Useful How words are counted in IELTS? Example: NOT MORE THA | "Pilott" Education

Useful

How words are counted in IELTS?

Example: NOT MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER

Numbers, dates and time are counted as words in writing. For example 30,000 = one word / 55 = one word / 9.30am = one word / 12.06.2016 = one word. In listening, 30,000 is counted as one number and 9.30AM is also counted as one number.

Dates written as both words and numbers are counted in this way: 12th July = one number and one word.

Symbols with numbers are not counted. For example, 55% = one number (the symbol “%” is not counted as a word). However, if you write “55 percent” it is counted as one word and one number.

Small words such as “a” or “an” are counted as one word. All prepositions, such as “in” or “at” are also counted. All words are counted.

Hyphenated words like “up-to-date” are counted as one word.

Compound nouns which are written as one word are also counted as one word. For example, blackboard = one word.

Compound nouns which are written as two separate words, are counted as two words. For example, university bookshop = two words.

All words are counted, including words in brackets. For example in IELTS writing, “The majority of energy was generated by electricity (55%).”. This sentence is counted as 9 words. The number in brackets is counted.

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