Learn about the recommended number of words you should write for your essay in IELTS writing task 2. You must write over 250 words and if your essay is under the word count. you will be penalised. Watch this lesson to find out what is the best length to aim for in task 2.
[su_youtube url=”http://youtu.be/TcQKUwmOMFo”]Recommended Lessons
IELTS Video: How to write an essay introduction, click here
IELTS Writing Task 2 Video Lesson: Ideas Tips, click here
Model Opinion Essay Band Score 9, click here
hello in this lesson I want to look at a
very important question
that many students ask me about IELTS
writing task 2 here’s the question do I
get
a higher band score if I have
a longer essay now this is a very
important question
how long should you essay be there are a
number of points I want to explain to
you
about the length of your essay so
the first point is of course you must
write
over 250 words that
is the task given to you those are your
instructions
and if you write under that
there could be problems and yes the
examiner will check
how many words you’ve written number two
and here is a direct answer
to the question you do not get
more marks for a longer essay now
I know that for many of you at
University
if you write a longer essay you get
better marks
but this does not apply to IELTS
the examiner is not looking for
a long essay the examiner is looking for
relevant
ideas number three the other point
is you only have about 35 minutes to
write
you essay now they recommend
that you have forty minutes but at least
5 minutes should be spent planning your essay
you need to look at the statement given
to you
need to analyze it and you need to plan
relevant ideas for your answer
it’s very important to have
five minutes for planning your ideas and
you answer
are worth 25% if your marks so
that means
you only have about 35 minutes to
actually write your essay so
aiming for longer essay will not give
you more marks
and will be very difficult in
the time you’ve got the next point
is a lot of students when
they try to extend their writing to
write
over 300 words they put
lots of extra information in that essay
and this information is often a little
bit
relevant or it’s off the topic
now in IELTS you will lose
marks if you write irrelevant
information
or if you go off the topic in your essay
so is a very bad idea to try to write
300 words if the information you are
adding will go off topic so
the recommendation I recommend you aim
for between 260 and 280
that is enough words to extend
and develop each main idea
in order to get a higher band score
well
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Mam, you are so helpful. I’m your great fan. I read every day your articles and watch YouTube video.
Hi,
will it be fine if i write around 75 words for introduction?
It’s a waste of time. It won’t help your score at all. So, why waste your time and words? Aim for between 40 and about 55.
Hello liz,
First of all i would like to thank you for your lessons which really are helpfull.
I have a question, in my ielts exam which i took today, i only wrote 160 words in writing task 2 in fear of leaving the essay incompete because of less time i had.
How bad this is going to effect my score , i mean how much would be the penalty??
Thanks.
Rajesh
Writing only 160 words will greatly affect your score, unfortunately. How you must wait and see your results to know how much impact it will have. It depends on your performance on all criteria.
All the best
Liz
Hi liz,
i have major issues in writing, i put so many details in form of so many informations which cause more then 350 words, actually so many ideas come to my mind at same time.kindly suggest me for good writing
Hi Liz.
It is my first time to comment here in you blog though I had been following it for some time now. I have this question about discussion essays that also asks for our opinion. How am I going to structure my topic sentences in every body paragraph? Must I write it impartially or must I make it clear in each topic sentence that I agree with this idea? Likewise, how am I going to do it, if in case, I choose and agree with both ideas?
You are such a nice person to create such a wonderful blog. Its totally helping a lot of aspirants, like me.
Cheers.
If you agree with one side, put your opinion with that body paragraph. If you do not agree with any side, have a separate body paragraph. Don’t forget to also introduction your opinion in the introduction as well. You can’t agree and disagree at the same time. For more detailed training in the discussion essay, see my online course: http://subscriptions.viddler.com/IELTSLizStore
All the best
Liz
HELLO MAM, My ielts exam on 01-08-2015 at Jalandhar Punjab task-2 was about the career of youngsters . I could not understand properly what should write about it .Can you help to clear about it? Thanks
Without the full correct essay question, I can’t help.
All the best
Liz
Yesterday in exam, I wrote writing task 2 ,which consists 414 words ,now I’m worrying that does it effect my score of wiring task 2 ?
There is no upper limit of words. You can write as many words as you want. However, writing more means that you might have included information that wasn’t 100% relevant to the essay question. It also means there is a bigger chance you have made grammar and vocabulary errors. If you write a fully focused, accurate essay, you will be fine.
