The best IELTS Writing resources—when it comes to practice materials at least—are the official resources from the makers of the test. For tutorials on how to write well, however, much of the best instruction comes from test prep companies, including Magoosh. In this post, we’ll look at all of the top official and unofficial sources of stellar IELTS Writing prep.
Real, Official IELTS Writing Questions
As I mentioned above, the highest quality practice questions come from official sources. One excellent way to get your hands on official questions is to purchase Cambridge IELTS prep books with practice tests, since these tests will include Writing sections.
But the makers of the IELTS (Cambridge, British Council, and IELTS IDP) also offer quite a few free IELTS Writing questions online. Below is a roundup of pages from the four official IELTS websites where you can get official practice questions:
- British Council Practice Tests for IELTS (Writing Sections)
- The IELTS.org practice test (click on the Academic or GT Writing tabs in the middle of the screen)
- IELTS.org sample practice questions for the paper IELTS (again, click on the appropriate tabs)
- IELTS.org sample practice questions for the computer-delivered IELTS (You guessed it– click the Academic or General Training Writing tabs!)
- IELTS IDP Practice Questions for IELTS CDT (Scroll down to Writing near the bottom of the page– Academic Writing only!)
- Cambridge.org IELTS Academic Writing Section (PDF)
- Cambridge.org IELTS General Training Academic Writing Section (PDF)
Between these different online IELTS Writing resources, you can get 25 free IELTS Writing Practice questions. The websites that host these practice materials also have additional tutorials and skills-building activities for Writing. For more info on these sites see my article on how to use the four main official IELTS websites.
Books That Can Help You With IELTS Writing
I honestly haven’t been able to find that many great IELTS Writing resources when it comes to books that focus exclusively on the Writing section. The good news is that there are still plenty of books that offer stellar IELTS Writing practice, tips, and tricks. It’s just that the best IELTS Writing resources in print are “whole IELTS books,” with really good Writing chapters. For a review of my top picks for IELTS books that offer Writing support, see Magoosh’s page of IELTS book reviews.
IELTS Writing Resources for the Different Question Types
Each of the three IELTS Writing tasks (Academic Task 1, General Training task 1, and Task 2) have a few different possible question types. Below are some IELTS Writing resources for these question types, including example questions and model essays for each type.
- Types of IELTS Writing Questions (Task 1, Academic)
- Types of IELTS Writing Questions (Task 1, General Training)
- Question Types for the Second IELTS Writing Task
IELTS Writing Resources: The Writing Process
Writing a good IELTS essay involves prewriting— the process of brainstorming ideas and creating a rough outline of your essay. It also requires actual writing, of course– putting those prewritten ideas into a well-structured response. Right here on our IELTS Blog, Magoosh offers a lot of great IELTS Writing resources for the writing process, from your first thoughts to the finished essay:
Task 1 (Academic)
- Paragraph Structure in the First IELTS Academic Writing Task
- How to Get a Band 9 in Task 1 (Academic)
Task 1 (General Training)
Task 2
- Brainstorming Essay Topics for IELTS Writing Task 2
- The Best IELTS Writing Task 2 Template
- How to Write the Body Paragraphs in a Writing Task 1 Essay
IELTS Writing Resources for Vocabulary and Word Choice
Sometimes half the battle of writing a good IELTS essay is simply finding the right words. Here are some IELTS Writing resources to help you find and use the best words!
Vocabulary Guides for Task 1 Academic
- Vocabulary for the First IELTS Writing Task: An Overview
- Useful Words for Describing Task 1 Graphs in IELTS Writing
- How to Describe an IELTS Writing Task 1 Map
- Process Diagram Vocabulary for IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
A Vocabulary Tutorial for General Training Task 1
Vocabulary IELTS Writing Resources (Task 2)
- Vocabulary for IELTS Writing Task 2: General Advice
- Advanced Vocabulary Use for a Band 9 in Task 2
- Vocabulary for the Introduction in a Task 2 Essay
Vocabulary for the Whole IELTS Writing Section
Tips and Tricks for IELTS Writing
Some IELTS Writing resources don’t focus on just one specific skill or one particular aspect of the tasks. Instead, they give general tips and tricks. I’ve rounded up Magoosh’s best “tips and tricks” IELTS Writing posts in this section:
Task 1 Tips and Tricks for IELTS Writing
- IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 Tips and Examples
- Making the Most of Your 20 Minutes In IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
Tips and Tricks for the Second IELTS Writing Task
Tips and Tricks that Apply to Both Tasks
- Magoosh’s Complete Guide to IELTS Writing
- How Many Words to Write in the IELTS
- The IELTS Word Count Penalty (and how to avoid it)
- The Best IELTS Writing Tips
That’s all we have for the best IELTS writing resources! Do you have other tried and true resources? Feel free to leave them in the comments below!
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