Chapter 4 — Writing

Format since January 21, 2026 — approximately 23 minutes — scored 1–6 (CEFR)

Overview

• The Writing section has three tasks. Task 1 is auto-scored. Tasks 2 and 3 are scored by ETS's automated scoring engine (e-rater), with human raters reviewing flagged responses.
• Total time: approximately 6 min (Task 1) + 7 min (Task 2) + 10 min (Task 3).
• The old Integrated task (reading + listening + writing) has been removed.

Task types

• Task 1 – Build a Sentence (10 questions, ~6 min): Each question gives a context sentence and a sentence frame with gaps. You drag words from a word bank into the correct blanks. One word in the bank is a distractor (not used). Auto-scored.
• Task 2 – Write an Email (~7 min): You read a situation and write an email of approximately 90–120 words addressing three bullet-point tasks. Scored automatically (with human oversight) on content, organization, and language.
• Task 3 – Writing for an Academic Discussion (~10 min): You read a professor's question and two student posts, then write your own contribution (~100–150 words). Scored on argumentation, relevance, and language.

Tips

• Build a Sentence: Read the context sentence first — it tells you the meaning. Then read the full frame before dragging. Identify the grammatical role of each blank (verb? preposition? object?). Ignore the distractor.
• Write an Email: Address all three bullet points — missing one costs marks. Use an appropriate register (semi-formal unless the scenario says otherwise). Stay focused and avoid going over 120 words.
• Academic Discussion: State your position clearly in the first sentence. Give one well-developed reason, not three superficial ones. Reference one of the two students' ideas to show you have engaged with the discussion.