Does IELTS count contractions as one word?

Yes. “Don’t” is one word. Still write formally; contractions are legal but not stylish in Task 2.

Are articles (a, an, the) counted?

Yes. Every token separated by space counts, including articles and prepositions.

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IELTS essay word count

IELTS Academic and General Training Task 2 asks for at least 250 words. Writing 240 looks short on the page and can cost Task Achievement marks. This page is the length rule only — not a full course.

The number that actually matters

Task 2: 250 words minimum. Task 1 Academic is 150. There is no official maximum, but essays that wander past 350 words usually lose coherence. Count words, not characters. Hyphenated items and numbers count as words the same way IELTS booklets do: split on spaces.

How to check before you submit

Paste the essay into the Essay Word Counter. Aim for 260–320 so a short intro still clears 250 if you cut a sentence. Ignore page count; IELTS is marked on words. If you practice on paper, count one typical line (~10 words) then verify the typed version once.

Steps

Draft Task 2 to about 280 words.
Paste into the Essay Word Counter.
Cut repetition until you sit between 260 and 320.

Frequently asked questions

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The guide is the rule. The tool does the count. No account.

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More short guides: all Wordnio guides.