IELTS Writing is marked by trained examiners against four criteria. This guide explains exactly what each criterion means for Academic and General Training Writing, shows how Task 1 and Task 2 combine into one band score, and gives a practical route from Band 6 to Band 7 or 8.
IELTS Writing scoring: the quick answer
- Task 1 is assessed for Task Achievement; Task 2 is assessed for Task Response.
- Both tasks are also marked for Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy.
- Each criterion is scored from 0 to 9. Task 2 carries twice the weight of Task 1 when the Writing band is calculated.
- Task 1 requires at least 150 words and Task 2 at least 250 words. Write in connected paragraphs, not notes or bullet points.
- Writing has no correct-answer conversion table: your band comes from examiner assessment, not a raw mark out of 40.
IELTS Writing band calculator
Enter the assessed band for each task. The calculator applies the standard 1:2 weighting (Task 1:Task 2) and rounds to the nearest half or whole band. It combines scores; it does not grade an essay.
Estimated Writing band —
Select both task bands to see the weighted result.
Formula: (Task 1 + 2 × Task 2) ÷ 3. Your official result is decided by IELTS examiners using the public band descriptors.
Need to know why your Writing score is low?
The calculator combines assessed task bands; it cannot identify the mistakes in your writing. Submit a timed Task 1 or Task 2 to Benchmark IELTS Writing Correction for examiner-style feedback.
- Highlighted errors and corrected language.
- Estimated bands for Task Achievement/Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammar.
- Personalised recommendations for your next practice task.
How is IELTS Writing scored?
An examiner awards a band from 0 to 9 for each of the four criteria in each task. Task 1 and Task 2 are assessed independently, then combined. Task 2 is twice as important as Task 1, so a strong Task 2 usually has a larger effect on the final Writing band.
The four criteria are equally important within a task:
| Criterion | What it measures | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Task Achievement (TA) | How fully, accurately and appropriately you cover the requirements of Task 1. | Academic chart/report and General Training letter |
| Task Response (TR) | How directly you answer the Task 2 question, develop your position and support your ideas. | Essay in Academic and General Training |
| Coherence and Cohesion (CC) | How clearly ideas are organised, progressed and linked for the reader. | Both tasks |
| Lexical Resource (LR) | The range, precision, spelling and natural use of vocabulary. | Both tasks |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GRA) | The variety and control of sentence structures, grammar and punctuation. | Both tasks |
For example, a Task 1 band of 6.5 and a Task 2 band of 7.5 gives a weighted average of 7.17, which is reported as approximately Band 7.0 under the calculator’s half-band rounding. Use the IELTS overall band score calculator to combine all four skills, or visit the IELTS Writing preparation hub for task-specific practice.
IELTS Writing Task 1 vs Task 2: what changes?
The language criteria are the same, but the task criterion and response purpose are different. Do not call Task 1 “Task Response” or Task 2 “Task Achievement”: that distinction matters when you read the official descriptors.
| Feature | Task 1 | Task 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Criterion name | Task Achievement | Task Response |
| Minimum length | 150 words | 250 words |
| Purpose | Academic: summarise visual information. General Training: write a letter for a clear purpose and audience. | Present and develop a position, argument or solution in response to a question. |
| Recommended time | About 20 minutes | About 40 minutes |
| Weight in final Writing band | One third | Two thirds |
Academic Task 1 should include an accurate introduction, a clear overview and well-selected comparisons; see the Academic Task 1 guide. General Training Task 1 should make the purpose, tone and three bullet-point requirements clear; see the General Training letter guide. Task 2 needs a clear position, developed main ideas and relevant support.
The four IELTS Writing assessment criteria
1. Task Achievement and Task Response
Task Achievement applies to Task 1. The examiner checks whether you have covered the required features, selected relevant information and made the overview or letter purpose clear. Task Response applies to Task 2. The examiner checks whether you answer every part of the question, present a clear position and extend your ideas with explanations or examples.
- Read every instruction and answer every part of it.
- For Academic Task 1, select key features rather than listing every number.
- For General Training Task 1, cover all three bullet points and use the right tone.
- For Task 2, make your position clear early and keep it consistent.
2. Coherence and Cohesion
Coherence is the logical progression of ideas. Cohesion is the way sentences and paragraphs are connected. A high-scoring response has a useful paragraph structure, clear topic sentences, logical sequencing and referencing that the reader can follow. Linking words help, but inserting a linker in every sentence does not create coherence.
