IELTS Writing Task 2 marking criteria
Task 2 is marked on Task Response (TR), Coherence and Cohesion (CC), Lexical Resource (LR) and Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GRA), with the same descriptors for Academic and General Training. Each criterion describes every whole band from 9 to 1, plus band 0, and the four count equally.
IELTS’s key assessment criteria spell out what TR covers: how fully the essay answers the question, how well its main points are developed and supported, how relevant they are, how clearly it states a position and reaches conclusions, and whether the format suits the task.
A band is given only when the essay shows every positive feature listed for it. An essay that develops its ideas well but wavers between agreeing and disagreeing lacks a band 7 feature, a clear position, so TR stays at 6. Features printed in bold in the descriptors work as ceilings; they are listed after the criteria. The essay needs at least 250 words in about 40 minutes, and writing more isn’t penalised.
The four criteria, band by band
TR Task Response
Does the essay answer this exact prompt, take a clear position and back up its main ideas?
Check first
- Every main part of the question answered, none skipped
- A position you can state in one sentence
- Main ideas extended with reasons or examples, not just listed
| Band | What the marker sees |
|---|---|
| 9 | The question is explored in depth. A fully developed position answers exactly what was asked, every idea is extended and supported, and lapses are extremely rare. |
| 8 | The whole prompt is answered appropriately and sufficiently, with a well-developed position. Ideas are extended and backed up, with the occasional gap or slip in content. |
| 7 | Each main part of the question is properly answered and a clear position develops. Main ideas are extended, but support can drift into generalisation or lose focus. |
| 6 | All main parts are answered, some more fully than others, with a relevant position. Conclusions may be vague, unjustified or repeated, and some ideas are thin or weakly supported. |
| 5 | A main part of the question is only partly answered, which holds TR here. The position’s development is unclear, and ideas are few, thin or mixed with irrelevant detail. |
| 4 | A minimal or tangential answer, perhaps from misreading the prompt, with a position you have to hunt for and much repetition. An unsuitable format also holds TR here. |
| 3 and below | Band 3 answers nothing in the prompt adequately and has no relevant position. Band 2 barely connects with the prompt; band 1 is 20 words or fewer or wholly unrelated. |
What moves TR up a band
- 5 → 6
- Every main part is answered, even if unevenly, and the position fits the prompt directly.
- 6 → 7
- Coverage evens out, the position is clear and develops, and main ideas get support instead of being stated and left.
- 7 → 8
- The whole prompt is covered sufficiently and the position is well developed, with specific support in place of generalisations.
- 8 → 9
- The question is explored in depth, the position is fully developed and aimed squarely at it, and lapses become extremely rare.
CC Coherence and Cohesion
Can the reader follow the argument from start to finish, and do paragraphs, linkers and references help rather than get in the way?
Check first
- One clear topic per paragraph, in a logical order
- Linkers that show real relationships, not decoration
- Pronouns and substitutes that clearly point to something
| Band | What the marker sees |
|---|---|
| 9 | Effortless to follow, with linking so natural you hardly notice it. Paragraphing is skilful and lapses are minimal. |
| 8 | Easy to follow: ideas come in a logical order and the linking is well handled, with occasional lapses. Paragraphs are adequate and well judged. |
| 7 | The argument moves forward clearly from start to finish, with minor lapses. Linking, reference and substitution are flexible but sometimes wrong or overused, and paragraphs generally work. |
| 6 | Generally coherent, with clear overall progression, but links within or between sentences can be faulty or mechanical. Unclear reference causes repetition, and paragraphing isn’t always logical. |
| 5 | Some organisation and an underlying coherence, but the order isn’t wholly logical and sentences aren’t smoothly linked. Linkers are limited or overused, and missing or inadequate paragraphing holds CC here. |
| 4 | Ideas are there but not in a coherent order, with no clear progression. Basic linkers are inaccurate or repetitive, and paragraphs may be missing or lack a main topic. |
| 3 and below | At 3 the organisation has no visible logic and paragraphing attempts don’t help. Band 2 has little relevant message or is entirely off-topic; band 1 says nothing or is 20 words or fewer. |
What moves CC up a band
- 5 → 6
- Clear overall progression appears, linkers start doing useful work, and paragraphs are present even if their logic slips.
