How IELTS Writing is marked
The format of IELTS Academic Writing, the four marking criteria explained in plain English, and what examiners look for at Bands 6, 7 and 8.
Writing is the section in which candidates most often score lower than they expect. Usually the reason is not weak English. It is that they are writing to impress, with long words and memorised phrases, while the examiner is marking something quite different. If you understand exactly what earns marks, you can direct your effort where it counts.
The test
| Task 1 | Task 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| What you write | A report describing visual information: a graph, chart, table, map or process diagram | An essay responding to an opinion, argument or problem |
| Minimum length | 150 words | 250 words |
| Suggested time | 20 minutes | 40 minutes |
| Weight | One third of the Writing score | Two thirds of the Writing score |
You have 60 minutes for both tasks, and you decide how to divide the time. Because Task 2 is worth twice as much, never let Task 1 take more than about 20 minutes.
From mid-2026, the test is taken on a computer. You type your answers, the screen shows a word count, and you can cut, copy and paste within your own text. In some countries there is a ‘Writing on Paper’ option in which the Writing section alone is handwritten; the tasks and the marking are identical.
Four criteria, equally weighted
Each task is marked on four criteria. Each criterion receives a band from 0 to 9, and the four are averaged.
| Criterion | Short name | The question the examiner asks |
|---|---|---|
| Task Achievement (Task 1) / Task Response (Task 2) | TA / TR | Did you do what the task asked, fully and relevantly? |
| Coherence and Cohesion | CC | Is it organised logically and easy to follow? |
| Lexical Resource | LR | Is the vocabulary wide enough, precise and correctly used? |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | GRA | Is there a variety of sentence structures, and how many errors are there? |
Each is worth 25%. This has an important consequence: half your mark has nothing to do with vocabulary or grammar. A candidate with modest language but a well-organised, fully relevant answer can outscore someone with impressive English who wanders off the topic.
Criterion 1: Task Achievement / Task Response
Task 1 (Task Achievement)
The examiner checks that you have:
- covered what the task requires (all the charts, all the main categories);
- given a clear overview of the main trends, differences or stages;
- selected key features and supported them with accurate data;
- made comparisons where relevant;
- written at least 150 words;
- not given opinions or explanations for the data.
The overview is decisive. According to the public band descriptors, a response without a clear overview cannot be awarded more than Band 5 for this criterion, however good the rest is. Lesson 3 is devoted to it.
Task 2 (Task Response)
The examiner checks that you have:
- addressed all parts of the question;
- presented a clear position that stays consistent throughout;
- developed your main ideas with explanation and examples, not just listed them;
- stayed relevant to the specific question, not just the general topic;
- written at least 250 words.
| Band | Task Response in brief |
|---|---|
| 6 | Addresses all parts, though some more fully than others; position is relevant but conclusions may be unclear or repetitive; main ideas are relevant but some are not developed enough |
| 7 | Addresses all parts; a clear position throughout; main ideas are extended and supported, though there may be some over-generalisation |
| 8 | Sufficiently addresses all parts; a well-developed response with relevant, extended and supported ideas |
The commonest reasons for a 6 or lower in Task Response: answering a slightly different question from the one set; discussing only one of two views; giving the opinion only in the last line; and writing a paragraph that is a list of four ideas, none of them explained.
Criterion 2: Coherence and Cohesion
Coherence is about ideas: are they in a logical order, and does each paragraph have one clear central topic? Cohesion is about the links: connectors, pronouns, synonyms and other devices that tie sentences together.
| Band | Coherence and Cohesion in brief |
|---|---|
| 6 | Information is arranged coherently and there is clear overall progression; cohesive devices are used effectively, but cohesion within or between sentences may be faulty or mechanical; paragraphing is not always logical |
| 7 | Logically organised with clear progression throughout; a range of cohesive devices used appropriately, although with some under- or over-use; a clear central topic in each paragraph |
| 8 | Sequences information and ideas logically; manages all aspects of cohesion well; paragraphing is sufficient and appropriate |
Note the word mechanical at Band 6. An essay in which every sentence begins Firstly, Moreover, Furthermore, In addition, However, Therefore is not well linked; it is over-linked. Higher bands use fewer connectors and more natural devices such as this, such a policy, these measures (see Lesson 13).
