Time pressure is one of the most common challenges IELTS test takers face—especially during the Writing Task 2 section. If you ever find yourself with only a few minutes left and your essay is still unfinished, there is one clear and urgent step you must take: write your conclusion.
Time Management Is Your Responsibility
In the IELTS Writing test, time management is entirely up to you. You must decide how much time to spend on each part of your essay and keep an eye on the clock throughout the test. A good plan is to aim for about 40 minutes on Task 2, with the last 5–7 minutes reserved for reviewing and writing your conclusion.
However, if you misjudge your time and find yourself with only a few minutes left and no conclusion written yet, don’t panic—but act quickly.
Why the Conclusion Matters So Much
Your writing is assessed based on four criteria, each worth 25% of your total score:
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Task Response
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Coherence and Cohesion
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Lexical Resource (Vocabulary)
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Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Out of these, Task Response specifically looks at how well you have answered the question, developed your ideas, and structured your response—including whether you’ve written a clear conclusion.
If your essay does not include a conclusion, you cannot score more than Band 5 for Task Response, even if the rest of your essay is strong. That means 25% of your total score will be limited, pulling down your overall band result.
What to Do in the Last Few Minutes
If you realize you’re running out of time, here’s exactly what to do:
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Stop writing wherever you are (even mid-paragraph if necessary).
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Start a new paragraph and write the phrase “In conclusion,”.
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Summarize your main points in 1–2 sentences. You don’t need to repeat everything—just the key ideas from your body paragraphs.
Example:
In conclusion, while technology has improved communication in many ways, it has also reduced face-to-face interaction. Overall, the impact of technology on relationships is both positive and negative.
This short paragraph is enough to show the examiner that your essay is complete, improving your Task Response score and helping you reach Band 6 or higher.
Final Advice
Always keep track of your time, and if needed, prioritize writing a conclusion over finishing every detail of your body paragraphs. A well-structured essay with a conclusion—even if a little rushed—will almost always score higher than an incomplete one without a proper ending.
