How IELTS Writing is scored: the band descriptors explained
Updated 30 May 2026 · 3 min read · ieltspractice.app
IELTS Writing is marked on four equally-weighted areas, each scored from 0–9: how well you answer the task (Task Achievement/Response), how well your ideas connect (Coherence & Cohesion), your vocabulary (Lexical Resource), and your grammar range and accuracy (Grammatical Range & Accuracy). Your band for each task is the average of these four, and your overall Writing band combines both tasks, with Task 2 counting double. Understanding what each area really rewards is the fastest way to raise your score.
The four criteria, in plain English
Task Achievement (Task 1) / Task Response (Task 2): did you answer every part of the question, fully and relevantly? In Task 2 this means addressing the exact prompt, giving a clear position, and developing your ideas with reasons and examples. Partly answering the question is the single most common reason capable writers stay at band 6.
Coherence & Cohesion: is your writing organised and easy to follow? This rewards logical paragraphing — one central idea per paragraph — and the natural use of linking words and referencing. Overusing "firstly, secondly, moreover" mechanically actually lowers this score.
Lexical Resource: how wide, precise and natural is your vocabulary? Top bands use the right word, not the biggest word, and show strong collocation (words that naturally go together). Memorised "high-level" phrases that do not fit the context hurt you.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy: can you use a variety of sentence structures with few errors? Examiners reward flexibility — conditionals, relative clauses, passives — not just error-free simple sentences.
How your overall Writing band is calculated
For each task, the four criteria are averaged. So a Task 2 essay scoring 7, 6, 6, 7 averages 6.5.
Your overall Writing band combines Task 1 and Task 2, but Task 2 is weighted twice as heavily as Task 1. This is why Task 2 deserves the larger share of your attention and your time (about 40 of your 60 minutes).
Bands are reported in whole and half scores. A final average of 6.25 rounds up to 6.5; 6.75 rounds up to 7.0.
Each task averages its four criteria; Task 2 counts double toward your overall Writing band.
The fastest ways to gain half a band
Answer the whole question. Underline every part of the prompt and check each is covered before you write your conclusion.
Develop fewer ideas, further. Replace a list of thin points with two well-explained ones, each with a reason and a concrete example.
Vary your sentences deliberately. Aim for a mix of simple, complex and compound sentences; a few accurate complex structures lift Grammatical Range more than long, risky ones.
Proofread for two minutes. Most candidates lose marks to small, fixable errors — articles, subject–verb agreement, and word forms.
Practise with feedback, not just more essays
Writing more essays without feedback tends to reinforce the same mistakes. The fastest progress comes from seeing, essay by essay, which criterion is holding your band down and why.
On ieltspractice.app every essay is returned with a criterion-by-criterion breakdown modelled on the official public band descriptors, so you can target the exact area — task response, cohesion, vocabulary or grammar — that will move your score.
Frequently asked questions
Is Task 2 really worth more than Task 1?
Yes. In the overall Writing band, Task 2 is weighted twice as heavily as Task 1, which is why most guidance recommends spending about 40 minutes on Task 2 and 20 on Task 1.
How is the overall Writing band rounded?
Each task is the average of its four criteria, the two tasks are combined (Task 2 double-weighted), and the result is rounded to the nearest half band. A 6.25 rounds to 6.5.
Does longer writing get a higher band?
No. Writing far beyond the minimum (250 words for Task 2, 150 for Task 1) usually adds errors and weakens cohesion. Quality and full task coverage matter far more than length.
Can AI feedback predict my exact band?
No tool can guarantee your exam band. Good AI feedback is best used as a coach — it shows which criterion is limiting you and how to improve it, rather than promising a precise score.
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