3. Lexical Resource
Lexical Resource means more than memorising difficult words. Examiners look for a range of vocabulary used precisely, naturally and appropriately for the topic. A Band 7 response can contain occasional word-choice or spelling errors, but meaning remains clear. Accurate collocations and flexible paraphrasing are more valuable than unusual words used incorrectly. Practise with the IELTS vocabulary guide.
4. Grammatical Range and Accuracy
This criterion rewards both variety and control. Use a mix of simple and complex sentences, but do not sacrifice accuracy for complexity. Check articles, subject–verb agreement, verb tense, plurals, punctuation and sentence boundaries. At Band 7, frequent error-free sentences are expected; at Band 8, the majority of sentences should be error-free. Use the IELTS grammar guide to target recurring errors.
IELTS Writing Band 6 vs Band 7 vs Band 8
The table below is a practical summary of the public descriptors. It is not a shortcut to a guaranteed score: the complete official descriptors should be used when marking a script.
| Criterion | Band 6: competent but uneven | Band 7: clear and controlled | Band 8: strong and precise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Task Achievement (Task 1) | Addresses the task, but key features, details or the overview may be incomplete or uneven. | Covers the requirements, selects key features or bullet points, and presents a clear overview or purpose. | Covers the requirements sufficiently, selects and presents key features clearly, and supports them precisely. |
| Task Response (Task 2) | Addresses the main parts, but the position or supporting ideas may be unclear or insufficiently developed. | Covers the main parts, presents a clear position and develops ideas with relevant support. | Addresses all parts sufficiently, develops a clear response and supports ideas appropriately and precisely. |
| Coherence & Cohesion | Overall progression is clear, though cohesion may be mechanical or uneven and paragraphing may need work. | Information is logically organised; progression is clear; cohesive devices are used flexibly with occasional lapses. | Ideas are logically sequenced and cohesive; paragraphing is appropriate and referencing is clear. |
| Lexical Resource | Enough vocabulary for the task, with some errors, repetition or imprecise word choice. | Uses a sufficient range of vocabulary with some flexibility and awareness of style; occasional errors do not impede communication. | Uses a wide range of vocabulary fluently and flexibly; rare errors occur only as slips. |
| Grammar | Uses a mix of simple and complex forms, but errors can occur and may limit precision. | Uses a variety of complex structures; frequent error-free sentences, with some grammar errors that do not impede communication. | Uses a wide range of structures; the majority of sentences are error-free and errors are minor. |
What does Band 7 mean? You can answer the question clearly, develop relevant ideas, organise information logically and use vocabulary and grammar flexibly. You still may make occasional mistakes, but they should not regularly interrupt communication.
IELTS Writing Band Descriptors: Band 0 to Band 9
This is a plain-English overview of the full public scale. It is intentionally a summary rather than a replacement for the official wording. Download the official IELTS Writing band descriptors PDF when you need to mark a response in detail.
| Band | Task 1: achievement | Task 2: response | Across the language criteria |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Fully satisfies the task; key features or bullet points are expertly selected and developed. | Fully addresses and develops the position, argument or solution with precise support. | Effortless organisation, sophisticated vocabulary and full grammatical control. |
| 8 | Covers all requirements sufficiently; key features or bullet points are clear and appropriately illustrated. | Addresses all parts sufficiently with a well-developed response and relevant support. | Logical cohesion, wide flexible vocabulary and mostly error-free sentences. |
| 7 | Covers the requirements, with a clear overview or purpose and appropriate selection of features. | Covers the main parts, presents a clear position and develops ideas with relevant support. | Clear progression, flexible cohesion, sufficient vocabulary and frequent error-free sentences. |
| 6 | Generally addresses the task, but details, tone, overview or extension may be uneven. | Addresses the main parts, but ideas or the position may be insufficiently developed. | Clear overall progression but mechanical cohesion, adequate vocabulary and noticeable grammar errors. |
| 5 | Partially covers the task; key features, purpose or tone may be unclear or inadequately developed. | Addresses the task only partially; the position or support may be limited or repetitive. | Organisation is limited, vocabulary is basic and errors can distract the reader. |
| 4 | Makes only a minimal attempt; important features or bullet points are missing or inaccurate. | Responds to the topic only minimally, with an unclear position or very limited support. | Progression is difficult to follow, vocabulary is limited and grammar errors are frequent. |
| 3 | Does not adequately address the task; information is limited, repetitive or largely irrelevant. | Does not adequately respond to the prompt; ideas are difficult to identify. | Very limited organisation and language; errors often prevent communication. |
| 2 | Content barely relates to the task or provides little relevant message. | Content barely relates to the position, problem or question. | Extremely limited language with little organisational control. |
| 1 | Provides isolated words or memorised fragments with no meaningful task response. | Provides isolated words or memorised fragments with no meaningful response. | Almost no communicative language or sentence control. |
| 0 | Did not attempt the task, or no assessable response was provided. | ||
How to improve from Band 6 to Band 7 or Band 8
Band 6 → Band 7: make the response complete and deliberate
- Underline every part of the prompt before planning; use a checklist to confirm each part is answered.