- 6 → 7
- Progression is clear throughout, reference and substitution replace repetition, and each paragraph has a logical internal order.
- 7 → 8
- Ideas follow a logical sequence and the linking is well controlled, so the reader moves through with ease.
- 8 → 9
- Reading becomes effortless, the cohesion stops drawing attention, and paragraphing is skilful rather than just adequate.
LR Lexical Resource
How wide, precise and accurate is the vocabulary for this topic, and how much do word-choice and spelling errors get in the way?
Check first
- Topic words used precisely, not vaguely
- Collocations and less common items that sound natural, not forced
- How often spelling or word-form errors make you reread
| Band | What the marker sees |
|---|---|
| 9 | Wide, precise and natural vocabulary with sophisticated control throughout. Spelling and word-form slips are extremely rare. |
| 8 | A wide vocabulary used fluently and precisely, with less common or idiomatic items handled skilfully. Occasional slips in word choice, collocation or spelling barely matter. |
| 7 | Enough range for some flexibility and precision, including some less common items and a feel for style and collocation. Some choices are off and a few spelling errors appear, but clarity holds. |
| 6 | Adequate vocabulary with generally clear meaning, despite a narrow range or imprecise choices. A writer who takes risks with wider vocabulary and makes more errors still sits here. |
| 5 | Limited but just enough: simple words used correctly with little variety, and frequent poor choices and repetition. Spelling or word-form errors are noticeable and can slow the reader. |
| 4 | Basic, repetitive vocabulary that isn’t adequate for the task, perhaps with misused memorised or lifted phrases. Vocabulary unrelated to the task holds LR here, and errors may block meaning. |
| 3 and below | At 3 the resource is inadequate, sometimes because the essay is far too short, and errors seriously block meaning. Bands 2 and 1 show little beyond memorised phrases or isolated words. |
What moves LR up a band
- 5 → 6
- Meaning stays generally clear despite the narrow range, and errors stop getting in the way.
- 6 → 7
- Some precision arrives: less common items used appropriately, a feel for collocation and style, and only a few spelling errors.
- 7 → 8
- The range becomes wide and precise, and less common items are handled with skill, with only occasional slips.
- 8 → 9
- Full flexibility and precision, with natural, sophisticated control and errors extremely rare.
GRA Grammatical Range and Accuracy
How varied are the sentence structures, and how many sentences are accurate in grammar and punctuation?
Check first
- The share of sentences with no errors at all
- Whether complex sentences are attempted, varied and controlled
- Punctuation: run-ons, comma splices and fragments
| Band | What the marker sees |
|---|---|
| 9 | Every structure the essay needs is used flexibly and with full control, and grammar and punctuation suit it throughout. Errors are extremely rare. |
| 8 | A wide range used flexibly and accurately, with most sentences free of errors and punctuation well managed. The occasional error is not systematic. |
| 7 | A variety of complex structures with some flexibility, and many sentences have no errors. Grammar and punctuation are mostly under control, and remaining errors don’t get in the way. |
| 6 | Simple and complex sentences both appear, with limited flexibility, and the complex ones are less accurate. Errors occur but rarely get in the way of meaning. |
| 5 | A limited, repetitive range. Complex sentences are attempted but usually go wrong, accuracy is best in simple ones, and frequent errors make the reader work. |
| 4 | A very limited range in which simple sentences dominate and subordinate clauses are rare, which holds GRA here. Errors are frequent and may block meaning. |
| 3 and below | At 3 errors swamp most of the meaning outside memorised or copied phrases, and the essay may be too short to show control. Below 3 there is almost no evidence of sentence forms. |
What moves GRA up a band
- 5 → 6
- A real mix of simple and complex sentences replaces a narrow range, and errors rarely block meaning.
- 6 → 7
- Complex structures become varied and flexible, and sentences without errors become frequent.
- 7 → 8
- Most sentences are error-free, and the remaining errors are occasional and not systematic.
- 8 → 9
- Full flexibility and control, with errors extremely rare and punctuation right throughout.
