IELTS writing tips for Australia: typed or handwritten Writing, letter, graph and essay
IELTS G Writing, the General Training paper, has two tasks in 60 minutes. In Australia the test is now delivered on computer, so you type your Writing answers unless your booking page offers Writing on Paper, where you write by hand. IELTS says Task 2 counts twice as much as Task 1, and the advice that holds for every task is to answer exactly what is asked, plan, cover every part and check your work.
This page covers writing tips for both IELTS tests in Australia: the Academic graph or diagram, the General Training letter and the essay. It starts with what changed when paper tests ended, then gives the owners' advice for each task, ten tips of our own and a one-week routine. It is a study guide, and the owner's page decides every rule.
In Australia, the test is on computer, so the Writing is typed unless you choose Writing on Paper
Paper tests have ended in Australia. Practise typing, and know the Writing on Paper option.
IELTS Australia says the paper test has ended there, so the first tip for an Australian candidate is about the keyboard.
"IELTS on paper is no longer available in Australia. All IELTS tests are now delivered on computer."
"Paper-based test dates are only available in Australia until 28 June 2026."
"The main difference is that the Listening, Reading, and Writing sections are completed on a computer instead of paper."
IELTS.org says what that means for the answer itself: you type it, and the note tool does not count. IDP Australia adds a note on highlighting and note sheets.
- If you are taking IELTS on computer, you must type your answers on the screen.
- You are allowed to take notes using the note-taking tool, but these will not be seen by the examiner.
- Yes, you can highlight text and make notes during the IELTS on computer test. Highlighting is available in the Reading section by selecting text and right-clicking. You can also make digital notes on screen during the Reading, Listening, and Writing tests. In some venues, paper note sheets may also be provided.
"IELTS on computer is designed to be simple and user-friendly, with helpful features such as automatic word counts, on-screen timers, and easy editing."
There is one more option on the booking side. IELTS Australia's own page carries a banner about it, and IELTS.org explains what it is.
"Choose how you complete your Writing test with IELTS Writing on Paper!"
"Writing on Paper enables you to take your IELTS test on computer and complete the Writing component by hand."
"If writing comes more naturally than typing for you, our Writing on Paper option can help you to give your best performance on test day."
"The task types, scoring and time allocation of the Writing component are the same whether you take it on computer or write on paper. The only difference is that you write your responses by hand."
"'Writing on Paper' will be available in selected countries from mid-2026."
Our reading: the banner suggests the option is offered in Australia, but we have not seen a booking screen. Check on your booking page which delivery modes you can choose. This page is a study guide, not booking advice.
Three habits for typing the Writing paper
These are ours.
- Practise by typing, not writing. If you will type on the day, do your timed practice on a keyboard, because typing and handwriting run at different speeds and you need to know your own.
- Use the word count as a floor, not a target. Look at it once, after you finish your body paragraphs. Then go back to the content.
- Edit as you go. Typing makes it easy to fix a word or a line. Use that, but leave the last few minutes for a full read from the top.
Three tasks, three jobs
Academic Task 1, General Training Task 1 and the essay each reward a different habit.
The Writing paper is 60 minutes and has two tasks, but there are three kinds of task in all: the Academic graph or diagram, the General Training letter and the essay. This is how IELTS describes each.
| Task | What IELTS says |
|---|---|
| Academic Task 1 | In Task 1, you have to describe some visual information in your own words (a graph, table, chart or diagram). You need to write at least 150 words in about 20 minutes. |
| General Training Task 1 | In Task 1, you have to respond to a situation by writing a letter, for example, asking for information or explaining a situation. You need to write at least 150 words in about 20 minutes. |
| Task 2 (both tests) | In Task 2, you are given a point of view, argument or problem which you need to discuss. You need to write at least 250 words in about 40 minutes. |
| Weight | Task 2 contributes twice as much as Task 1 to the Writing score. |
Academic Task 1: a structure and an overview
IDP says the Academic answer has three main parts, and that one of them is an overview you must not skip.
