british council essay topics

• Preparing for IELTS
• Practice tests
• Free online IELTS Writing practice tests
• Free online IELTS Academic Writing practice tests - paper

IELTS practice Academic Writing test - Task 1

How to approach academic writing task 1.

In the IELTS Academic Writing test, you will have one hour to complete both of the two set writing tasks. Keep an eye on the time it takes you to complete practice Tasks 1 and 2 to make sure you don’t go too far over, and to use as a benchmark for how long you can expect each task to take you.

In the actual test, you will move from the first to the second task without a break. However, while practising, you may wish to reflect on the outcomes of practice Task 1 using the model answer provided before moving on to practice Task 2. Or you may wish to complete them both before looking at the model answers to give you a more accurate sense of timing.

An easy reminder…

Q: How long should I spend on IELTS Writing Task 1?

A: We suggest 20 minutes – saving 40 minutes for Task 2.

Q: How many words for IELTS Writing Task 1?

A: 150 words is about the right length, but don’t be afraid to go a little over.

Q: Should I be formal or conversational in style?

A: You should write in a formal style, suited to an academic environment.

Q: What are the do’s and don’ts in IELTS Writing task 1?

A: Do pay attention to time - task 1 is worth one third of the total marks (while task 2 is worth two thirds), Don’t let nervousness stop you from trying your best.

Get more tips to help you prepare for the writing tasks

Task 1 – Take a look at the chart below and perform the task as outlined:

This graph shows the proportion of four different materials that were recycled from 1982 to 2010 in a particular country.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, making comparisons where relevant.

What should I do next?

Once you’ve finished, you can download the model answer for Writing Task 1 and see how your work compares.

 This sample offers a useful guide for how to structure your answer for IELTS writing task 1, as well as the style of writing expected.  A good way to improve is to reflect on how your answer compares to the model answer – and, of course, keep practicing.

If you want to see an example of an actual answer sheet for the IELTS Academic Writing test (‘on paper’ version), you can download a sample copy below.

• IELTS practice Academic Writing test - Task 2

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Institute of Brand and Innovation Law

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• Patent Fact Check

UCL LLM graduate, Dheemanth Vangimalla, wins an international research essay prize

22 May 2024

UCL Laws LLM graduate, Dheemanth Vangimalla, wins the top award in the 4iP Council Research Awards 2023 for a paper based on his LLM research dissertation. Dheemanth will be speaking about his research topic at a webinar organised by 4iP Council, on 30th May.

We are delighted to announce that Dheemanth Vangimalla, a recent UCL Laws graduate of the LLM in Intellectual Property Law has received the top award in the prestigious 4iP Council Research Awards for 2023 for his paper entitled ‘Plausibility and the flotilla: have the English courts drifted from the commodore’s approach to the evidential requirement for patent validity, and if so, is this divergence justified?’

The 4iP Council Research Award is an international research competition for European University students studying at Masters and PhD levels. It seeks to promote new ideas on topics pertinent to the interplay between intellectual property rights and innovation. Submissions, based on a student’s Masters or PhD research, are assessed by 4iP Council’s Research Award Jury made up of intellectual property experts from academia, government and industry. The papers are evaluated based on criteria including:

• Original thinking that broadens the debate on the chosen topic;
• High quality written expression; and
• Relevance to current IP problems and debate

and up to three prizes are awarded (winner and two runners-up).

In his winning paper, Dheemanth considered the origins of ‘plausibility’ and explored the evidential requirement that the term represents. His research revealed that there is divergence between the EPO and English courts in the evidential standard applied by the two decision-making bodies when assessing patent validity. He argues that the English courts adopting a higher standard lacks cogent justification as the standard neither reflects a balance between the competing objectives of the patent system nor limits a plausibility assessment to its targeted mischief. 

This paper was based on Dheemanth’s dissertation for his LLM in Intellectual Property Law, which was also recently awarded the IBIL Prize for Top Performance in an IP-related Research Essay on the LLM . During his LLM, Dheemanth was supervised by our IBIL scholarship PhD researcher, Joshua Bradley .

As part of the prize, the winning essay has been published on 4iP Council’s website , and Dheemanth will be speaking at a webinar about plausibility - orgainised by 4iP - along with IBIL's Professor Jacob, on 30 May. More details of the event can be found here . 

Having completed his LLM in the summer of 2023, Dheemanth has been working as a Research Assistant at the UCL Institute of Brand and Innovation Law  (IBIL), while also completing his bar exams. He will join Three New Square Chambers in the autumn as a pupil barrister.

• Read Dheemanth’s paper here .
• Find out more about the 4iP Council Research Awards
• Register to attend:  Plausibility: from herbicides to insecticides and beyond .

British Council

In this essay Alice Naisbitt – ESRC-funded PhD student at the University of Manchester – examines the role of science as a peacebuilding tool in two ways: that the connections built reinforce the trust vital to harmonious relations; and that the outcomes of scientific co-operation address drivers of conflict, such as resource scarcity.

About the Cultural Relations Collection

The Cultural Relations Collection was an essay series exploring research themes from arts and culture, education and the English language in the context of the work of the British Council around the world. Written primarily by early-career researchers, often in collaboration with British Council staff, the Collection examines what is meant by ‘cultural relations’ and how this approach has evolved in theory and practice over time. 

The essays offer concise, accessible and multi-disciplinary introductions to both what the British Council does and how we do it. Collectively, they foreground the benefits of locally-led and people-centred approaches that are grounded in values of mutuality and reciprocity. They also highlight the positive impact on connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide that can be accrued when these approaches are built on long-term, sustained relationships with diverse partners and communities. 

Specific topics addressed through the Collection include peacebuilding, climate change, digital cultural relations, the Covid-19 pandemic, international development and soft power.

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