Features that cap a band
Some text in the official Writing descriptors is printed in bold. IELTS’s Writing descriptors say bold marks negative features that “limit a rating”, but they don’t say by how much. Our reading, and it is ours rather than an IELTS rule: if an essay shows a bold feature listed at band N, that criterion can’t go above N. Run these checks before you place any band.
| Band | Criterion | Feature |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | TR | A main part of the question is only partly answered |
| 5 | CC | Paragraphing is missing or inadequate |
| 4 | TR | The format doesn’t suit the task |
| 4 | LR | Vocabulary is unrelated to the task |
| 4 | GRA | Few subordinate clauses; mostly simple sentences |
| 3 | GRA | Too little text to show control of sentence forms |
| 2 | CC | The whole response may be off-topic |
| 1 | All | A response of 20 words or fewer is band 1 on every criterion |
| 1 | TR | Content wholly unrelated to the prompt |
| 0 | All | Proof that the whole answer was memorised |
How to mark an IELTS Writing Task 2 essay, step by step
- Read the prompt before the essay. Write down its main parts. A two-question prompt has two; “to what extent do you agree” needs a view on how far. Mark against this list, not against the essay you expected.
- Check length and copying. 20 words or fewer is band 1 on every criterion. Ignore sentences copied from the prompt. Under 250 words, expect thinner evidence for LR and GRA, but don’t deduct per missing word; IELTS publishes no such penalty.
- Read once for the message. Then write the writer’s position in one sentence. If you had to hunt for it, TR is in band 4 territory.
- Run the limiting checks in the limits table. Each one you find caps one criterion.
- Place TR. Start at the highest band your caps allow, tick each positive feature the essay shows, and drop a band if any is missing.
- Place CC. Write one line per paragraph: its topic and its job. Circle the linkers and check that every pronoun points somewhere clear. A linker opening nearly every sentence is mechanical cohesion, which means 6 or below.
- Sample LR and GRA. In two body paragraphs, count the sentences and the error-free ones. Band 8 needs most sentences error-free, so if fewer than half are clean, GRA is 7 at most. Underline word-choice and spelling errors, note which made you reread, and check each less common word.
- Write evidence and the next band. For each criterion: the band, one short quotation and one sentence on what the band above needs. That sentence is the student’s feedback.
- Average last. The four criteria give the task score. If you marked Task 1 too, Task 2 counts double.
Common Task 2 marking mistakes, and how to avoid them
- Forming an overall impression first. Decide each criterion on its own evidence. A fluent essay that half answers the question still has a weak TR.
- Treating a missing conclusion as a rule. The 2023 descriptors contain no such rule. Band 6 mentions conclusions that are unclear, unjustified or repetitive; what counts is a clear position that holds together.
- Requiring four or five paragraphs. No paragraph count appears anywhere. Missing or inadequate paragraphing caps CC at 5; beyond that, judge whether each paragraph has one clear topic.
- Counting linkers. More “moreover” doesn’t raise CC. Overused, mechanical linking belongs to bands 5 and 6.
- Misjudging the risk-taker. Wider vocabulary with more errors can still be LR 6, so don’t push ambition down to 5. Band 7 needs those words used with some precision.
- Weighing every error equally. Ten article slips that never confuse you are not the same as three errors that hide the meaning.
- Using the old wording. Many summaries still describe band 7 as answering all parts of the task. The current scale is about the prompt’s main parts, and it adds the bold limits.
- Using band 0 or a fixed cap for templates. Band 0 needs proof that the whole answer was memorised. Misused memorised phrases are an LR band 4 feature, and the descriptors set no blanket cap for template essays.
- Marking the opinion. Judge whether the position is clear and supported, not whether you agree with it.
MARK IT YOURSELF
Mark a script, then compare
Read one of the essays below, choose a band for each criterion, then compare with our marks and the reasons behind them. The prompt and essays are original and sit at different levels. Our marks are PrepEx reference marks for practice, not official IELTS scores, so where you disagree, check which descriptor feature each of us relied on.
The task
Some people think employers should let staff decide what time they start and finish work each day, as long as the work gets done. Others believe it is better for everyone in a workplace to keep the same fixed hours.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write at least 250 words.
