How to Write an IELTS Task 2 Essay in 40 Minutes (Step-by-Step)

Reading time: 14 minutes

You have 60 minutes for the entire IELTS Writing test. Task 1 should take 20 minutes. That leaves you 40 minutes for Task 2—the essay that counts for two-thirds of your Writing score.

Forty minutes sounds reasonable until you're sitting in the exam hall, heart racing, watching the clock while trying to construct coherent arguments about a topic you've never seen before.

This guide breaks down exactly how to spend those 40 minutes. Not theory—practical, minute-by-minute strategy that prevents the time panic that kills scores.

Why Time Management Matters More Than You Think

Here's a brutal fact from IELTS experts: "If you don't finish your essay and fail to write a conclusion, you will end up with a Band 5 in Task Response."

That's not an exaggeration. An incomplete essay cannot score above Band 5 for Task Achievement, regardless of how brilliant your writing is. And Task Achievement is 25% of your Writing score.

But there's another time trap students fall into: rushing. Students who panic and speed-write often produce essays full of grammar errors, underdeveloped ideas, and poor coherence. They finish on time but score Band 5 anyway.

The goal isn't to finish fast. It's to use your time strategically so you finish completely with quality.

The 40-Minute Blueprint

Here's the optimal breakdown:

Let's break down each phase.

Phase 1: Read & Analyze (Minutes 0-2)

Goal: Understand exactly what you're being asked to do.

This might seem obvious, but many students lose marks by answering the wrong question. IELTS Task 2 has specific question types, and each requires a different approach:

Opinion/Agree-Disagree:
"To what extent do you agree or disagree?"
→ You must state and justify YOUR position

Discussion:
"Discuss both views and give your opinion."
→ You must cover BOTH sides, then give your view

Advantages/Disadvantages:
"Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?"
→ You must discuss both AND make a judgment

Problem/Solution:
"What are the causes and how can this be solved?"
→ You must address causes AND solutions

Two-Part Questions:
"Why is this? Is this positive or negative?"
→ You must answer BOTH questions

What to do in these 2 minutes:

1. Read the question twice
2. Underline the key instruction words (agree/disagree, discuss both, etc.)
3. Identify if there are multiple parts you must address
4. Note the topic and any specific scope

Common trap: Students skim the question, assume they understand it, then write an essay that only partially addresses it. An essay that brilliantly argues one side of a "discuss both views" question will score Band 5-6 for Task Response—no matter how well-written it is.

Phase 2: Plan (Minutes 2-7)

Goal: Create a roadmap for your essay before you write.

"But planning wastes time!" many students protest. Research and experience prove otherwise. Students who plan:

• Write faster (no stopping mid-essay to think of ideas)
• Stay on topic (the plan keeps them focused)
• Produce more coherent essays (structure is decided upfront)
• Feel less panicked (they know what comes next)

Students who skip planning often "start writing and suddenly get new ideas and think, 'maybe I should put that in' hoping to impress the examiner with sophisticated ideas." This leads to messy, unfocused essays.

What to do in these 5 minutes:

Step 1: Brainstorm (2 minutes)

Jot down every idea that comes to mind. Don't censor. Quantity first.

Example prompt: "Some people think that governments should invest more in public transport. Others believe the money should be spent on roads and highways. Discuss both views and give your opinion."

Brainstorm:

• Public transport: environment, reduces congestion, cheaper for poor people, health (walking to stations), less accidents
• Roads: economic growth, rural access, existing cars need roads, job creation, personal freedom
• My view: combination needed, but public transport priority in cities

Step 2: Select and organize (2 minutes)

Choose your 2-3 strongest points for each body paragraph. Discard weak ideas.

Plan:

• Body 1 (Public transport): environment + congestion (with city example)
• Body 2 (Roads): rural access + economic growth (with development example)
• My position: both needed, but public transport priority for urban sustainability

Step 3: Note your thesis (1 minute)

Write one sentence summarizing your position. This will become your thesis statement.

"While road infrastructure remains important for economic development, I believe public transport investment should be prioritized in urban areas due to environmental and efficiency benefits."

