IELTS Writing band scores

Task achievement
Fully satisfies all the requirements of the task

Clearly presents a fully developed response

Coherence and cohesion
Uses cohesion in such a way that it attracts no attention

Skilfully manages paragraphing

Lexical resource
Uses a wide range of vocabulary with very natural and sophisticated control of lexical features; rare minor errors occur only as ‘slips’

Grammatical range and accuracy
Uses a wide range of structures with full flexibility and accuracy; rare minor errors occur only as ‘slips’

Task achievement
Covers all requirements of the task sufficiently

Presents, highlights and illustrates key features/ bullet points clearly and appropriately

Coherence and cohesion
Sequences information and ideas logically

Manages all aspects of cohesion well

Uses paragraphing sufficiently and appropriately

Lexical resource
Uses a wide range of vocabulary fluently and flexibly to convey precise meanings

Skilfully uses uncommon lexical items but there may be occasional inaccuracies in word choice and collocation

Produces rare errors in spelling and/or word formation

Grammatical range and accuracy
Uses a wide range of structures

The majority of sentences are error-free

Makes only very occasional errors or inappropriacies

Task achievement
Covers the requirements of the task

(Academic) presents a clear overview of main trends, differences or stages

(General Training) presents a clear purpose, with the tone consistent and appropriate

Clearly presents and highlights key features/bullet points but could be more fully extended

Coherence and cohesion
Logically organises information and ideas; there is clear progression throughout

Uses a range of cohesive devices appropriately although there may be some under-/over-use

Lexical resource
Uses a sufficient range of vocabulary to allow some flexibility and precision

Uses less common lexical items with some awareness of style and collocation

May produce occasional errors in word choice, spelling and/or word formation

Grammatical range and accuracy
Uses a variety of complex structures

Produces frequent error-free sentences

Has good control of grammar and punctuation but may make a few errors

Task achievement
Addresses the requirements of the task

(Academic) presents an overview with information appropriately selected

(General Training) presents a purpose that is generally clear; there may be inconsistencies in tone

Presents and adequately highlights key features/ bullet points but details may be irrelevant, inappropriate or inaccurate

Coherence and cohesion
Arranges information and ideas coherently and there is a clear overall progression

Uses cohesive devices effectively, but cohesion within and/or between sentences may be faulty or mechanical

May not always use referencing clearly or appropriately

Lexical resource
Uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task

Attempts to use less common vocabulary but with some inaccuracy

Makes some errors in spelling and/or word formation, but they do not impede communication

Grammatical range and accuracy
Uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms

Makes some errors in grammar and punctuation but they rarely reduce communication

Task achievement
Generally addresses the task; the format may be inappropriate in places

(Academic) recounts detail mechanically with no clear overview; there may be no data to support the description

(General Training) may present a purpose for the letter that is unclear at times; the tone may be variable and sometimes inappropriate

Presents, but inadequately covers, key features/ bullet points; there may be a tendency to focus on details

Coherence and cohesion
Presents information with some organisation but there may be a lack of overall progression

Makes inadequate, inaccurate or over-use of cohesive devices

May be repetitive because of lack of referencing and substitution

Lexical resource
Uses a limited range of vocabulary, but this is minimally adequate for the task

Grammatical range and accuracy
Uses only a limited range of structures

Attempts complex sentences but these tend to be less accurate than simple sentences

May make frequent grammatical errors and punctuation may be faulty; errors can cause some difficulty for the reader

Task achievement
Attempts to address the task but does not cover all key features/bullet points; the format may be inappropriate

(General Training) fails to clearly explain the purpose of the letter; the tone may be inappropriate

May confuse key features/bullet points with detail; parts may be unclear, irrelevant, repetitive or inaccurate


Coherence and cohesion
Presents information and ideas but these are not arranged coherently and there is no clear progression in the response

Uses some basic cohesive devices but these may be inaccurate or repetitive


Lexical resource
Uses only basic vocabulary which may be used repetitively or which may be inappropriate for the task

Has limited control of word formation and/or spelling; errors may cause strain for the reader

Grammatical range and accuracy
Uses only a very limited range of structures with only rare use of subordinate clauses

Some structures are accurate but errors predominate, and punctuation is often faulty

Task achievement
Fails to address the task, which may have been completely misunderstood

Presents limited ideas which may be largely irrelevant/repetitive

Coherence and cohesion
Does not organise ideas logically

May use a very limited range of cohesive devices, and those used may not indicate a logical relationship between ideas

Lexical resource
Uses only a very limited range of words and expressions with very limited control of word formation and/or spelling

Errors may severely distort the message

Grammatical range and accuracy
Attempts sentence forms but errors in grammar and punctuation predominate and distort the meaning

Task achievement
Answer is barely related to the task

Coherence and cohesion
Has very little control of organisational features

Lexical resource
Uses an extremely limited range of vocabulary; essentially no control of word formation and/or spelling

Grammatical range and accuracy
Cannot use sentence forms except in memorised phrase

Task achievement
Answer is completely unrelated to the task

Coherence and cohesion
Fails to communicate any message

Lexical resource
Can only use a few isolated words

Grammatical range and accuracy
Cannot use sentence forms at all

Task achievement
Does not attend

Does not attempt the task in any way

Writes a totally memorised response

Coherence and cohesion
Does not attend

Does not attempt the task in any way

Writes a totally memorised response

Lexical resource
Does not attend

Does not attempt the task in any way

Writes a totally memorised response

Grammatical range and accuracy
Does not attend

Does not attempt the task in any way

Writes a totally memorised response

Task response
Fully addresses all parts of the task

Presents a fully developed position in answer to the question with relevant, fully extended and well supported ideas

