Source: Adapted from free practice material published by IELTS buddy. Reformatted here; the original lesson pages are worth visiting.
One full Academic Writing paper: 60 minutes, both tasks, no pausing. Task 1 first, then Task 2 — and if you overrun on Task 1, you take the loss on Task 1, not on Task 2, which carries twice the weight.
Task 1
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The graph shows the proportion of the population aged 65 and over between 1940 and 2040 in three different countries.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
The graph itself isn't reproduced here — the image didn't survive the PDF conversion. The figures below are a dataset written to match the prompt so the task is still practisable. They are not the original numbers. Read them as if they were the lines on the chart.
| Year | Country A | Country B | Country C |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 9% | 7% | 5% |
| 1960 | 11% | 12% | 6% |
| 1980 | 12% | 16% | 9% |
| 2000 | 15% | 20% | 17% |
| 2020 | 17% | 21% | 25% |
| 2040 | 23% | 25% | 27% |
Task 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
Some people say that instead of seeing the Internet as a way of opening up new communication possibilities world-wide, we should be concerned about the effect this is having on social interaction.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this view?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or knowledge.
Write at least 250 words.
A model answer for this Task 2 prompt is in Task 2 Model Essay — Social Interaction and the Internet. Write yours first, then compare.