Criterion 3: Lexical Resource
The examiner is looking at range (do you have enough vocabulary to express precise meanings?), accuracy (are words used and spelt correctly?) and appropriacy (is the style suitable, and do words go together naturally?).
| Band | Lexical Resource in brief |
|---|---|
| 6 | An adequate range for the task; attempts less common vocabulary but with some inaccuracy; some errors in spelling and word formation, but they do not impede communication |
| 7 | A sufficient range to allow some flexibility and precision; uses less common items with some awareness of style and collocation; occasional errors in word choice, spelling or word formation |
| 8 | A wide range used fluently and flexibly to convey precise meanings; skilful use of uncommon items, with occasional inaccuracies in word choice and collocation; rare errors in spelling |
‘Less common vocabulary’ does not mean rare, literary words. It means the right word for the meaning: commuters instead of people who go to work, a sharp decline instead of a big fall, to tackle a problem instead of to do something about a problem. Collocation, the way words combine, is the real marker of a higher band: heavy traffic (not strong traffic), make progress, pose a threat, raise awareness.
Memorised ‘Band 9 words’ used in the wrong context lower your score, because they show the examiner that you do not control them.
Criterion 4: Grammatical Range and Accuracy
| Band | Grammatical Range and Accuracy in brief |
|---|---|
| 6 | A mix of simple and complex sentence forms; some errors in grammar and punctuation, but they rarely reduce communication |
| 7 | A variety of complex structures; frequent error-free sentences; good control of grammar and punctuation, with a few errors |
| 8 | A wide range of structures; the majority of sentences are error-free; only very occasional errors |
Two things are measured. Range: do you use subordinate clauses (because, although, which, if, when), passives, conditionals, comparatives, participle phrases? Accuracy: what proportion of your sentences contain no mistake at all?
The phrase to remember for Band 7 is ‘frequent error-free sentences’. If nearly every sentence has a small mistake (a missing article, a wrong preposition, a subject-verb agreement error), you are unlikely to pass 6 on this criterion, however complex your structures are. Often the fastest way to gain a band is not to learn new grammar but to eliminate your three or four habitual errors (Lesson 14).
What is penalised
| Problem | Effect |
|---|---|
| Under length (fewer than 150 / 250 words) | Lower TA/TR, because the response is not fully developed |
| Off-topic or partly off-topic | Lower TR; a memorised essay on a different question is heavily penalised |
| No overview (Task 1) | TA limited to Band 5 |
| Opinions or explanations in Task 1 | Lower TA (irrelevant content) |
| No clear position (Task 2) | TR limited |
| No paragraphs | CC limited |
| Bullet points or notes | Lower CC and TA/TR: write full sentences in paragraphs |
| Informal style (kids, gonna, lots of stuff, contractions) | Lower LR |
| Copying the question word for word | Copied words are not counted |
There is no maximum length, but more is not better. A 400-word essay written in 40 minutes usually contains more errors and less planning than a 280-word one. Aim for 160–190 words in Task 1 and 260–300 in Task 2.
How to use your 60 minutes
| Minutes | Activity |
|---|---|
| 0–3 | Task 1: study the visual, find the overview, choose key features |
| 3–17 | Write Task 1 |
| 17–20 | Check Task 1 |
| 20–26 | Task 2: analyse the question, plan |
| 26–55 | Write Task 2 |
| 55–60 | Check Task 2 |
Some candidates prefer to write Task 2 first because it carries more marks. That is fine, as long as you leave a full 20 minutes for Task 1.
What this means for your preparation
- Learn the structure of each task type so that organisation becomes automatic (Lessons 2–12).
- Answer the exact question. Practise analysing questions before you practise writing essays.
- Develop fewer ideas more fully. Two well-explained ideas beat five undeveloped ones.
- Aim for accuracy before complexity. Clean, varied sentences are worth more than ambitious, broken ones.
- Get feedback against the four criteria, and study the model answers in the practice tests on this site with the criteria in mind.
Key points
- Two tasks, 60 minutes; Task 2 is worth twice as much as Task 1.
- Four criteria, 25% each: task, organisation, vocabulary, grammar.
- Task 1 needs an overview; Task 2 needs a clear position and developed ideas.
- Natural linking and accurate, precise language score higher than memorised phrases.
- Frequent error-free sentences are the gateway to Band 7.
Now try it in a real section
A complete IELTS writing section in the official format — every answer explained.
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