Your plan should look like this:

INTRO: Paraphrase topic + thesis (public transport priority)

BODY 1: Public transport benefits
- Environment (emissions, pollution)
- Congestion (cities like Tokyo vs. LA)

BODY 2: Road benefits
- Rural connectivity (developing regions)
- Economic growth (freight, business)

CONCLUSION: Both matter, but urban public transport priority

This entire plan fits on a few lines. It's not elaborate—it's functional.

Phase 3: Write the Introduction (Minutes 7-10)

Goal: Write 2-3 sentences that introduce the topic and state your position.

Your introduction needs only two things:

1. Background/paraphrase of the topic
2. Your thesis (your answer to the question)

Structure:

Sentence 1: Paraphrase the question topic
Sentence 2: (Optional) Add brief context
Sentence 3: Your thesis statement

Example:

"Investment in transportation infrastructure is a significant policy debate, with some advocating for public transit systems while others prioritize road networks. This essay will examine arguments for both approaches before explaining why I believe public transport should receive greater funding in urban contexts."

What NOT to do:

• Don't write a lengthy introduction (40-50 words is enough)
• Don't include your main arguments yet (save for body)
• Don't use memorized phrases like "In today's modern world..."
• Don't repeat the question word-for-word

Time trap: Some students spend 10+ minutes perfecting their introduction. Your introduction is worth very little compared to your body paragraphs. Get it done and move on.

Phase 4: Write Body Paragraph 1 (Minutes 10-20)

Goal: Develop your first main idea with explanation and example.

Each body paragraph should follow this structure:

1. Topic sentence – State the paragraph's main idea
2. Explanation – Develop the idea, explain why/how
3. Example – Provide specific evidence or illustration
4. Link – (Optional) Connect back to thesis

Example Body Paragraph:

"Public transport systems offer significant environmental and efficiency advantages for urban areas. When more commuters use buses, trams, and metro systems, the number of private vehicles decreases, directly reducing carbon emissions and air pollution. Additionally, a single metro line can transport thousands of passengers per hour—far exceeding the capacity of equivalent road space. Tokyo demonstrates this effectively: despite having one of the world's largest populations, its extensive rail network prevents the severe traffic congestion seen in car-dependent cities like Los Angeles. These benefits suggest that public transport investment yields substantial returns for densely populated urban environments."

Word count: ~95 words
Time: ~8-10 minutes

What to focus on:

• Clear topic sentence (examiner immediately knows what the paragraph is about)
• Logical development (each sentence follows from the previous)
• Specific example (Tokyo/LA is concrete; "some countries" is vague)
• Relevance to the question

Common trap: Students write three disconnected points instead of developing one idea fully. This scores lower for coherence. One well-developed idea beats three superficial ones.

Phase 5: Write Body Paragraph 2 (Minutes 20-30)

Goal: Develop your second main idea with the same structure.

Follow the identical pattern: Topic sentence → Explanation → Example → Link

Example Body Paragraph:

"However, road infrastructure investment remains essential for certain contexts, particularly rural connectivity and economic development. Many regions lack the population density to support efficient public transit, meaning roads provide the only viable transportation option for residents. Furthermore, freight transportation—critical for commerce and industry—depends heavily on highway networks. Developing countries like India have demonstrated that strategic highway construction can unlock economic growth in previously isolated areas by connecting farms to markets and enabling industrial development. Therefore, dismissing road investment entirely would neglect the needs of rural populations and economic logistics."

Word count: ~100 words
Time: ~8-10 minutes

Balance consideration: For "discuss both views" questions, give approximately equal attention to each view. Body paragraphs of similar length signal balanced discussion.

Phase 6: Write the Conclusion (Minutes 30-34)

Goal: Summarize your position in 2-3 sentences without introducing new ideas.