Coherence and cohesion
Uses cohesion in such a way that it attracts no attention

Skilfully manages paragraphing

Lexical resource
Uses a wide range of vocabulary with very natural and sophisticated control of lexical features; rare minor errors occur only as ‘slips’

Grammatical range and accuracy
Uses a wide range of structures with full flexibility and accuracy; rare minor errors occur only as ‘slips’

Task response
Sufficiently addresses all parts of the task

Presents a well-developed response to the question with relevant, extended and supported ideas

Coherence and cohesion
Sequences information and ideas logically

Manages all aspects of cohesion well

Uses paragraphing sufficiently and appropriately

Lexical resource
Uses a wide range of vocabulary fluently and flexibly to convey precise meanings

Skilfully uses uncommon lexical items but there may be occasional inaccuracies in word choice and collocation

Produces rare errors in spelling and/or word formation

Grammatical range and accuracy
Uses a wide range of structures

The majority of sentences are error-free

Makes only very occasional errors or inappropriacy

Task response
Addresses all parts of the task

Presents a clear position throughout the response

Presents, extends and supports main ideas, but there may be a tendency to over-generalise and/or supporting ideas may lack focus

Coherence and cohesion
Logically organises information and ideas; there is clear progression throughout

Uses a range of cohesive devices appropriately although there may be some under-/over-use

Presents a clear central topic within each paragraph


Lexical resource
Uses a sufficient range of vocabulary to allow some flexibility and precision

Uses less common lexical items with some awareness of style and collocation

May produce occasional errors in word choice, spelling and/or word formation

Grammatical range and accuracy
Uses a variety of complex structures

Produces frequent error-free sentences

Has good control of grammar and punctuation but may make a few errors

Task response
Addresses all parts of the task although some parts may be more fully covered than others

Presents a relevant position although the conclusions may become unclear or repetitive

Presents relevant main ideas but some may be inadequately developed/unclear

Coherence and cohesion
Arranges information and ideas coherently and there is a clear overall progression

Uses cohesive devices effectively, but cohesion within and/or between sentences may be faulty or mechanical

May not always use referencing clearly or appropriately

Uses paragraphing, but not always logically

Lexical resource
Uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task

Attempts to use less common vocabulary but with some inaccuracy

Makes some errors in spelling and/or word formation, but they do not impede communication

Grammatical range and accuracy
Uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms

Makes some errors in grammar and punctuation but they rarely reduce communication

Task response
Addresses the task only partially; the format may be inappropriate in places

Expresses a position but the development is not always clear and there may be no conclusions drawn

Presents some main ideas but these are limited and not sufficiently developed; there may be irrelevant detail

Coherence and cohesion
Presents information with some organisation but there may be a lack of overall progression

Makes inadequate, inaccurate or over-use of cohesive devices

May be repetitive because of lack of referencing and substitution
May not write in paragraphs or paragraphing may be inadequate

Lexical resource
Uses a limited range of vocabulary, but this is minimally adequate for the task

May make noticeable errors in spelling and/or word formation that may cause some difficulty for the reader

Grammatical range and accuracy
Uses only a limited range of structures
Attempts complex sentences but these tend to be less accurate than simple sentences
May make frequent grammatical errors and punctuation may be faulty; errors can cause some difficulty for the reader

Task response
Responds to the task only in a minimal way or the answer is tangential; the format may be inappropriate

Presents a position but this is unclear

Presents some main ideas but these are difficult to identify and may be repetitive, irrelevant or not well supported

Coherence and cohesion
Presents information and ideas but these are not arranged coherently and there is no clear progression in the response

Uses some basic cohesive devices but these may be inaccurate or repetitive
May not write in paragraphs or their use may be confusing


Lexical resource
Uses only basic vocabulary which may be used repetitively or which may be inappropriate for the task

Has limited control of word formation and/or spelling; errors may cause strain for the reader

Grammatical range and accuracy
Uses only a very limited range of structures with only rare use of subordinate clauses

Some structures are accurate but errors predominate, and punctuation is often faulty

Task response
Does not adequately address any part of the task

Does not express a clear position

Presents few ideas, which are largely undeveloped or irrelevant

Coherence and cohesion
Does not organise ideas logically

May use a very limited range of cohesive devices, and those used may not indicate a logical relationship between ideas

Lexical resource
Uses only a very limited range of words and expressions with very limited control of word formation and/or spelling

Errors may severely distort the message

Grammatical range and accuracy
Attempts sentence forms but errors in grammar and punctuation predominate and distort the meaning

Task response
Barely responds to the task

Does not express a position

May attempt to present one or two ideas but there is no development

Coherence and cohesion
Has very little control of organisational features

Lexical resource
Uses an extremely limited range of vocabulary; essentially no control of word formation and/or spelling

Grammatical range and accuracy
Cannot use sentence forms except in memorised phrase

Task response
Answer is completely unrelated to the task

Coherence and cohesion
Fails to communicate any message

Lexical resource
Can only use a few isolated words

Grammatical range and accuracy
Cannot use sentence forms at all

Task response
Does not attend

Does not attempt the task in any way

Writes a totally memorised response

Coherence and cohesion
Does not attend

Does not attempt the task in any way

Writes a totally memorised response

Lexical resource
Does not attend

Does not attempt the task in any way

Writes a totally memorised response

Grammatical range and accuracy
Does not attend

Does not attempt the task in any way

Writes a totally memorised response