IELTS Writing Criteria: How Examiners Mark Task 1 and Task 2

IELTS Writing is assessed against four criteria — Task Achievement (Task 1) / Task Response (Task 2), Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy — each contributing 25% of your Writing band score. Understanding exactly what examiners look for under each criterion is the most direct way to improve your score, because you stop practising blindly and start practising the specific skills that the marking scheme rewards.

Many test-takers prepare for IELTS Writing by writing essay after essay without knowing why one scores 6.0 and another scores 7.0. The difference is not just "better English" — it is specific, identifiable features under each of the four criteria. This guide explains each criterion, what distinguishes a band 6 from a band 7 response, and how to target your preparation to the areas that will move your score.

The Four IELTS Writing Criteria at a Glance

Task Achievement (Task 1) / Task Response (Task 2)

Task 1: Task Achievement

For Academic Task 1 (graphs, charts, tables, maps, processes), the examiner asks: did you present a clear overview of the main trends or stages? Did you highlight the most significant features with supporting data? Did you avoid simply listing every data point? The most common reason a Task 1 response stalls at band 6 is the absence of a clear overview — a summary sentence or paragraph that captures the big picture before going into detail. A response that describes every bar on the chart without identifying the overall trend cannot score above band 6 for Task Achievement, regardless of how good the English is.

For General Training Task 1 (letter writing), the examiner asks: did you address all three bullet points in the prompt? Did you use the appropriate tone (formal, semi-formal, or informal) consistently? Did you write a letter that serves its stated purpose?

Task 2: Task Response

For Task 2, the examiner asks: did you answer the specific question asked, or did you write a general essay about the topic? Did you present a clear position throughout? Did you support your main ideas with relevant examples or evidence? Did you address all parts of the question? The most common reason Task 2 responses stall at band 6 is that the essay is about the general topic rather than answering the specific question — for example, writing about "the environment" when the question asks "to what extent do you agree that individuals can make a meaningful difference to environmental problems?"

Coherence and Cohesion: The Flow Criterion

Coherence means your ideas are logically organised and easy to follow. Cohesion means the connections between your sentences and paragraphs are clear. At band 6, a response uses a limited range of cohesive devices, often overusing basic connectors (firstly, secondly, finally, in conclusion) in a mechanical way. Paragraphing may be present but not always logical. At band 7, a response uses a range of cohesive devices appropriately — not just basic sequence markers but referencing (this, these, such), substitution (one, do so), and logical connectors (consequently, nevertheless, in contrast). Each paragraph has a clear central topic, and ideas progress naturally rather than being listed.

Lexical Resource: Vocabulary That Works

At band 6, vocabulary is adequate for the task — you can communicate your meaning, but word choices may be repetitive or occasionally inaccurate. At band 7, you use some less common words and show awareness of collocation — words that naturally go together (e.g., "make a decision" not "do a decision," "highly significant" not "strongly significant"). You can paraphrase effectively without introducing errors. The most common vocabulary mistake that caps scores at band 6 is the misuse of "impressive" words — test-takers insert words they have memorised but use them in unnatural contexts, which the examiner recognises as forced and penalises under Lexical Resource.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Beyond Simple Sentences

At band 6, you use a mix of simple and complex sentences, but complex sentences may contain errors that sometimes cause difficulty for the reader. At band 7, you produce a majority of error-free sentences and demonstrate good control over complex structures — not just one type of complex sentence (e.g., always using "because") but a range (relative clauses, conditional sentences, passive constructions, comparatives) used appropriately. The key insight: band 7 does not require zero errors; it requires that errors are infrequent and do not reduce clarity. A response with sophisticated grammar and occasional small errors scores higher than one with simple, error-free sentences.

Summary

IELTS Writing is marked on four equally weighted criteria: Task Achievement/Response (answering the question fully with a clear overview or position), Coherence and Cohesion (logical flow with a range of cohesive devices), Lexical Resource (precise, natural vocabulary with some less common words), and Grammatical Range and Accuracy (variety of sentence structures with good error control). The jump from band 6 to band 7 in each criterion requires specific, identifiable improvements — not just "better English" but targeted skill development in the areas the band descriptors specify.

FAQ

Which IELTS Writing criterion do most test-takers lose marks on?

Task Response (Task 2) and Task Achievement (Task 1) are the criteria where test-takers most commonly underperform relative to their English ability, because the issue is not language skill but task understanding — not answering the specific question, not providing a clear overview, not supporting ideas with examples. A test-taker whose English is strong but who has not studied what each criterion requires can score band 6.5 on Lexical Resource and Grammar but band 5.5 on Task Response, pulling the overall Writing score down significantly.

Can I prepare for IELTS Writing criteria separately?

Yes, and this is the most efficient preparation approach. Spend one week focusing on Task Response — analysing question types, practising position statements, ensuring every paragraph supports your position. Spend the next week on Coherence and Cohesion — practising paragraph structure, using a range of cohesive devices, checking that ideas flow. Spend a week on Lexical Resource — building topic-specific vocabulary, practising paraphrasing, checking collocations. Spend a week on Grammar — practising complex sentence structures, identifying your recurring grammar errors. This criterion-by-criterion approach produces faster improvement than writing full essays without knowing what you are targeting.

Understanding the IELTS Writing criteria turns vague "improve my writing" goals into specific, achievable targets. If you need structured preparation with feedback against the official band descriptors, iWorld Learning's IELTS preparation courses provide criterion-specific coaching in small groups. Contact us to book a free consultation.