Your conclusion should:

1. Restate your thesis (using different words)
2. Briefly summarize why
3. (Optional) Add a final thought or recommendation

Example Conclusion:

"In conclusion, while road networks serve important functions for rural areas and economic logistics, urban transportation policy should prioritize public transit systems. The environmental benefits and efficiency gains of metro and bus networks make them better suited to address the challenges facing modern cities. A balanced approach—investing in roads where necessary but focusing on public transport in urban centers—would serve societies most effectively."

Word count: ~65 words
Time: ~3-4 minutes

What NOT to do:

• Don't introduce new arguments
• Don't use "In a nutshell" or "To sum up" (overused)
• Don't write a lengthy conclusion
• Don't just copy your introduction word-for-word

Critical reminder: An essay without a conclusion cannot score above Band 5 for Task Achievement. Even a brief, simple conclusion is infinitely better than none.

Phase 7: Review & Edit (Minutes 34-40)

Goal: Catch errors and improve clarity.

You have 6 minutes. Use them strategically.

First pass (2 minutes): Read for sense

• Does each paragraph have a clear main idea?
• Does your essay actually answer the question?
• Are any sentences confusing?

Second pass (2 minutes): Check grammar hotspots

Focus on YOUR common errors. For many students, this means:

• Subject-verb agreement ("The reasons is..." → "The reasons are...")
• Article usage (the/a/an or omission)
• Tense consistency
• Plural/singular nouns

Third pass (2 minutes): Quick fixes

• Spelling of key topic words
• Clear paragraph breaks (did you indent or leave space?)
• Word count check (aim for 270-290 words)

What NOT to do:

• Don't rewrite entire sentences (no time)
• Don't second-guess your arguments
• Don't add new ideas
• Don't panic if you find errors—fix what you can

Pro tip: Know your personal error patterns before the exam. If you always mess up articles, spend your review time specifically checking articles. Targeted review beats random reading.

Putting It All Together: Sample Timeline

What If You're Running Behind?

If you reach minute 30 and haven't finished Body Paragraph 2:

Option A: Shorten Body Paragraph 2 but still include a conclusion. A shorter-than-ideal body paragraph with a conclusion beats a detailed body paragraph with no conclusion.

Option B: If your body paragraph needs just 2-3 more sentences, finish it quickly, then write a one-sentence conclusion: "In conclusion, while both approaches have merit, [your thesis]."

Never skip the conclusion.

Common Time Traps and How to Avoid Them

Trap 1: Perfectionist introduction
"I spent 15 minutes on my intro and it was beautiful"
→ Solution: Set a hard limit. Introduction done by minute 10, period.

Trap 2: Changing your position mid-essay
"I had a better idea halfway through"
→ Solution: Stick to your plan. A consistent argument beats a brilliant argument you don't have time to execute.

Trap 3: Writing too much
"I wrote 400 words and couldn't finish"
→ Solution: More words ≠ higher score. Aim for 270-290. Quality over quantity.

Trap 4: No planning
"I dove straight into writing"
→ Solution: Force yourself to plan for 5 minutes. It feels slow but saves time overall.

Trap 5: Reading the question wrong
"I wrote a great opinion essay but they asked for discussion"
→ Solution: Spend the first 2 minutes truly understanding what's being asked.

Practice Makes Automatic

The timeline above will feel mechanical at first. That's fine. Practice it enough times that it becomes automatic:

1. Practice under timed conditions (not "when you feel like stopping")
2. Use a visible timer during practice
3. Reflect after each practice: Where did you lose time? Where were you efficient?
4. Adjust your personal timeline based on your strengths

If you write fast but plan poorly, spend 6-7 minutes planning instead of 5. If you write slowly but edit quickly, shift 2 minutes from review to body paragraphs.

The goal is finding YOUR optimal breakdown within the 40-minute constraint.

Final Thought

Time pressure in IELTS Writing isn't going away. You can't ask for more time. You can't skip tasks. The only variable you control is how you use the time you have.

Students who practice with time management in mind—not just "essay writing practice"—outperform those who write leisurely practice essays and then panic on test day.

Forty minutes is enough time. You just have to spend it wisely.

Want personalized feedback on your timed essays? We're currently in closed beta—join the waitlist to get early access to detailed essay analysis.