The range is 150 to 200 words
The number is a target instead of a finish line you have to sprint past. Around 150 words gives you room for three points and a short closing.
Around 200 words gives you room to develop each point with a detail. Far beyond that, you spend your checking time on sentences you did not need.
The same range for both tasks
The email and the survey response use the same range. The task 1 guide says roughly 150 to 200 words for the email.
The task 2 guide gives the same range for the survey response. Neither task rewards a longer answer for its own sake.
A marked sample on this site shows a strong email at about 185 words and a weak one at about 87 words. The short answer also leaves required points thin.
What the range protects
The lower end protects task coverage. If you write far below the range, you probably named the points instead of developing them.
The upper end protects your checking time. A much longer answer can still be good, but it takes checking time away from the verb error in paragraph two.
The clock is part of the task. You have 53 minutes for two answers, so each task gets about half of that time.
How to land inside it
Plan three notes before you write. For the email, name the reader, the purpose and the points you must cover. For the survey, name your choice and two reasons.
Give each note one sentence of detail, then stop. If a paragraph has said what it needs to say, a second sentence about the same idea usually repeats it.
Count at the end instead of at the start. If you are short, add one concrete detail to a reason. If you are long, cut a sentence that repeats an earlier point. The writing timer and word counter makes the count quick. To compare a practice result with your target, put the four numbers into the CLB calculator.
Questions about word count
Is 150 words enough?
Roughly 150 words is the low end of the range. Aim inside the range rather than at the exact number.
What happens if I write far more than 200 words?
A longer answer can still work, but it uses checking time. Keep the extra words only when they add a detail the task needs.
Does the word count include the greeting?
Count the whole answer you write, including the subject line and closing, and stay near the range.
Where the range is written
Last reviewed 2 November 2026
Write one answer and count it
Use the timer and word counter, then check that every required point has a sentence.
Start a writing task