IELTS Writing Study Plan: 4 Weeks to Band 6+

If you're stuck at Band 5 and need to reach Band 6, this 4-week study plan gives you a structured path forward. Moving up one band level typically requires approximately 200 hours of guided study, but focused preparation on writing specifically can accelerate your progress.

This plan assumes you can dedicate 1-2 hours daily to IELTS Writing preparation. It's designed for students who already have intermediate English (B1-B2 level) but are not meeting IELTS requirements due to unfamiliarity with the test format or specific writing weaknesses.

Before You Start: Assessment

Before beginning the 4-week plan, complete a diagnostic essay to identify your weaknesses:

Diagnostic Task:
Write a full Task 2 essay in 40 minutes on this topic:

Some people think that environmental problems should be solved on a global scale while others believe it is better to deal with them nationally. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

After writing, honestly assess your work against the four criteria:

• Did you address all parts of the question? (Task Response)
• Are your paragraphs logically organized? (Coherence & Cohesion)
• Did you use varied vocabulary without too many errors? (Lexical Resource)
• Did you use different sentence structures accurately? (Grammar)

Note which areas need the most work. This plan addresses all four, but you should spend extra time on your weakest areas.

Week 1: Understanding the Test and Building Foundations

Goal: Master essay structure and understand exactly what examiners want.

Day 1: Learn the Format (1-1.5 hours)

Morning Focus: Task 2 Overview

• Read the official IELTS Writing Task 2 band descriptors
• Understand the four marking criteria
• Learn the 5 essay types: Opinion, Discussion, Problem-Solution, Advantages-Disadvantages, Two-Part Questions

Afternoon Practice:

• Read 3 sample Band 7 essays (find these on official IELTS sites or reputable prep sites)
• Note how each paragraph functions
• Identify the introduction, body paragraph, and conclusion patterns

Day 2: Master Essay Structure (1.5 hours)

Morning Focus: The 4-Paragraph Structure

• Introduction: paraphrase + thesis/outline (2-3 sentences)
• Body Paragraph 1: topic sentence + explanation + example (5-7 sentences)
• Body Paragraph 2: topic sentence + explanation + example (5-7 sentences)
• Conclusion: summary + final thought (2-3 sentences)

Practice:

• Outline 3 different essay questions (planning only, no full writing)
• Focus on creating clear topic sentences for body paragraphs

Day 3: Introduction Writing (1-1.5 hours)

Morning Focus: Writing Effective Introductions

• Learn to paraphrase the question (not copy it)
• Practice thesis statements that preview your essay
• Time yourself: aim for 5 minutes per introduction

Practice:

• Write introductions for 5 different questions
• Get feedback or compare with sample introductions

Day 4: Body Paragraph Development (1.5 hours)

Morning Focus: The PEEL Method

• Point: topic sentence stating your main idea
• Evidence: facts, examples, or reasoning
• Explanation: why this matters or how it connects
• Link: transition to next point or conclusion

Practice:

• Write 3 complete body paragraphs on different topics
• Check each paragraph has all PEEL elements

Day 5: Conclusions and Full Essay Practice (1.5-2 hours)

Morning Focus: Conclusion Writing

• Summarize main points (don't repeat exact words)
• Restate your position/answer
• Never introduce new ideas

Practice:

• Write a complete essay in 40 minutes (timed)
• Focus on following the structure correctly

Day 6: Review and Vocabulary Building (1 hour)

Morning:

• Review the week's work
• Identify recurring errors in your writing
• Start a vocabulary notebook with topic-specific words

Practice:

• Learn 10 useful connectors (however, furthermore, consequently, etc.)
• Practice using them in sentences

Day 7: Rest or Light Review

• Review vocabulary from the week
• Read one English article on an IELTS topic (education, technology, environment)
• No intensive writing

Week 2: Developing Grammar and Vocabulary

Goal: Improve Grammatical Range and Accuracy + Lexical Resource scores.

