How are words counted in IELTS Writing?

IELTS Writing has two tasks in both versions of the test, Academic and General Training. IELTS says you must write “at least 150 words” in Task 1 and “at least 250 words” in Task 2.

IELTS does not publish a list of counting rules for Writing. We checked the IELTS test pages, the Writing band descriptors (the public scoring guide examiners use) and IDP’s guide to the computer test. IDP is one of the organisations that run IELTS. None of these says how numbers, symbols, hyphenated words or contractions are counted.

A hyphenated word has a short line (-) inside it, like well-known. A contraction is a short form with an apostrophe, like it’s for “it is”. For short answers in Reading and Listening, IELTS does say that “Hyphenated words such as ‘check-in’ count as single words”, but it does not say this applies to Writing.

In IELTS on computer, you normally type your Writing answers, and the screen shows a word count. IELTS does not say how that counter treats the cases below. So no word counter, including ours, can promise to match it exactly.

In the table, “Our counter” is what our counter shows. It counts each group of characters between spaces as one word. Our Writing practice uses the same rule.

Not as your own writing. The band descriptors say: “Any copied rubric must be discounted.” The rubric is the task wording, so examiners ignore words you copy from it.

Cambridge English, one of the IELTS partners, gives the same advice: “try to use your own words at all times by paraphrasing the question.” To paraphrase means to say the same idea in different words. When you check your count, do not paste the question into the counter.

IELTS does not take marks off automatically. Cambridge English’s IELTS FAQ says there is “no direct penalty” for writing fewer than 150 or 250 words. But it adds that fewer words “may therefore affect your score”.

The reason is evidence. IELTS says that if your answer is too short, “there may not be enough evidence of the language features needed in order to award higher bands”.

Examiners mark Writing on four criteria, or marking areas. The first is Task Achievement in Task 1 and Task Response in Task 2: how fully you answer the task, “using a minimum of” 150 or 250 words. Read how IELTS Writing is scored to see all four criteria.

The band descriptors name length only at the lowest bands. At band 3, they say vocabulary is inadequate, which “may be due to the response being significantly underlength” (much too short). Answers of 20 words or fewer get band 1.

Your Writing band is one of your four skill bands, so a lower Writing band can also lower your overall band. See how IELTS band scores are calculated.

There is no penalty for length. IELTS says “you will not be penalised for writing more than 250 words” in Task 2. It says the same about 150 words in Task 1.

The real cost is time. You have 60 minutes for both tasks, and Task 2 is worth twice as much as Task 1. IELTS warns that a longer Task 1 “may mean that you have less time to spend on Task 2”.

A very long Task 2 has risks too. IELTS says you “may not have time for checking and correcting at the end”, and some ideas may not be relevant to the question. So aim a little above the minimum, and keep a few minutes to check.

On computer, your typing speed decides how much you can write in the time. Check yours with our IELTS typing test. For a clear Task 2 plan, read our Task 2 opinion essay guide. Then time yourself on one of our Task 2 practice questions.