WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Improve accuracy by checking the task, answering every required part and reviewing a small number of recurring errors. More words and memorised phrases do not automatically produce a better band score.
Check the instruction before the answer
In short-answer tasks, the word limit is part of the task. If the instruction permits no more than two words, an otherwise sensible three-word phrase can be invalid. Practise extracting the precise answer instead of copying a whole sentence.
Build a habit of checking spelling, singular/plural forms and whether a number is requested. These small checks are more useful than assuming you understood the instruction because the topic looked familiar.
Plan for every part of Writing
Academic Writing Task 1 requires at least 150 words and Task 2 at least 250; Task 2 contributes twice as much to the Writing score. Read what the prompt requires before drafting. Length alone is not evidence of relevance or organisation.
For an original practice prompt asking for advantages and disadvantages, a response describing only benefits leaves part of the task unanswered. Make a two-line plan covering both sides, then use each paragraph to develop one clear point. Do not import a memorised essay on a loosely related topic.
Replace decoration with clear meaning
Use a connector because the relationship needs it. “However” should signal contrast, not merely begin the next sentence. Likewise, choose vocabulary you can use accurately rather than inserting an unfamiliar word to sound advanced.
Record a short spoken answer and listen for missing explanations, repeated fillers and places where the listener may lose your point. Work on intelligibility and coherent development instead of copying an accent.
Review one pattern at a time
After a practice task, classify errors: instruction, comprehension, language or timing. Correct the response and explain why the correction works. Then attempt a new task that requires the same skill.
Your next action is a ten-minute audit of your last writing response: underline the task requirements, mark where each is answered and identify one sentence that could be clearer. Avoid another full test until you understand what this audit revealed.
Sources and further reading
Sources checked 2026-10-13. Examples and planning suggestions are Effikos editorial guidance.
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