Timing is important in the writing section of the IELTS exam. Many can execute the two tasks brilliantly when they haven’t a deadline, but the one-hour time limit on test day is a challenge. It’s a good idea to learn how to use those minutes well so you can complete the tasks and keep your scores up. It’s easy to divide the time between the assignments based on length and weight of score. Whether you are writing the Academic or the General test, you will be required to complete two writing tasks in one hour. If you are writing the academic test, Task 1 is a 150-word report, and Task 2 is a 250-word essay. For the general, it’s a 150-word letter and a 250-word essay. The essay is more important, so spend more time on it, giving you 20 minutes for task 1 and 40 for Task 2. More specifically, your timelines might look like this: TASK Analyze and Plan Write Revise 1 3 minutes 10 minutes 2 minutes