IELTS Writing Criteria: What Examiners Mark and Why

Quick Answer: Every IELTS Writing script is marked against four published criteria, and each one carries equal weight. IELTS Writing criteria are the four official dimensions that examiners use to score every script: Task Achievement or Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy. There is no separate mark for effort or impressive-sounding vocabulary.

Task 1 and Task 2 are each assessed on all four criteria, and Task 2 contributes twice as much as Task 1 to the final Writing band. Knowing exactly what each criterion rewards and penalises turns vague goals like writing better into practice that targets the behaviours examiners actually score.

How IELTS Writing Is Marked

The Writing test lasts 60 minutes and contains two tasks with minimum word counts of 150 words for Task 1 and 250 for Task 2. Trained examiners read both tasks and award a band score for each criterion, and the four carry equal weight within each task. Because Task 2 counts double, the essay effectively decides most of the Writing band, which is why timing plans usually give it 40 of the 60 minutes.

The criteria apply to both tasks with one naming difference: Task 1 is assessed on Task Achievement and Task 2 on Task Response, reflecting the different job each task performs.

Where Task 1 and Task 2 Differ

In the Academic module, Task 1 asks you to describe and summarise visual information such as a graph, chart, table, diagram or process; in General Training, Task 1 is a letter in a defined register. Task 2, in both modules, is a formal essay responding to an opinion, problem or argument. Scripts below the minimum word count are penalised under the first criterion, and words copied from the task prompt do not count toward the total.

The Four Criteria, One by One

The band descriptors for each criterion describe observable features at every band from 0 to 9. The sections below translate them into what examiners look for, where candidates lose marks, and the practice that targets each dimension.

Task Achievement and Task Response

This criterion asks whether the script does the job the question sets: every part of the prompt addressed, a clear position or summary, and ideas supported with reasons or data. Common ways to lose marks include answering only half the question, drifting off topic, writing under the word count, and padding with memorised material that does not respond to this prompt. A highly effective habit is spending three minutes unpacking the question into its parts before writing, because a fully relevant script at modest language quality out-scores a polished but partial one.

Coherence and Cohesion

Here examiners judge the architecture of the response: logical progression, clear paragraphing with one central idea per paragraph, and cohesive devices such as referencing and linking used naturally rather than mechanically. Scripts lose marks when they arrive as one unbroken block, when connectors like firstly and moreover are sprinkled without logic, or when pronouns point at nothing. A practical fix is planning a one-line paragraph map before writing, then checking that each paragraph opens with a sentence stating its idea plainly.

Lexical Resource

This criterion rewards range, precision and appropriateness: topic vocabulary used accurately, natural collocations, some less common items, and correct spelling and word formation. It does not reward exotic vocabulary for its own sake, and misused rare words cost more than they gain. Marks slip when key topic words repeat endlessly, when the task's own words are copied wholesale, or when collocations break, such as making a research instead of doing research. Building a topic-specific list of words with their natural partners beats memorising long random word lists.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

Examiners look for a genuine mix of structures, from simple sentences deployed deliberately to complex clauses used where they fit, with an error rate low enough that meaning is never blocked. Two patterns hurt candidates repeatedly: playing safe with only short simple sentences, which caps range, and gambling on long sentences that collapse into multiple errors, which damages accuracy. A targeted approach beats both: master three or four reliable complex patterns, then proofread for the specific error types in your own past scripts, such as articles, subject-verb agreement or tense consistency.

Mistakes That Cost Marks Across All Criteria

Some errors are visible under every criterion. Under-length scripts are penalised, words copied from the prompt do not count toward length, memorised model answers are detected and treated as non-authentic responses, and missing paragraphing damages both coherence and the reader's ability to follow the argument. None of these are language problems, which is the encouraging part: they are procedure problems that a timed practice routine eliminates within weeks.

A Study Routine Built Around the Criteria

A criteria-based routine keeps practice honest, because every activity connects to a dimension the examiner actually scores. The five steps below work as a weekly cycle.

1. Read the public band descriptors for your target band. The wording shows exactly what separates a 6 from a 7 in each criterion, which converts vague improvement into a checklist of observable features.
2. Write one timed Task 2 essay each week. Frequency under real conditions matters more than volume, since the criteria reward decisions made under time pressure, not overnight polishing.
3. Self-mark each essay with a four-row grid, one row per criterion. Scoring yourself forces you to reread your script as an examiner does, and the lowest-scoring row sets the next practice focus.
4. Have your writing checked regularly by a qualified teacher. Self-assessment has a ceiling, because grammar and collocation errors are invisible to the writer who made them.
5. Keep an error log sorted by criterion. Patterns such as repeated linking words or recurring tense slips become obvious within a month, and removing a personal pattern lifts the whole band.

Where Feedback and Classes Fit In

Criteria-based feedback shortens the distance between knowing the rubric and changing what you actually write. iWorld Learning is a Singapore-based English language school that helps IELTS candidates raise Writing scores in small classes, through CEFR-informed placement and internationally certified teachers who mark against the official criteria. A representative case at iWorld Learning saw an adult candidate move from band 5.5 to 6.5 in Writing across one structured preparation cycle, driven mainly by task response and paragraphing corrections. Results vary with starting level, study intensity and test conditions.

Younger candidates sitting IELTS alongside school programmes can build academic essay habits through high school English courses, while adults often combine exam training with adult English courses to strengthen general fluency. The international certifications held by the teaching staff are listed on the teachers team page.

FAQ

Are the four IELTS Writing criteria weighted equally?

Yes. Task Achievement or Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy each contribute a quarter of the marks for each task. The uneven weighting in IELTS Writing sits between tasks, not between criteria: Task 2 contributes twice as much as Task 1 to the final Writing band.

What is the difference between Task Achievement and Task Response?

They are the same criterion applied to different tasks. Task 1 is judged on Task Achievement, which measures how fully and appropriately the data-description or letter task is completed. Task 2 is judged on Task Response, which measures whether the essay answers the whole question with a clear, supported position.

Does spelling affect my IELTS Writing score?

Yes, spelling sits under Lexical Resource. Occasional slips rarely decide a band on their own, but frequent spelling and word-formation errors signal weak lexical control and hold scores down. There is no spell check on either the computer or paper test, so spelling belongs on your proofreading routine.

How many words do I need for each IELTS Writing task?

Task 1 requires at least 150 words and Task 2 at least 250. Scripts below the minimum are penalised under the first criterion, and words copied directly from the task prompt do not count. Aim comfortably above the minimum, because the word counts describe a floor, not a target length.

Can I use memorised templates in IELTS Writing?

Memorised openings and essay frames are risky. Examiners are trained to detect prepared material, and responses that do not engage with the specific question lose marks under Task Achievement or Task Response. Learn reusable structures for organisation instead of fixed sentences, so the framework flexes around any prompt.

How can I get my writing marked against the real criteria?

Ask any teacher or course provider to mark with the four criteria named and scored separately, not as one overall impression. Criterion-level feedback shows which dimension is holding your band back; for example, small-class IELTS preparation at iWorld Learning marks each essay with a four-row score grid and follows up with targeted drills.

Summary

IELTS Writing rewards scripts that answer the whole question, flow logically, choose precise natural vocabulary and control a genuine range of structures, and each of those four behaviours carries equal weight. Preparing against the criteria rather than against a vague impression of good writing is what converts study hours into band movement, especially on the double-weighted Task 2 essay.

Want your writing assessed against the official criteria before you commit to a test date? Contact iWorld Learning to arrange a consultation and a criteria-based writing assessment.