How long should your IELTS writing task 1 & task 2 be? Learn how the examiner counts your words and the recommended length of your IELTS essay. This page contains information about:
- IELTS Writing Word Count Rules
- Recommended Essay Length
- Word Count Warning
- Will you get a higher score for a longer essay?
IELTS Writing: Word Count Rules
- IELTS have set a task of writing OVER 150 words for IELTS writing task 1 and OVER 250 for writing task 2.
- However, there is no upper word limit. But that doesn’t mean a long essay is a good idea.
- While the under word count penalty has been removed, writing an essay that is too short will lower your score. Click here: penalty removal and short essays
Recommended Length of an IELTS Essay
- The instructions given by IELTS state write at least 150 words (task 1) / at least 250 words (task 2).
- The words “at least” mean you should not go below 150 words for task 1 and not write under 250 words for task 2.
- Always write over the least recommended word count.
- For writing task 1, aim for between 170 words and 190 words. Try not to go over 200 words (max 210 for complicated charts).
- For writing task 2, aim for between 270 words and 290 words. Try not to go over 300 words. IELTS essays are designed to be written in 40 mins and to be highly focused with each sentence crucial to the essay.
- Writing under 150 words for task 1 and under 250 words for task 2 will not allow you to develop your points enough for a high score.
- Aim for quality rather than quantity. This means focus on writing excellent English and organising your information rather than writing a long essay in task 2. The also applies to your report in task 1 academic or your letter in task 1 GT.
How Long Should Your Essay Be?
Note: This video was made years ago but is still 100% relevant today. Scroll down below the video to keep reading about word count in IELTS writing.
IELTS Writing Task 2: Does a Longer Essay Mean a Higher Band Score?
One of the most common questions students ask about IELTS Writing Task 2 is:
"Will I get a higher band score if I write a longer essay?"
It’s an important question—and the answer may surprise you. In this article, we’ll explain the truth about essay length in IELTS and offer practical advice on how long your essay should be.
1. You Must Write at Least 250 Words
This is your minimum word count. If you write fewer than 250 words, you will lose marks under Task Achievement, and the examiner will count your words.
Writing below the word limit can lead to a lower band score, so make sure you meet this requirement.
2. A Longer Essay Does Not Mean a Higher Band Score
Many students think that writing more will help them get a better mark—especially if that’s the case at university. But in IELTS, quality matters more than quantity.
The examiner is not looking for a long essay. Instead, they are assessing:
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The relevance of your ideas
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The clarity and structure of your response
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Your ability to develop and support your arguments
Writing more words won’t boost your score if the content is not directly related to the question.
3. Time Management: You Only Have 35 Minutes to Write
Although you’re given 40 minutes for Task 2, at least 5 minutes should be spent planning:
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Analyze the task
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Identify the question type
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Brainstorm and organize your ideas
That leaves you around 35 minutes to actually write your essay. Trying to write over 300 words in that time often leads to rushed writing, more errors, and weaker coherence.
4. Irrelevant Information Will Lower Your Score
When students try to write longer essays, they often add unnecessary or off-topic content just to increase word count. This is a major problem in IELTS.
Including irrelevant or unrelated ideas can reduce your score, especially in the Task Response category. Examiners are trained to penalize essays that do not stay focused on the task.
5. What’s the Ideal Essay Length?
The recommended length for IELTS Writing Task 2 is between 260 and 280 words.
This is:
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Long enough to fully develop your main ideas
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Short enough to be written clearly and accurately in 35 minutes
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More likely to stay relevant and well-organized
Aim for quality over quantity. It’s far better to write 270 well-structured, clearly supported words than 320 words filled with repetition or irrelevant content.
In Summary:
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✅ Write at least 250 words
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❌ Don’t aim for a long essay just for the sake of it
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✅ Plan your essay carefully
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❌ Avoid going off-topic or repeating yourself
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✅ Aim for 260–280 words for the best balance of development and clarity
If you found this lesson helpful, feel free to share it with your friends. For more free IELTS tips and writing lessons, follow my page or check out my blog.
Good luck with your preparation—and see you in the next lesson!
Will you get a higher score for a longer essay in IELTS?
The answer is very simple = no. IELTS is look for a highly relevant, focused essay. If you try to add information that is not 100% relevant to your task, you will get a lower score.
IELTS writing task 2 essays are designed to be written within 40 mins and to be highly focused. This means each sentence is 100% relevant and critical to the essay. There is no sentence which contains padding (extra, unnecessary information). For writing task 1, if your report gets too long, you will be marked down for getting lost in detail and not focusing on key features.
You do not get a higher score for a longer essay.
Warning for IELTS Writing Word Count
- If you copy the information given by IELTS for your introduction, the examiner will not count those words. This means you might be under the word count. So, always paraphrase your introductions. This lesson shows you how to write an introduction for IELTS writing task 2 by paraphrasing.
- How to check how many words you have written – you don’t have time to count each word you have written, so you should count the lines instead. Knowing the length of your handwriting on the official writing answer sheet will help. Watch this video lesson to learn about practicing with the official writing answer sheet.
- All words are counted. This means each individual word, just the same as word count in a Word Document. For example, “The most important part of a test is understanding the marking system and the requirements” = 15 words.