Day 8: Common Grammar Errors (1.5 hours)

Focus: Subject-Verb Agreement

• Review the rule: singular subjects take singular verbs
• Practice with complex subjects ("The number of students is...")
• Identify and correct errors in sample sentences

Practice:

• Complete grammar exercises on subject-verb agreement
• Write 10 sentences with complex subjects

Day 9: Sentence Variety (1.5 hours)

Focus: Simple, Compound, and Complex Sentences

• Simple: one independent clause
• Compound: two independent clauses joined by FANBOYS (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so)
• Complex: independent clause + dependent clause (because, although, when, if)

Practice:

• Take 10 simple sentences and convert them to complex sentences
• Write a paragraph using all three sentence types

Day 10: Article Usage (1 hour)

Focus: The/A/An and Zero Article

• "The" for specific, known things
• "A/an" for general, countable, singular things
• No article for general plurals and uncountable nouns

Practice:

• Complete article exercises
• Review an essay you wrote and check all articles

Day 11: Topic Vocabulary—Education (1.5 hours)

Focus: Learning Education-Related Vocabulary

• Academic words: curriculum, assessment, cognitive development
• Collocations: acquire knowledge, pursue education, foster creativity
• Opinion phrases for education topics

Practice:

• Write one essay on an education topic using at least 10 new vocabulary items
• Time: 40 minutes

Day 12: Topic Vocabulary—Technology (1.5 hours)

Focus: Learning Technology-Related Vocabulary

• Digital terms: innovation, automation, connectivity
• Collocations: technological advancement, access to information
• Critical phrases: over-reliance on technology, digital divide

Practice:

• Outline an essay on technology
• Write two body paragraphs using new vocabulary

Day 13: Topic Vocabulary—Environment (1.5 hours)

Focus: Learning Environment-Related Vocabulary

• Environmental terms: sustainability, carbon emissions, biodiversity
• Problem vocabulary: pollution, deforestation, climate change
• Solution vocabulary: renewable energy, conservation, eco-friendly

Practice:

• Write a complete essay on an environmental topic (40 minutes)
• Highlight all topic-specific vocabulary you used

Day 14: Week Review and Full Essay (2 hours)

Morning:

• Review all vocabulary from the week
• Create flashcards for words you don't remember
• Review grammar rules covered

Practice:

• Write a full essay on any topic (40 minutes)
• After writing, check for:
  • Sentence variety (simple, compound, complex)
  • Article errors
  • Subject-verb agreement

Week 3: Task Response and Coherence

Goal: Improve Task Response and Coherence & Cohesion scores.

Day 15: Addressing All Parts of the Question (1.5 hours)

Focus: Task Response Requirements

• Understanding what each question type requires
• Ensuring your essay addresses all parts equally
• Staying on topic throughout the essay

Practice:

• Analyze 3 essay questions: underline what each requires
• Outline responses that address every part

Day 16: Opinion Essay Practice (1.5-2 hours)

Focus: "Do you agree or disagree?"

• Taking a clear position
• Supporting your position with reasons and examples
• Maintaining consistent position throughout

Practice:

• Write a complete opinion essay (40 minutes)
• Check: Is your position clear from the introduction to conclusion?

Day 17: Discussion Essay Practice (1.5-2 hours)

Focus: "Discuss both views and give your opinion"

• Presenting both perspectives fairly
• Stating your own opinion clearly
• Balancing discussion with your position

Practice:

• Write a complete discussion essay (40 minutes)
• Check: Did you discuss BOTH views AND give your opinion?

Day 18: Coherence—Paragraphing (1.5 hours)

Focus: Logical Paragraph Organization

• One main idea per paragraph
• Topic sentences that state the paragraph's purpose
• Logical flow between paragraphs

Practice:

• Take an essay with poor paragraphing and restructure it
• Write an essay outline with clear paragraph purposes

Day 19: Cohesion—Linking Devices (1.5 hours)

Focus: Using Connectors Effectively

• Addition: furthermore, moreover, additionally
• Contrast: however, nevertheless, on the other hand
• Cause/effect: therefore, consequently, as a result
• Example: for instance, such as, to illustrate

