Free IELTS Writing Exam Questions and Answers

Task 2. 'Rapid population growth in cities is causing serious problems. What are the main problems, and how can they be dealt with?' Which sentence from a candidate's introduction uses vocabulary most accurately and naturally?

• AA. Rapid urbanisation has done a heavy pressure to housing and public services in many major cities.
• BB. Rapid urbanisation has taken considerable pressure on housing and public services in many major cities.
• CC. Rapid urbanisation has placed considerable pressure on housing and public services in many major cities.
• DD. Rapid urbanisation has made considerable pressure of housing and public services in many major cities.

Task 2 prompt: 'Some people believe that tourism damages the culture of the places visited. To what extent do you agree or disagree?' A candidate writes this sentence: 'Tourism makes local culture go bad because lots of tourists come and do things that are not good for the traditions.' Which revision uses the most precise and natural vocabulary while keeping the meaning?

• AA. Mass tourism can annihilate local traditions when visitor demand turns ceremonies into commercial performances.
• BB. Mass tourism can wear off local traditions when visitor demand turns ceremonies into commercial performances.
• CC. Mass tourism can erode local traditions when visitor demand turns ceremonies into commerce performances.
• DD. Mass tourism can erode local traditions when visitor demand turns ceremonies into commercial performances.

A candidate wants to write about a past policy failure in a Task 2 essay on urban transport. Which sentence uses the third conditional correctly?

• AA. If the city built more cycle lanes in the 1990s, fewer residents would have chosen to drive.
• BB. If the city had built more cycle lanes in the 1990s, fewer residents will have chosen to drive.
• CC. If the city had built more cycle lanes in the 1990s, fewer residents would have chosen to drive.
• DD. If the city would have built more cycle lanes in the 1990s, fewer residents would have chosen to drive.

Academic Writing Task 1 The line graph shows the number of members of a gym during one year. Exhibit: The number of members was 2,000 in January. It increased at a constant, moderate rate to 3,500 in June. From June to December it stayed at about 3,500. Which sentence describes the graph using the most accurate vocabulary?

• AA. Membership jumped dramatically from 2,000 in January to 3,500 in June before it fell flat.
• BB. Membership fluctuated from 2,000 in January to 3,500 in June and then remained at its lowest point.
• CC. Membership grew gradually from 2,000 in January to 3,500 in June and then levelled off until December.
• DD. Membership soared sharply from 2,000 in January to 3,500 in June, then stabilising until December.

Task 2. 'Many people drive to work because cycling feels unsafe. What can governments do to reduce car use?' A candidate wants to write a conditional sentence about a realistic future possibility. The first draft reads: 'If governments will invest more in cycle lanes, fewer people drive to work.' Which revision corrects the grammatical error while keeping the conditional structure?

• AA. If governments will invest more in cycle lanes, fewer people will drive to work.
• BB. If governments would invest more in cycle lanes, fewer people would drive to work.
• CC. If governments invest more in cycle lanes, fewer people will drive to work.
• DD. If governments invested more in cycle lanes, fewer people will drive to work.

Academic Task 1. The table shows the percentage of residents who cycled to work in two cities. Exhibit: City | 2000 | 2020 Leeds | 8% | 14% Bath | 5% | 5% A candidate wants to compare the two cities in 2000 in one sentence. Which sentence links the two figures most appropriately?

• AA. In 2000, 8% of Leeds residents cycled to work, because the figure for Bath was only 5%.
• BB. In 2000, 8% of Leeds residents cycled to work, whereas the figure for Bath was only 5%.
• CC. In 2000, 8% of Leeds residents cycled to work, so the figure for Bath was only 5%.
• DD. In 2000, 8% of Leeds residents cycled to work; for example, the figure for Bath was only 5%.

General Training Task 1. You are writing a semi-formal letter to a neighbour whose dog barks at night. Which sentence is grammatically accurate?

• AA. I would be grateful if you could to keep the dog inside after ten o'clock.
• BB. I would be grateful if you could keep the dog inside after ten o'clock.
• CC. I would be grateful if you can keeping the dog inside after ten o'clock.
• DD. I would be grateful if you will keep the dog inside after ten o'clock.

Task 2. 'Online shopping is replacing traditional shops. Is this a positive or negative development?' A candidate wants to use the present perfect passive to describe a change that is still continuing. Which sentence does this accurately?

• AA. Over the past decade, many small shops have closed down by online retailers.
• BB. Over the past decade, many small shops have been forced to close by online retailers.
• CC. Over the past decade, many small shops have been force to close by online retailers.
• DD. Over the past decade, many small shops were forced to close by online retailers.

Writing Task 2 Write about the following topic: Museums should be free for everyone to enter. To what extent do you agree or disagree? A candidate agrees and is writing a sentence for the first body paragraph about families on low incomes. Which sentence shows the most precise and natural use of vocabulary?

• AA. Free entry would abolish the cultural heritage of low-income families who currently cannot afford the ticket price.
• BB. Free entry would widen access to cultural heritage for low-income families who currently cannot afford the ticket price.
• CC. Free entry would be a very good thing for families who have little money and cannot pay for the tickets.
• DD. Free entry would improve the cultural heritage of low-income families who currently cannot afford the ticket price.

Writing Task 2 Nowadays many people choose to buy goods online rather than in shops. Why is this, and is it a positive or a negative development? A candidate is planning a four-paragraph essay (introduction, two body paragraphs, conclusion). Which plan addresses every part of the question and keeps a clear position?

• AA. Paragraph 2 explains two or three reasons for the trend, paragraph 3 weighs its effects and argues that it is mainly positive, and the conclusion restates that position.
• BB. Paragraph 2 explains how online stores have damaged local shops, paragraph 3 explains why this harms town centres, and the conclusion argues that the development is negative.
• CC. Paragraph 2 lists the reasons for online shopping, paragraph 3 lists its positive and negative effects in equal measure, and the conclusion says that people hold different opinions on the issue.
• DD. Paragraph 2 explains why people shop online, paragraph 3 describes how the high street has changed over the last twenty years, and the conclusion states that online shopping is unavoidable.