Do you know how your score is affected if your IELTS Task 2 essay is too long?
Today, we’ll answer 2 questions from YouTube about this.
We’ll share how essay length affects your IELTS Writing score.
You’ll also learn details regarding how long your essays should be.
Question #1:
I recently took the computer-based IELTS and got 9 in listening, reading, and speaking—but surprisingly only 6 in writing. I usually get 7+ in writing during practice. For Task 1, I wrote 235 words and Task 2 was around 355 words. Could writing too much have affected my score?
Question #2:
I have the same inquiry. I recently took the computer-based IELTS and got 8.5 in listening, 8 in reading and speaking, but surprisingly only 6 in writing. I wrote about 225 words for Task 1 and 341 for Task 2. I’m wondering if writing more than the word limit could negatively impact the score? Any insights would be appreciated!
Does essay length affect your score?
It does affect your score if your essays are too long, but not in the way you might think.
These students are assuming there is a word limit, and it may have hurt their score to go over it.
This is not the case!
However, other factors can hurt your score if you write too much.
Do IELTS essays have a word limit?
There is no official word limit for IELTS Task 1 or Task 2.
In the past, there was a minimum number of words that had to be written.
This rule was changed several years ago, and Examiners no longer count words.
There is currently no maximum or minimum number of words for IELTS essays.
Therefore, the number of words you write doesn’t automatically affect your score.
How essay length affects IELTS Writing scores
The amount you write definitely affects your score.
It takes a lot more time to write a 350-word essay than a 250-word essay.
This doesn’t leave a lot of time to brainstorm or proofread.
Because of this, students who write very long essays often get low scores.
IELTS Writing exam timing
You only have one hour to write both essays.
We recommend you spend 20 minutes on Task 1.
This includes time for brainstorming, writing, and proofreading.
You will then have 40 minutes to plan, write, and check your Task 2 essay.
Because you need time to plan and check essays, this leaves very little time for writing.
You don’t have time to write any more than you must to fully answer the question and support your ideas.
Longer essays have more errors
The more you write, the more errors you will make.
Writing an extra 100 words gives you a lot more to proofread.
You should be checking the following:
- Vocabulary (mistakes and repetition)
- Logic (Do your sentences make sense? Is the word order correct?)
- Grammar and punctuation
- Spelling
How long should essays be?
Aim for 150 words for Task 1 and 250 words for Task 2.
This is about what it will take to accomplish the task.
It is also about what you have time to write after brainstorming and still have time to proofread.
Breakdown of timing
The following is an exact breakdown of what you should spend time on.
Task 1: 20 minutes
- 2-3 min planning/brainstorming
- 15 min writing
- 2-3 min checking/proofreading
Task 2: 40 minutes
- 5 min planning
- 30 min writing
- 5 min checking
Answer the question fully
The goal should not be about word count, but about answering the question fully.
This includes supporting your ideas well with details and examples.
Never write extra just to have a longer essay.
This could cause you to repeat ideas and will just give you more to proofread.
Takeaway
Writing longer essays can definitely pull down scores because your time is so limited.
Write just enough to answer the Task 2 question thoroughly.
This will give you adequate time to brainstorm before writing and leave you time to proofread afterward.
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