Script A
287 wordsNowadays many company have to decide about the working time of their workers. Some people think the workers should choose their own time to start and finish the work, but other people think fixed hours is better for everyone.
First of all, if workers can choose there working hours they will be more happy and more relax. For example some people like to wake up early and some people like to sleep late, every person is diffrent, so if they can choose the time they can work in the time when they feel good. Also, people who have children can bring the children to school in the morning and start the work after that, this is very convenience for the familly. In addition, the traffic in the morning is very bad in my city, many people spend one hour or more in the bus. If the worker can come at 10 o'clock, he will not waste his time in the traffic and he will arrive to the office not tired. Moreover, happy workers work more harder and they will be more productivity, so the company will get more benefit. On the other hand, some people think fixed hours is better because the manager can control the workers and make a meeting easily.
In my opinion, I think both side have advantage and disadvantage. When I was working in a bank, all the staffs have to start at 8:30 and nobody can change it, even when somebody have a problem with the children. Sometimes it was difficult for me but I get used to it. So I think the fixed hours is more suitable for most of company, but the company can give some freedom for some workers.
| Criterion | You | PrepEx | Gap |
|---|
PrepEx reference marks · average 5.0
| Criterion | Band | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Task Response | 5 | The essay stays on topic, but nearly all of the body argues for flexible hours (being 'more happy and more relax', the school run, the morning traffic), while the fixed-hours view gets a single sentence saying the manager 'can control the workers and make a meeting easily', with nothing to explain or support it. The writer's own view appears only in the final paragraph, first as 'both side have advantage and disadvantage' and then as 'the fixed hours is more suitable for most of company'; the bank story offered as support ('Sometimes it was difficult for me') actually describes a drawback of fixed hours. With the second view this thin and the opinion left unsupported, the question is only partly answered, which keeps Task Response at 5. It stays above 4 because the ideas are relevant and the position is stated outright rather than left for the reader to dig out. |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5 | There is an introduction and a closing paragraph, but one long middle paragraph carries both views, switching sides at 'On the other hand' in its last sentence, so the paragraphs don't separate the main ideas; paragraphing this weak keeps Coherence and Cohesion at 5. Linking relies on a few markers stacked at sentence starts ('First of all', 'For example', 'Also', 'In addition', 'Moreover'), and 'workers' and 'the company' are repeated where a pronoun or substitute would do. The line of thought can still be followed, which keeps it above 4; for 6 it would need one paragraph per main idea and less mechanical linking. |
| Lexical Resource | 5 | The vocabulary is just enough to carry the ideas, but it is narrow and keeps returning to the same few words ('workers', 'time', 'the work', 'better'). Word-form errors are noticeable ('more relax', 'very convenience', 'more productivity'), alongside spelling errors ('there working hours', 'diffrent', 'familly') and collocation slips ('make a meeting', 'get more benefit'). That limited, repetitive range with frequent slips fits band 5; for 6 the writer needs more variety and fewer word-form errors, and it stays above 4 because the words are relevant and the meaning comes through. |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5 | Complex sentences are attempted throughout (if-clauses, 'people who have children', 'When I was working in a bank'), but most of them contain errors: agreement ('fixed hours is better', 'somebody have a problem'), tense ('all the staffs have to start', 'I get used to it'), comparatives ('more harder') and comma splices ('...after that, this is very convenience for the familly'). The most accurate sentences are the short, simple ones, such as 'Sometimes it was difficult for me'. That pattern fits band 5; frequent subordinate clauses keep it above 4, but for 6 more of the complex sentences would need to be correct and the run-on sentences brought under control. |
What would raise it: Plan before writing so that each view gets its own developed paragraph and your opinion appears in the introduction; that one change would lift both Task Response and Coherence and Cohesion.
Your points about flexible hours are relevant, but the other view and your own opinion need just as much space, and each needs its own paragraph.
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Script B
300 wordsWhether employees should be allowed to choose their own working hours is a big discussion in many companies nowadays. While some people argue that fixed hours are better for a workplace, I believe that staff should be given the freedom to decide when they work.
