How can I improve my Writing skills?

To improve your writing skills, it's really important that you study and practice. Writing is, on average, people's weakest area, and this is usually because they don't practise it enough. In this article, we'll suggest some tips for improving.

Our AI Mini Mock test allows you to see an estimated score for all four skills, including detailed AI feedback on Speaking and Writing. This quick assessment helps you quickly identify your strengths and areas for improvement. Read this article to find out more and start your Mini Mock test today!

There are several things you can do to improve your writing before your test and our site can help you with mock tests, classes, training and practice!

• Make sure you understand the requirements of the test. There are two tasks in IELTS Writing. Get familiar with all the possible question types and do practice. The best place to do this is with our Writing courses. Choose Study from the menu and choose Courses for a complete course on writing or Topics to choose a specific topic to learn about. 
• Practice writing each task - 1 and 2 - in the time allowed. You have 60 minutes in total for IELTS Writing. Try to write Task 1 in around 20 minutes and Task 2 in around 40 minutes. Our Mock Tests can help you to do this. Choose Practice from the menu, select Writing, and then choose to take a timed Mock Test. At the end, you can compare your answers to our bank of example answers from your History page which is found on the sidebar menu.
• If you want AI scoring and feedback for any Writing practice you have done, you can buy a Gateway or Advantage FlexCheck AI package. You can then receive feedback on your work, including anything saved on your History page, until your IELTS test date (on IELTS FLEX, you can also get tutor feedback on your Writing tasks). 
• Read the question carefully and make a plan before you start writing. Planning can help you stay on topic and make sure you answer all of the question. Using our Writing Builder feature when doing Practice on the website helps you think about the question and make a plan before writing. Choose Practice from the menu, select Writing, and then Practice to work through the questions and use the planning tool before you start writing.
• It's also important to be familiar with common IELTS topics. Make sure you read articles and essays, and note down new vocabulary or grammatical structures that you can use in your test. 
• Be careful with your spelling and punctuation, too! You will lose marks if you make mistakes.
• If you are taking IELTS on Paper, make sure your handwriting is clear and easy to understand. 
• Use paragraphs. Make sure each paragraph has a central topic and purpose, and use a blank line to separate paragraphs in your writing. This makes it much easier for an examiner to read and digest.

See also: How can I study on the site?