"Make sure you organise your response into three main parts, the introduction, an overview and the main features supported by figures from the diagram."
"Remember that you are writing an overview, so you do not need to present data (E.g., numbers, statistics)."
"Our expert advice to you is to write an overview in your second sentence, just to make sure if you run out of time, that your overview is included in your response."
"IELTS teachers will often tell you to put the overview at the end like a 'conclusion' in IELTS Academic Writing Task 1; however, an IELTS Task 1 response does not need a conclusion."
"Furthermore, when describing task types such as graphs, charts, and tables, use an active voice. For task types such as processes, maps, and natural processes and life cycles, use a passive voice. Making this distinction can mean a higher overall band score."
Our Academic Writing Task 1 page goes through each visual type, with a worked table to describe.
General Training Task 1: purpose, tone and three bullets
IDP's four tips for the letter are short and worth pinning above your desk.
- Make sure your letter is the right length: you must write at least 150 words.
- Stay on the topic: write an answer that is wholly related to the topic of the question. Check that you are on track by re-reading what you have written regularly.
- Don’t use notes or bullet points: write a whole, connected piece of text with full sentences and paragraphs.
- Get the style of writing right for your audience: for example, write formally to a bank manager, and informally to your friend.
For the full guide, with a worked example and eight prompts, see IELTS Writing Task 1 General Training.
Task 2: read the question, then answer it
IDP's Task 2 advice is consistent across its articles.
- You must read the question carefully and decide how many parts are in it. You must answer all parts of the question to reach a band 6 or higher.
- Express your position clearly.
- Support your ideas with relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience (not made up statistics and research)
- Don't use memorised essays that might not address the task.
For how to count the parts and stay on the aspect of the subject, see IELTS Writing Task 2 questions and subjects.
A note on style
IDP and IELTS.org word the Academic style a little differently. We show both.
- You should write in an academic or semi-formal/neutral style.
- Responses to both tasks must be written in a formal style.
"The essay can be slightly more personal in style compared to an Academic Writing task."
Our reading: an academic voice means complete, precise sentences without slang or contractions. For a General Training essay, a little more of your own voice is fine, but it is still written in full, careful English.
Ten tips of our own
Read twice, plan, start with the point, cover every part and keep an error list.
These ten are ours. They apply to all three tasks unless they say otherwise.
- Read the task twice before you plan. The first read gets the topic. The second finds the traps: plurals, the word and, and two groups of people.
- Write a plan, even a tiny one. Three to five lines of notes stop you wandering and make the first paragraph easier.
- Start with the point. For a letter, the purpose. For an essay, your position. For a graph, what the visual shows.
- Cover every part, then stop. A complete short answer beats a long one with a gap in it.
- One idea per paragraph. If a paragraph holds two ideas, split it.
- Use examples from your own knowledge. Make up no statistics.
- Choose a voice and keep it. A letter to a manager and a letter to a friend should not sound alike, and an essay should sound the same from line one to the end.
- Keep your own error list. Check for it on the last read. Add to it after every practice.
- Practise under the clock. Twenty minutes for Task 1 and forty for Task 2. Stop when it ends.
- Save the last five minutes of each task for a full read. Read from the top, one slow pass.
Writing test practice: free, paid and ours
Free familiarisation and an online course that comes with a booking, a paid mock test from IDP, plus sample tasks from IELTS.org.
Free practice for Writing is plentiful. Here is where to find it, and what it gives you.
From IDP in Australia.
"The IELTS Familiarisation test, or IELTS mock test, helps you prepare for your test by providing sample test questions and are untimed, so you can familiarise yourself with the test screens and you can take your time navigating different parts of the test."
"When you book IELTS, we’ll give you instant access to a free online IELTS course, powered by Macquarie University in Australia."
- sample writing assessments with model responses.
"You can access the free online IELTS course when you book your test with any IDP IELTS test centre."
Those two lines are from an IDP Australia page dated 20/02/2022. IDP's preparation guide, dated 15/08/2022, says the free access runs for 4 days or 30 days, depending on the offer. Check your booking confirmation that the offer is still available.