All the best
Liz
Hiii mam….am again here to get some help…my question is that can we skip any data in writing task 1 if the given data is very large and we are going above the word limit….plz tell me…
If there is a lot of information (such as in a table), you will need to select which information you will put in your report.
Liz
Hey liz
I had ielts test yesterday. Writing task 2 was ” students of schools and universities learn more from teachers than other source (books n magazines) .do u agree or disagree?
I wrote,around 320-330 words which i realized in the end n couldnt decrease the word count by cancelling some points.
I am afraid if that will affect my score. Really worried
As long as your English language was accuracy (you should aim for accuracy not quantity) and your ideas are relevant, you will be fine. There is no penalty for having over 300 words.
Liz
Hi Liz,
First of all, thank you for this valuable site.
I sat the IELTS exam on 11th July in Singapore and GT Writing essay topic is as follows:
Some people believe foreign language can be best learn by living in a country where the language is spoken.
What is your opinion?
For this, My answer was:
1st Paragraph = Introduction + my opinion(Not necessary to live in a country where spoken)
2nd Paragraph = Why people think like that
3rd Paragraph = Why I believe language can be learned everywhere
4th Paragraph = Conclusion
I got band 6 for writing.
Do you think I got lower band because I talked about other people’s opinion in 2nd Para?
( Question only had “What is your opinion?)
Thanks.
Yes, that it probably the reason. That is an opinion essay and the whole essay should be about your opinion. It doesn’t ask for other people’s opinion.s However, I haven’t seen your essay so I can’t comment on your use of linking devices or the accuracy of your written English.
All the best
Liz
Mam…I usually adot this paragraph pattern for aggre/disagree or advantages/disadvantages
PARAGRAPH 1= INTRODUCTION
2=AGREE
3=AGREE
4= DISAGREE(from other people’s point of view)
5 PARAGRAPH for CONCLUSION
Is I am adopting correct paragraph patterning…??
No. The opinion essay requires a clear opinion. Either one side or a specific opinion. All your essay contains your opinion and does not contain anything else. The advantage, disadvantage essay requires you to address both sides.
Liz
Hi liz,
Ur website n videos proved to be very beneficial for me…but unfortunately i didn’t get my desired band score in writing which is band 7.
i got 6.5 :(…Although i didn’t write that bad but what i am thinking my biggest mistake that i didn’t answer task 2 completely
Task 2 for UkVi academics on 11 july in Karachi was
“Nowadays govt. is spending too much money on education,some people think that instead of spending so much money on education,funds should be allotted for other extra curricular activities for young generation”…you agree or disagree,give your opinion.
Give some example from real life to support your opinion.
I write quite much to support the idea that funds should be allotted for recreational and sports activities too but i forgot to give any example in support of my opinion…do u think this is the main mistake that made me fail to achieve my required bands?
Need your advice, will be grateful to you!
If you agreed with the statement, then you must explain why too much money is spent on education and you must explain why more needs to be spent on activities. That means two body paragraphs for each point. If you gave a clear opinion and explained those points in the body, then the lack of examples will make no difference at all.
Liz
Hiii mam ….ur website is very beneficial ….i also like ur response that u made for every post or comment….i want to clarify that can we use our emotions like can we laugh if there is something funny in our answer ….!!!
Sorry, I don’t understand. What is your question?
Liz
Am talking about the speaking part….can we give our emotions like laughing..
Sure, you speak naturally which might mean using body language, smiling, laughing. Of course, it’s not good to laugh too much because you lose the chance to add language which is the only way to get a high score.
Liz
Thanxxxx aa lot….my test is on 19sep…i have filled the test of IDP….some people say that the test by idp is diffcult….is it correct…???…and any suggestion or advice to me (as i have plenty of time to prepare )
The IELTS test is written by Cambridge ESOL for both BC and IDP tests. There is no difference. The examiners follow the same training course and follow the same band scores.
All the best
Liz
Hiii mam…..i want to ask you that is it correct to give any example in writing task 2 like a survey report….which we doesnt know that whether it is correct or not … Like a survey report of UNICEF reported that 40% children are undernourished….(i dont know it really happened or not)
You can give whatever examples you feel necessary. Examples don’t always need to have statistics in writing task 2. They can be examples of a situation instead.
Liz