Those who support fixed hours usually say that it is easier for managers to control the team. If everyone arrives at nine and leave at five, meetings can be arranged without any problem. This is a fair point, however I think it is less important today than it was in the past.
The main argument for flexible hours is that every person has a different life situation. A parent with young children, for example, may need to send them to school at eight and would prefer to start work at half past nine. Another worker might be a student who study in the evening and want to finish earlier. If these people are forced to follow the same timetable as everyone else, they will feel a lot of pressure and the quality of their work will go down. On the other hand, when they can arrange their day by themselves, they are likely to be more motivated and have more loyalty for the company.
Another advantage is related to traffic. In big cities the traffic is very crowded in the peak time, so allowing employees to come at different times would make their journey shorter and less tiring. It would also reduce the pressure of public transport, which is good for the enviroment and for whole city.
In conclusion, although fixed hours make it easier for managers to control the team, I believe that staff should be given the freedom to decide when they work, because this makes them more motivated and reduces the traffic.
| Criterion | You | PrepEx | Gap |
|---|
PrepEx reference marks · average 6.5
| Criterion | Band | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Task Response | 6 | The position is clear from the introduction ('staff should be given the freedom to decide when they work'), and the case for flexible hours is supported with a parent and an evening student as examples. The opposing view gets one short paragraph with a single reason (meetings are easier to arrange) and is set aside as 'less important today than it was in the past' with no reason given, so the two views are covered unevenly. The conclusion repeats the introduction almost word for word instead of drawing the argument together. Uneven coverage, an under-developed second view and a repetitive conclusion fit band 6; for 7 the fixed-hours side needs proper development and the dismissal needs a reason. |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7 | The essay is well organised: each paragraph has one clear topic, and the argument moves from the opposing view to two reasons for the writer's own view. Reference and substitution are used well ('Those who support fixed hours', 'This is a fair point', 'these people', 'It would also'). A few devices are mechanical or slightly off, such as 'On the other hand' used to contrast two situations within the same argument, and stock openers like 'The main argument for' and 'Another advantage is related to'. That fits band 7; for 8 the linking would need to feel less formulaic. |
| Lexical Resource | 6 | Vocabulary is adequate for the topic and the meaning is always clear, with some good choices ('a fair point', 'timetable', 'less tiring'). Several choices are imprecise or miscollocated, though: 'a big discussion', 'send them to school', 'have more loyalty for the company', 'the traffic is very crowded in the peak time', 'the pressure of public transport', plus the misspelling 'enviroment'. Band 6 fits a range that gets the message across despite imprecise word choice; it lacks the less common items and control of collocation needed for 7. |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7 | There is a good variety of complex structures, mostly well controlled: a 'Whether...' clause as subject, a conditional with a passive ('meetings can be arranged'), and a gerund subject ('allowing employees to come at different times would make...'). Many sentences have no errors at all, but some slips recur, especially agreement after a compound or relative clause ('arrives at nine and leave at five', 'a student who study in the evening and want'), along with a comma splice before 'however' and a missing article ('for whole city'). That fits band 7; for 8 the errors would need to be rare one-offs rather than a pattern. |
What would raise it: Develop the fixed-hours view with a real reason and example, then answer it, instead of dismissing it in one line; that would lift Task Response to the level of the organisation.
Your essay is clearly organised and your view is easy to find, but give the other side a fair hearing and finish with a conclusion that adds something.
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Script C
374 wordsMany people like the idea of choosing their own working hours, and in some offices this already happens unofficially. In my opinion, though, complete freedom causes more problems than benefits, because a company works as a team and not as a group of separate individuals. The best solution would be a fixed core period when everyone is present, with flexible time before and after it.
What supporters of free choice usually point out is that everyone has a different lifestyle and body clock. A parent who has to drop the kids at school cannot easily be at a desk by eight, while another person may simply concentrate better later in the day. Forcing both of them into the same timetable means that neither works at their best. There is also an argument based on trust: if a company judges staff by what they produce rather than by when they arrive, it shows that it trusts them, and they usually respond with more comitment.