IDP Australia also offers a full IELTS mock test, which it says it made with E2Language. Its page says: ‘Get an instant band score estimate, personalised feedback, and access to 25 live classes.’ It adds: ‘Enjoy 10% off with our code.’ A discount code means the test has a price, so it is not free. Check the price on IDP's page.
From IELTS.org.
"In Part 1, you are presented with a graph, table, chart or diagram and are asked to describe, summarise or explain the information in your own words."
"Responses to Sample Part 2 with band scores and examiner comments (PDF 492 KB - 5 pages)"
"General Training Writing sample scripts and examiner comments (PDF 362 KB - 3 pages)"
How to run a writing session
Our own routine, once you have a prompt.
- Set a timer for the task you are practising: twenty minutes for Task 1, forty for Task 2.
- Spend the first few minutes on a plan.
- Write straight through. Do not stop to look things up.
- When the timer ends, stop and count your words.
- Run a self-check: purpose or position, every part covered, one idea per paragraph, tone, errors.
- Write down one thing to do differently next time.
A one-week routine
| Day | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Academic Task 1: describe one visual in 20 minutes. Check for an overview. |
| 2 | General Training Task 1: one letter in 20 minutes. Check purpose, tone and bullets. |
| 3 | Task 2: plan only, for three questions. Count the parts each time. |
| 4 | Task 2: write one essay in 40 minutes. |
| 5 | Rewrite day 4 with a different position. Notice what changes. |
| 6 | A full timed paper in the mode you will sit: typed or handwritten. |
| 7 | Rest from writing. Read your error list and update it. |
If you sit only one test type, drop the tasks that do not apply to you and spend the time on more Task 2 practice. For a free topic bank, see IELTS writing topics and IELTS essay samples.
How the marking works
Four criteria, weighted equally, and a habit that helps with all of them.
Every Writing task is marked on four criteria, by trained examiners.
- Task achievement (for task 1) and task response (for task 2)
- Coherence and cohesion.
- Lexical resource.
- Grammatical range and accuracy.
"Each task is assessed independently. The criteria are weighted equally and the score on the task is the average. The assessment of Task 2 carries more weight in marking than Task 1."
"Your Writing test is marked by between 2 and 4 examiners to ensure the highest level of accuracy and fairness in the marks awarded."
That is why a self-check matters. Examiners read for whether you did the task, whether it holds together, whether your words fit and whether your grammar is accurate. IDP gives one habit that covers all four, and it applies to every task.
"Think about common mistakes you make in your writing and make a list. When practising your writing, look out for these mistakes in your drafts and correct them. Keep doing this every time you write to improve your editing skills."
"Remember to practise your writing daily and you will improve your skills and IELTS Writing score."
Common questions
Answer what the question asks, plan before you write, cover every part and check your work. IDP's four tips for the letter are right length, stay on topic, no notes or bullet points and the right style for the audience.
People who search for IELTS G usually mean General Training. Its Writing paper has two tasks: a letter and an essay. IELTS says: There are two Writing tasks and BOTH must be completed. Time allowed: 60 minutes.
IELTS Australia says paper tests are no longer available and all tests are delivered on computer. IELTS says that on computer you must type your answers on the screen, and describes a Writing on Paper option where you complete the Writing component by hand.
Use the free materials, write under the clock and run a self-check each time. IDP Australia's page, dated 20/02/2022, says that when you book IELTS you get access to a free online course powered by Macquarie University, which includes sample writing assessments with model responses. Its preparation guide, dated 15/08/2022, says the free access runs for 4 days or 30 days, depending on the offer. Check your booking confirmation that the offer is still available.
IDP says: an IELTS Task 1 response does not need a conclusion. It does say an overview must be included in your response.
IELTS says to write at least 150 words in about 20 minutes for Task 1, and at least 250 words in about 40 minutes for Task 2.
Task 2. IELTS says: Task 2 contributes twice as much as Task 1 to the Writing score.