IELTS Writing Time Management: A 60-Minute Plan for Task 1 and Task 2
Quick answer
You get 60 minutes for both Writing tasks with no separate transfer time, so spend about 20 minutes on Task 1 and 40 on Task 2 because Task 2 is worth twice as many marks. Many candidates write Task 2 first to protect those marks. Reserve two to three minutes at the end of each task to check for errors, and never let an unfinished Task 2 cost you a whole band.
The IELTS Writing test gives you 60 minutes to complete two tasks, and how you divide that hour matters almost as much as what you write. Most candidates do not lose marks because their English is weak; they lose marks because they spend too long on Task 1, then rush or fail to finish Task 2 — the task that is worth twice as much. This guide gives you a clear 60-minute plan and the habits that keep you on schedule.
The format and the marks
Both the Academic and General Training Writing tests last 60 minutes and contain two tasks:
- Task 1 — write at least 150 words. Academic candidates describe a chart, graph, table, map or process; General Training candidates write a letter.
- Task 2 — write at least 250 words. Both versions write an essay responding to a point of view, argument or problem.
The single most important fact for pacing: Task 2 is worth twice as many marks as Task 1. That is why the standard, examiner-recommended split is 20 minutes for Task 1 and 40 minutes for Task 2. Both tasks are marked on the same four criteria — Task Achievement or Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy — and there is no separate time to transfer your answers, so everything happens inside the hour.
Your minute-by-minute plan
Here is a plan you can rehearse until it becomes automatic.
Task 1 — 20 minutes
- Minutes 0–3: Analyse and plan. Identify what the visual (or letter prompt) is asking. For Academic, find the biggest trends, the highest and lowest values, and any obvious groupings. For General, note the three bullet points you must cover and the correct tone.
- Minutes 3–17: Write. Open with a paraphrase of the prompt, give a clear overview of the main features (or your reason for writing), then two body paragraphs with specific data or details.
- Minutes 17–20: Check. Confirm you are over 150 words and scan for missing articles, plurals and verb tenses.
Task 2 — 40 minutes
- Minutes 0–5: Plan. Decide your position, then jot two main ideas with an example for each. Five minutes of planning saves you from a rambling, off-topic essay.
- Minutes 5–35: Write. Introduction, two body paragraphs (one idea each, fully developed), and a conclusion that restates your position.
- Minutes 35–40: Check. Confirm you are over 250 words and re-read for grammar and linking.
Should you write Task 2 first?
You may attempt the tasks in any order, and many high scorers write Task 2 first. The logic is simple: the more valuable task should get your freshest thinking and its full 40 minutes, before fatigue sets in. If you tackle Task 1 first and it overruns, the damage lands on the task that counts double. Whichever order you choose, set a hard limit on Task 1 and stick to it.
Common time-management mistakes
- Over-writing Task 1. There is no reward for a 250-word Task 1; the extra words simply steal minutes from Task 2. Aim for roughly 160–190 words and stop.
- Skipping the plan. Writing without a plan feels faster but usually produces a weaker, less coherent answer that costs marks under Coherence and Cohesion.
- Ignoring the word count. Under-length answers are penalised, so learn how much of your own handwriting makes 150 and 250 words. See our guide on word count minimums.
- No checking time. The last few minutes of each task catch the easy errors — articles, plurals, subject-verb agreement — that quietly cap essays at Band 6.
Practise against the clock
Timing is a skill, and like any skill it improves with rehearsal. Do full, timed tasks rather than untimed drafts, so 20 and 40 minutes start to feel natural. When you finish, get feedback on what you actually produced under pressure: our free AI essay checker scores a sample essay against the four criteria (the free tier includes one lifetime sample report), and the free band calculator shows how your Task 1 and Task 2 scores combine into an overall Writing band. If you are still shaping your essays, the Task 2 planning guide pairs well with this schedule.
Master the 20/40 split, protect your Task 2 time, and reserve a few minutes to check each task — and you will stop losing marks to the clock rather than to your English.
Frequently asked questions
Should I do Task 1 or Task 2 first in IELTS Writing?
Either order is allowed, and both are on the same answer booklet. Many candidates do Task 2 first because it carries twice the marks, so finishing it while you are fresh protects the more valuable score. If you are more confident with Task 1, doing it first to build momentum is fine too — just cap it at 20 minutes so Task 2 still gets its full 40.
Is there extra time to copy my answers in IELTS Writing?
No. Unlike an old habit some borrow from Listening, there is no separate transfer time in Writing. You write your response straight into the answer booklet (or type it on the computer-delivered test), so the 60 minutes must include planning, writing and checking.
What happens if I do not finish Task 2?
An incomplete Task 2 is heavily penalised under Task Response because you have not fully addressed the question, and a very short answer also loses marks for being under the 250-word minimum. Running out of time on Task 2 is one of the most common reasons capable candidates stay at Band 6, which is exactly why it should get the larger share of your hour.