip: You do not need obscure or exotic vocabulary. The examiner wants to see that you can express complex ideas precisely and that you can paraphrase — using different words to express the same idea in different parts of your essay.
4. Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GRA)
This evaluates your sentence structures and grammatical precision:
- Do you use a mix of simple and complex sentences?
- Are your complex sentences accurate?
- How frequent are your grammatical errors?
- Do errors impede communication?
What strong responses look like on grammar
- A genuine variety of complex structures — conditionals, relative clauses, participle phrases, modal-perfect verbs — used naturally rather than performed for effect.
- Sentences that are frequently error-free, with the few errors that do appear not impeding meaning.
- Punctuation handled with control: commas in non-defining relative clauses, semicolons used purposefully, no comma splices in long sentences.
Common reasons responses lose marks on grammar
- Reliance on a narrow structural range — most sentences built on the same simple-plus-and-or-but template.
- Recurring errors in subject-verb agreement, articles, prepositions, and verb forms that compound across the essay.
- Complex structures attempted but mis-formed: misplaced relative clauses, dangling participles, broken conditional patterns.
- Errors clustered around higher-stake sentences (thesis, topic sentences, conclusion) where they undermine the argument.
Refer to the official Cambridge IELTS Grammatical Range and Accuracy public band descriptors for the authoritative criteria.
Time Management Strategy
With only 40 minutes, you need a clear plan:
| Phase | Time | Activity |
|---|
| Planning | 5 minutes | Analyse the question, brainstorm ideas, create an outline |
| Writing | 30 minutes | Write introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion |
| Reviewing | 5 minutes | Check for grammatical errors, spelling, and task response |
Why Planning Matters
Many candidates skip planning to save time, but this is counterproductive. Without a plan:
- You risk going off-topic partway through
- Your essay may lack logical structure
- You may run out of ideas mid-paragraph
- You may repeat yourself
Band 7+ tip: Spend 5 minutes planning. Write down your thesis statement, your 2-3 main ideas, and one supporting point for each. This blueprint will make the writing phase faster and more focused.
Word Count
The minimum is 250 words. Writing fewer than 250 words will result in a penalty under Task Response. However, there is no upper limit.
Ideal Length
Most successful Band 7+ essays are between 270 and 320 words. Writing significantly more than this is unnecessary and risks:
- Introducing errors due to rushing
- Including repetitive or irrelevant content
- Running out of time for review
Practical advice: In practice, aim for 4-5 paragraphs totalling around 280 words. This gives you enough space to develop your ideas without overextending.
Common Essay Types
There are five main types of Task 2 question. Each requires a slightly different approach:
- Opinion (Agree/Disagree): "To what extent do you agree or disagree?"
- Discussion: "Discuss both views and give your own opinion."
- Problem-Solution: "What are the problems and what solutions can you suggest?"
- Advantages-Disadvantages: "Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?"
- Two-Part Question: Two distinct questions about the same topic.
We will cover each of these in dedicated lessons later in this course.
What NOT to Do
Avoid these common mistakes that prevent candidates from reaching Band 7:
- Memorised essays or phrases: Examiners are trained to spot memorised content. It will lower your score.
- Bullet points or numbered lists: Task 2 requires continuous prose in essay format.
- Informal language: Avoid contractions (don't, can't), slang, or overly casual tone.
- Personal anecdotes as main evidence: "My friend experienced this" is weak support. Use general examples, research references, or logical reasoning.
- Copying the question: Paraphrase the question in your introduction; do not copy it word for word.
Key Takeaways
- Task 2 is worth twice as much as Task 1 — prioritise it
- Write at least 250 words (aim for 270-320)
- Address every part of the question
- Plan for 5 minutes before writing
- You are assessed on four equally weighted criteria: Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy
- Avoid memorised content and informal language
- Review your essay in the final 5 minutes