However, those who defend fixed hours are right, that most jobs depend on cooperation. When colleagues work completely different hours, a question that could have been answered in two minutes becomes a long exchange of emails, and the more the schedules differ, the longer simple decisions take. Young staff always need someone experienced sitting next to them, and nobody learns a job properly when the office is half empty. Customers, too, will simply go to another company if they cannot reach someone immediately.
For these reasons, I believe employers should set core hours, perhaps from ten until three, and let staff decide when to start and finish around them. My sister's company has introduced exactly this system two years ago, and it has worked better than most of her colleagues expected. Meetings are now held only within the core hours, so nobody misses them, while people with long commutes can avoid the strong traffic by arriving at seven or at nine. According to her, the teams still reach their deadlines, and if anything people seem happier than before.
To sum up, both total freedom and a rigid timetable have disadvantages. A core period with flexible time around it keeps the benefits of teamwork and still respects that employees have private obligations.
| Criterion | You | PrepEx | Gap |
|---|
PrepEx reference marks · average 7.5
| Criterion | Band | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Task Response | 7 | The position is set out in the introduction ('a fixed core period when everyone is present, with flexible time before and after it') and held to the end, with both views discussed before the writer's own proposal and a concrete example from 'My sister's company'. Most ideas are extended well, for example the trust argument ('judges staff by what they produce rather than by when they arrive'). The third paragraph, though, rests on sweeping claims: young staff 'always need someone experienced sitting next to them', 'nobody learns a job properly when the office is half empty', and customers 'will simply go to another company'. Over-generalised support of this kind is what keeps the mark at 7; for 8 those claims would need qualifying and backing up. |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 8 | The essay is easy to follow: five paragraphs, each with one job, move from the writer's view through each side to a concrete solution. Cohesion is handled smoothly with contrast and reference ('while', 'neither', 'Customers, too', 'around them', 'this system'). There is an occasional lapse: 'For these reasons' opens the solution paragraph but points loosely back at two paragraphs that argue opposite sides. That fits band 8; for 9 the linking would need to go unnoticed throughout. |
| Lexical Resource | 7 | Vocabulary is accurate and suited to the topic, with some less common items ('body clock', 'long commutes', 'a long exchange of emails', 'judges staff by what they produce'). Much of the wording, though, is plain or a little stiff rather than precise ('more problems than benefits', 'a group of separate individuals', 'private obligations'), and there are slips in collocation ('avoid the strong traffic' where heavy is needed, 'reach their deadlines' where meet is needed), register ('drop the kids at school') and spelling ('comitment'). That is enough range for some flexibility, with awareness of collocation that isn't yet consistent, which fits band 7; for 8 the vocabulary would need to be wider and used with more precision and skill. |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 8 | The grammar is wide-ranging and handled with flexibility and accuracy: a cleft sentence ('What supporters of free choice usually point out is that...'), a gerund subject ('Forcing both of them into the same timetable means that neither works at their best'), a modal perfect passive ('a question that could have been answered in two minutes'), a double comparative ('the more the schedules differ, the longer simple decisions take') and passives ('Meetings are now held'). Nearly every sentence is error-free. The two slips are unrelated: a present perfect with a finished time ('has introduced exactly this system two years ago') and an unnecessary comma before a that-clause ('are right, that most jobs depend on cooperation'). Occasional, non-systematic errors like these fit band 8; for 9 even these would need to disappear. |
What would raise it: Qualify and support the claims in the third paragraph (for example, 'many junior staff learn faster with a senior colleague nearby'), so every main idea is as well backed as the trust argument.
A clear, well-argued essay; to move higher, avoid sweeping words like 'always' and 'nobody', and check collocations such as 'heavy traffic' and 'meet a deadline'.
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Scripts and transcripts are original PrepEx material written for this guide. Reference marks are PrepEx practice estimates against the public descriptors, not official IELTS scores.
How the IELTS Writing band is calculated: what is published and what isn’t
What IELTS publishes: each task is marked separately, the four criteria count equally, the task score is their average, and Task 2 carries twice the weight of Task 1. The only published rounding rule is for the overall band across all four skills.
What it doesn’t publish: a formula for combining the two tasks, or how a task average such as 6.25 and the final Writing band are rounded. The usual working formula is below. It is our inference, not an IELTS formula.
