IELTS Writing Checker - instant essay analysis
Paste your Task 1 or Task 2 response to check word count, paragraphing, sentence variety, vocabulary range, and cohesive devices instantly. Free, private, and no sign-up - your text never leaves your browser.
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Want your actual band score?
This checker measures the things you can count - length, paragraphing, sentence variety, vocabulary range, and linking. It cannot judge Task Response or grammar accuracy, which is half of your IELTS Writing band. For a full band across all four official criteria with examiner-style feedback, submit a response on a real practice test - the first one is free.
What the IELTS Writing checker measures
IELTS Writing is marked on four equally weighted criteria: Task Achievement or Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy. Two of those depend on the ideas and grammar in your specific answer and need an examiner. The other two leave clear, countable footprints that you can check and fix yourself before you ever submit. This tool surfaces those footprints.
Length and structure
Word count against the 250-word (Task 2) or 150-word (Task 1) minimum, paragraph count, and average sentence length. Going under the minimum caps your Task Achievement; one long block of text caps your Coherence and Cohesion.
Vocabulary and cohesion
The share of unique words (a proxy for vocabulary range), the cohesive devices you have used, and any content word you have repeated too often. These map directly onto the Lexical Resource and Coherence and Cohesion descriptors.
Use the checker as a pre-submission habit: paste your response, clear every warning, then get the part it cannot see. For the full picture across all four criteria, including Task Response and grammar, take a free IELTS Writing practice test and submit your answer for examiner-style band feedback. You can also study band 7 to 9 model answers, build cohesion with our Task 2 linking words guide, and convert your section scores with the IELTS band score calculator.
IELTS Writing word count rules
| Task | Minimum words | Comfortable range | Suggested time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Task 1 (Academic / GT) | 150 | 150-200 | 20 minutes |
| Task 2 essay | 250 | 250-320 | 40 minutes |
Word minimums follow the official IELTS Writing instructions published by the British Council, IDP IELTS and Cambridge English. Responses below the minimum are penalised for Task Achievement or Task Response.
IELTS Writing checker - frequently asked questions
Does the IELTS Writing checker give me a band score?+
No, and that is deliberate. Two of the four IELTS Writing criteria - Task Response and Grammatical Range and Accuracy - need examiner judgement, so no honest automatic tool can give a real band from structure alone. This checker analyses the measurable features you can fix yourself (length, paragraphing, sentence variety, vocabulary range, cohesion). For an actual band across all four criteria, submit a response on a free practice test for examiner-style AI feedback.
How many words should an IELTS essay be?+
Task 2 essays must be at least 250 words; Task 1 (Academic report or General Training letter) must be at least 150 words. Writing under the minimum loses marks for Task Achievement. There is no upper limit, but going far beyond 320 words on Task 2 usually adds time pressure and grammar slips rather than marks, so the checker flags very long responses too.
Is my essay stored or sent anywhere?+
No. The checker runs entirely in your browser. Your text is never uploaded to a server, saved, or shared. You can use it offline once the page has loaded.
What counts as a linking word in IELTS Writing?+
Cohesive devices such as however, furthermore, in contrast, as a result, for example, and in conclusion signal the relationship between your ideas. Band 7 and above responses use a range of these accurately. The checker detects the cohesive devices in your text and flags when you have used too few.
Can it check IELTS Task 1 as well as Task 2?+
Yes. Switch between Task 2 essay, Task 1 Academic, and Task 1 General Training letter at the top of the tool. Each mode applies the correct word minimum (250 for Task 2, 150 for Task 1) and paragraph expectations.