- Write one clear central idea per body paragraph, then explain why it is true and give a specific example.
- Replace repeated or memorised linking phrases with accurate referencing and logical progression.
- Keep an error log for articles, verb forms, agreement, punctuation and word combinations; review it after every timed task.
- Complete a final two-minute check for task coverage, paragraph focus and obvious grammar errors.
Band 7 → Band 8: improve precision and control
- Support claims with specific, credible examples instead of broad generalisations.
- Use precise collocations and topic vocabulary naturally; remove words that do not add meaning.
- Vary sentence structures while keeping the majority of sentences error-free.
- Make paragraph relationships explicit through progression, substitution and accurate referencing—not a chain of linkers.
- Compare your work with the official Writing band descriptors, review sample IELTS essays, and get independent feedback on a timed response.
Find the skill that is holding your score back
Use the calculator for a weighted estimate, then get targeted feedback on your next Task 1 or Task 2 response. Benchmark feedback includes highlighted errors, criterion-level estimates and personalised recommendations.
Try Benchmark IELTS Writing Correction · Open the IELTS Band Score Calculator
What Writing band do you need?
There is no universal “pass” band. Universities, immigration authorities, employers and professional regulators set their own minimums, often with a separate minimum for each skill. Always check the current requirement for your course, visa or registration pathway before choosing a target.
| Goal | How to use this article |
|---|---|
| University or college | Check the institution’s overall and per-skill Writing minimum; many competitive courses require a higher Writing band than the general minimum. |
| Immigration | Check the exact visa class and whether the authority counts half bands, “competent/proficient/superior” levels or each skill separately. |
| Professional registration | Use the regulator’s current IELTS page. Health and teaching regulators often set a separate Writing threshold. |
Once you know the target, work backwards: calculate the required Task 1/Task 2 combination, identify the weakest criterion, and practise that criterion under timed conditions.
If Writing is one part of a wider score gap, a structured IELTS preparation course lets you practise all four skills while keeping the assessment criteria in view.
WRITING PREPARATION
Turn this Writing method into timed practice
Use Benchmark's IELTS course to build task strategy and practise across skills. If you already have an answer ready, submit it for IELTS Writing correction and feedback.
Official sources and further IELTS practice
This guide follows the public IELTS scoring guidance. Read the IELTS scoring explanation, the official Writing preparation resources and the Writing key assessment criteria PDF. For related practice, start with the IELTS Writing hub, Academic Task 1 guide, General Training letter guide, sample essays, vocabulary guide and grammar guide. You can also explore the IELTS Listening score chart and IELTS Reading grading guide.
IELTS Writing band descriptors FAQs
What are the four IELTS Writing assessment criteria?
Task Achievement or Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy. Each is scored from 0 to 9.
Is Task 1 or Task 2 more important?
Task 2 is more important. It contributes twice as much as Task 1 to the final IELTS Writing band.
What is the difference between Task Achievement and Task Response?
Task Achievement is the criterion for Task 1. Task Response is the criterion for the Task 2 essay. The other three criteria apply to both tasks.
How is the IELTS Writing band calculated?
Task 1 and Task 2 are each assessed on four criteria. The task scores are combined with Task 2 weighted twice as heavily, then reported as a whole or half band.
Can a score calculator grade my IELTS essay?
No. A calculator can combine assessed task bands. Only trained examiners can evaluate how your response meets the public descriptors.
Is there an IELTS Writing correct-answers table?
No. Unlike Listening and Reading, Writing is not converted from a mark out of 40. Examiners assess each task against the four public criteria.
What does Band 7 Writing require?
Band 7 generally means the main parts of the task are addressed, ideas are logically organised and developed, vocabulary is used with flexibility, and frequent error-free sentences are present.
How many words do I need for IELTS Writing?
Write at least 150 words for Task 1 and 250 words for Task 2. Under-length responses may be penalised, and both tasks should be written as connected text.
How can I improve my Writing band quickly?
Identify the lowest criterion in a timed response, use the matching descriptor as a checklist, correct recurring errors, and repeat the task after targeted practice. Task 2 deserves priority because it carries twice the weight.