Caution: Don't overuse connectors—this can reduce your score

Practice:

• Write an essay using varied connectors
• Check that each connector logically fits its position

Day 20: Pronoun Reference and Substitution (1 hour)

Focus: Using Pronouns for Cohesion

• Using "this," "these," "such" to refer back
• Avoiding repetition through synonyms
• Making clear what pronouns refer to

Practice:

• Identify unclear pronoun references in sample writing
• Revise an essay to improve cohesion through reference

Day 21: Full Practice and Review (2 hours)

Practice:

• Write a complete essay (40 minutes)
• After writing, evaluate yourself against all four criteria
• Identify your most persistent errors

Week 4: Timed Practice and Refinement

Goal: Build exam-day speed and confidence.

Day 22: Task 1 Introduction (1.5 hours)

If you're taking Academic IELTS, you also need Task 1 skills.

Focus: Describing Visual Data

• Introduction: paraphrase + overview
• Body paragraphs: key features with data
• No conclusion needed (or brief one)

Practice:

• Write one Task 1 response (20 minutes)

Day 23: Full Mock Test—Writing (1 hour 10 minutes)

Complete a Full Writing Test Under Exam Conditions:

• Task 1: 20 minutes
• Task 2: 40 minutes
• No breaks, no dictionaries, no outside help

After Completion:

• Review your work
• Note what you struggled with
• Check timing—did you finish both tasks?

Day 24: Weak Area Focus (1.5 hours)

Based on your mock test, focus on your weakest area:

• If Task Response is weak: practice question analysis and planning
• If Coherence is weak: practice outlining and paragraph structure
• If Vocabulary is weak: learn more topic words and collocations
• If Grammar is weak: review rules for your most common errors

Day 25: Speed Writing Practice (1.5 hours)

Focus: Writing Faster Without Sacrificing Quality

• Practice 5-minute planning
• Write body paragraphs in 8-10 minutes each
• Aim to finish Task 2 with 5 minutes for proofreading

Practice:

• Write 3 body paragraphs, timing each one
• Write one introduction in 5 minutes

Day 26: Proofreading Practice (1 hour)

Focus: Finding and Fixing Your Common Errors

• Create a personal checklist of your frequent mistakes
• Practice proofreading sample essays
• Develop a systematic checking routine

Practice:

• Proofread an essay you wrote earlier
• Time yourself: can you check effectively in 5 minutes?

Day 27: Final Mock Test (1 hour 10 minutes)

Complete Another Full Writing Test:

• Compare to your first mock test
• Note improvements and remaining weaknesses
• Adjust focus for final day of preparation

Day 28: Final Review and Rest (1 hour)

Morning:

• Review your personal error checklist
• Go through vocabulary flashcards
• Reread the band descriptors

Afternoon:

• Light reading in English
• Rest your mind
• Prepare materials for test day

Daily Habits Throughout the 4 Weeks

Every Day:

• Read one English article (BBC, Guardian, Economist)
• Learn 5 new vocabulary items
• Review yesterday's vocabulary

Every Writing Session:

• Set a timer
• Plan before writing
• Proofread after writing
• Note errors for review

Every Week:

• Write at least 2 complete essays
• Review all essays from the week
• Update your error checklist

What to Expect After 4 Weeks

If you follow this plan consistently:

• You'll understand exactly what IELTS Writing requires
• Your essay structure will be clear and consistent
• You'll have vocabulary for the most common topics
• Your grammar errors should decrease
• You'll be able to complete essays in 40 minutes

Moving from Band 5 to Band 6+ is realistic in 4 weeks if you're already at an intermediate English level. Moving from Band 6 to Band 7 typically requires more time and deeper work on accuracy and sophistication.

After the 4 Weeks

Continue practicing:

• Write 2-3 essays per week
• Get feedback on your writing (teacher, AI tool, or study partner)
• Focus on eliminating your persistent errors
• Expand vocabulary for less common topics

Want personalized feedback on your practice essays? BandWriteCoach analyzes your writing against IELTS criteria and creates a customized study path based on your specific weaknesses.