Writing ≈ (Task 1 score + 2 × Task 2 score) ÷ 3
| Task 1 criteria | Task 2 criteria | Task averages | Weighted figure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6, 6, 6, 6 | 6, 6, 7, 6 | 6.0 and 6.25 | 6.17 |
| 7, 7, 7, 7 | 6, 6, 6, 6 | 7.0 and 6.0 | 6.33 |
| 6, 6, 6, 6 | 7, 7, 7, 7 | 6.0 and 7.0 | 6.67 |
The last two rows swap the same marks between the tasks and end up a third of a band apart. That is the weighting in practice, and why IELTS suggests about 20 minutes for Task 1 and 40 for Task 2.
Where 6.17 or 6.33 lands on a results form depends on rounding IELTS hasn’t published, so treat any claim that a 6.25 task average becomes 6.5, or that Writing always rounds down, as a guess. The 6.25 to 6.5 rule is real only for the overall band; our band score calculation guide works through it. For a class report, state the rounding you used and call the result an estimate.
To see how your own essay adds up, write PrepEx’s free Task 2 prompt, mark it yourself with the printable sheet, then compare with our estimate for each criterion. You need a free account, and the result is practice feedback, not an IELTS score.
Using the Task 2 descriptors with a class
Students take in the descriptors when they have to use them to justify a mark. Over three or four lessons:
- Teach TR and CC using only the 5 → 6 and 6 → 7 rows. For a class aiming at 6.5 or 7, those are the moves that matter.
- Have students mark a practice essay on one criterion, with one quoted reason, before you reveal our reference mark. Discuss the reasons, not the numbers.
- Run peer marking with the printable sheet, one criterion per student, so each has to read for it.
- Give every student one target from the move row for their weakest criterion and have them rewrite a single paragraph against it.
On PrepEx, the teacher dashboard handles the routine side: invite students one by one or in batches, assign Writing Task 2 (one of eight assignable task types) with a due date, open each saved essay with PrepEx’s criterion feedback, track progress and send parent-facing PDF reports. You can’t change PrepEx’s marks, so set your own beside them and teach from the differences. Full IELTS tests and the diagnostic can’t be assigned. Access is arranged with PrepEx, usually starting with a short complimentary evaluation: IELTS for schools.
FOR TEACHERS
PrepEx gives every student a first mark against these criteria, and you review each saved answer in one place.
Set this task for a classIELTS Writing Task 2 marking sheet
One essay per sheet. Run the limit checks first, then give each criterion the highest band it fully fits. PrepEx paraphrase; the official descriptors are on ielts.org.
TR Task ResponseBand ____
- Main parts of the prompt listed, and each one answered?
- Position in one sentence:
- Main ideas extended and supported, or only listed?
- Conclusion follows from the argument?
CC Coherence and CohesionBand ____
- One clear topic per paragraph?
- Progression clear throughout, or only overall?
- Linkers accurate, or mechanical and overused?
- Pronouns and substitutes point clearly?
LR Lexical ResourceBand ____
- Topic vocabulary precise?
- Less common items and collocations used correctly?
- Spelling and word-form errors: rare / some / frequent
- Repetition or lifted prompt wording?
GRA Grammatical Range and AccuracyBand ____
- Error-free sentences in two paragraphs: __ of __
- Complex structures varied and controlled?
- Do errors ever block meaning?
- Punctuation: run-ons, comma splices, fragments?
Before you settle the bands
- 20 words or fewer → band 1 on all criteria
- Sentences copied from the prompt ignored
- A main part only partly answered → TR max 5
- Format wrong for an essay → TR max 4
- Paragraphing missing or inadequate → CC max 5
- Vocabulary unrelated to the task → LR max 4
- Mostly simple sentences, few subordinate clauses → GRA max 4
- Too short to show sentence control → GRA max 3
Task 2 score = (TR + CC + LR + GRA) ÷ 4. Writing ≈ (Task 1 + 2 × Task 2) ÷ 3; IELTS does not publish this formula or how Writing is rounded.
PrepEx marking sheet · prepex.ai/ielts/band-descriptors/writing-task-2 · Paraphrased from the public IELTS descriptors; the official PDFs are at ielts.org. Get an answer marked free at prepex.ai/ielts.
Questions about Writing Task 2 marking
How is the IELTS Writing test marked?
Certificated examiners mark each task separately on four equally weighted criteria, with Task Achievement in Task 1 and Task Response in Task 2. Each task score is the average of its criteria, and Task 2 carries twice the weight of Task 1. IELTS doesn’t publish how the two combine or how Writing is rounded; the usual estimate is (Task 1 + 2 × Task 2) ÷ 3.
Are half bands given for each criterion in IELTS Writing?
The published scales only describe whole bands, from 9 down to 0, so there is no description of a 6.5 for Task Response. Section bands do appear in halves, so a Writing result of 6.5 is normal. PrepEx’s practice feedback can show a half band for a criterion when a script sits between two descriptors. Read that as a lean towards one band or the other, not as an official mark.
Is 6.25 rounded to 6.5 in IELTS?
For the overall band, yes. IELTS averages your four skill bands, and an average ending in .25 is rounded up to the half band, so 6.25 becomes 6.5; one ending in .75 is rounded up to the whole band. IELTS doesn’t publish how a Writing task average of 6.25 is rounded, so pages that apply the same rule inside Writing are guessing.
What does band 6 mean in IELTS Writing?
In Task 2 terms, a band 6 essay answers every main part of the question, though unevenly, with a relevant position whose conclusion may be vague or repetitive. It is generally coherent but the linking can be mechanical, the vocabulary is adequate but imprecise, and it mixes simple and complex sentences, with more errors in the complex ones. Errors rarely block meaning. The move to 7 is mostly about developing ideas and controlling complex sentences; rare words alone won’t do it.
How can I get 8.5 in IELTS Writing?
You would need criterion marks mostly at 8 and 9, especially in Task 2, which counts double. Band 8 asks for the whole prompt covered, a well-developed position, a logical sequence that is easy to follow, wide and precise vocabulary, and mostly error-free sentences. Band 9 goes further: the prompt explored in depth and errors extremely rare. IELTS reworded the top bands in 2023 partly so that examiners would use 8 and 9, but every criterion still needs the evidence.
Is there a penalty for writing under 250 words?
No penalty per missing word is published. IELTS says a short essay may not give enough evidence for the higher bands, and its guide for organisations says points are deducted for answers that are too brief. The descriptors name length at band 3 for LR and GRA, and 20 words or fewer is band 1 on every criterion. Write at least 250 words and leave time to check them.
How many paragraphs should an IELTS Task 2 essay have?
IELTS sets no number. In Task 2 Coherence and Cohesion, inadequate or missing paragraphing is a bold feature at band 5, band 6 allows paragraphs whose logic sometimes slips, and band 7 needs paragraphs that work, with a sensible order inside each. Four or five paragraphs is a common shape, but a marker should judge whether each paragraph has a clear job, not count them.
Are memorised phrases and templates penalised in IELTS Writing?
Memorised phrases aren’t banned. The descriptors put misused memorised or formulaic chunks at LR band 4, and heavy reliance on memorised or prompt language at band 3. Wording copied from the prompt simply isn’t counted. Band 0 needs proof that the whole answer was memorised. The descriptors contain no fixed band 4 cap for templates, whatever some summaries say.
Use the criteria on a real answer
PREPARING FOR IELTS
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PrepEx checked these official pages on . The descriptors on this page are PrepEx’s paraphrase; read the official PDFs for the exact wording. IELTS is jointly owned by the British Council, IDP IELTS and Cambridge University Press & Assessment. PrepEx is independent and not affiliated with them.
- IELTS Writing Band Descriptors, Task 1 and Task 2 (PDF, updated May 2023), ielts.org
- IELTS Writing Key Assessment Criteria (PDF), ielts.org
- IELTS scoring in detail, ielts.org
- IELTS Academic: Writing test format, ielts.org
- IELTS General Training: Writing test format, ielts.org
- IELTS news item on the revised Writing descriptors (3 May 2023), ielts.org
- Review of the IELTS Writing scales, summary (PDF, 2023), ielts.org
- IELTS Scores Guide 2025 (PDF), ielts.org